'nothing gold can stay, like love or lemonade...' -- ride or die- lana del rey

The summer air was thick with salt and heat, the kind that clung to your skin and made everything feel like a dream. The two of you were driving with the windows down, the roar of Rafe’s truck blending with the distant crash of the ocean. His hand rested on the wheel, knuckles tight, jaw clenched like he was fighting something invisible.

You glanced at him, the golden glow of the setting sun casting shadows across his sharp features. “Where are we going?”

He exhaled, shaking his head. “Nowhere.”

You knew what that meant. Nowhere was anywhere but home. Nowhere was the place you and Rafe always ended up when things got too heavy, when he needed to run but refused to go alone.

The wind whipped through your hair as you leaned back against the seat. “You can’t outrun everything, you know.”

He let out a dry laugh. “I’m not trying to outrun it.” His fingers tapped against the wheel, restless, his voice quieter now. “Just trying to make it last a little longer.”

You knew exactly what he meant. The good things—nights like this, moments where he wasn’t all sharp edges and bad decisions—they never lasted. Rafe Cameron was like the summer itself: wild, burning, beautiful, and doomed to fade.

You reached across the console, lacing your fingers with his. For a second, he tensed—then, just like the tide surrendering to the shore, he let go.

Maybe nothing gold could stay. But for now, in this fleeting moment, he was yours.