Rafe Cameron X Reader Fluff - Tumblr Posts

Time after time | R.C

Pairing: Rafe Cameron x reader

Summary: When your boyfriend ditches you on the night of senior prom you end up running into the last person you would ever expect to see, Rafe Cameron, your best friends older brother who you haven't seen since he left for college three years ago…

Originally posted: 06/05/2023

Series Masterlist | Part two (coming Saturday)

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The sidewalk was cold, hard and uncomfortable to sit on but you barely felt it, too consumed by the swirl of unrelenting emotions threatening to overtake you. It was supposed to be the best - the most magical night of your life but instead it had been one long disaster.

Salty tears stung your eyes and made your phone screen blurry as you read the text response from your mom “sorry sweetie, I had to cover someone’s shift, can you get a ride home with Sarah?”

You swallowed and the action felt like glass in your throat “sure” you text back “see you later” as you thought about the fact that Sarah had already left, speeding off in Topper's shiny jeep with a smile brighter than the stars. 

She was happy, her prom had been perfect. Her date had shown up, bought her a corsage, danced with her all night long, all things that you couldn’t say had happened to you. And though you’d tried to have fun dancing with your friends the night had been ruined before it even began with your boyfriend's words swirling through your brain “Listen I just have better things to do than going to a stupid high school prom okay? I'll make it up to you.” 

That was what you got for dating a college guy… ”stupid high school prom” but it hadn’t felt stupid to you, you’d been dreaming of this day for what felt like your whole life. You had a binder full of dress ideas before you’d even finished middle school and dreams in your head about the perfect night with the perfect date. Josh had seemed like that guy, tall, a little older, handsome and sweet (only when he wanted something, your mind supplied in hindsight) but he’d ditched you after promising he’d be there and he hadn’t even bothered to tell you until the day of. 

A burst of anger swept through you knocking the air from your lungs and you swiped the tears from your cheeks as you unblocked your phone, pulling up his contact and hitting “block”. He’d known what this night meant to you and if he wanted to put a stupid frat party over you then you were done. 

You felt a strange mixture of sadness and relief as you saw his contact flash away, the delete button pressed. You realised that he’d never really been the dream boyfriend you’d wished that he was, that you were better off without him but it didn’t take the hurt away…the knowledge that you’d never get a do over for this night.

You stood up from the sidewalk, unhooking your heels and tying the straps around your wrist - if you were going to walk home you might as well do it semi comfortably. The concrete was cold under your toes and goosebumps flecked your arms with the breeze, it was an unseasonably cold day in the outer banks and you felt like it was just yet another slight the universe was throwing at you that you had to walk home, freezing in your dress. The perfectly miserable end to the perfectly miserable night. 

The walk was long but the streets were empty, everyone locked away neatly in their houses sleeping happily or basking in the afterglow of post prom parties. It seemed like you really were the only one left and the darkness seemed extra vast for it, the orange street lamps luminance making everything look a shade more eerie. But then you heard the roar of an engine and you crossed your arms over your chest protectively, pointedly not looking its way, hoping it would pass you by quickly. 

But the vehicle didn’t speed ahead, it slowed down and eventually you were forced to turn to the side to see that the bike had stopped beside you and the driver turned your way, removing his helmet. 

Your heart sped up and skipped a beat, was this day really so terrible that on top of everything else you were about to get kidnapped too? You were completely and utterly alone on the dark side street and you wondered if running would make any difference to your fate but then the helmet was off and your eyes went wide, mouth gasping as you realised who it was. 

“Rafe Cameron?” you asked, he looked different, more muscular, older, sexier your mind supplied. Though you weren’t sure why that shocked you. After all it had been almost three years since he’d gone off to college and you’d last seen him. 

The corners of his mouth turned up in a grin, his own eyes widening and flicking up and down your frame appreciatively. Your cheeks heated up and you turned away from his striking eyes. 

“Y/N L/N? Is that you?” he asked the slight edge of disbelief in his voice “what are you doing here?”

Your eyebrow quirked up, amused at his question “well I live in the obx…it’s not unheard of for me to walk down the street you know, question is what are you doing here?”

You knew from Sarah that Rafe didn’t come home often, mostly only when he was obligated to like at holidays and even then his presence wasn’t guaranteed. 

He shrugged “would you believe it if I said that I was homesick?” 

“Not really.”

“Fair enough.”

There was silence for a beat and then you blurted out “you look good by the way, really good” your eyes went wide as you realised what you’d just said out loud “I-I just mean college suits you…you look healthy. ”

You cringed internally at your choice of words, healthy? Seriously? Exchange a few sentences with him and suddenly you were back to the stuttering, blushing sixteen year old fawning over her best friend's older brother and ‘heartbroken’ when he left for college. Even the memory of it made you cringe.

“Healthy?” Rafe repeated a teasing smirk pulling at his lips as he seemingly knew what you had really meant.

You swallowed quickly “yeah…”

He laughed, the mirth reaching his eyes and you couldn’t help but laugh a little bit too.

“Well you look hot .”

Your cheeks flamed and he grinned “ smoking hot…what happened to my little sister's annoying best friend?” 

You looked down at the tires of his bike trying not to let him see your smile “you left…she grew up…that’s how time works you know.”

