The sun was almost completely gone now and I could hear the voices of a few new people arriving.

"I'll get you another one." Rafe stood up and took my empty beer.

"Are you sure?" He didn't look like he was ready to go back over there and grab another beer from the blond boy. "I'll do it." I said and he sat back down almost relieved.

"Don't get lost." He called to me sarcastically as I walked away. There was no line this time just the boy sitting in the sand with no beer in sight. So, I turned around in disappointment.

"Hey," I turned back around to see the blond boy speaking to me. "You a tourist?" wow. "Rafe doesn't usually hang around tourists." He knew Rafe? Were they friends? Had I just imagined the whole thing earlier?

"No, I just moved here" I said trying not to sound offended. He looked shocked.

"Figure Eight?" He guessed and I nodded. "So, a Kook." He sighed disappointedly.

"Do they suck?" I asked more interested in this whole Kook/Pogue thing.

"Well, no. They're not all bad...just the snotty rich ones." I glanced back over to where Rafe was and he was still sitting there facing away from us. I wondered if that's who the blond boy was referring to. "So, what's your name?"

"Sophia. And you?"

"Call me JJ." He smiled welcomingly. "Well, I hope to see you around here more Sophia."

"See you around." I smiled. I made my way back to where Rafe was sitting, but he was facing my direction now with a scowl on his face. "What's your guys problem?" I asked eagerly wanting answers. He just shook his head waving off the question. The permanent scowl on his face made me drop the subject, but this wasn't going to be the last time I brought it up that's for sure.

"Let's get out of here." He said standing up stalking off through the crowd once again. This time he caught my wrist so I wouldn't fall behind. When we got a good distance away from the party I asked:

"Where are we going?"

"Country club. I'll show you around so you don't get lost around here."

"What would I do without you." I sighed sarcastically. We had crossed three streets and were now walking on this huge lawn that led to a house that looked like three of them put together. I could feel his eyes burning into the side of my head and I refused to meet his gaze knowing what would happen. Don't get me wrong he was gorgeous perfect even, but I didn't know him.

I didn't want to get attached to someone I barely knew. A few more minutes of walking and we had made it to a mansion looking house. We climbed a couple small steps and we were on what seemed like the back patio of an outside bar. There was tables and chairs carefully spaced out and the wall behind the bar was lined with overpriced top shelf alcohol. Rafe took his seat at one of the stools at the bar and I nervously sat in the one next to his. He grabbed the bartender's attention.

"Can  I get two beers." I was sweating now.

"I'm 17" I breathed leaning towards him so the bartender wouldn't hear. I don't know how old he thought I was but I'm pretty sure I looked 17. But the bartender nodded and came back with two cold beers that still had beads of water covering them.

"I know." He whispered back tauntingly sliding me a beer.

"How did you do that?" I asked curiously. "With no ID I mean."

"I'm a paying customer they truly don't care." He assured me.

"So, how old are you?" I was praying he wasn't over 20 because that would not be good.

"19." A smirk slowly spread across his face. I sighed with relief.

"So, your in college then?" He shook his head.

"I was. I dropped out." He said after taking a swig of his beer. If I didn't go to college, in all honesty, I don't know what I'd do. For me it was college or nothing there was no changing my mind. I had been dead set on it since the 8th grade.

"So, where did you go?" I emphasized the word 'did'.

"Duke." My mouth automatically fell open and I didn't bother to close it. Who drops out of Duke?!

"You dropped out of Duke?!" I said a little louder then I should have. He laughed at my outrageously shocked expression.

"Jesus, you sound like my dad."

"Sorry, sorry. It's just...I mean it's Duke you know?"

"How about this? I let you take my spot at Duke. Deal?"

"I know your joking, but I'll seriously take you up on that." I giggled. The smile that spread across his face was so contagious I couldn't help but match it. And his eyes were such a distinct shade of blue that there was nothing I could really compare it to. I stayed in my trance not caring to fill the silence and I hoped he felt the same. Eventually we talked and talked until each of us were very familiar with each other's basic persona.

"Wait," I said frantically looking around me to find a clock somewhere. I'm pretty sure my phone was still safely sitting on top of my dresser at home. "What time is it?"

He picked up his phone and the screen lit up his face. "10." He said not looking the least bit worried.

"You think we'll make it in time?" His eyes widened now realizing my rush to leave.

"Not on foot." He began scanning the bar. "We'll take Barry's truck." Barry? But before I could ask he was already headed to one of the tables. As we got closer I could see there was a guy seated by himself nonchalantly staring off. "Barry I need to borrow your truck man." I stood quietly behind him internally hoping he would let us borrow his truck.

"And who's this?" The guy chuckled to himself . He looked around 25 and his hair was slicked back into a neat ponytail. He pulled a cigarette from his pocket and lit it up.

"Sophia." He flatlined still waiting for an answer. "Can we borrow your truck?" He repeated, annoyed, again. Barry just smiled pleasantly as if he was enjoying making us wait on him to answer us.

"You know...I don't know man. You still owe me money." Rafe was clenching his fists at Barry's provoking words.

"I know. I don't have it right now I told you."

"Well, I don't care if it's daddy's money as long as I get my due you know man?." He puffed a long breath of the cigarette and let it cascade out of his mouth. Rafe's fists tightened.

"Fine, whatever." He growled. The skin on his knuckles was turning white from how hard he was squeezing them.

"Truck's out back." He said blankly. Rafe caught my wrist and broke into a jog in search of Barry's truck. His truck was a small grey Ford and it was parked just a couple feet away from us. We hopped in quickly and Rafe jabbed the keys into the ignition making roar to life. The drive back home was a silent one and I avoided the subject of Barry at all costs. I could tell he didn't want me to know Barry at all. And he certainly didn't seem like a friend of Rafe's.

It was 10:25 PM when we finally pulled into the wide driveway of my house. And he turned off the ignition shoving the key in his pocket, but making no effort to get out yet. As soon as he heard me shuffling to open the door he snapped his gaze toward me.

"We should do this again." He said glancing briefly at the time that glowed right above the radio. I nodded in agreement and waited for him to continue. "I'll walk you to the door." Not waiting for me to answer he opened his door and hurried to mine opening it swiftly waiting for me to get out. We were standing in front of my front door and the porch light began flickering a little above us. I tried to reach for the door, but he took my face in his hands and held it there. He was cupping my jaw and without thinking I leaned in for a kiss I wasn't sure would happen. I closed my eyes hoping he would follow my lead.

Our lips crashed together and he held the kiss for a couple more seconds before letting go slowly. His hands dropped to his side and I could feel his saliva still glazed over my lips. "Goodnight Sophia." He almost whispered.

"Goodnight Rafe." I said with a smile wishing he would pull me in for another kiss or better yet take me back to his place. No. I just met him I reminded myself. He tucked a stray hair behind my ear and made his way back to the truck. My heart fluttered erratically and I heard the engine of the truck scream and slowly fade away but I didn't move. I thought if I did I would wake and remember this was all a dream, but it wasn't. When I finally scraped up enough courage to move  I opened the front door and headed quickly upstairs and curled up into my bed.

Hoping that a good night's sleep would take away the butterflies I felt flipping in my stomach. The moon shined through my window and I stared at its white glow until my eyes felt too heavy to open.