HEARTLESS─── RAFE CAMERON [1]

chapter twenty eight

Eight o'clock rolls by extremely quickly yet extremely slowly. I tried to enjoy my evening after my conversation with Rafe as best as possible, but now that I think about it, I can't exactly remember most of what I did. My conversation with Rafe is all that's been burned in my mind.

As of what I can remember, Midsummers has been a blur of mingling and small talk, a few fleeting moments of laughter, Rafe, hors d'oeuvres, sneaking a sip of champagne, more Rafe...

"Ladies and gentlemen! May I have your attention please?" Ward's voice booms through the microphone in the center of the venue. My eyes snap towards him as I can feel the pit in my stomach deepening. I already know what he's going to say, and I'm dreading it.

Ward continues, "It's time for the best part of Midsummers!" As Ward's voice fills the room, excitement ripples through the crowd, and I can hear the enthusiastic cheers and applause all around me.

But as I glance at Rafe across the room, his gaze locked on mine, my heart sinks. This is it— the moment I've been dreading for so long. In a way, this is what everything has boiled down to.

My gaze flickers to Aaron, who is rubbing Cassie's shoulders slowly. If I didn't know the two of them, I would think of it as an intimate gesture. The sight just unnerves me further. Because there is a part of them that unknowingly has figured out that Rafe and I aren't real. They are the only people on the Island who can expose us completely. And if they did...I don't even want to think about how things would change.

Ward's announcement isn't over, and it brings me back to the present. "The first dance will be the traditional father-daughter dance!"

There's more cheering and then people pave the way for daughters and their fathers. A wave of nostalgia washes over me as I watch my dad step onto the dance floor, his arm outstretched to me. He looks so proud of me. I offer him a small smile. The familiar strains of a soft melody fill the room, and I can feel the weight of anticipation bearing down on me as I make my way to him.

As we sway slowly to the music, he chuckles, his voice tinged with pride. "I couldn't be prouder of you, Luxie."

I smile as he continues.

"I still can't believe you're almost off to college. Just a year now."

"I know," I say, smiling but letting out a shaky breath. "Let's just hope that Massachusetts is my new home."

He gives me a knowing look. "Hey. You're too hard on yourself, Lux. No matter what happens...your worth isn't defined by what one school says about you." He pauses for a moment to lick his lips. "If Harvard doesn't want you, that's their loss."

"I know, I know," I say. "But it's all I've wanted for as long as I can remember."

"Look," he says. "You have so many other great schools you're applying to. Yale, Georgetown, Brown, NYU..." He pauses again. "All I want to say is that even if it's not Harvard, you're going to be perfectly fine. I promise." He kisses my forehead.

I smile up at him. "Thanks, Dad," I reply, my voice filled with sincerity. As we dance slowly, I catch a glimpse of Rafe across the room, his gaze fixed on me with an intensity that sends a shiver down my spine. I quickly avert my eyes.

And then suddenly the song is coming to an end, my dad is giving me one last reassuring squeeze before stepping away from me, and the crowd is erupting into applause.

Reality is settling in my stomach. Of what's about to happen. "Now, it's time for the couple's dance!" Ward's voice echoes through the venue, drawing everyone's attention to the center of the dance floor. He looks straight towards my direction, flashing a smile that is meant for me.