031. bros or boys 

( the thirty first chapter )

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The living room was alive with the faint hum of a crime drama on TV and the scent of sweet cinnamon and vanilla wafting from the kitchen. Daniela sprawled on the couch, engrossed in the show, while Olivine moved back and forth between the counter and the oven, frosting cupcakes and checking on the cinnamon rolls. She wiped her hands on her apron, her mind more on the intricate designs she was creating on the cupcakes than on the sound of the front door opening.

"Some help would've been nice!" Heyward's voice carried through the house, tired but sharp.

Olivine looked up just as her dad entered the kitchen, carrying several grocery bags. Her mom followed close behind, balancing five slushies in her hands, and Pope trailed after them, lugging the remaining bags.

"Y'all really don't believe in making two trips?" Pope grumbled, setting the bags down on the counter.

"That's what kids are for," Mariah quipped, placing the slushies down and handing two to Olivine. "Here. One for you, and one for Daniela."

"Bring it here!" Daniela called, eyes still glued to the TV.

Olivine grabbed the drinks and walked to the living room, handing one to her best friend. "Here, your majesty."

Daniela grinned, taking the slushy without looking away from the screen. "You're too good to me."

Back in the kitchen, Heyward was unpacking groceries, his movements deliberate and slower than usual. He paused, cleared his throat, and turned toward Olivine, his expression a mix of exhaustion and irritation.

"Olivine," he started, his voice heavy, "why the hell did Ward Cameron walk into my shop today to formally invite us to dinner tomorrow night?"

Olivine froze, her spatula clutched in her hand, while Pope stopped mid-step, blinking at their father in confusion.

"Dinner?" Pope asked, his brow furrowing. "With us?"

Heyward gave a humorless laugh, crossing his arms. "Dinner. So he can meet his son's girlfriend's family." He finished with an irritated smile, watching how both of his kids processed the bombshell.

Olivine's heart sank, heat rising in her cheeks as all eyes turned to her. "He... might've mentioned something about it," she admitted, her voice faltering. "But I wasn't completely sure he was actually going to go through with it."

Pope stared at her like she'd just grown another head. "Wait. Ward Cameron did what? And whose girlfriend are we talking about?"

Heyward raised a brow. "The one and only. His demonic spawn, who, for some reason, thinks he's good enough for my angel."

"Hey, now!" Mariah interjected, pinching Heyward's arm. "Be kind."

"Wait, wait, wait," Pope interrupted, holding up his hands. "Are we talking about Ward Cameron, father of Sarah and Rafe Cameron?"

"The one and only," Heyward confirmed, shaking his head in disbelief.

Pope's mouth fell open as he turned to his sister, a mix of shock and betrayal flashing across his face. "You're dating Rafe Cameron? Like, that Rafe Cameron? Are you serious, Oli?"

Olivine groaned, setting down her spatula. "Yes, Pope. That Rafe Cameron. And before you say anything else, I know about your history with him, okay? I'm sorry if it's hard for you, but..." She hesitated, her voice softening. "It just happened. I didn't plan it, and I definitely didn't expect any of this to happen."

Pope stared at her, his expression hardening. "What were you thinking, rolling in bed with the freaking devil? After everything he's done to me? To my friends?"

Daniela, still sitting on the couch, decided to chime in. "To be fair," she said, sipping her slushy, "Rafe's kind of... calmed down. I mean, yeah, he was rowdy and loud and a complete jerk before. But now he's just, like... a jerk."

"Thanks for the support, Dany," Olivine said dryly, patting her on the shoulder.

"Anytime," Daniela replied with a grin.

Pope shook his head, grabbing his slushy off the counter and kissing Mariah on the cheek. "I'm done," he muttered, glaring at Olivine one last time before walking out of the kitchen.

Olivine sighed, slumping against the counter. "This dinner is going to be a nightmare."

Heyward smirked, his irritation softening. "You're damn right it will be."