“Really? Thanks for the lesson…hope she didn’t forget about me though…”

“Oh she didn’t think of you once” you said, flashing him a teasing smirk your conscience laughing at the blatant lie…he had crossed your mind more than a few times over the past 3 years…the fact you checked his long abandoned facebook every couple of months was proof of that, but it wasn’t something that he needed to know. 

He threw a hand over his heart “ahh still annoying I see but you wound me.”

“So you thought about me then?”

“Everyday and night, ace.”

Your heart skipped a beat at the long forgotten nickname from childhood (a relic of your slight obsession with the pet detective movies) and you looked down coyly “oh I believe you, bet you have a shrine to me in your dorm don’t you?”

He stuck his tongue in his cheek to stop his laugh and nodded seriously “with candles.”

You giggled “you’re an ass Rafe Cameron.”

“And you’re a dork Y/N L/N.”

There was another, more comfortable pause of silence until Rafe interrupted, repeating his question from earlier.

“So what are you doing here?”

You shrugged “walking home, my moms got the car.”

He frowned “it’s prom night though.”

“So?”

“Well shouldn’t you be off having fun at an after party, sucking face with your date or whatever people do after prom? I know it's been a while since I was in high school but I'm pretty sure people don’t just go home alone.” 

You sighed “I just…didn’t feel like it I guess.” 

He crossed his arms over his chest and your eyes instinctively followed the movement of his muscles flexing against his white t-shirt.

“I don’t buy it” he shook his head slowly “you are the same girl who would dress up in a disney princess dress and decorate the living room to watch prom movies all weekend, right?”

You pressed your hands to your face groaning “ oh my god …yes that was me but I would like to remind you that i'm not nine anymore, thank you very much. I can’t believe you remember that.”

He laughed “Are you kidding? Of course I do, you and Sarah monopolised the tv every weekend I could never watch monster truck racing.” 

“Oh the horror” you said sarcastically.

 “No but seriously what happened, why are you all alone?”

Your heart sped up a little “nothing” you lied but you couldn’t look him in the eye. 

“C’mon” he urged you “it’s me , you can tell me.”

You sighed and turned your head away acting like watching a sparrow hopping across a telephone wire was the most interesting thing to look at. 

“y/n…this is prom , it isn’t right that you’re just going home. Where’s Williams?” 

You turned to him with surprise, you didn’t realise he knew the name of your boyfriend, but you shrugged it off thinking that Sarah must have told him. 

“He didn’t come.”

Rafe’s eyebrows shot up “ what ? Your boyfriend didn’t come to prom how -”

You cut him off, wincing at the word boyfriend “ex actually.”

“Since when?”

You shrugged again, holding up your phone “since I blocked him about 20 minutes ago?”

Rafe’s eyebrows shot up so far they practically reached his hairline and he leaned against his bike with a look of confusion and shock “listen ace, you’re gonna have to give me a little more, what happened?”

You deflated with a heavy sigh you didn’t want to hash it back out, you already felt stupid for feeling so upset in the first place over prom and you didn’t want Rafe to see that too.  “Why does it matter?” you asked dejectedly.

“Because” Rafe said, “if i'm gonna put him in the hospital anyway i'd like to at least be able to give an explanation to the cops.”

Before you could help yourself you were laughing, pressing a hand to your lips to stifle the giggles when you saw he was deadly serious, leaning against his bike with a look of fury and righteousness on your behalf. 

“You can’t beat him up Rafe.”

“Why not?”

“Assault is kind of illegal just in case you weren’t aware” you teased and he rolled his eyes. 

“I'd still do it for you.”

You smiled, looking down at your shoes as you said softly “I know.” 

Before you could register the movement he’d stepped closer and you felt the blood rush to your cheeks as you registered the enticing scent of his cologne and his fingertips briefly  brushed your skin as he reached out to tuck a flyaway strand of hair behind your ears. 

“Ace” he said gently and you looked up momentarily stunned by just how blue the shade of his eyes were, like the ocean bathed in the glow of the moon “c’mon it's me, tell me what happened.”

Just like that your walls crumbled and before you could stop them the words were tumbling from your lips, tripping over one another as they rushed out “he ditched me…he promised that he’d come and then he text me 20 minutes before he was supposed to get here that he wasn’t coming, he didn’t wanna miss party of the year in his stupid frat or whatever and I guess I just feel so stupid for trusting him…for letting him ruin everything and…”

You had more to say but the words clogged in your throat, lips choking on them until all that came out was a sob as your eyes filled with hot tears and you didn’t have a second to feel mortified that you were crying in front of Rafe Cameron, Rafe Cameron who you’d loved since the moment you’d set eyes on him, because he reached out and folded you into his arms and you instinctively leaned into his embrace. 

He smelt like cedarwood and pine and the faint scent of the leather jacket that he'd worn earlier but most of all he smelt like home. Like fresh laundry and hugs that took your breath and your fears away. “It's okay” he murmured, stroking a large hand through your hair and you felt the pins keeping the style in place fall out the locks tumbling over your shoulders and making you feel surprisingly free and for a half a second you laughed wondering what mini you and mini Rafe would have made of the two of you actually getting on for once. 

