Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the Outer Banks. I only own my OCs.
Chapter 2: The incident in Freshman year
"You're going to work where again?" John B was in disbelief as he was moments ago when Maribel suddenly shared the news about her new job to all her friends.
The group of five friends were lounging around the HMS Pogue. They were enjoying the North Carolina sun as they drank the beer and soda Kiara provided for them, while also eating the desserts brought by Maribel.
Today Maribel brought over leftover guargüeros that she and her aunt made yesterday. Sometimes, when they had the time, Estefanía and her sold desserts for extra money. Guargüeros was a Peruvian dessert. It was a fried dough dessert filled with dulce de leche. The dessert was very popular in Lima where a lot of her father's family lived.
Estefanía and her followed a recipe that they've done many times before. It was a recipe that belonged to one of their cousins in Peru who owned a small bakery in Lima.
Her aunt made a bunch of them to sell and Maribel was able to get a few that were left over for the rest of the Pogues and her.
"At a vegan ice-cream shop." Maribel answered after chewing and swallowing the dessert.
Pope looked away from the book he was reading to spare her a glance. "The one in Figure Eight with the bright pink uniforms?"
"Paradis? " Kiara asked with raised eyebrows. Her mother mentioned it a few times to her, apparently curious about the place.
Maribel nodded her head. "That's the one."
JJ released a hearty laugh. "Wow."
Maribel turned to look at her blond friend. "What?"
An amused expression remained on JJ. "Imagining you wearing all that pink is hilarious. I'm definitely going to visit you at work."
Maribel crossed her arms over her chest. "Dude, I'm literally wearing pink right now." She told JJ referring to the dark pink bathing suit she was wearing. She had shorts on but her dark pink bathing suit top with the multicolored flowers design was on display.
JJ did his best to not let his blue eyes linger too long at her chest. He was glad he'd be able to blame the summer heat for why there was a pink tint on his cheeks if his friends asked. JJ cleared his throat, cracking a smile.
"Yeah but your suit isn't bright pink. You're gonna look like a highlighter wearing that uniform."
Maribel threw her head back, letting out a groan.
Kiara patted her shoulder. "I'm sure you'll be able to make it look cool."
Maribel appreciated Kiara saying that but she doubted it to be true.
"But why there?" John B suddenly questioned. "I'm sure there were other places you could have applied to."
Maribel fixed her posture as she glanced at him. "Cause they pay eighteen dollars an hour."
"Holy shit. Are you serious?" JJ exclaimed with wide eyes. "And all you gotta do is serve people ice-cream?"
Pope turned to the next page of his book. "There are other things she's gonna have to do JJ." He commented without even looking at him.
"Pope's right. I gotta serve ice-cream, clean, and etc cetera." Maribel listed with a head nod. She pursed her lips. "Guys, I've looked at the ice-cream they have there. There's the usual flavors like chocolate and strawberry but also unique ones like cucumber and elderflower." She made a face. "And they're pricey."
Pope momentarily shifted his eyes onto her, bemused. John B was just as puzzled and Kiara frowned. "I've never even heard of that flavor." She told Maribel.
JJ scoffed. "Of course it's Figure Eight. So Kooks gotta raise the prices too." He shook his head. "But they do have normal flavors, and it is still ice-cream." He gave a mild shrug. "It has to at least taste good, even if it's vegan."
"When have you ever liked anything vegan?" Kiara asked the blond Pogue with narrowed eyes.
"I like weed." JJ easily answered. "That's vegan, isn't it?"
Maribel giggled at the different looks her friends were giving JJ. Pope looked the most done with JJ. "Anyways, even working there part time I'll still be earning a pretty penny." She looked at Kiara who was scrolling down her cell phone. "Maybe I'll finally be able to get Spotify Premium." Maribel joked, making the others laugh with her. "Kie, are you liking Maye's music?"
Maye was an artist Maribel recommended Kiara to listen to a couple of weeks ago. She was a really big fan of the Venezuelan-born American artist and thought Kiara might like her music as well.
"Yeah, I am. I like the song Tú by her." Kiara replied with a smile. "My Spanish isn't the best but I'm still able to understand enough of it."