Mariah swatted his arm. "Oh, hush. It'll be fine."

But as Olivine turned back to her cupcakes, she wasn't so sure. The kitchen grew quieter after Pope's dramatic exit, though tension still lingered in the air like the sugary scent of frosting and cinnamon. Olivine focused on piping swirls onto her cupcakes, her hands moving automatically while her mind raced.

"Don't let Pope bother you, sweetheart," Mariah said gently as she unpacked the last of the groceries. "He's just... upset."

"I deserve to be upset," Heyward muttered under his breath, earning another pinch from his wife.

Olivine sighed, glancing at her dad. "You're not exactly thrilled about it either, Dad."

Heyward didn't deny it. He leaned against the counter, crossing his arms. "You're right. I'm not. I've seen how those Camerons operate—especially Ward. And Rafe?" He shook his head, his lips pressing into a thin line. "That boy's got a history, Olivine. Trouble follows him like a shadow."

"People can change, Heyward," Mariah interjected, her tone even. "You of all people should know that."

Heyward sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Maybe. But Rafe Cameron? That's a tall order." He looked at Olivine, his expression softening just a fraction. "I just don't want you to get hurt, kiddo. That's all."

Olivine set down her piping bag and turned to face him. "I know you're worried, Dad. And I know Rafe has a... complicated past."

"Complicated," Daniela muttered from the couch, earning a pointed look from Olivine.

"But he's different with me," Olivine continued, her voice steady. "I'm not saying he's perfect or that everything's magically fixed. But he's trying. And I wouldn't be with him if I didn't believe that."

Heyward studied her for a long moment before nodding slowly. "Alright," he said gruffly. "I trust your judgment. Just know that if he screws up, I'll be the first in line to remind him whose daughter he's dating."

Mariah rolled her eyes. "Honestly, you men are impossible. Now, Olivine, do you need help finishing those cupcakes?"

"No, I'm good, Mom." Olivine smiled, grateful for the shift in conversation.

"Great," Mariah said, grabbing one of the slushies and heading toward the living room. "Come on, Heyward. Let's give the girls some space."

As her parents left, Daniela turned to Olivine, her expression sly. "So, dinner with the Camerons, huh? This is either going to be a disaster or the most entertaining thing I've ever seen."

"Probably both," Olivine muttered, shaking her head.

Daniela smirked. "Think Ward's gonna grill your dad about why you're dating his son? Or do you think your dad's gonna grill Ward about why his son is dating you?"

"Honestly? Both," Olivine replied, finishing the last cupcake.

Daniela laughed, taking another sip of her slushy. "Well, at least you'll have Rafe there to back you up. And if all else fails, just shove a cupcake in someone's mouth. Works every time."

Olivine chuckled, wiping her hands on a dish towel. Despite the chaos, she couldn't help but feel a spark of excitement—and a touch of dread—for what the next day would bring.

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Olivine sat cross-legged on her bed, her phone gripped tightly in her hand as she typed out yet another message to Pope.

Olivine huffed in frustration as she tossed her phone onto the bed, its screen lighting up with another read receipt from Pope but no reply. Her texts were piling up, and each one grew more insistent:

martinolive: Pope, please. Can we talk?
martinolive I know you're mad, and I get it. But ignoring me isn't going to fix anything.
martinolive: I'm sorry you found out like that. I swear I didn't mean for it to happen.
martinolive: Can you just pick up? Please?

She groaned, running her hands through her hair as she stared at the words on the screen. The three dots popped up for a second, making her heart leap, but they disappeared just as quickly.

"Ugh, Pope!" she exclaimed, ready to type another message. As her fingers hovered over the keyboard, her phone buzzed in her hand.

Rafe's name flashed on the screen.

Olivine hesitated for a moment before answering. A small smile tugged at her lips as she brought the phone to her ear.

