021 !! VODKA

"This is the most elaborate plan we've ever had", JJ grins glancing around at the group of three, his little sister included.

John B and Pope offer hearted thumbs ups with wide mischievous smiles upon the thought of the expressions on both Sarah's and Kiara's faces when they'd realised that they'd been left stranded in the middle of the ocean just a few miles off shore.

"So you're telling me, we're bringing a Kook into this?", the blonde girl mutters quietly shaking her head.

No one seems to hear her though.

Georgie struggles to hide her frown, her eyes refusing to meet anyone's — especially those of the brunet boy's who's been the source of all the drama since last night.

"Right. I'll get going then", she mumbles not to anyone in particular and turns to take her leave when JJ tuts.

"Where will I find you?".

With her eyes on the ground, she inhales deeply not letting the exertion in her voice be detected as she opens her mouth to reply.

"You won't. Because I need some time alone after all of this . . . . shit. Some time to clear my head. Don't wait up".

She doesn't wait for an answer — mostly because she knows he's too stubborn to let it go and mainly because the last thing she needs today is an argument — and walks away, quickening her speed when she hears him call out "Fucking hell, Georgina".

She doesn't care though, not today. For as dusk turns dark engulfing the island in a serene cricket filled air, Georgie has only one thing on her mind.

John B and the stinging sense of betrayal coursing through her heart that shouldn't even be there in the first place.

Her legs walk for her, mind too occupied with the events of the hours past and as the slush of the sand resounds beneath her worn out trainers Georgie bites back a sob approaching the spot closest to the incoming low tide.

She plops down on the sand, her golden hair masked in the dark of the night only shining under the gleam of the moonlight flowing behind her with a gentle ease.

A cool breeze tingles her skin, tears now slowly falling down those once rosy cheeks while her eyes remain on the ocean ahead.

The water splashes against itself as if hurting itself until the hurting inflicted upon it by the world and centuries upon centuries of pain could be erased with a little technique of self harm.

A sob breaks out of her throat, her voice coming out muffled when she places a hand over her mouth and shuts her eyes allowing herself to finally come to terms with reality.

He's gone. Gone out of her reach because how could she ever compete with Sarah Cameron?

The Sarah Cameron, the Kook Princess.

The Cameron middle child is perfect in the very sense of the word and Georgie? She's . . . . she's not perfect. She's just . . . . Georgie, JJ Maybank's twin.

It's fine being overshadowed by her brother because she's always been one to hide in the corners hoping to draw as little attention to herself as possible.

But she often wonders, if this is really her life, where she belongs then why does she, more often than never, feel like the side character?

It's hard being treated as just JJ's sister, even more so when it comes from the guy she truly believed she was meant to be with.

Maybe she still is but for the time being, Sarah Cameron is who gets to bask in the attention Georgie has been longing for all her life.

Georgie, truly couldn't be more miserable than this.

And the way she harshly wipes her tears away when she hears footsteps behind her on the sand is proof of that fact.

A grunt sounds right beside her as the culprit plops down on the sand next to her.

She gulps tightening her grip on her knee while her eyes remain fixated on the ocean ahead, she sneaks a side glance surprising herself at the sight beside her.

Rafe Cameron sits casually sprawled on the sand, a bottle vodka in his hand and a blue striped polo accompanied by white board shorts adorning his body.

He pulls his left arm up, the muscles flexing as his fingers tug hard on the roots of his hair.

The veins in his arms are prominent, Georgie's eyes immediately taking in the scene in front of them with a sort of . . . . shock and warm tingling in the depths of her body she never thought could respond to a simple gesture from Rafe Cameron.

His left hand is busy ruffling his already messed up hair when he turns his head catching her red-handed in the act of staring.

The side of his lips twitches up, an almost smirk pulling on those goddamn cupid bows.

"Like what you see?", he breathes out, his voice coming out raspy.

It does things to Georgie that she would rather not feel.

Things that despite practically being in love with John Booker Routledge, his voice never did.

Things that make her curl her toes inside the confines of her trainers as she turns her head forward, hoping to hide the red in her cheeks.

