Solstice Dreams

Four || Under the Stars and Between the Lines

The bonfire crackled, its warm glow casting flickering shadows on our faces as we all sat around it. The night air was cool, but the atmosphere felt… off. Leo was beside me, and across from me sat Raphael. Beside him was Ivy, her presence making the air feel heavier than it should.

There was something about the way Raphael sat—relaxed, but distant. He wasn’t leaning into Ivy, nor was he pushing her away. Just unreadable, as always. I couldn’t tell if the awkwardness was in my head or if everyone else felt it too.

Before I could dwell on it any longer, two more figures joined us.

One of them was instantly recognizable. The leather jacket, the tousled hair, the effortless confidence—Max Rivers. A rockstar, and not just any rockstar. He was the frontman of one of the biggest bands out there, and from what I’d heard, a close friend of Raphael’s. He carried himself like he owned the space, yet there was an ease to him that kept it from feeling arrogant.

The other guy had a completely different energy. He had a casual grin, eyes full of mischief, and the kind of presence that made it feel like he’d been part of the group forever. Jasper Lee—an actor working on the film with Raphael. Something about the way he moved, the way he immediately made himself comfortable, told me he was the kind of guy who loved to joke around.

Jasper smirked as he took a seat. “Now this is a scene. A proper beach bonfire. We missing a guitar, or are we just here to stare at the flames all night?”

Max let out a short laugh, nudging Raphael as he sat down. “You’re awful quiet, man. Thought bonfires were your thing?”

Raphael exhaled through his nose, the closest thing to a laugh. “Didn’t realize I had a reputation for it.”

Jasper leaned back, grinning. “You have a reputation for a lot of things.”

Ivy laughed lightly, squeezing Raphael’s arm. “He’s just in his usual brooding mode.”

Max glanced between them, something unreadable in his expression before he turned to me. “So, what’s the deal here? Locals versus city folk? Or are we all just pretending to get along?”

Leo smirked, deciding to play along. “Depends. You guys planning to take over the island, or are we safe?”

Max raised his hands in surrender. “Hey, I’m just here to have some fun. No island takeovers in my contract.”

Jasper chuckled, pulling out a flask and taking a sip. “Can’t say the same for me.”

The tension from earlier seemed to ease a little, laughter filling the gaps. But even as the conversation flowed, my gaze flickered back to Raphael.

Laughter and conversation flowed around us, but my focus shifted when Kei lightly nudged my elbow.

I turned to her, raising an eyebrow. “What?”

She leaned in slightly, keeping her voice low. “I think they’re having a lovers’ quarrel. Don’t you think?” Her eyes flickered toward Raphael and Ivy.

I glanced at them. Ivy was talking, but Raphael barely responded. His expression was unreadable, but something about the way he sat—stiff, detached—made me wonder.

I shrugged. “Hmm… could be.”

Before we could speculate further, Milo clapped his hands together, instantly drawing everyone’s attention. “A bonfire wouldn’t be complete without some music!”

All eyes turned to Max.

He smirked, stretching out his arms lazily. “Did anyone bring a guitar, or are we just expecting me to summon one from thin air?”

Keilani, practically vibrating with excitement, shot up from her seat. “Of course! Of course!”

She ran off toward the cafe, and Max let out a chuckle, shaking his head. “Well, looks like we’re doing this.”

Jasper grinned. “You better not disappoint. I have high expectations.”

Max shot him a look. “No pressure, huh?”

Max’s voice carried through the night, smooth and effortless, the kind that made people stop and listen. The fire crackled, the waves hummed in the distance, and for a moment, everything felt light, easy.

I stood up, making my way over to the grill where the icebox was. The cold air hit my skin as I reached in, grabbing a drink.

Next thing I knew, Raphael was beside me.

“Oh, hi,” I said, glancing at him. “You want a drink?”

He nodded, and I handed him a can. We stood there in comfortable silence, watching Max sing. The glow of the fire flickered across Raphael’s face, highlighting the sharp angles of his features. He looked… deep in thought.