Maribel nodded her head. "I like that song too." The two girls began talking about another one of Maye's songs when JJ moved to sit right next to Maribel.
"Mar, I love it whenever you and your aunt bake stuff to sell." JJ said, reaching into the container on Maribel's lap. It was a reusable container shaped like a turtle that Kiara had given to her. Maribel thought it was a cute gift. She remembered what Kiara had told her when she'd given it to her.
"Reusable packaging is so much better for the environment, Mar."
Maribel paused mid conversation with Kiara to shield the container from JJ's greedy hands.
"Oh no! This is the last guargüero. It's mine." Maribel told JJ with a serious expression. But like always, Maribel was never strong enough to resist the pout on JJ's face. The rest of the Pogues already knew her sternness was about to falter.
John B smiled as he took a sip from his beer. Kiara giggled looking between Maribel and JJ. Pope didn't even need to look at Maribel or JJ to know how it would play out. His lips tugged upwards from behind his book.
Maribel released a huff. "Ugh, fine here." She handed the container to JJ.
JJ's pout instantly vanished and a wide smile replaced it. "Thanks Mar." He groaned after grabbing one of the desserts and taking a bite. "This is fuckin' delicious."
"Always is." Maribel pleasantly replied, setting aside the now empty container.
After finishing the dessert, JJ laid his chin on Maribel's shoulder. "Between us Mar, you're gonna give me free ice-cream, right?" He whispered in her ear.
Maribel felt butterflies in her stomach. Not trusting her voice because of how flushed she felt, Maribel's response to JJ's question was a smile before swiftly turning to push him into the water. The rest of their friends, including her, started to laugh and didn't stop until JJ got back on the boat.
Kiara, John B, and Pope (who finally closed his book) saw that there was no actual annoyance in JJ's eyes. There was just mischievousness in his blue orbs, and it was mainly directed at Maribel. Grinning, the blond took off his soaked sleeveless t-shirt before shaking his now wet hair at his friends.
Maribel got the worst of it as JJ pulled her into a hug. He spun her with his arms wrapped securely around her waist while their laughter mixed harmoniously.
Working at Paradis was exactly how Maribel expected it to be. She'd been working at the vegan ice-cream shop for almost a full week now. There'd been good days and less than good days since she started working there. But never bad enough for her to quit on the spot.
The eighteen dollar pay by the hour was too good to walk away from. Even when dealing with rude customers who decided to bad mouth her simply because the ice-cream flavor of the day was out. Maribel may be a sensitive person but she knew that a job in customer service was always going to have its challenges. Her aunt gave her the best advice when it came to that.
Fake it till you make it.
So Maribel was already prepared and knew how to handle the 'See you next Tuesday' type of customer. Thankfully the majority of her customers were so eager to get their ice-cream order that they hardly paid her any attention other than telling her what they wanted.
As Pope mentioned there were various tasks she had to do as an ice-cream worker. Maintaining the work area clean was important. She was cleaning the glass counter when the bells on the door chimed loudly, alerting her of a customer's entrance. She finished wiping the glass counter before she looked up with a smile.
"Hello! Welcome to ― oh fuck." Maribel muttered, losing her smile and all politeness. The very last person Maribel wanted to see had walked into where she worked.
Rafe Cameron stood on the other side of the glass counter with an air of entitlement. He appeared smug, as if he owned the place. The baseball cap he wore was on backwards and his hands were shoved into his pockets. His clothes screamed out model and Maribel did not find it appealing coming from him.
But it was the annoying smirk on Rafe's face that made Maribel want to slap him. "Welcome to fuck?" He mocked, looking her up and down. His blue eyes settled on her face, beaming intently. "Nice uniform."
"What do you want?" Maribel asked harshly. She hoped that she'd never run into him while at work but she should have known better. She worked in the middle of Kooklandia. And it seemed even assholes like Rafe Cameron enjoyed eating ice-cream.
His sister Sarah and his little sister Wheezie had come to buy ice-cream but Maribel never minded serving them. She didn't have any issues with either of them. Not even Sarah. Though they weren't friends, they weren't necessarily enemies either. It made sense if they were because of the drama between Kiara and Sarah.