"Hi, baby," came Rafe's familiar drawl, his voice low and warm, carrying that subtle charm that always managed to soften her nerves.

Her smile widened despite herself. "Hi, Rafe."

"You sound annoyed," he remarked, a teasing edge to his tone. "Who do I have to fight this time?"

She sighed, leaning back against the counter. "It's Pope. He's... mad at me about us."

There was a pause on the other end before Rafe responded. "Yeah, I figured he'd have something to say. Doesn't exactly have the best history with me, you know."

"That's putting it lightly," Olivine muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I just—he's my brother. I don't want this to ruin things between us."

"He'll come around," Rafe said confidently. "You're too hard to stay mad at, Liv. Trust me, I know."

She let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, but I think you're biased."

"Maybe," Rafe admitted. "But I also know how stubborn you can be when you want something. Just keep trying with him. He'll cave eventually."

"I hope so."

There was a beat of silence before Rafe spoke again, his voice softer this time. "You okay, though? You don't sound like yourself."

Olivine's heart warmed at the concern in his tone. "I'm fine. Just... a lot on my plate right now. But I'll be okay."

"Well, if you need a distraction," Rafe began, his voice dipping into that playful, flirtatious cadence she was all too familiar with, "I could always come over. I can think of a few ways to make you forget about everything else."

Olivine rolled her eyes, though her cheeks flushed. "You're impossible."

"Only for you, baby," he replied smoothly.

Despite the chaos of the day, Olivine found herself relaxing, the tension in her shoulders easing. "Thanks, Rafe."

"For what?"

"For being... you," she said simply.

Rafe chuckled, the sound rich and genuine. "Anytime, Liv. You know I'm just a call away."

"Same goes for you," she replied softly.

"Good," he said. "Now go eat one of those cupcakes you were baking earlier. And save me one. Or ten."

Olivine laughed, shaking her head. "I'll think about it."

"Fair enough," Rafe said, his smile audible through the phone. "Talk later?"

"Yeah," Olivine agreed. "Talk later."

As the call ended, she felt a bit lighter. She glanced at Pope's name on her screen one more time before setting the phone down, determined to face the next challenge head-on.

She set her phone down, glancing back at her messages with Pope. With a sigh, she typed out one last message.

martinolive: I'm not giving up on you, Pope. Talk to me when you're ready.

She hit send and placed her phone on the nightstand, hoping that her words would eventually reach him.

After ending the call with Rafe, Olivine lay back against her pillows, staring up at the ceiling. The soft hum of her phone vibrating caught her attention. Her heart leaped for a moment, hoping it was Pope. But when she glanced at the screen, it was just a promotional text from some random store.

Letting out a deep sigh, she grabbed a throw pillow and hugged it against her chest, trying to process everything. The tension with Pope weighed heavily on her, and she hated the idea of their relationship being strained. He'd always been her rock, the steady presence in her chaotic life.

But then there was Rafe. Complicated, messy, and intense Rafe, who somehow made her feel seen and understood in a way she hadn't expected.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps coming down the hallway. A soft knock followed.

"Oli? You okay?" Daniela's voice called out.

"Come in," Olivine said, sitting up.

The door creaked open, and Daniela poked her head in, holding a bowl of popcorn. "I figured you'd need snacks," she said, stepping inside.

Olivine managed a small smile as Daniela plopped down next to her on the bed, setting the bowl between them.

"So," Daniela began, grabbing a handful of popcorn. "What's the plan with Pope?"

Olivine groaned, burying her face in her hands. "I don't even know. He's ignoring me, and I can't tell if he's just mad or if he's completely done with me."

"He's not done with you," Daniela said confidently. "He's just processing. It's a lot to take in—his sister dating someone like Rafe Cameron."

Olivine shot her a look. "Someone like Rafe?"

"You know what I mean," Daniela said, rolling her eyes. "The history, the drama, the... reputation."

"Yeah," Olivine muttered, leaning back against her headboard. "It's a lot."

