four years ago.

"Why are we even here? My dad is probably terrified." Aria spoke, Rafes jacket over her head as he drug her into the lighthouse. He knew a way in, secret door he called it but it had really just been the emergency exit. When Aria read the text in the car, he turned the car and they were suddenly here.

"You can't do anything about it." Rafe shrugged, walking up the twist of stairs as she followed, "No point of going home and having to deal with social workers yet."

"What are they even gonna do? My mom isn't gonna come home and take care of me." Aria voiced her own worried filled thoughts, close behind Rafe, "I think I should go to him. I mean, I would want-"

She'd been cut off by Rafe reached back, grabbing her wrist and pulling her to walk infront of him, "Stop talking, please."

Aria look around at the light house. It could clearly be made into a home, a small one but perfect. Aria didn't think she wanted kids, she'd just pass down her own chemical imbalance and she didn't want a kid to deal with that. Then she thought she'd fall into her fathers habits without realizing it, most parents did and that was the last thing she ever could imagine. She'd be a horrible mom, Aria could admit that. But she'd be a horrible wife too, a horrible girlfriend. She was destined to end up alone, and that's exactly whats she'd do. In her lighthouse.

"Still don't know how you like this place so much." Rafe grumbled, close after as they headed up the last flight of stairs, "It's gross and creepy as hell."

"You're gross and creepy as hell." she said back, making it to the top and looking out one of the small windows. The light was already on, circling the island in the slightest while they stood at the top. It was dark, the light spinning behind the other source of random light that came through. For a second, she felt like everything was okay, "What am I gonna do?"

"Not worry about it." he spoke, staring over at her but pretending he wasn't, "I'm gonna figure something out."

"That's not really how the system works." Aria had to roll her eyes, though she knew he was just trying to make her feel better, "Sorry my dad kinda screwed up your dads business."

"He'll be fine, deserves it anyways." was all Rafe said, shrugging his shoulders and looking out at the window, the passing light coming through every few seconds, "He's probably crying in Sarah's arms or something."

"Probably so." Aria said back, leaning against the railing with a frown, "Maybe I can stay with my grandma."

"You have a grandma?" he asked her, never hearing anything about Arias family aside from her mom, "On the island?"

She shut her mouth, "Yeah, you don't know her."

He did, everyone did.

"You're not going anyways, okay? So just drop it." Rafe snapped at her, his eyes out the window but he felt her stare on him, "I'm not gonna let anything like that happen. You're staying here, with me. So just, shut up."

His words were pretty aggressive but they brought her comfort, he'd always been that way and she wasn't much better. It's how they were, it's  how they were taught. It's why Aria and Rafe did so well together all the time, because they really understood each other.

"I don't want anything bad to happen." she had to admit, and for a second she felt eleven laying on his floor again, "I'm scared."

"I know." he looked back at her now. He spoke lower, not so aggressive. It was Aria, no way in hell was he gonna let anything bad happen to her, "I'm scared too."

"Why?" she had to ask, because she couldn't even remember a time Rafe admitted to being scared. They'd once watched a really terrifying movie and he was laughing when he said it scared him, but that was it.

"Because I don't want anything to happen to you." he said back quickly before siking himself out on it, "Don't want you to have to move off or anything. That would suck."

"Yeah. Who else is gonna stab you with gold tee's when you drag me to go early in the morning?" humor helped her a little, made her avoid crying. And Rafe was the last person she wanted to cry infront of, even though she'd done it so many times before. It was different now, they weren't little anyone, they were teenagers and things felt differently now.

Rafe cracked her a smile with a nod, "Oh yeah, i'd hate for that to stop."

But he kinda actually did.

"Hey." Rafe spoke up again as Aria looked at him, "I'm gonna protect you."

Aria wanted to say she could protect herself, but now she had no one, no money, nothing aside a absent mother and father in jail. So she nodded, and wanted to walk over and hug him. But that's as something that was weird now too. They couldn't really hug at this age, even though they'd hugged hundred of times before. Especially Rafe, he could even look at Aria too long, and right now was making everything worse.

"Kelce has got a guest house." her words made his blood boil suddenly, "He'd probably let me crash until I can figure out a way to bail dad out."

"You're not staying with Kelce." Rafe spoke too quickly, too aggressively and snappy, "You're not, sorry."

"Well, you can't really tell me what to do." she defended herself just as quick as he snapped. The light made her eyes look green a second and it was killing him, just her in general was killing him.

"Please." and he was suddenly begging her. Eyes narrow was a film of softness across them, "Don't stay with Kelce."

His words confused her, "Why? You said he was a good guy."

"Aria, just don't." Rafe snapped at her, exhaling loudly because he knew she wasn't gonna just take that, "I don't want you to stay with anyone else. I don't want you to be with anyone else."

Rafe didn't even know he wanted to say it, wasn't even sure if it was true. He hated the thought of anyone with Aria, hated when she'd ask how to get the cute guy in chemistry's attention. It set him on fire and put the worst type of anger and thoughts in his head. He didn't want her with anyone else unless it was him. Her silence kinda alarmed him, though he really didn't wanna look over at her.

"Yeah." she gave a whisper, the rain pouring down on the light house as she walked over. The unspoken rule of not wanting to touch each other flew out the window when her arms went around her waist, head leaning onto his shoulder. Rafe felt so weird in this position, her behind him and so pressed up close. Completely the last thing he had in mind when it came to a hug from behind, "I'll stay with you then."

"Sounds good." he spoke with a clear of his throat. Rafe hesitated but placed his hand on hers that was around his.

Of course, he didn't fall through with his words. Because that night was the last they ever spoke, because the next day everyone knew about Arias family and was terrified to be around her. And Rafe was scared too. Not because she was related to a possessed murderer or came from a whole line of people that killed, that wasn't why he never spoke to her again, though it's what she thought.

Rafe Cameron was scared because he loved Aria Whitlock.

•

kylie speaks

lighthouse was 100%
not on her thigh for no
reason!