Once Upon a Breakup

"Home sweet home." I sighed.

"You're a little dramatic." Summer, my best friend since grade school arched an eyebrow as she glanced at me from the driver's seat. She had just picked me up from the airport and we were entering our small town nestled just outside of Charleston, South Carolina.

"It's a little weird to be back calling this home." I shifted uncomfortably in the seat. "And I don't even have my own place yet." I reminded her looking out the window of her 1978 classic fiat watching my hometown speed by in a blur.

"The guest house at your parents isn't horrible Bree." Summer offered. "Remember how much we wanted to stay out there when we were younger?"

"Yeah we were 13! I'm 28, a grown up. And moving back home with mom and dad." I inhaled deeply before closing my eyes.

"Not really. Plus, everyone's so happy you're home."

Let’s back up for a minute, I had decided to leave my teaching job in Washington DC and move back home, accepting a position teaching 9th grade English so that I could be closer to my mom and dad. My parents own a bait and tackle shop/convenience store. My dad broke his leg last winter and just hasn't been the same since. I wanted to be closer to them and help them out as much as I could.

Summer took me straight to my parents even though they weren't home. We had a huge barn in the backyard of our house. Growing up it wasn't a finished living space, meaning you couldn't stay there. Summer and I loved to have camp outs though. Finally, my sophomore year of high school they renovated it and turned into a guest house. I lived out there the moment I could. And now here I was 10 years later back.

"Want me to come in?" Summer asked as she pulled into the long gravel driveway that led to my childhood home.

"Nah, I've got to get unpacked some and then head over to the school. School starts in 2 weeks, and I haven't even seen my classroom yet."

"Ok. I'm glad you're back." She said for about the millionth time as she smiled warmly at me. "And don't forget I signed us up to work concessions at Night with the stars!" She called as I climbed out.

I nodded. Night with the stars is an event that our community holds every year on Labor Day weekend. They show old school movies on a huge outdoor screen, they have concessions and fireworks after. I've been attending my whole life, well except the 10 years I've been gone.

I walked into the barn-turned guest house and sighed. It was frozen in time. Nothing had changed since I left it seemed. I have been back a few times in the past 10 years to visit. However, I never stayed out in the guest house. Mom and dad refused since they never got to see me. And dad had the utilities cut off. Everything was of course on now and running. I pulled my suitcase to the back bedroom and pushed the door open. The door to the bedroom was like a portal transporting me to another time and place. I looked around and a faint smile found my lips.

The cork board on the wall was filled with pictures, movie ticket stubs, stickers, and a pair of lone keys hung frozen in time. I reached out to touch the keys as I looked over the pictures stuck to the board. Summer and I on the boat. My cousin Riley and I at the Spring gala at the country club. And more than one of Rafe and myself. Rafe, also known as my high school boyfriend. We met in 9th grade and dated until I left for college. 4 years of an on and off, somewhat toxic relationship. But I loved him with my whole heart. My heart constricted a little as I looked at the strip of pictures of us from a carnival. One making stupid faces, one he pretending to bite me in the neck vampire style, one he was kissing my cheek and one he was looking at me like I was the only girl in the world. I looked away and crossed the room to the bay window with the seat which happened to be my favorite part of the whole room. I looked down at the window seal and carved into the wood was Rafe & Bree. I ran my fingers along the now smoothed over engraving with a sigh. Instead of continuing to walk down memory lane though I found my car keys hanging on the hook by the door and headed over to the school.

9th grade English Literature. I loved my teaching job. What I never thought would happen though is that I would be teaching in the exact room that I had met Rafe in all those years ago.

I pushed the memory to the back of my mind and started to prepare my room for the upcoming school year.

A week later I was riding along with Summer to A night with the stars.

"I can't believe we are working this. We spent way too many years attending." I looked out the window as we pulled into the country club where it was held. It was on the course right at the lake, and it was as perfect as I remembered.

"Do you remember the year we got drunk?" Summer laughed, "And Rafe, Theo and Luke thought it would be a good idea to climb the trees behind the screen?"

"Yeah, Theo fell and almost knocked the screen down. That was the night that we went running through the golf course and Rafe left us for your dad to pick us up."

Talk about being grounded for the rest of the summer, Summer's dad is the sheriff of our small town.

"Underage drinking and public intoxication." Summer giggled.

I rolled my eyes. "I sprained my ankle."

"How did you not see that flag and the hole?" Summer was still laughing.

"I don't know probably because y'all were acting like fools and I was just trying to keep up. I cannot believe your dad caught us. Rafe just kept running." The memory flashing through my mind as clear as day.