“I'm sorry” you murmured, mortified by the tears, and if you were being honest a tiny bit of mascara, staining his white t-shirt but he just shook his head.

“You have nothing to be sorry for ace.”

You groaned, hiding your face in the comfort of his chest. “I do, I'm being so pathetic…it’s just a stupid high school dance.” 

He pulled you away from his chest but kept the contact, his arms warm and firm on your shoulders as he made you look at him and the sincerity on his face. 

“You are not pathetic” he said and when you shook your head he gripped your shoulders harder “no listen to me you’re not, he’s the pathetic one because he could have been spending his night with a beautiful, smart, funny girl and instead he gave all that up.”

You tried your hardest not to blush, his words filling you with warmth but making you shy at the same time. “And if you won’t let me kick his ass will you at least compromise and let me run him over with my car?”

You snorted and then nodded slowly “okay but you have to call the ambulance afterwards.”

He grinned and reached out to shake your hand “deal.”

He bumped his shoulder against yours, his eyes sparkling against the darkness of the night “there’s that pretty smile.”

“Shut up” you mumbled, flushing, and he grinned harder. 

Suddenly he was pulling away and before you register what he was doing he’d grabbed his leather jacket from where it was slung around the handlebars and wrapped it carefully around your shoulders and you smiled at him grateful that he’d noticed you were cold. 

His jacket was soft and best of all it smelt like him and you couldn’t stop yourself from closing your eyes and enjoying that comforting smell if you’d tried. 

“Hey daydreamer” his shout pulled you from your reverie and you saw he’d kickstarted the engine on the bike “c’mon i'll give you a ride.”

Your eyes went wide and he smirked “on that ?”

“you scared?” he taunted lightly “what you don’t think you could handle a bike, ace?”

“Are you challenging me Rafe Cameron?”

He shrugged “maybe” and you grinned.

“Oh fuck it” you said as you swung a leg over the bike and he positioned your arms so that they were wrapped tightly around his waist.

“Don’t forget to hold on” he called out and then suddenly you were flying….

Or at least it felt like you were flying, you’d never been on a motorbike before and you quickly discovered that it was fun, the wind rushed around you like you were a speeding bullet and the trees shading the coast blurred into dark green shapes. It was thrilling and fast and you buried your face into Rafe’s back resisting the urge to whoop like you were on a rollercoaster. 

“You missed the turn in for my street!” you shouted after a while and you felt rather than heard his laughter. 

“I never said I was taking you home ace, the night is still young.”

And you thought that maybe this tragic, horrible, miserable night might not end as such a tragedy after all.

Time after Time pt 2 | R.C

Pairing: Rafe Cameron x reader

Summary: When your boyfriend ditches you on the night of senior prom you end up running into the last person you would ever expect to see, Rafe Cameron, your best friends older brother who you haven't seen since he left for college three years ago… (part two, part one is here)

flashbacks are in italics.

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The morning’s warm sunlight poured through the gap in the curtains, burning the back of your eyelids and you groaned in your sleep flipping over to avoid the glare. There was a dull throbbing in your temples that you tried desperately to ignore as you burrowed into the warmth of the pillow below you. You were dreaming that you were cuddling a huge teddy bear and you felt so content and cosy that you never wanted to wake up. Unfortunately your headache was beginning to build, your peaceful sleep all but being drained away. 

“What time is it?” You wondered out loud, voice thick with sleep, slowly trying to blink open eyelids that felt like they were being weighed down by led bricks.

“About 9” a voice right above your head replied - a male voice - and your whole body tensed. You suddenly became aware that the warmth beneath your head was not in fact a pillow but a chest, a shirtless chest. 

In a flash you’d sat up, ignoring the burning in your head as you stared wide eyed at the man laying below you. Surely this was a dream, it had to be because there was no way that Rafe goddamn Cameron was laying shirtless in bed with you. Your half asleep hazy mind couldn’t make sense of it.

“You’re not a teddy bear” you blurted out then clapped a hand in horror over your mouth as Rafe choked on a laugh.

“Not since last time I checked.”

You winced and absentmindedly pressed your fingers into your temples “okay okay” you said trying to inject some faux control into your voice “i'm going to close my eyes and when I open them again i'm going to be in my room instead of yours and you’re not going to be there.” 

You quickly screwed your eyes shut again pressing your palms over them before taking a deep breath, counting to 3 and moving your hand away.

Rafe was still there, propped up lazily by his elbow smirking at you as he tried to contain his laughter.

“Boo” he said suddenly, snorting when you jumped. 

“Not funny!” you reached out to swipe playfully at his chest but he caught your wrist before it could make contact, the subtle pressure of his fingers on your skin making butterflies erupt in your gut and you pulled away quickly hoping your cheeks wouldn’t betray a flush. 

He rolled over then leaning to get something out of his nightstand and you swallowed, stealing a glance at him while his back was turned. He was clad in only grey sweatpants and your eyes shamelessly roved over the powerful muscles in his back extending into his biceps. 

Despite the fact that he’d evidently just woke up, he looked unreasonably attractive. His eyes hooded with sleep giving off an effortlessly sultry look and his mussed up hair looking even better than when he carefully styled it. How could someone look that gorgeous just after waking up? You hardly thought it was fair you always woke up looking like you’d been dragged through a bush. 

