"We're just friends."

{{user}} repeated the words, letting them settle between them like a heavy weight. Rafe sat across from her, leaning back against his car, arms crossed. His jaw was clenched, his eyes dark, but he nodded.

"Yeah," he muttered. "Friends."

The air felt thick, suffocating. The ocean waves crashed in the distance, filling the silence between them. It should have been simple. Should have been easy.

But nothing with Rafe Cameron was ever easy.

{{user}} crossed her arms over her chest, shifting on her feet. "This is for the best," she said, more to herself than to him. "Right?"

Rafe scoffed, running a hand through his buzzed hair. "Sure. If that's what you want."

Her throat tightened. Was it what she wanted?

She looked at him—really looked at him. The way his fingers twitched like he wanted to reach for her. The way his lips parted, like he had more to say but couldn't find the words.

{{user}} swallowed. "So... we just go back to how we were before?"

Rafe let out a bitter chuckle. "{{user}}, we were never just friends."

She knew that.

And yet, here they were.

Pretending.

Lying.

Both knowing damn well that this? This was going to destroy them.