Whispers || Rafe Cameron

CHAPTER FOUR

The next night, the bonfire was already in full swing when we arrived. The smell of salt and smoke mixed with the sound of music and waves crashing against the shore. Malakai disappeared almost immediately, pulled into a group by Topper and Kelce. Sarah waved me over to where she was sitting with a few other girls, and for a while, I tried to lose myself in the easy rhythm of their chatter.

It worked-sort of.

Until I felt someone watching me.

My gaze flicked up, and there he was again, standing just at the edge of the firelight. Rafe. His hands were tucked into the pockets of his jacket, his expression unreadable as he leaned against a tree, watching the group like he wasn't really part of it.

"What's with you and Rafe?" Sarah's voice broke through my thoughts, low enough that the others didn't hear.

I blinked, caught off guard. "What do you mean?"

She gave me a knowing look. "He doesn't talk to people much. But he keeps showing up when you're around."

"I think you're reading into it," I said, though my cheeks felt warm.

"Maybe," she said lightly, but the way she looked at me made it clear she didn't believe me, "im just warning you, he doesn't...do girls"

I furrowed my brows " what do you mean do girls?" i let out a laugh with confusion.

" i mean... hes fucked over half the island, he has sex with girls and never talks to them again... im just saying i wouldn't go for him if i were you."

i laughed as if to say she was an idiot. I didn't want rafe, what makes her think that? or do i? i shook my head letting go of the thoughts.

A few minutes later, I got up to grab a drink, weaving through the crowd toward the keg. When I turned around, Rafe was there, like he'd been waiting.

"You're not hiding very well," he said, his tone dry but his lips twitching with the hint of a smirk.

"I wasn't hiding," I shot back, trying not to sound defensive.

Rafe tilted his head, his gaze steady. "Then why do you look like you're trying to run from something?"

I frowned. "Do you always have to be so cryptic?"

"Do you always avoid answering questions?"

I opened my mouth to respond, but he cut me off, stepping closer, his voice dropping low enough that it felt like it was meant just for me.

"Careful, Alana. People around here aren't always what they seem."

There it was again-that warning edge to his words. I felt a spark of frustration rise in me. "And what about you, Rafe? What are you hiding?"

His jaw tightened, and for a moment, I thought he wasn't going to answer. Then he leaned in, his voice barely above a whisper.

"More than you want to know."

Before I could process what he'd said, Sarah's voice cut through the air. "Alana! Come join us!"

I glanced back toward the fire, where Sarah was waving me over. When I turned back to Rafe, he was already walking away, disappearing into the shadows like he always did.

what a weirdo

The rest of the night felt like a blur, and not the fun kind. I kept trying to focus on the conversations around me, but my mind was stuck on Rafe's cryptic words and the way he always managed to leave before I could figure him out.

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By the time Malakai and I got home, the house was quiet except for the sound of the waves outside. Dad had already gone to bed, and the soft hum of the TV in the living room told me Mom had fallen asleep on the couch again.

"Good night," Malakai mumbled, heading toward his room without a second glance. "Goodnight" i replied heading up to my bedroom.

The next morning, I woke up to the sound of voices outside. Groggy, I stumbled to the window and peeked out.

Rafe was standing by the dock, talking to my dad.

My stomach flipped. What was he doing here?

Dad seemed relaxed, gesturing toward one of the boats as he spoke. Rafe nodded, his expression unreadable as always, but his posture was less guarded than I'd seen before.

I threw on a hoodie and some sandals, trying to make myself look presentable as I hurried outside.

"Morning, sweetheart," Dad said when he saw me. "This is Rafe. He's helping us out with some repairs on the marina. Knows his way around boats."

Of course, he did. Because why wouldn't Rafe Cameron be involved in yet another part of my life?

"Nice to see you again, sweetheart" Rafe winked at me, his voice calm but his eyes holding that same intensity as they met mine.

sweetheart

Was that supposed to be a joke?

I crossed my arms, suddenly feeling exposed under his gaze. "You didn't mention you worked on boats."

"You didn't ask," he replied, the corner of his mouth twitching in amusement.

"Rafe's a good kid," Dad said, clapping him on the shoulder. "He's got a lot of experience, and he's been helping out around here for years."

I bit back a snort. Good kid? Maybe to my dad.

Rafe's eyes flicked to me, like he knew exactly what I was thinking. "I should get started," he said, giving Dad a polite nod before heading toward the boat.

As soon as he was out of earshot, Dad turned to me with a grin. "Good to have someone local helping out. You should get to know him-he's a nice guy."

I raised an eyebrow. "You sure about that?"

Dad laughed. "Don't judge too quickly, Alana. People aren't always what they seem."

The irony wasn't lost on me.

Rafe worked on the boat with quiet focus, barely glancing at anyone. I wandered down to the dock, pretending to check something near the water.

"Do you always lurk, or is that just for me?" His voice startled me, though he didn't look up.

"I wasn't lurking," I said quickly, even though I was.

He smirked, finally meeting my eyes. "Sure. Just like you weren't hiding last night."

"You're exhausting," I shot back, leaning against the railing.

"Better than boring," he said, wiping his hands on a rag.

We stood in silence, the waves filling the space between us.

"So, is this your thing?" I asked. "Being mysterious and handing out unsolicited advice?"

He chuckled, shaking his head. "You ask a lot of questions for someone who avoids answers."

"Maybe I'm just trying to figure you out," I said, throwing his words back at him.

His expression softened, just for a second. "Maybe you should stop trying."

"Maybe I don't want to." My voice was quiet but steady.

Something flickered in his eyes, raw and unguarded-but just as quickly, it was gone.

"Careful, Alana," he said, stepping closer, his voice low. "You don't know what you're getting into."

And then, like always, he walked away, leaving me with more questions than answers.

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A/N: Okay so we are kinda getting somewhere???
im still bored but as the professional writer i am (im not) i think jumping straight into heaps of drama would make the story bad in a sense idk just trust the process loll.