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Hey guyssss, quick update. I just published my new story 'Tides Between Us' about Rafe Cameron. I felt as though I was losing the plot on this story, so make sure to check that one out!

The sun was beginning to dip behind the line of palm trees, casting long, golden shadows across the sand as the tide crept closer to their towels.

Sarah and Stella sat by the water, their legs stretched out, toes buried in warm grains, watching as surfers dotted the waves in the distance. A Bluetooth speaker hummed somewhere behind them, low enough to feel like background noise to their thoughts.

Sarah sipped from her iced tea bottle, her hair pulled into a messy bun, sunglasses pushed up into it. Stella picked at a piece of driftwood, quieter than usual, her expression distant.

They'd been out here for over an hour—talking, laughing, drifting in and out of silence like the waves. But Sarah had been waiting for the right moment. And now, with the breeze soft and no one around, she leaned back on her elbows and said it.

"So... what's going on with you and Rafe?"

Stella blinked, her fingers freezing mid-pick. She glanced at Sarah slowly, caught off guard. "What?"

Sarah gave a small shrug. "Don't act clueless. I've seen the way you two have been sneaking around lately. You think you're subtle?" She smirked a little, but her tone was careful—curious, not judgmental.

Stella sat up straighter, letting out a breath through her nose. "It's not... I mean, I don't even know."

Sarah raised her brows. "You don't know if you're into him? Or you don't know what he wants? Or both?"

"I really don't know," Stella admitted, after a pause. She brushed her fingers through her hair, eyes fixed on the ocean. "It's like—we'll have these moments where I feel like I get him. Like there's something real there. He's different when we're alone. He opens up. It's not just some dumb hookup thing."

"But?" Sarah pressed, already sensing it.

"But then the next day he'll act like none of it happened. Or he'll disappear for two days and not answer his phone, and when I finally hear from him, it's like... I'm back to square one. I don't know what we are. I don't think he knows either."

Sarah stayed quiet for a second, nodding. "That sounds like Rafe," she muttered. "He doesn't really do consistency. Or normal."

Stella smiled a little, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Yeah, no kidding."

Sarah looked over at her friend, her expression softening. "Stell, I'm not gonna tell you what to do, but I've known Rafe my whole life. He can be... intense. And when he cares, it's real, but it also gets messy fast."

"I know," Stella whispered.

"Do you care about him?"

Stella hesitated, her throat tight. "Yeah," she said finally. "I have since we were kids. I didn't mean to. It just sort of... happened."

Sarah leaned back again, eyes on the sky now. "Then just be careful. Don't let him drag you down with his chaos. He's got a lot of it."

Stella nodded silently. She knew that. She'd always known that. But the truth was, she didn't want to walk away—not yet. Not when Rafe looked at her like she was the only thing that made sense to him in this messed-up world. Even if it scared her.

The waves rolled in again, brushing against the sand like a whisper. Stella didn't say anything else. She just watched the horizon and wondered how something so complicated could feel so addictive.

The silence stretched for a few beats longer, weighted but comfortable in its own way. Sarah shifted uncomfortably, fiddling with the cap of her drink. Stella caught it out of the corner of her eye.

"What?" she asked, already sensing something was coming.

Sarah looked at her, then away. "Nothing. It's just—" She sighed. "I've been debating if I should even say this."

Stella's brows drew together. "Say what?"

Sarah rubbed her lips together. "You know I'm not trying to stir anything up. And I don't know all the details or if it even means anything, but... I saw Rafe. A couple times. With this girl."

Stella's chest tightened. "What girl?"

"I don't know her name. I think she's not from here, probably just here for the summer. I only saw them together a few times—at the country club, once near the golf course. They weren't like... all over each other, but it wasn't nothing either."

Stella looked away, jaw tightening. Her fingers started tracing the hem of her shorts. "And when was this?"

Sarah hesitated. "A week ago? Maybe less."

Stella nodded slowly, pressing her lips together. She didn't say anything, and Sarah watched her closely.

"I swear, I wasn't gonna bring it up because I don't know what's going on between you two. And I didn't want to make things worse. I just... if it were me, I'd want to know."

Stella let out a quiet breath through her nose, her gaze still fixed on the tide. "We're not together," she said flatly. "We're not exclusive. He's never said anything like that."

"Still," Sarah said softly. "It doesn't mean it doesn't suck."

"It does," Stella admitted after a second. Her voice was low. "I mean, I can't even be mad. That's the worst part. I want to be, but I can't. He's not mine. Not really."

Sarah scooted a little closer, her shoulder brushing against Stella's. "But you want him to be."

Stella didn't respond. She didn't have to. The silence was loud enough.

After a long moment, she finally whispered, "It's not just the hooking up. It's knowing he can be one person with me one day, and someone totally different the next. I don't know which version is real."

Sarah gave her a sad look. "I think... both are. That's what makes Rafe so damn complicated. He's not all bad, but he's not all good either. He's just broken in a lot of places he's not ready to fix."

Stella swallowed hard, trying to keep her face steady. "I just thought maybe... I was different."

"You probably are," Sarah said gently. "But even the right person can't fix someone who doesn't want to be fixed."

That one hit deep.

Stella sat with it, her eyes stinging. She didn't cry—she never did when she wanted to the most. But her heart felt heavy, dragged down by something she couldn't name.

"I'm sorry if I made it worse," Sarah added. "I really didn't mean to."

"You didn't," Stella murmured. "I'd rather know."

They sat in silence again, the sun now dipping below the waterline. And though the sky was beautiful, all Stella could think about was that other girl. The one she didn't know, who'd had pieces of Rafe that Stella thought were hers—even if she never had the right to claim them.

She let the wind blow through her hair, then suddenly tried to shift the mood. "Okay," Stella said, nudging Sarah. "Enough of my crap. Tell me something fun. What's going on with you and Topper?"

Sarah glanced over at her, the corners of her mouth lifting. "Actually... we're doing good."

Stella tilted her head. "Really?"

Sarah nodded, her expression softening. "It's weird. For the first time, I feel like we're finally on the same page. Like... he's not just trying to impress me or prove something. He's just showing up. Being consistent. And I didn't realize how much that would mean to me."

"That's cute," Stella said, genuinely happy for her. "And the sex?"

Sarah laughed, tilting her head back. "Way better."

Stella snorted. "Oh, really?"

Sarah grinned. "Don't act surprised. Topper's always been... enthusiastic. But lately? It's been different. Like, less about ego and more about... actually being connected."

Stella mock gagged. "I can't imagine Topper having sex, he'd just be focused on himself the whole time."

Sarah rolled her eyes, still smiling. "Shut up. You know what I mean. It's just—we've had a lot of rough patches, but it's starting to feel real. Serious, even."

Stella leaned back onto her elbows again. "I love that for you."

Sarah glanced at her sideways. "You'll have that too, you know. When the guy actually shows up for you."

Stella gave a small smile but didn't respond. She wanted to believe that. Wanted to think maybe Rafe could be that person if he ever got his act together. But right now, it felt far away.

Sarah, sensing her quiet, nudged her back. "Hey. I'm just saying, don't settle for someone who gives you half when you deserve the whole thing."

Stella smirked. "Since when did you get so wise?"

Sarah shrugged, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Somewhere between screaming matches with Topper and the third time I almost broke up with him."

They both laughed, and for a moment, the tension lifted—just two girls on the beach, talking about boys and life, pretending like everything wasn't as messy as it actually was.