It suddenly occurred to you that you had no idea what you looked like right now and you grimaced. You stood up from the bed and made your way over to his en suite. 

You were relieved to see you were fully clothed, still wearing your prom dress in fact and that Rafe while being shirtless had a pair of sweatpants on.

You sank down to the corner of bed pressing your palm into your temples “what in the world happened last night?”

Rafe chuckled again and wordlessly passed you a bottle of water and an aspirin.

“You don’t remember?”

You screwed your eyes shut again and groaned “gimme a moment.”

Rafe laughed, “take your aspirin, it'll take the edge off of hangover but you should eat something too.”

You nodded but made no move to take it, choosing instead to press the cold surface of the water bottle to your temple, the condensation soothing the dull ache. 

“Let me guess,” Rafe said teasingly, “ you still can’t take pills? Should I have hid it in a spoon of jelly or something?”

Your skin flushed with embarrassment as you opened your eyes to glare at him “I am not twelve anymore, I can’t believe you even remember that.” 

“I remember everything about you Ace.”

A smile tugged at your lips and you looked down choosing to take the aspirin to avoid catching his eye, you didn’t know what to say or how to react when he said things like that it still felt surreal that he was even here. 

“Remember anything yet?”

“Mmm” you nodded through a gulp of water, memories of last night were beginning to trickle in now that the fogginess of sleep was ebbing away. You remembered meeting Rafe on the sidewalk, him daring you to get on the bike, you remembered how he’d missed the turn in for your street and taken you to an ice cream place instead. 

“One scoop strawberry, one scoop vanilla, sprinkles and raspberry sauce?”

You stared at him incredulously for a moment “how the hell did you know that?”

He shrugged “I was always the sucker you and Sarah would rope into running to the ice cream van remember? And the one who had to drive you here every weekend after I got my licence.”

You smiled at the memory, so many weekends spent at your best friend's house, your mom used to joke you spent more time there than at home. You remembered all the candy you and Sarah would stockpile to bribe Rafe with and the ice creams he’d come running back with, two in each hand, half melted in the baking summer sun vanilla dripping down his fingers. 

“Still that was like a million years ago.”

“Feels like yesterday sometimes” he said and you couldn’t help but agree, sometimes it felt like if you closed your eyes you could still taste the summer days of your youth on the tip of your tongue. 

“I'll be right back”  Rafe said and you nodded sitting back on the low brick wall as you watched him approach the little building. The ice cream parlour was closing up but you knew Rafe, he could probably sweet talk his way into the white house. Predictably the employee working that night had no trouble getting two last ice creams for you both, he’d been on the football team with Rafe in high school and you could hear them reminiscing as his old friend made up your orders. 

You tuned them out as you waited, choosing to face the beach so that you could watch the sea. It was dark and the moonlight reflected silvery grey on the tips of the surf, there was something mesmerising about each pull of the waves on the shore and you found yourself lost in thought. 

“Hey” Rafe said, nudging you with his elbow and you jumped making him laugh “you were away with the fairies.”

“Yeah I was sorry.” You took the ice cream from his outstretched hand resisting the urge to shiver when your fingertips grazed his warm knuckle. 

“What were you thinking about?” 

You shrugged “nothing really.”

He raised his eyebrows “tell me you weren’t thinking about that loser…because I can still beat his ass.”

You laughed “not exactly when he’s thousands of miles away.”

Rafe smirked, “I can drive.”

You snorted “Rafe Cameron you’re crazy…”

He looked at you seriously for a moment. “I just think what he did was really shitty and I don’t want your night to be ruined thinking about that waste of space jackass.”

“Rafe…” you reached out and touched his arm “I wasn’t even thinking about him” come to think of it your shitty ex boyfriend had barely crossed your mind since you’d run into Rafe “you’re a good distraction.”

He smirked, “that's what all the girls say.”

“Rafe!” you gasped smacking his arm lightly as he laughed. 

You lapsed into a quiet contemplative silence as you ate your ice creams and you trailed your feet in the soft sand below. 

“Thank you,” you said after a moment.

“For what?”

“For distracting me, for making sure my prom night isn’t a complete disaster.”

He knocked his shoulder into yours “it was my pleasure ace.” Then he reached across with his little plastic spoon and stole a swipe of your ice cream.

“Hey!” you protested “that’s mine”

He locked eyes with you as he popped the spoon into his mouth, grin intact and you pouted.

“Thief.”

“I just wanted to try it,” he said, “mine's still better by the way.”

You rolled your eyes “pistachio? That's like the worst flavour.”

“You’ve never tried it” he accused you, pointing his spoon and you gasped.

“Yes I have!” 

“I knew it,” he laughed, “you're lying.”

You shook your head.

“You are,” he insisted “you did the thing.”

“What thing?” you asked sulkily.

“The thing you always do when you’re lying, like the time you and Sarah broke my xbox controller and said it was baby Wheezie.”

“I always wondered how you knew that was us! You laughed “so what is my tell?”

Rafe smirked “and give up my leverage? No way.”

You scoffed “shut up dork” and he held out his spoon.

“Try it.”

You looked at him for half a second contemplating it before quickly eating the ice cream. The flavour of pistachio burst across your tongue but you found to your surprise that you didn’t hate it, in fact it was delicious. 

