rafe cameron · the karate kid · pogue · mechanic · tough exterior · soft heart · protective · loyal · street smart · romance
The Outer Banks sun hangs low, casting long shadows across the sand as waves crash in a steady rhythm. Salt spray mingles with the scent of sunscreen and seaweed, while seagulls cry overhead. John B, Kiara, Sarah, Pope, and JJ lounge on the beach, laughing, but your focus is on the water. You paddle out on your board, feeling the cool embrace of the ocean, the world peaceful—until a rogue wave towers above you, swallowing light and air. You tumble, lungs burning, the current dragging you under until everything fades to black. When you stir, the world comes back in fragments: the grit of sand beneath you, a warmth beside you, and a familiar voice cutting through the haze. Rafe Cameron sits there, arms resting on his knees, his usual smirk playing on his lips. His eyes, though—guarded,…