"But," Daniela continued, nudging her shoulder, "Pope loves you. He'll come around. You just have to give him time."

Olivine nodded, her lips pressing into a thin line. "I hope so."

They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, munching on popcorn, when Olivine's phone buzzed again. She picked it up, her heart racing. This time, it wasn't an ad.

Popester: Fine. Let's talk tomorrow after dinner.

She exhaled a long breath, relief washing over her.

"Is that Pope?" Daniela asked, leaning over to peek at the screen.

"Yeah," Olivine said with a small smile. "He wants to talk tomorrow."

"See? Told you," Daniela said with a grin. "He just needed to cool off."

Olivine nodded, her shoulders finally relaxing. She typed out a quick response.

martinolive: Thank you. I'll see you then.

The message sent, and she placed her phone back on the nightstand.

"You're too good for him," Daniela teased, tossing a piece of popcorn at her.

"Shut up," Olivine said, laughing as she caught it and threw it back.

For the first time that evening, she felt a glimmer of hope. Pope was willing to talk, and she'd make sure he understood that her feelings for Rafe didn't change how much she cared about him.

The room was already filled with soft giggles and the low hum of background TV when the abrupt knock on the window startled both Olivine and Daniela. They exchanged a glance, and before Olivine could even move, Daniela raised a brow.

"Who in the world...?" she trailed off, her tone dripping with suspicion.

Olivine got up, pulling back the curtain to reveal none other than Rafe Cameron leaning against the windowsill with that signature smirk of his. She immediately opened the window, the cool night air flooding in.

"What are you doing here?" she whispered, glancing over her shoulder at Daniela, who was already squinting at him.

"What am I doing here? What the fuck is piggy doing here?" Rafe retorted, climbing in without hesitation.

Daniela cleared her throat, offended "Okay, but what's he doing here? And FYI, Olivine doesn't need a booty call at the moment, Cameron," she deadpanned, eyeing him critically.

Rafe scoffed, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips as he leaned against the wall. "A booty call? Please. The only person around here who needs one is you." He raised an eyebrow, his tone dripping with playful sarcasm. "Relax."

Daniela grabbed the plush pillow she'd been cuddling and hurled it at him. Unfortunately, Rafe caught it mid-air with ease, spinning it in his hands like a trophy.

"I'm here for my girlfriend," he said smugly, glancing at Olivine with a softer expression. "And I'm not leaving."

"Well," Daniela said pointedly, "I'm her best friend. And I'm not leaving either."

They stared at each other, the tension between them palpable. Daniela's glare was sharp enough to cut through glass, but Rafe didn't back down, tossing the pillow back at her with a bit too much force.

It hit Daniela squarely in the chest, eliciting a startled yelp.

"RAFE!" Olivine hissed, trying to suppress a laugh while Daniela gasped dramatically, clutching the pillow as if it had physically wounded her.

Before the argument could escalate, the door creaked open, and Mariah stepped in. Her eyes flickered to Rafe, standing by the window, and then back to Olivine and Daniela, who both looked guilty.

"Rafe Cameron?" she said softly, a trace of surprise in her voice.

"Uh... hi, Mrs. Heyward," Rafe said, straightening up awkwardly.

Mariah sighed, shaking her head with a small smile. "You know, there's a perfectly good door downstairs. No need to climb up like some kind of hooligan."

Olivine bit back a laugh as Rafe scratched the back of his neck. "Noted."

Mariah stepped further into the room, placing her hands on her hips. "Olivine, your father and I have to head back to the shop. There's plenty of food in the kitchen, so don't you two go hungry," she said, glancing between her daughter and Daniela. Then, she turned her attention to Rafe, patting his shoulder affectionately.

"You're welcome to stay, Rafe," she added, her tone warm but teasing. "But next time, try the door."

She leaned down to place a kiss on Olivine and Daniela's foreheads, and waved at Rafe before leaving the room.

