𝔅𝔬𝔯𝔫 𝔱𝔬 𝔡𝔦𝔢 - Rafe Cameron

⑨

...

Jazmine sat in her garden, her knees pulled to her chest as she swirled the drink in her glass. The air was cool now that the sun had dipped lower, the faint hum of distant cicadas filling the quiet. After leaving the beach and her sister behind, she'd craved calm. But her thoughts were anything but.

She shifted on the wooden chair, glancing at her phone lying on the table beside her. Sofia had said to call if she ever needed to talk, so Jazmine hit dial without overthinking. 

When Sofia answered, her voice was warm and inviting, putting Jazmine at ease almost instantly.

Minutes later, Sofia arrived, her hair pulled into a loose bun and a comforting smile on her face. She carried a small bottle of wine in one hand and hugged Jazmine tightly with the other. "Alright, tell me everything," she said as she settled into the chair opposite Jazmine.

Jazmine wasted no time, her words tumbling out fast, her hands moving animatedly as she spoke. "That idiot Ruthie showed up in her car and nearly killed us. I'm not even joking, Sofia! She was flying down the road like a maniac." She leaned forward, pressing her glass onto the table with a sharp clink.

Sofia's eyes widened as she leaned back slightly, shaking her head. "Are you serious? That's insane!"

"And that's not all," Jazmine continued, running a hand through her hair in frustration. "She threw her drink at Kiara—an entire drink, Sofia!—and then started spewing a bunch of nasty crap. I swear, the next time I see this bitch.."

Sofia chuckled, though her expression carried disbelief. "I never liked her. Every time I see her at the country club, she's insufferable. 'Sofia, the napkins don't match the plates. Can you fix it?' Ugh, she's impossible."

"They can all go to hell," Jazmine muttered, raising her glass toward Sofia in mock solidarity.

Sofia clinked her glass against Jazmine's, but her laughter quieted as she noticed the way Jazmine's expression shifted. Her brows furrowed, and her shoulders slumped slightly as she stared at the table.

"The worst part of today wasn't even Ruthie," Jazmine admitted after a pause, her voice softer now.

She tapped her fingers against the glass, her gaze fixed downward. "It was Rafe. He just stood there, Sofia. Behind everyone, watching. He didn't say a single word or do anything. If it were me, I'd have defended him in a heartbeat. But him? Nothing. And I know he's not afraid of them, so why?"

Sofia leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. "Have you talked to him about it?"

Jazmine scoffed, sitting back in her chair. "Of course, I've talked to him. I've done nothing but talk about it. But he's so stubborn. And now, with this stupid project of Topper's? It's just getting worse."

Sofia sighed, folding her arms across her chest. "Jazmine, what I know for sure is that Rafe loves you. If you talk to him—really talk to him—he'll listen."

Jazmine stared at the table for a moment, her fingers nervously tracing the rim of her glass. The silence between them felt heavy, but she needed to say it—needed to let the words out even if they scared her. Finally, she spoke, her voice soft but steady.

"I love him, you know," she admitted, her gaze still fixed downward. The confession felt both terrifying and freeing. "I've never loved anyone before. Not like this."