Rafe smirked, “I knew you’d like it.”

“I didn’t even say anything yet!” you protested.

He shrugged, “you’re an open book.”

“No im not” you pouted and he leaned in, just a fraction closer but it was enough that you could feel the heat of his body against the cold sea breeze.

“You always have been to me” he whispered and you felt it, the electricity between the two of you humming in the air. It was palpable, the tension thick enough that you felt like you could reach out and touch it.

“Rafe” you whispered, he was looking at you in a way he’d never looked at you before, blue eyes so intense “Rafe -”

He leaned in closer, head angling just a fraction and you held your breath in anticipation when -

The shutters of the ice cream place slammed down and you jolted away from each other “nice to see you man!” Clay called out to Rafe as he walked to his car and Rafe’s jaw stiffened as he lifted a hand in goodbye. 

The moment - or whatever it had been, you weren’t even sure - was over and you coughed awkwardly and jumped off the wall. You needed a little breather from his proximity, you could still smell his cologne on the borrowed jacket around your shoulders and that was intoxicating enough. 

Your heels were still strapped around your wrists and the sand felt cold between your toes as you walked across the beach. It took Rafe less than two strides to catch up, damn him and his long legs. You walked in silence for a while, just watching the moonlight on the ocean until he broke it. 

“What are you thinking about?” he asked.

You sighed, swinging your heels. “Prom” you admitted, you’d been trying not to think about it but you couldn’t help but feel sad, this was not how your night was supposed to be. You felt stupid for being so upset but you’d been dreaming of this night for so long and it was supposed to be the last hurrah for high school. You might not have loved every second of high school but you’d spent a lot of time there and it was sad that it had to end with the shitty memory of sitting on the sidelines all night watching your classmates dance and have fun. 

Rafe looked at you sideways, quiet as he thought about something. “I have an idea,” he said finally.

“What is it?” you asked and he smiled.

“It's a surprise…do you trust me?”

You’d known Rafe practically your whole life, he was your best friend's annoying older brother and you’d loved him in secret for years, you didn’t even have to think about it. “Yes” you whispered and took his outstretched hand. 

The ride back home felt like flying, your arms wrapped around Rafe’s torso, your head pressed into his back. You could feel the wind dancing through your hair, see the stars soaring overhead. 

Before you knew it you were at Tanny hill, the infamous residence of the Camerons. You’d pretty much grown up here, spending all your free time with Sarah, but you’d never come here with just Rafe before. 

“What are we doing?” You asked as you dismounted the bike but Rafe just tapped a finger to his lips. 

“Shhh,” he whispered, pointing silently upwards. Rose and Ward’s bedroom was right above you shrouded in darkness. 

The garden was dimly lit, the distant fairy lights adorning the trees lining the edge of the property providing the only light. Truthfully you’d walked the path up to this house enough times that you could probably do it blindfolded in your sleep but when Rafe held his hand out to guide you up the path you couldn’t help but take it. 

His fingertips were only lightly threaded through yours but you wondered if he could feel your pulse hammering in your wrists. The anticipation was almost more than you could bear. Too wrapped up in thinking about the smell of Rafe’s cologne and the mystery of his plan you tripped on a dislodged stone. Before you could even think about hitting the ground Rafe’s arms were around you, holding you upright. 

“You okay?” He whispered and your heart beat even louder. He was so close, close enough that you could probably count his eyelashes even in the low moonlight.

You nodded and he smiled, choosing to take a hold of your whole hand this time as he led you up the path. It was cold yet somehow you felt like you’d never been warmer, your whole being on fire with every glance, every touch.

Finally you reached the house and Rafe let the two of you into the spare garage where the soundproof walls assured that your voices wouldn’t be heard. 

“So are you finally going to reveal this grand idea of yours?” You asked. 

The corners of his mouth lifted up “I’m not letting go of my cards that easily ace.”

You laughed “I’m starting to think your plan is to murder me, what’s with all the secrey?”

He grinned, teeth flashing “you said you trusted me.” 

You rolled your eyes but didn’t deny it, you did. You’d known Rafe Cameron so long and though you’d not always been close the two of you would always have shared memories, shared experiences. You’d always have time and that meant something. 

Rafe led you up to his room, taking your hand once more in the dark corridors and you had to press a hand over your mouth to stifle your laughter as he dramatically acted out a spy mission to make you laugh. “Coasts clear” he whispered in your ear before slowly moving around the wall. 

“You’re a dork,” you whispered back.

In his room Rafe gestured for you to take a seat on his bed. “I need twenty minutes” he said “to set it all up, then I promise I'll reveal it all.” 

“Okay” you said “i'll wait.”

He raised his eyebrow “that’s it? No begging, no more questions?”

You smirked “nope, I get twenty minutes to snoop at all your stuff…find out all your deepest darkest secrets Rafe Cameron.”

He rolled his eyes “good luck” he said and then swiftly left the room. 

For the first five minutes you sat on his bed just waiting but time always seems to move slower when you’re in anticipation and soon you couldn’t take it anymore. At first you checked Instagram, shooting off a like at Sarah’s latest post prom selfie featuring John B, resisting the urge to check your exes social media. Then you put your phone down and tried to wait again. But curiosity got the better of you. Is it wrong if you told him you were going to do it? Fuck it. A little bit of light snooping wouldn’t hurt. 