Maribel knew what happened between them Freshman year. She let Kiara vent to her about it multiple times. But Maribel couldn't find it within her to completely hate Sarah. She didn't even think Kiara hated Sarah despite how much she claimed she did. Maribel thought Kiara was hurt, and she had every right to be. But she also thought Kiara missed Sarah as a friend. Not that she would easily admit it. Maribel was well aware by now how stubborn Kiara could be.
Sarah never came alone to the ice-cream shop, so she tended to keep their conversations short and polite.
But at least Sarah was a lot nicer than her tool of a boyfriend Topper. The male Kook was always with Sarah. Maribel wasn't the one dating him and she still felt how suffocating he could be. It must have been exhausting dating him. Maribel wouldn't have been able to handle being in a relationship like that. She felt bad for Sarah. One look at the blonde and Maribel sensed Sarah wasn't as into the relationship as Topper was.
The youngest Cameron, Wheezie, however, seemed to like conversing with Maribel. So much so that Maribel was nice enough to warn the young girl to never order the Eggnog flavor because of not only how overpriced it was but because it was awful.
Maribel wasn't going to give the same warning to Rafe.
"Is this how you talk to customers Mar?" Rafe tsked, chuckling low. "I expected more from you. What would your boss say?"
Maribel's glare remained as she forced herself to speak pleasantly. "What can I get you?"
Rafe leaned forward, resting his forearms on the glass counter. "I want to sample some flavors before I decide on one."
Maribel wanted to yell at him to get off the glass counter. She resisted though because losing her cool like that was probably what he wanted. "Fine." She mumbled, turning around to wash her hands. To her annoyance she would just need to clean the glass counter again once he left. Hopefully that will be soon.
As it turned out….it wasn't soon enough.
After drying her hands and putting on gloves, it was her giving him tiny spoon after tiny spoon of ice-cream samples. Maribel knew Rafe was only being this difficult to mess with her.
The shop only had a limit of giving samples if there were a lot of customers in line but Rafe coincidentally showed up when the shop was empty for the first time in the day. He also just happened to be there when her co-worker Ashley was on her lunch break.
"So?" Maribel huffed as Rafe finished testing out sample number ten.
"Hmm." Rafe smacked his lips. "I just don't know. What do you recommend?"
Maribel was shocked he actually asked her that. "Well―"
"Forget it." Rafe waved, rudely cutting her off. "Caramel Rum Chip."
Maribel almost laughed at herself for foolishly thinking Rafe wanted an actual recommendation from her. And of course he ended up choosing the first ice-cream flavor he tried. "Cone or cup?" She hated asking this question but it was mandatory. Personally Maribel thought ice-cream was always better in a cone and getting it in a cup was a crime.
"Large cup." Rafe ordered. "Make it three scoops."
Maribel almost rolled her eyes. Of course he'd get his ice-cream in a cup. She said nothing to him as she got the ice-cream scoop and a large cup.
"You cut your hair." Rafe idly pointed out as she prepared his order.
Maribel finished putting the last scoop before forcing herself to look at him. "Nice observational skills." She put the ice-cream order on the counter. "That's going to be―"
"I don't need to know how much." Rafe interrupted her yet again. "This should cover it." He put a crisp twenty on the counter.
Maribel pursed her lips, keeping down a retort she wanted to say as she took the payment into the cash register. She gave him back the appropriate change.
Rafe tilted his head at her. "You looked better with long hair." He dryly commented.
Maribel kept her expression neutral despite the annoyance she felt. "How was college?" She changed the topic of conversation. There was a reason why she asked this question, knowing it was a sore subject for him.
Word got around on the island. And the word was that Rafe Cameron dropped out after only doing one year of college. Now he was back at his parents' big ass house on Figure Eight permanently.
Que huevón, Maribel thought. Rafe had all the opportunities that many wished they had. Like her friend Pope. He wanted to go to a good college. That's why he worked hard in school and constantly stressed over the scholarship he was close to getting.
The only difference between Pope and Rafe was that Pope deserved to go to a good college. It was fine if a person didn't want to go to college. Maribel thought college life wasn't necessarily for everybody.