I hesitated before speaking. “I don’t mean to pry, but… you seem a little out of it. Not enjoying the music?”

Raphael’s fingers made quick work of the beer can, popping it open with just one hand. “No, I’m enjoying it.”

I studied him for a second. His voice was even, unreadable as always, but something about his answer felt automatic.

Laughter suddenly erupted from the group—Jasper was doing something ridiculous, probably trying to turn the moment into a comedy show. I chuckled, shaking my head at whatever stunt he was pulling.

Raphael took a sip of his beer, then glanced at me. “You always this observant?”

I shrugged, taking a sip of my drink. “Hmm, I guess so. I just don’t want anyone to feel out of place, y’know?”

He held my gaze for a moment, then gave a small nod. “That’s… considerate.”

I nudged the icebox with my foot. “Besides, if you were miserable, I’d have to bribe you to stay with free drinks.”

Raphael huffed a quiet laugh, tilting his beer can slightly. “Oh yeah? That your strategy?”

“Of course. Free beers solves most problems.” I smirked. “Unless you don’t drink, in which case, I’d have to get creative.”

He raised an eyebrow. “And what would that include?”

I pretended to think. “Hmm… Maybe offering you first pick of the grilled meat? Or, if you’re really having a rough time, I could start dramatically reciting Max’s song lyrics to you.” I cleared my throat. “‘Oh, the waves call my name—’”

Raphael held up a hand, a rare grin tugging at his lips. “Okay, okay. I get it.”

I grinned. “What? Not a fan of live poetry?”

He exhaled through his nose, shaking his head, but there was something lighter in his expression now. “I’ll stick with the beer, thanks.”

“Good choice,” I said, clinking my can against his.

I grinned, taking a sip of my drink. “For the record, I actually am a fan of live poetry.”

Raphael raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Yeah?”

I nodded. “Yeah. There’s something about words being spoken aloud, y’know? The rhythm, the emotion—it just hits differently.”

He studied me for a moment, then said, “I get that.”

I blinked. “Wait, you like poetry too?”

He took a slow sip of his beer, his gaze flickering toward the fire. “Yeah. I don’t go around reciting it, but… I appreciate it.”

I smirked. “So if I actually started quoting Max’s lyrics like poetry, you wouldn’t have stopped me?”

Raphael gave me a deadpan look. “That depends. Are we talking actual poetry, or whatever dramatic nonsense he’s singing about heartbreak?”

I laughed. “Fair enough. I’ll spare you… for now.”

He shook his head, but there was a small smile there.

Raphael took another sip of his beer, then glanced at me. “Since I’m not filming a scene tomorrow… do you mind going to town with me? Just figured I need to buy some essentials.”

I blinked, caught a little off guard. “Oh—uh, yeah. Sure.”

“Since I don’t really know the places here, and you’re a known tour guide around here” he said, while looking at the group.

I let out a small laugh. “Oh, you know?”

He smirked slightly. “I’ve seen you do it with tourists.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t know you were watching.”

He didn’t respond right away, just took another sip of his beer, eyes flickering toward the fire. “Hard not to notice.”

That… did something to my stomach. I shrugged, keeping it light. “Well, I guess you’re in luck. My tour guide services are free of charge.”

He chuckled, his eyes still on me, his tone playful. “I’ll make sure to tip you extra well for your time.”

Kei’s voice broke through the moment, her laugh bright and carefree. “Hey, guys, come on now, I think Jasper’s drunk!”

We both turned to look, and sure enough, Jasper was stumbling around the bonfire, dramatically pretending to trip over his own feet.

Raphael’s laughter blended in with everyone else’s, the tension from earlier slipping away as the group’s energy picked up again. It was easy to get lost in the moment, especially with Jasper putting on such a ridiculous show.

As the laughter echoed around the bonfire, I couldn’t help but feel that, under the stars and between the lines of conversation, something was shifting—quietly, but unmistakably.