Rafe’s room was almost suspended in time. It was pretty much entirely as he’d left it before leaving for college so the pictures and books were slightly outdated but still him. The basketball hoop on the wall, the old forgotten guitar from his musical phase. The surfboard still chipped from that one party where Kelsey Stevens had tripped and knocked a keg into it. Above the desk were several old snapshots.Topper and Kelce with their arms slung around him, his dad and him on a fishing trip, two of Wheezie one when she was a baby and little Rafe was holding her and one newer selfie with their tongues sticking out. What shocked you though was the photo of you. It was taken at Rafe’s highschool graduation. You and Sarah smirking at Rafe and giving him the finger except you were standing in front of Sarah who was slightly out of frame so the picture was mostly only you. You couldn’t believe he’d kept it and put it on his wall, that he’d even thought about you back then enough to think the photo worth printing. 

“Hey” Rafe said as he came back into the room “what are you doing?” 

“Nothing” you lied trying to look casual bracing against the wood.

He raised his eyebrow and you could tell he didn’t believe you, once more you wondered what your tell was but he shrugged it off before you could ask.

“Come on,” he said, “the surprise is ready.”

You were led back to the garage and Rafe stood behind you as you reached out for the door handle, slipping his hand over your eyes.

“3, 2, 1…okay you can open them” he said, taking his hand away. 

Slowly you blinked open your eyes and instantly fought the tears that sprung to the surface. The garage was covered in silky blue and purple streamers, the floor dotted with balloons. It was like you’d opened your eyes and stepped into the past and you could almost see the tiny younger versions of you and Sarah playing ‘prom’. 

“Oh my god” you whispered.

“Do you like it?” Rafe asked, sounding a little more uncertain than his usual cocky self. 

You laughed, still in disbelief “do I like it…Rafe I love it, did you really do all this for me?”

He scratched the back of his neck sheepishly “yeah I mean…yeah I wanted you to have a prom more like the one you deserved and I know it's nothing special but at least this way it's yours” he swallowed “kinda stupid I know but -”

You cut off his ramble by throwing your arms around his neck “it's not stupid” you murmured into his shirt as you blinked away the tears “it's perfect…who ever knew you could be this sweet Rafe Cameron.”

You felt the laughter in his chest as you pulled away to look at him “I guess i've just always had a soft spot for you ace” he said tucking a strand of your hair behind your ear, his eyes were so blue and so soft that for a moment you froze and the air was thick with tension between the two of you until rafe cleared his throat. “But erm don’t tell anyone or anything don’t wanna risk ruining my tough guy reputation” he joked and you rolled your eyes. 

“Il get some drinks” he said and you wandered around the garage looking around the decoration. You remembered the streamers, the paper parasol, the silver hanging stars like it were yesterday. “Prom” had been your favourite game and you and Sarah would beg and beg Mr Cameron to put up the decorations. Sometimes he made Rafe do it and Rafe would grumble and complain, wishing to go back to some video game or his skateboard. It was fun to think about what your reaction would have been back then if you’d have known that one day Rafe would voluntarily put these up for you. 

While you were looking the music started and you laughed when you heard the song. Back in the day you had the highest just dance score to this, it was shocking and exhilarating all at once to know that Rafe had held onto all these tiny little details about you, that he’d even noticed them in the first place. 

“Still know the moves Ace?” he called out, half teasing smirk present on your face and you flipped him off. 

“I'm gonna need a couple of drinks before we get into that, Cameron.”

He smirked “you’re in luck” and held up a bottle of champagne that looked like it cost more than your car. 

“Rafe!” your eyes widened “where the hell did you get that from.”

“Wine cellar” he shrugged “they won’t notice it’s gone.”

You hesitated “it looks expensive…”

“Oh c’mon” he said “it’s your prom night live a little.”

You bit your lip, you weren’t adverse to drinking it was more so the idea of stealing one of Ward and Rose’s premium celebration champagne bottles but there was something about Rafe that made you wanna throw caution to the wind. This was your prom night, the last night of your adolescent life before you were thrown into a whole new world of college parties and guys and cities you wouldn’t remember.  It was the night you’d looked forward to your whole life and your stupid ex had ruined it…well you weren’t going to let him.

“Oh what the hell” you said and took the bottle from his hand. 

The first sip of champagne was sweet and fruity as it fizzed on your tongue and you giggled as you passed the bottle back. This was where the memory of the night got a little hazy, you remembered drinking the bottle fairly fast and then convincing Rafe that you needed to spike the punch “it's the classic prom experience.”

After that there was a lot of dancing with your hands in your hair, hips swinging, a lot of laughter echoing over the music, a lot of stories from both you and Rafe of the things that had happened while you’d been out of each other's lives. 

“No fucking way he crashed a yacht” you said “how does that even happen? bull shit Cameron.”

He held his hands up in a surrender position “im deadass, that's not even the wildest thing he did…college is kinda next level.”

You laughed into the rim of your cup “yeah…i'm excited for it.”

He arched his brow “are you sure about that? You didn’t sound so enthusiastic.”

