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It had been a couple of days since Imani had seen Rafe at the party, but the memory of that moment still lingered in her mind. They had almost kissed. Almost.

Imani never imagined that she would share a moment like that with Rafe of all people.

The tension between them had been so thick, so unexpected, that she could still feel her heartbeat speed up whenever she thought about it. She hadn't planned on thinking about him this much, hadn't meant to let her thoughts wander back to the way his eyes had locked onto hers or how close he'd leaned in.

Sighing, Imani found herself sitting on her bed, mindlessly scrolling through Instagram. She had friends to talk to, messages she could answer, but instead, she kept aimlessly flicking her thumb across the screen. It wasn't until she scrolled past a familiar name, Rafe Cameron, that her thumb stopped.

She'd never really paid much attention to him on Instagram before. Sure, he was popular—everyone knew the Cameron's, but she had never bothered to look through his page. The notification that she had followed him must've been months old, and until now, it didn't seem important.

But now, she hesitated, a curious pull guiding her thumb back up to his profile. Before she could second guess herself, she tapped on his name.

Rafe's page loaded, and the first thing that hit her was how different he looked in these photos compared to the person she'd seen face to face. The first image was a candid shot, his sharp jawline and confident smirk captured as he stood next to his boat. Typical Rafe; rich, confident, and every bit the Outer Banks elite.

She scrolled further, stopping at a black and white photo of him leaning against his father's Range Rover, the image giving off a vibe of old money.

Imani's stomach fluttered in a way that made her uneasy. She wasn't supposed to be feeling this way about him, right? This was Rafe—troubled, unpredictable Rafe. But the more she scrolled, the more intrigued she became. She clicked on a photo of him at some party, laughing with friends. His smile in that moment was relaxed, almost soft, a side of him she rarely saw in person. It was strange to think that the guy whose page was filled with moments of carefree luxury had looked at her with such intensity just a few days ago, as if there was no one else around.

As she scrolled down further, Imani's finger hovered over a picture of him on the beach, shirtless and looking out at the ocean. Her breath hitched slightly.

"Fuck me," she whispered.

Without thinking, she clicked back to his most recent post and hovered over the like button. Her heart raced. Would he notice if she liked it? Would that mean anything to him? A hundred thoughts rushed through her mind. Before she could change her mind, she quickly double-tapped the photo and tossed her phone onto the bed, feeling a rush of nerves she hadn't anticipated.

She laid down on her bed, the soft, golden light of late afternoon filtering through the blinds. She bit her lip, trying to push him out of her thoughts, but the more she tried, the more he stayed with her.

Absentmindedly, she picked up her phone again and flipped the camera to front facing mode. Her hair was fanned out across the pillow, messy but in a way that looked effortless. She smiled at herself, the kind of small, relaxed smile. The lighting was perfect, soft and warm, making her skin glow.

Without overthinking it, she took a selfie. The picture came out better than she expected—her hair framing her face, her smile just right, not forced or too posed. She hesitated for a moment, then quickly opened Instagram and posted it. A simple, carefree moment captured and shared.

Not even a minute later, her phone buzzed in her hand. She expected it to be one of her friends, maybe Kiara or someone from school. But when she glanced at the screen, her heart skipped a beat.

Rafe Cameron.

She stared at his name for a second, her fingers frozen above the screen before she tapped the notification. He had sent her a message—about the selfie.

One word.

Pretty.

Imani's breath caught in her throat. She read the message again, her heart pounding a little harder than before. There was nothing complicated about it, just that one word, but the simplicity of it stirred something in her. She felt a warmth spread through her, something she wasn't expecting.

Before she could stop herself, she was smiling, a deep blush creeping onto her cheeks. She bit her lip, her thoughts racing. Did he always think that, or was this just because of the photo? And why did it matter so much to her?

Imani let out a soft laugh, shaking her head at herself. She couldn't believe the effect one little message from Rafe was having on her. She set her phone down, her pulse still racing, and stared up at the ceiling again, feeling that strange, giddy sensation bubble up inside her.