"Anyway." Summer stopped laughing as she parked the car and turned it off, " Remember that you love me. No matter what happens tonight."

"What is that even supposed to me Summer?" She had already got out and I reluctantly followed her.

It was a lot of fun being back and attending Night with the stars. I saw a lot of old friends. They were showing Jaws, and I enjoyed talking with the guests who came up for drinks or food.

"I must be seeing things." The voice made my hair raise on my neck. I spun around and instantly for the 100th time in the past 2 weeks was transported back in time. With his stupid backwards hat, polo shirt and bright blue eyes Rafe was staring back at me.

"Rafe." I managed to spit out.

"Bree." He gave me a crooked grin.

"You still come to this thing?"

"Yeah." He snickered. "Didn't think I'd be seeing you though."

"Summer signed us up to help."

"I'm just kidding, I knew you were here." He smirked.

I rolled my eyes. "Can I get you a drink?"

"Well, it's been a while since we've seen each other but if you want to buy me a drink, I'm not saying no." The corner of his lips turned up into a flirtatious smile. The same one that used to make me weak in the knees.

"Still have the same wardrobe from high school I see." I leaned back against the counter in the concession stand.

"Actually, this is a new shirt." He shrugged.

"Did you get the drinks yet?" A girl with long dark hair and huge almond eyes walked up throwing herself practically on Rafe's back before sliding off again. I tilted my head to the side knowing she looked familiar.

"Natalie?"

"Bree!" Her eyes grew wide.

Natalie used to date Luke back when I dated Rafe. We started out as friends. Then I started to suspect she had a thing for Rafe. She told me that he cheated on me multiple times. And I caught her making a move on him at a kegger on the beach. Natalie and I are not friends. Which is why I was surprised she practically jumped the counter to pull me in for a hug.

"When did you get back?"

"Couple weeks ago. I'm teaching at Burke." I smiled uncomfortably.

"No way! That's amazing!" I couldn’t tell if she was sincere or fake. I opted for fake.

I nodded my eyes turning to Rafe.

"Here." I grabbed 2 cokes and handed them to Rafe. He started to pull money out of his pocket but I stopped him. "On the house."

I turned to help someone else before he could respond. Summer walked up a second later flipping the counter open so she could step in.

"You knew Rafe was going to be here." I hissed at her.

"No, I wasn't sure if he was. It was mentioned."

"Mentioned? When? And how'd he even know that I was here?"

"Ok so we all hang out sometimes. Riley, Theo, Rafe, Natalie, me, Dean. We were at the club last weekend and I couldn't help but say you were back. Plus, Briar is in your class this year. Rafe would have heard eventually."

Briar is Rafe's younger sister. She was 4 when I left Charleston 10 years ago. And now she was in my class.

"So, you, Dean, Riley Theo Rafe and Natalie hang out a the club. Like y'all just go out on triple dates?"

"No, Nat and Rafe aren't." She shook her head, "And Luke stopped hanging out cause of Nat. She still has a thing.... well." Summer shrugged.

"For Rafe." I said.

Summer nodded uncomfortably. 

"And they've never....." I trailed off as I watched Rafe and Natalie goof around across the lawn. She stole his hat slipping it on her head she stuck her tongue out teasingly.

Summer shook her head no. The line got busy again and we were forced to end our conversation. An hour later I was finished with my shift and so I went and found a seat on a beach towel Summer had brought along to watch the end of the movie.

"Want some company?" Rafe walked up plopping down before I could answer. He had a toothpick sticking out of his mouth and his hat back on his head, still flipped backwards.

I shrugged but scooted over for him.

"How ya been boo?" He nudged me playfully with his shoulder.

I rolled my eyes at the nickname. One he had given me since I "ghosted" him.

"It's been 10 years I think you can stop calling me that."

"Nah." He gave me a smirk.

"I see you got your hat back." I looked up at it.

"Watching me huh?"

"Kinda hard not to miss Nat hanging all over you. Where is your girlfriend?"

"Whoa, if I didn't know better, I'd say that sounds a lot like jealously."

"I'm not jealous." I looked him in the eye. I was totally lying.

"She's not my girlfriend." He looked up at the screen.

"Over 10 years and she's still trying. She's persistent."

"I'm a hard guy to get over." He took the toothpick out of his mouth, pulling his legs up to rest his arms on his knees.

I didn't say anything just rolled my eyes. I couldn't disagree.

"What made you come home?" He asked after a few minutes of silence. The movie had ended, and the fireworks were about to start.

"Dad breaking his leg. He's been having a hard time. Then the position opened up at BHS. Summer's been on me for ages to come back. And DC is.....not home."

"Missed me huh?" He laughed nudging me again.