"Narc", she whispers.

He seems to hear her for he laughs the very next moment, a bubbling sound erupting from the back of his throat making a sudden unexpected warmth wash over the blonde girl.

I made him laugh.

"You're cute . . . . hmm, vodka?".

Her throat constricts at his words, eyes zooming in on the almost full bottle of vodka being extended in her direction.

More so the ring clad hand extending it.

She carefully glances up from the slender fingers wrapped around the neck of the bottle and meets those damned blue eyes staring at her as if they can decipher every single secret of her soul.

Her eyes move back and forth between his, his hand remaining suspended in the air with the bottle of vodka clutched between his fingers.

He rolls his eyes chucking the bottle in her direction once more.

"Relax Maybank, I ain't gonna poison you".

Alarm bells go off in her head, common sense basically yells at her to get her shit together.

And yet, she seems to forget all about it when she reaches out grabbing the bottle from his hand — fingers very carefully brushing against each other's as she does so, she controls herself from biting her lip when his gaze meets hers as she brings the bottle up to her lips and tips back her head taking a huge swig.

All the while, their gazes remain interlocked.

She pulls the bottle down, her lips making a popping sound as they disengage with the narrow mouth of the bottle and she swears she saw Rafe curse under his breath before pulling the bottle right out of her hand — this time his entire palm engulfing hers, an electricity growing sharp inside of her at the contact — and brings it up to his own lips, drinking from it.

"Rough day?", she questions when he puts the bottle down after about a few seconds of chugging on it mindlessly.

A pitiful chuckle leaves his lips.

"If you only knew".

After a beat, he asks.

"What about you? Everything okay?", he turns to her waiting for her reaction while his hand reaches out with the bottle again.

"I . . . .", she stammers too focused on the way his eyes seem to assess her than do anything else.

Georgie clears her throat.

"Nothing too worry about", she attempts to smile grabbing the bottle and drinking down the contents.

Rafe watches her as she puts the bottle down wiping the side of her mouth with the back of her hand.

She sighs, glancing up at him to find his eyes already on her.

They quietly stare at each other before he passes the bottle again and ten minutes later, with half the bottle empty, they're now seated comfortably together with a slight haze of intoxication hovering over them.

"Is now the time when JJ's gonna come barging in to save you or do we still have a few more minutes?".

Georgie laughs loudly shaking her head and turning towards him, their bodies having unintentionally inched closer in the few minutes.

"Depends. What d'you wanna do?", she looks up at him through her eyelashes, a curious little smile on her face.

Rafe's eyes drop down to her lips that are now slightly moist with the bottle of alcohol being constantly passed between them.

She hums scooting closer, his heart beat quickens at the sudden proximity but she doesn't seem to care.

Her face now a mere inches from his, a grin pulls on the corners of her lips.

"What do you wanna do, Rafe Cameron?".

There is clear mischief in her tone, in the glint in her eyes, in the way her gaze keeps alternating between his eyes and his lips.

Which eventually, leads to his lips stretching into a smirk.

He leans in.

His breath now hot on her face, she swallows.

"Want me to show you?".

Reluctantly, she nods but the glint in her eye remains.

He makes a clicking sound with his tongue, warm breath fanning over her face while she stares back dumbstruck.

"Words, Georgie".

The way her name rolls off his tongue has her wanting to melt right then and there.

And that is enough for her to reply.

"Yes. I want you to show me", she whispers as if those words alone are forbidden.

He hums in satisfaction, "You sure?".

She bites her lip.

"Yeah", she whispers back.

And before she can comprehend what's happening, his lips are on hers pushing back against her soft warm ones.

His hand comes up to touch her neck, a fire igniting itself inside the two.

She pushes her lips back just as hard, her fingers pulling him down by his collar while his thumb strokes the side of her neck gently and achingly slow as it makes its way down to her collarbone.

His fingers brush against her skin, their lips moulded together as they sit there grabbing onto each other under the moonlit night.

And despite everything, Georgie did end up being the stupid one that summer.

***
omg??? they kissed??? where's the applause??? only took like 20 chps but yes we love a good old slow burn 💋💋