You sighed and flapped your arm down dramatically “no no I am it’s just…” you’d not said this aloud before but the alcohol and the fact that there was just something about Rafe that made you want to open up. You’d known him your whole life and while he’d always been a little wild, a little unpredictable he felt like home to you. 

“I'm scared” you admitted.

He turned to face you, long legs brushing the bare skin showing through the slit of your dress “why?” he asked “the whole time ive known you you’ve always dreamed of the future” he nudged your arm gesturing around you “about prom, about your first kiss, about high school…hell I even remember you being excited about your first job at the country club. what's different about this?” 

You swallowed, not quite meeting his eye and he reached out and touched your hand “you can trust me” he whispered “I won’t tell.” 

“It wasn’t what I thought it would be” you blurted out “I I -” the anger and the sadness and the inexplicable feeling that you could never go back burst over you and it all came out at once, the emotion thick and raw in your voice  “I dreamed and I dreamed my whole - fucking - life and nothing ever worked out like it was supposed to. I mean look at tonight, the dream boyfriend, the dream prom and he turned out to be a cheating asshole and I left the prom in tears.” Your voice turned to defeat as a single tear slipped out “I - I just sometimes wonder what's the point in dreaming anymore? And then I'm scared because I don’t know what’s gonna happen…nothing happens how it’s supposed to.”

“Look at me” Rafe murmured and his voice was softer than you’d ever heard it before, you looked up and he used the pad of his thumb to gently swipe the tear away “you’re right, nothing happens how it’s supposed to. I was supposed to join Cameron Enterprises yet when I finish college next year? I'm telling my dad I'm doing something else.”

You wrinkle your brow “but - wasn’t that your dream? Did you fail an -”

He cut you off “I could join dads company tomorrow if I wanted to, that was my dream but not anymore.” he squeezed your hand, voice still uncharacteristically soft “life changes all the time ace and sometimes it’s fucking scary but we just get new dreams, new things to hope for and sometimes they come true and sometimes they’re not what we thought they’d be but they always lead to new things. So high school wasn’t what you thought, so your boyfriend wasn’t what you thought, well maybe college and maybe the next guy lucky enough to have your heart will be 1000% times better but how will you know if you give up on it all before it even begins.”

For a moment you were quite mulling over his words and you found that some of the fear and anxiety squeezing your heart relented, the tension easing out of your body. “When did you get so wise Rafe Cameron” you sighed.

“Don’t be fooled” he winked “I'm still an idiot.”

You threw a hand over your heart “was that a confession? Can I get that in writing?” 

“Shut up” he said and then you shrieked as he pulled you suddenly to your feet. “Dance with me.”

You’d been dancing all night but never touching. “Okay” you said a little nervously, looping your arms around his shoulders, he wrapped his around your waist. The song was still quite upbeat, the dance not as intimate as a slow dance yet your heart hammered in your chest. 

You danced for three more songs, Rafe spinning you around like crazy until your insides hurt from laughing. Finally the song changed and your face lit up as you instantly recognised it as fool's gold by one direction. Rafe groaned, all too familiar with the song from the many times you and Sarah would belt it on the old tinny karaoke machine. 

Too drunk to be embarrassed you instantly launched into the performance, singing all the lyrics wholeheartedly while Rafe pretended to be exacerbated by the song, trying to hide how adorable he thought you were singing it. 

“C’mon” you shouted “I know you love it, sing along!”

“I don’t even know the lyrics” he lied but you dragged on his hand.

“Liar…you have a tell.”

He rolled his eyes “no you, have a tell.”

“Shut up” you laughed “c’mon sing don’t be boring.”

You sang the opening lines of the final chorus while Rafe stood stubbornly “And yes, I let you use me from the day that we first met…But I'm not done yet, Falling for you, fool's gooooold.”

You pointed to him dramatically then to your utter surprise and delight he (un-enthusiastically) sang the final lines “And I knew that you turned it on for everyone you've met. But I don't regret falling for you, fool's gold.”

“I knew you knew it!” you laughed clapping your hands together. 

“Whatever, whatever, I did it but now you owe me a slow dance.”

“What?” you protested “no, no, I didn’t agree to that!” you’d been artfully dodging slow dances all night, scared of your two left feet. 

“It's only fair” he said and before you could protest further he’d reached out and practically scooped you into his arms. You wrapped one hand in his, the other around his shoulder while his came onto your waist and laid your head on his chest.

“If I tread on your toes it’s your fault” you grumbled and you felt his laughter against your ear. 

It was then that you noticed the song playing “Time after time” by Cindy Lauper. It was a prom classic and as kids you’d danced with Sarah to it a million times “practising” for the real thing with your boyfriends. Tonight you’d watched Sarah and John B dance to it, her smile and joy radiant while you waited for a text back from your stupid ex. You’d have never dreamed all those years ago that you’d end your own prom night in the arms of her older brother dancing to this song. You’d dreamed of dancing with a million guys but somehow you knew none of it would have felt as perfect, as magical as this.

Laupers voice rang clear throughout the garage, the few balloons that had survived the earlier balloon fight kicking at your feet. “Suitcase of memories'' and your brain flashed through all the thousands of memories, the history you had with Rafe that had led you to here. 

