004 !! SOLITAIRE

John B stops the car in front of The Wreck, Georgie's gaze involuntarily turning to his.

They stare at each other — the brunet boy quietly taking in her every feature and the blonde girl silently admiring those honey brown eyes of his.

She has the sudden urge to lean in and feel his lips on hers.

It is a foolish desire, she's aware but a tempting one at that.

She wants to feel his hair as her fingers sneak through the strands, the calm of the night filling their hearts like a birdsong fills the early morning air.

Georgie inhales deeply seemingly bringing John B back to reality.

"So....I guess I'll be going then", she quietly smiles.

John B nods glancing away and Georgie moves to get out of the car when his hand comes to rest on her arm for the second time that night.

With a hazy mind, she looks back to find him gazing at her with concern.

"Just.....be careful, alright?".

His care has her heart fluttering and beating against her chest in a way that she could only describe as insane.

Yet she maintains her composure and leaves with a silent nod.

The night shift turns out to be quieter than she expected and for that, Georgie will forever be grateful.

Time passes by painfully slow for the blonde's liking, Tony having already dozed off in the kitchen due to the lack of customers.

Georgie sighs resting her chin on her palm and glancing around the empty restaurant.

The tables and chairs seem to taunt her, the loneliness of the space surprisingly affecting her more than it should.

Yes, she's fond of being alone. The comfort that something as sweet as solitary confinement brings to one's mind will forever remain unmatchable.

But she yearns for companionship.

Sure, she has an overprotective brother who rarely ever leaves her side and to accompany that, she has three best friends as well.

Three people who value friendship over anything else.

Still in her heart, she's alone.

All she's ever wanted was for someone to love her the way she loves them, perhaps even more and the occasional flings with the ragged boys from The Cut sure as hell doesn't make things any better.

She hopes and prays that tonight's loneliness brings a sign that the empty solitaire that she's become a welcoming home to will soon be eradicated.

Dusted away, stabbed, choked and gunned out, anything for her heart to feel whole for once in her life.

The bell above the restaurant door chimes and Georgie straightens immediately, surprise clearly written on her face at the presence of the boy in the polo shirt.

He ruffles his hair and tiredly takes a seat at the counter tapping his ring clad finger against the hardwood.

He looks up at Georgie — his expression being a mix of bored and exhausted.

"Beer, please".

Georgie considers him for a moment and then purses her lips.

"I'll have to see your ID".

Rafe groans rubbing his face in exhaustion.

"Come on, Maybank".

"Rafe, you know I can't. We have a customer policy to follow".

He shakes his head, raking a hand through his perfectly gelled hair for the millionth time and looks past her before returning his gaze back to hers.

"Can I at least get a soda then?", he tilts his head to the side.

Georgie smiles.

"Sure".

She takes a glass out, pouring the chilled soda from the refrigerator into the glass and slides it towards him.

Rafe grabs the glass, his eyes still on hers, and takes a huge gulp.

Their gazes stay interlocked as he swallows down the carbonated liquid and for the first time in her entire life, Georgie finds herself staring at Rafe Cameron.

She eyes the way his Adam's apple moves up and down as he swallows, the way the ring on his left index makes a light clinking sound against the glass surface.

But most of all, she stares at his eyes.

Those striking blue eyes staring right into her soul as if he's deciphering her every little secret.

Georgie feels her cheeks heat up at the way he keeps staring her down and quickly looks away, pouring more soda into the glass when he gestures for her to do so.

"So you're working tonight", he glances up at her.

"Yeah. Anna called me in 'cause no one else was around", she shrugs.

"Hmm. You look tired though", he remarks.

Georgie bites her lip, "Says you. You look like you've been doing manual labour all day".

She's surprised to see a grin stretching across his face.

Her own lips slightly tug upwards at his expression.

"Something like that", he replies grinning.

"Rafe Cameron? Doing manual labour? I refuse to believe that", Georgie raises a brow.

He shrugs.

"There's a lot you don't know about me, Maybank".

"And you being a labourer by day is one of those things, I presume?", she comments.

Rafe smiles again.

"Kind of".

Georgie chuckles quietly, the feeling of being alone already having left her mind while Rafe's mood begins to feel a whole lot better at the sound of her laugh.

Her phone suddenly starts ringing and she curses under her breath upon seeing the contact id.

"What?", she picks up, her tone being an exact replication of her mood at the thought of having to talk to him.

"It's getting late. Kie called Anna and asked her to let you off, I'm right outside. Come on".

Georgie furrows her brows in frustration, annoyance being the only emotion she can feel for her brother right now.

"Fine", she responds through gritted teeth and hangs up.

She looks at Rafe who's curiously watching her with a raised eyebrow.

"Do you need anything else? I gotta leave now".

Rafe shakes his head and she sighs, calculating his bill and letting him pay before she's rushing into the kitchen to inform Tony.

Without a word to the brunet boy still seated at the counter, she grabs her bag and exits the restaurant finding JJ leaning against his motorcycle.

She rolls her eyes hopping off the last few steps and walking over to him.

"I honestly can't believe you", Georgie mumbles approaching him.

"Hmm. What's that, Georgina? Oh, you finally realised how lucky you are to have a brother like me?", JJ questions in a high pitched tone.

Georgie rolls her eyes again.

"You're so dramatic".

"Excuse me? Me being concerned about you is not 'dramatic'. It means that I actually fucking care".

"Well, I'm not a kid anymore, JJ. You don't have to keep acting like my guardian, I know how to take care of myself".

JJ scoffs, "Uh, I'm just being a good brother. That's all".

"Good brother, my ass", she huffs.

"Hey, you're lucky to have someone who gives a shit about you 'cause news flash, some people don't".

"That doesn't mean that I need to put up with your constant overprotective bullshit. It's beyond annoying", she jabs an accusing finger at his chest.

"What's annoying is your constant insistence to be treated like an adult. You are not an adult, Georgie".

"Yeah? Well, neither are you", Georgie crosses her arms.

JJ shrugs.

"But I am older than you", he smiles a condescending smile.

Georgie narrows her eyes at him about to reply when a husky voice has her stunned.

"Everything alright?".

Both Georgie and JJ turn towards Rafe Cameron standing at the foot of the steps with his hands in his board shorts pockets.

"It's none of your fuckin' business, Cameron", JJ replies rather aggressively.

"Wasn't talking to you, Maybank", Rafe replies just as coldly and glances at Georgie.

Georgie nods reassuring him and he takes off in the direction of his parked car but not without throwing a last glance towards the Maybank siblings.

"Care to tell me why Rafe fucking Cameron just asked you if 'everything was alright'?", JJ glares at Georgie who rolls her eyes.

"I don't know maybe because you're shouting like a fucking maniac".

Georgie takes the extra helmet out and hops on the back seat of the motorcycle.

"Georgie, I swear to God if you're hiding something from me—".

"You'll do what, huh? What, JJ?".

JJ exhales a sigh pulling his helmet off the motorcycle handle.

"We're going to John B's", he fidgets with the helmet.

"I know".