She leaned back, staring up at the ceiling, her thoughts consumed by the one person she had never thought would be able to get under her skin like this.

Rafe Cameron was becoming harder to ignore.

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The next morning, Imani made her way downstairs, still in a sleepy haze. As she reached the bottom of the staircase, the sound of voices—loud, sharp, and angry grew clearer.

It was Kiara.

Imani stopped just before the kitchen doorway, listening.

"I hate it there!" Kiara's voice was filled with frustration, practically trembling with rage. "You don't understand what it's like! Everyone at Kildare Academy is fake and shallow, and I'm not going to waste my time with them anymore!"

Their parents, Mike and Anna, were both trying to reason with her. "Kie, we've talked about this before," their dad's voice was steady, but there was a tiresome behind it, like he had been through this conversation one too many times. "You're not leaving. We put you there because it's the best school on the island, and we want you to have the best opportunities."

"I don't care about the opportunities!" Kiara shot back, her voice rising. "I don't fit in there! I never have, and I never will! All those kids care about is money and status, and it's disgusting. I hate them! I hate it!"

Imani winced as she heard the unmistakable sound of something slamming—probably Kiara's fist against the counter or table. This wasn't new. Kiara had always clashed with their parents over Kildare Academy. Imani understood where her sister was coming from, even if she didn't always agree with how Kiara went about expressing it. The school was full of privileged kids who flaunted their wealth, and it had never been Kiara's scene. But their parents believed in the security that Kildare Academy's prestige offered.

Their mom's voice was softer but firm. "Baby, you can't just quit because you're unhappy. You have to learn how to handle things that are difficult. It's part of growing up."

"Handling it?" Kiara scoffed bitterly. "How do you expect me to handle being surrounded by people who only see me as some weird outsider? No one there cares about anything real! They treat me like a joke because I don't act like them, and you want me to keep pretending I belong there?"

Imani peeked into the kitchen. Kiara was standing by the island, her arms crossed defensively, while their parents stood opposite her, exchanging worried looks. It was clear they didn't know how to handle this.

"You can't just run away from your problems," their dad said, his voice still trying to be reasonable but with an edge of impatience creeping in.

"I'm not running away," Kiara snapped, her eyes flashing with anger. "I'm trying to find somewhere I actually fit in, somewhere that isn't full of Kooks pretending to care about things they don't understand."

Imani sighed, stepping into the room. "Kie..."

Kiara whipped around, her face flushed with frustration. "Imani, don't. Not you too."

"I'm not taking sides," Imani said, holding up her hands. "But maybe there's a better way to handle this than yelling at Mom and Dad."

Kiara glared at her for a second, but then the anger faded into something more vulnerable. "You don't get it, Imani. You don't know what it's like to feel completely alone every day."

Imani's heart softened. "I get more than you think, Kie. But fighting like this isn't going to make them understand."

Their mom looked over at Imani with a grateful but strained smile. "Thank you, Imani."

Kiara, however, wasn't ready to back down just yet. She shook her head, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. "I'm done with Kildare Academy. I don't care what anyone says. I'm leaving."

With that, she stormed out of the kitchen, her footsteps heavy on the stairs as she retreated to her room.

Imani exhaled, feeling the weight of the tension still hanging in the air. She looked over at her parents, who both seemed exhausted by the whole ordeal.

"Baby girl, talk to her," their dad said, rubbing the back of his neck. "She listens to you more than she does us."

"But maybe she has a point, you know," Imani said carefully, looking between her parents. "About transferring schools."

Her mom raised an eyebrow, exchanging a glance with her dad. "Imani, we've been through this. Kildare Academy offers the best education, the best opportunities—"

"But if she's miserable there, what's the point?" Imani interrupted, her voice calm but firm. "She's been telling you guys for months how much she hates it, how she doesn't fit in. I mean, have you really listened to her?"