The music continued 

‘If you're lost, you can look and you will find me

Time after time

If you fall, I will catch you, I'll be waiting’

You thought about how Rafe had shown up tonight when you were wandering feeling lost and alone. You thought about how earlier you’d been so close to falling into panic and his words had caught you, made you feel safe. It was just like the song, really your whole life he’d always been there in some way or another, time after time. 

“Rafe?” you whispered looking up from his chest. Your faces were so close you could count his eyelashes.

“Yeah?” his hot breath fanned your cheek, blue eyes clear and serious.

“Thank you for finding me tonight.”

His thumb brushed your cheek, grazing the corner of your lips “ it’s nothing” he said humbly but you shook your head.

“No no I -” you swallowed “I'm glad my prom was ruined.”

His eyebrow shot up and he opened his mouth but you cut him off “don’t look at me like that I am, because otherwise I wouldn’t have been here with you and this has been way better than any real prom could have been, way more special.”

He smiled, not his usual edge of the mouth smirk but a real bright smile “you know I didn’t really know where I was going when I found you on the side of that road” he brushed your cheek again, this time catching your lip and you couldn’t take your eyes off of him if you tried “and I don’t really believe in destiny or all that bullshit but…” his eyes softened and he leaned just a fraction closer “I can’t help but feel like I was supposed to be there to meet you, like being here right now is exactly where i'm supposed to be.” 

You laughed “me too” you admitted “me too…undreamed, unplanned, unexpected and somehow it's better than all the dreams.”

“Ace” he said your nickname with a slight urgency like his mind was moving faster than normal like he was trying to convince himself to do something.

“What is it?”

“Look up.”

You barely had a second to angle your chin before his lips were on yours and it only took a second more for you to respond and kiss him back. 

His lips were softer than you’d have thought and warm. The kiss was gentle and sweet and as you pulled away you both laughed part in shock and part in relief. “Was that okay?” he asked and you smiled.

“Kiss me again so I can be sure.”

This time, he kissed you like he meant it and you could taste the spiked punch on his tongue as his teeth grazed your bottom lip and the song pulled to a close.

Pulling yourself from your memories you turned to see Rafe looking at you from his position on the bed “why are you looking at me like that?” you asked shyly and he grinned.

“You have spinach in your teeth.”

“What?” your hand flew up to your mouth in a panic before your brain caught up that you’d not even eaten spinach and you rolled your eyes and threw a cushion from the floor at him. “Asshole.”

He laughed “sorry that was just too easy.”

“Whatever whatever.”

He raised his eyebrow “memories come back now?” 

You smiled, picking at a thread on the carpet “yeah…” you said softly “guess I just needed a min to come round.”

Rafe swallowed “do you still want to -” 

His question was cut off by a pounding on the door “Rafe get up!” Wheezie called “breakfast is ready!”

You both jumped looking at each other slightly startled. You’d not had time to tell Sarah anything yet, only just getting a chance to text your mom that you were staying at Sarah’s before you and Rafe crashed asleep tired from the partying. 

“Shit” you muttered “Sarah’s gonna kill me.”

“C’mon” Rafe grabbed your hand, pulling you up from the floor “i'll sneak you out.”

You tiptoed down the hallways of the Cameron house, trying not to laugh too loudly at Rafe when he acted out mission impossible sneaking round the bannister.

“You’re such a dork” you whispered and he squeezed your fingers.

“Just for you Ace.”

___________________

At the breakfast table Wheezie Cameron sat down next to her sister. 

“Did you shout your brother?” Ward asked and she nodded. He gave her a nod of his own before turning back to his conversation with Rose. She waited until they were thoroughly distracted before nudging Sarah’s knee under the table. 

“Rafes trying to sneak a girl out of his room” she whispered and Sarah’s eyebrows shot up to her hairline.

“Really? How d’ya know?”

“I heard them whispering before I shouted him.”

Sarah pulled a face “gross.” They stared at each other for five seconds and then burst out laughing, both dashing for the door in an attempt to see the girl Rafe was sneaking out.

____________________

You’d just reached the side door, Rafe reaching over to open it for you when the door to the kitchen burst open. 

You stood frozen like a deer in the headlights staring right into the eyes of your best friend and her little sister. 

Sarah’s mouth flopped open and you swallowed “hey s…”

“My brother?” she shrieked “my brother and you didn’t tell me?”

You caught Rose snickering into her orange juice behind them, Ward’s eyebrow raised in playful amusement. Wheezie looked as though she wanted a bowl of popcorn.

“I was gonna call you but -” 

She cut you off with another high pitched shriek “my brother? My brother and my best friend?”

You gulped and glanced at Rafe “erm i'm gonna go, Sarah il call you I promise!”

You got halfway down the steps when Rafe reached out and grabbed your arm “wait!” he shouted and you turned to face him.

“I never got to ask you…now that it’s morning do you still wanna go on that date we talked about last night?”

Your heart swelled “i'd love to…if, if you still wanna go that is.”

Rafe grinned and stepped closer “i'll be dreaming of it.”

“Sap” you teased, he glanced back at his family before muttering “fuck it they already know” and leaning down and kissing you. 

Butterflies soared in your stomach and you were so wrapped up in Rafe that you didn’t even hear Sarah say excitedly “wait! If they get married she’d really be my sister!”