What wasn't fine was Rafe being an entitled asshole. The very least he could do was acknowledge that he was privileged and try to be a better person….but no, Rafe wasn't like that.
To Maribel's satisfaction she saw Rafe's nostrils flare. The question did in fact bother him as she expected. However the longer Rafe's quiet intense staring lasted, the more uncomfortable she started to feel. Finally after what felt like forever he spoke.
"You know…" Rafe drawled, letting his eyes roam her figure as best he could with her behind the glass counter. His voice was sharp. "You really shouldn't have cut your hair."
Maribel felt shivers, and it wasn't because of how cold the ice-cream shop was. She cleared her throat, hardening her brown eyes because she didn't want him to think he was intimidating her so easily. "It's a good thing I don't give a damn what you think then."
Rafe stared at her again, silent. The silence didn't last as long this time. He scoffed, shaking his head. "Here." He threw a five dollar bill at her rather than into the tip jar that was on the cash register. "You enjoy that tip, Mar." He loftily told her, grabbing his order. "Don't spend it all in one place. I know how badly you need the money."
Asshole. Maribel glared at his retreating form. She felt better now that the dark blond Kook was gone.
There was a reason why Rafe annoyed her as much as he made her feel uncomfortable. It also explained why he treated her the way he did. And it wasn't because she was a Pogue. Well, it wasn't just because she was a Pogue. It had to do with what happened last year. The incident in Freshman year.
Back in the beginning of Freshman year, when they were still tight, Kiara invited her to a Kook party Sarah was taking her to. Maribel didn't want to go at first because she felt it wasn't her place but Kiara insisted. She really wanted Maribel and Sarah to get along.
Sarah was nice to Maribel but she still felt like the third wheel between them. It was obvious Kiara and Sarah had already made a bond without Maribel. So she felt like she didn't belong. The feeling only got worse the longer she stayed at the Kook party.
At some point Maribel excused herself to go to the bathroom. It was a big house but all the bathrooms except for the one in the basement was unoccupied.
That's where Maribel found Rafe in the bathroom alone. He was passed out next to the toilet, muttering to himself. It'd been obvious to Maribel that he'd been crying while drunk and high off his ass on who knows what.
Even at that point Maribel didn't like Rafe. So she would have gladly left him on the bathroom floor but the guy looked so broken and pathetic she couldn't help but feel sympathy for him.
She also heard him say something about his dad hating him. Maribel didn't know the whole story about his dad and him, and she didn't want to. But it was enough to make her helpful side come out.
So she tried helping him up. Somehow, even in his drunk and drug out state, Rafe recognized her. And apparently her offering help gave Rafe the impression that she wanted to hook up with him.
One second he was a mess, barely being able to stand, and the next second he was on her, pushing her against the bathroom sink. After the initial shock, Maribel had been swift in rejecting his advances. Thankfully before Rafe was able to press his lips onto hers.
Rafe hadn't been happy about that. Not at all. His reaction to her saying no to him was throwing his beer at her and then yelling at her. She knew she shouldn't have listened to someone like Rafe Cameron but what he said to her was really awful…and having beer thrown at her face made her feel lousy.
Maribel was an emotional mess after that. She practically ran from the party, waiting until she was far from any other Kooks to start crying. She left without telling either Kiara or Sarah. She texted Kiara later saying she left because she got a call from her aunt. Kiara believed her because Maribel was never one to lie to her but she sure did then.
Maribel shudders now thinking about the time Rafe made a move on her. She thought maybe Rafe would have forgotten about it because of how drunk and high he was but the way he would stare at her whenever he was near let her know otherwise. He remembered alright.
It would have been better if he had forgotten. She wished she could forget about the incident. He may have been pissed about her rejecting him but she wasn't about to let Rafe kiss her while he was drunk and high. She also didn't want him to kiss her in general.
Maribel hadn't wanted him to be her first kiss. She really regretted ever trying to help him in the first place. An act of kindness wasn't going to change Rafe Cameron. She learned that the hard way.
All that got Maribel was a beer thrown at her face and a crying session she was embarrassed about.