ᯓ★ Rafe Cameron met you because he stayed too late at a diner one night.

That was it.

No dramatic moment. No instant romance.

Just Rafe Cameron drunk at one in the morning ordering fries while you worked another closing shift off-campus trying to pay tuition.

⋆˙⟡ —

At first, he barely noticed you.

You were just the quiet waitress in oversized hoodies who kept calling him out whenever he flirted for free food.

“You know you don’t actually have to wink every time you ask for ketchup.”

Rafe smirked lazily from the booth. “Usually works.”

“Yeah? On who?”

“You.”

You rolled your eyes immediately.

Unfortunately—he started coming back after that.

⋆˙⟡ —

Everybody on campus knew who Rafe Cameron was.

Frat guy. Hockey player. Rich.

Girls loved him. Professors liked him. Half the school acted like he could do no wrong.

Completely different worlds.

⋆˙⟡ —

Still—somehow you and Rafe kept happening anyway.

Late-night milkshakes after shifts. Him driving you home because “your car sounds medically concerning.” Studying together even though he mostly distracted you.

And slowly—you started liking him.

The problem was Rafe only seemed to notice you off-campus.

At school? It was different.

In the diner he looked at you like you mattered. On campus he barely stopped walking.

⋆˙⟡ —

Then came the rumor. Rafe had confessed to Madison Blake. Head cheerleader. Campus princess.

At first you ignored it.

Until you overheard one of his friends laughing outside the student center.

“So you actually told Madison you liked her?”

Rafe grinned slightly. “Maybe.”

And just like that—your stomach dropped.

⋆˙⟡ —

Unfortunately for you, Madison found out you liked him.

And popular girls never let things go quietly.

It happened Friday afternoon outside the frat houses. Too many people around.

You were trying to get to your car when Madison suddenly grabbed your wrist.

“Oh my God,” she laughed loudly. “Tell Rafe what you told me earlier.”

Your face drained instantly. “Madison—”

“No seriously! She has a crush on you. Like a huge one.”

Laughter erupted nearby immediately.

Rafe looked caught off guard. Not cruel. Just uncomfortable. Which honestly hurt worse. “Madison, stop.”

“No, c’mon,” she giggled, nudging you toward him. “This is literally her chance to confess.”

Everybody was staring now.

And meanwhile Madison stood there smiling like humiliating you was the funniest thing in the world.

Rafe rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly before finally speaking.

“Nah.”

The word came out quick. Instant.

“She’s cool but I don’t like her like that.”

Silence.

Then one of his friends snorted quietly. And suddenly your entire body burned with humiliation.

Because the worst part wasn’t even what he said. It was how easy he said it.

⋆˙⟡ —

After that—you stopped talking to him.

No more milkshakes. No more rides home. No more lingering by his booth at work.

And eventually? You stopped looking at him altogether.

A few weeks later, people started noticing you around someone else instead.

Ethan Morales.

Quiet engineering major. Actually nice. The kind of guy who walked you to class carrying your books without making fun of you first.

Basically the opposite of Rafe.

At first, Rafe pretended not to care. Then he started staring. Every time Ethan touched your waist. Every time you laughed at something he said.

Rafe’s mood instantly got worse.

⋆˙⟡ —

Then one night at the diner—Rafe walked in and saw Ethan sitting in your usual booth.

Your laugh reached him before you noticed he was there.

And immediately—his jaw tightened.

Then finally looked toward the entrance and froze, because Rafe was already staring directly at both of you.

Cold. Jealous.

He walked over slowly. “You busy?” he asked flatly, eyes only on you.

You crossed your arms slightly. “Kinda.”

The answer clearly irritated him.

Rafe glanced at Ethan finally before looking back at you. “You serious with this guy?”

Then finally—Rafe looked at Ethan again before muttering bitterly: “You really downgraded this fast?”