𝔅𝔬𝔯𝔫 𝔱𝔬 𝔡𝔦𝔢 - Rafe Cameron

①⑦

...

The sun was dipping below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of gold and orange, but Jazmine hadn't moved from the bow of the boat. Exhaustion was settling in, and the cool evening air made her shiver with each passing moment.

Deciding it was time to head inside, she started toward the helm. As she approached, she saw John B at the controls, Sarah standing nearby, and Kiara lingering at the back.

"Where's Rafe?" Jazmine asked, her voice cutting through the sound of the waves.

John B hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. "Uh... about that..."

Pope spoke up from the side. "JJ punched him. He's out cold and tied up in the engine room."

Jazmine shot them a sharp look but said nothing. Without another word, she turned and headed down the narrow corridor toward the engine room.

As she walked, she crossed paths with Sarah, who was leaning against the wall, one hand clutching her stomach.

"You're good ?" Jazmine asked, glancing over at her.

Sarah took a deep breath before answering. "Yeah, I'm fine. It's just the boat. The movement's making me nauseous."

"I get that," Jazmine replied with a small nod. After a beat, she added, "Did you go see Rafe?"

Sarah let out a dry laugh. "Yeah. Good luck with him."

Without waiting for more, Sarah moved on, and Jazmine continued down the corridor. She stopped in front of the engine room door, pushed it open with some effort, and stepped inside.

There he was—Rafe, slumped against the wall, his hands bound. A tray of food sat beside him. He lifted his eyes, meeting Jazmine's gaze. She smiled at him softly, a quiet warmth in her expression.

Jazmine crouched down in front of him, her hand brushing gently over his face. A faint smirk tugged at her lips. "Oh, he really got you good."

"Don't laugh," Rafe grumbled.

She let her hand fall from his face, letting out a sigh. She had to accept it—The Pogues would never accept Rafe, no matter what happened.

But the truth was, Jazmine couldn't help but wonder why it even mattered. She loved Rafe, and Rafe loved her. She didn't care about the opinions of anyone else.

She had made plenty of mistakes, and even though she wasn't in the same situation as Rafe, she understood that people could change. She had never judged someone's past—she knew better than anyone that people could evolve. 

She let her hand fall from his face, letting out a sigh. She had to accept it—The Pogues would never accept Rafe, no matter what happened. 

She should have never listened to Kiara. Choosing between her and Rafe had been foolish. Kiara had her own life, her own path to follow, and Jazmine had hers. Her life was with Rafe now—he had become her present,and from now on he would be her future.

She should have never left Rafe in the first place.

Jazmine sat down beside him, the weight of the thought lingering between them.

"I did what I could, Jazmine," Rafe said, his voice low but filled with frustration. "But they hate me. I'm not just gonna let them walk all over me, alright?"