As the door closed behind her, Daniela and Rafe exchanged a final glare before Olivine held up her hands. "Okay, enough. You two are worse than siblings."

"I'm not the one throwing pillows," Rafe said innocently, flopping onto Olivine's bed.

"And I'm not the one climbing through windows uninvited," Daniela shot back, grabbing another pillow for defense.

Olivine groaned, sinking onto the bed beside Rafe. "I swear, one of you is going to get me grounded."

"Not me," Rafe said, draping an arm around her and pulling her closer. "I'm on my best behavior, baby."

Daniela rolled her eyes. "Sure, Cameron. Sure."

Rafe stretched out on Olivine's bed, looking far too comfortable for someone who had just been chastised for climbing through a window. His arm draped lazily over her shoulders, and he leaned back against the headboard, giving Daniela an exaggeratedly smug look.

"Seriously, Cameron, you're like a stray cat that keeps showing up," Daniela muttered, crossing her arms.

Rafe smirked. "Stray cat? You're just jealous because she picked me and not you as her favorite."

"God, you're insufferable," Daniela groaned, throwing herself back onto the beanbag chair in the corner.

"Hey," Olivine cut in, nudging Rafe's side as she adjusted his arm on her shoulders. "Don't antagonize my best friend."

Rafe sighed dramatically, turning to look at her. "Fine. For you, I'll behave." His tone was teasing, but the way his hand absentmindedly played with the hem of her shirt gave him away—he was soaking in her presence, every little second.

Daniela, watching from the corner of her eye, shook her head. "You know, you're lucky she's patient. If it were me, I'd have kicked you out the moment you started climbing my walls like Spider-Man."

Rafe tilted his head, pretending to consider. "And yet here I am. Still here. Still the boyfriend."

"Rafe," Olivine warned, but she couldn't help the small laugh that slipped out.

Before anyone could retort, Daniela's phone buzzed. She grabbed it, glancing at the screen. "Well, it's my dad, I have to go FaceTime someone who doesn't make me want to scream into a pillow. Olivine, holler if he gets too annoying," she said, standing and heading for the door.

"Trust me, I will," Olivine said, laughing as Daniela left with an exaggerated eye roll.

Once the door clicked shut, the room fell quiet. Rafe glanced at her, his usual bravado softening. "You okay?"

Olivine turned toward him, her body immediately laying on top of his"I could ask you the same thing. You scaled my house for no reason."

"Not no reason," Rafe countered, his hand trailing from her shoulder to her arm all the way down towards her rear gripping it playfully. "I missed you."

Olivine shook her head, but her lips curved into a soft smile. "You're unbelievable."

"Maybe," he admitted, pulling her closer until her head rested against his chest. "But you like it."

"I tolerate it," she teased, tilting her head up to look at him.

Rafe leaned down, brushing a soft kiss to her forehead. "Tolerate, huh?"

She didn't answer, instead letting herself sink into his warmth for a moment. His thumb traced lazy circles on her rear as they sat in comfortable silence, the sound of the TV muffled in the background.

After a while, Olivine broke the quiet. "You know my dad's going to grill you tomorrow, right? He's not going to make this easy."

Rafe smirked. "I'm ready for it. Bring it on."

"You say that now," she murmured, laughing softly. "But don't say I didn't warn you."

He pressed another kiss to her glossed lips, his lips lingering just long enough to make her heart skip. "For you, I'd sit through a thousand Heyward interrogations."

Olivine laughed, burying her face in his chest. "You're ridiculous."

"And you're stuck with me," he replied, grinning against her hair. "So, get used to it."

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KIKI SPEAKS ;
not edited !!

yall what the heck i woke up to 20k views, 1k votes and 2k comments. I adore every single one of you ALLL OF UUU, you make writing this a pleasure and a joy kisses to all of u

word count : 3.6k

ENJOY !!
xoxo kiki 💋💋