"That's what you got out of what I just said?"

He shrugged with a lazy grin.

"So, what about you?" I asked, "Never got out of Rockpool?"

"No need to. I'm VP of Mikaelson Trading."

Mikaelson Trading is his grandfather’s company.

"I can't believe you actually went into the family business."

He shrugged, "That was the plan all along."

"Do you like it?"

"Didn't really at first but I do now."

"VP of a major trading company and still dress like a college frat boy." I said raising an eyebrow teasingly.

"Oh no," He looked down with a smirk, "I played golf today, I wear a suit Monday through Friday sweetheart."

"You do not." I laughed.

"Of course I do. Come by anytime and see me. My door is always open for you."

"I teach 7-4 every day."

"Lucky you, I'm there till 7 every night." He nudged me one more time before standing up.

"Leaving before the fireworks?" I asked.

"Want me to stay?" He asked.

"Night Rafe." I smiled.

"Night." He echoed and disappeared into the crowd.

A week later I was tired after a long evening of back-to-school meetings with parents. Unlocking my front door, I heard a shuffle from behind me.

"Rafe! What the heck?! You scared me to death. Why are you sneaking up on me?!"

He laughed, "I'm sorry! I should have whistled."

I narrowed my eyes. Whistling was his signal to me whenever I was sneaking out. He would whistle to let me know where he was. It was stupid and started off as a onetime thing but then turned into our thing.

"Why are you here?"

His brows furrowed. "I didn't know if your phone number was the same."

"What?"

"I wanted to know how your day went."

I looked down at him. "Where's your suit?"

"My what?"

"Your suit? You said you wear a suit to work."

"Bree it's 9:00 at night. I'm not at work."

"I know. Never mind." I shook my head and continued walking toward the barn. He followed close behind me and inside.

"Take your shoes off." I reminded him.

"Of course." He grinned slipping them off. He pushed past me making his way to my bedroom.

"Uh hello!!!" I called after him.

A moment later I heard him exclaim "Aaha! It's still there!!!"

I went into my bedroom and saw him at the window seal running his fingers along the carving.

"Of course it is. Did you think the wood would grow back?" I asked sarcastically.

He glanced around the room before making his way to the cork board. Looking over the pictures he grinned.

"Holy crap. Boo you still got the boat keys??? My old man tore up my room looking for those after you left." He grabbed the keys hanging.

"Sorry." I bit my lip.

"I could have gotten them back if you hadn't up just disappeared."

"I didn't just disappear. I told you I was leaving."

"Yeah, when I was drunk, and then you slept with me. And I woke up to a text message saying goodbye and you had already left by the time I got to your house. And all your parents could say was to let you be and to let you enjoy your summer."

"You were always drunk or high." I reminded him. "Do you remember how bad we would fight?"

"I remember making up." He gave me a sly smile as he turned to face me.

"We were not good for each other." I looked away.

"You were good for me." He insisted.

I didn't say anything.

"You didn't even come home before leaving for college."

"I didn't see the need to. I needed to let you go. We were high school, and it was toxic. You broke my heart a million times Rafe."

He shook his head. "I never meant to hurt you. I was a kid with unlimited amount of access to drugs and alcohol and a father who was never home. I was also dating the hottest girl on the east coast and I didn't have any responsibilities. I was an a-hole."

I didn't know what to say as I looked away, "Want something to drink?"

"Sure what you got?"

"Water and wine. Maybe coke."

"Coke's fine." He followed me back to the kitchen where I grabbed him a coke handing it to him. He popped it open and then plopped down on the couch.

"What do you think your dad would do if he found me out here?" Rafe's mouth curved into a devilish smile.

"Um probably nothing since I'm an adult. Although they did fight pretty hard to keep me away from you."

"Yeah like sent you to the Florida Keys."

"I went willingly." I reminded him sitting down next to him. I tucked my legs underneath me brushing against his leg as I did. I ignored the burning sensation that shot through me.

"You left me." He smiled but he didn't sound like he was joking.

"But you turned out fine." I pointed at him.

"Nah, you don't know......what....you don't know what I went through." He looked down and then back up at me.

"Summer told me you and Theo and Luke raised hell."

"Summer didn't tell you everything."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Rafe shook his head. "I didn’t mean that. It was a long time ago."

I wanted to press him for more but dropped it.

"I should probably go." He raised to his feet.

"Thanks for stopping by." I tucked a strand of hair back up into the messy bun it was steadily slipping out of.

"Thanks for letting me in." He gave me a smirk.

I walked him to the door where he shoved his shoes back on his feet, "I’ll see you around?"

I nodded.

“Bye Bree."

"Bye." I shut the door behind him.