Her dad frowned, folding his arms. "It's not just about fitting in, Imani. We're thinking about her future."

"I get that," Imani replied, trying to find the right words. "But maybe she'd actually do better somewhere else. Somewhere she's comfortable, with people she trusts."

She took a breath and continued. "Look, she's friends with John B, JJ, and Pope, right? They go to the public school, and honestly, Kiara's happiest when she's with them. She feels like she belongs there. If she went to school with them, she'd probably focus better on her studies because she wouldn't be stressed about fitting in with a bunch of Kooks who don't care about her. She could be herself. And don't you think that might help her, in the long run?"

Her mom pursed her lips, looking more uncertain now. "We're just worried about the kind of influence—"

"Oh my God, the Pogues aren't a bad influence, Mom," Imani said quickly.

"But-"

"They've been there for her in ways no one at Kildare Academy ever has. They're her real friends. And if you're worried about her schoolwork, I think being in an environment where she's happier will actually help her focus more. She wouldn't be so distracted by trying to deal with all the drama and pressure at Kildare Academy."

Her mom let out a slow breath, glancing at her husband. "Maybe... maybe we should sit down with Kiara again. Really talk this time."

Her dad nodded, though he still looked hesitant. "We'll think about it. But Imani, this is a big change. If we're going to consider this, we need to be sure it's what's best for her."

"I know," Imani said softly. "But what's best for Kiara is for her to feel like she's heard. And I think transferring schools might be the only way to make that happen."

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Imani sat at the kitchen table, poking at her breakfast with her fork as she took a sip of orange juice, letting out a small sigh, when her phone buzzed on the table next to her.

It was Pope Heyward.

She smiled as she held the phone to her ear. "Hey, Pope."

"Imani! Good morning!" Pope's voice was as enthusiastic and chipper as always, with that slightly awkward edge to it. "I hope you're doing well."

"I am," Imani replied, leaning back in her chair. "What's up?"

"Well, uh..." Pope cleared his throat. "I need a favour, if you're not too busy. I mean, I know you have your own stuff going on and all, but I just figured, you know, since you're, uh, closer..."

Imani chuckled, shaking her head. "Pope, just spit it out."

"Right, right!" Pope's nervous laugh came through the phone. "So, JJ didn't show up at school today. Again. And I'd check on him myself, but I've got this really important lesson I can't miss. Something about, uh, the socio-economic impact of the railroad systems in post-Civil War America, and, well, I can't afford to miss it because it's, like, 30% of our grade and, uh..."

Imani grinned, trying not to laugh. Pope always got like this when he started talking about school—rambling and full of excitement, like the most passionate dork she knew. "Pope, you're fine. I'll check on JJ."

"Really?" Pope sounded relieved. "Oh, thank you so much, Imani. You're a lifesaver."

"No problem. I'll swing by his place before I head to school," she said, glancing at the clock. She had some time to spare. "I'll make sure he's good."

"Awesome, thanks again." There was a pause on Pope's end, and then, in his usual earnest tone, he added, "Love you!"

He immediately backtracked, his voice high-pitched with panic. "Wait—no, not like, love love you. I mean, like, in a friendly, platonic way, you know? Like, 'you're great, thanks for the help' kind of thing, not, like, romantic or anything. Not that you're not, you know, worthy of romantic feelings, but that's not what I was—uh, yeah, I'll just—"

Imani burst out laughing, unable to hold it in any longer. "Pope, it's okay! I get it."

Pope groaned, clearly flustered. "Okay. Cool. Uh, talk to you later!"

"Bye," Imani echoed, still smiling as she hung up.

As the call ended, she glanced at the breakfast spread on the table. Her mom had made scrambled eggs, toast, and bacon. It was more than enough for her, and if JJ had skipped school, he probably hadn't eaten anything yet either. Imani stood up, grabbing a container and packing each of everything for him.

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She pulled up to JJ's house, her nerves already on edge. As she stepped out of her car, she scanned the driveway, her breath catching in her throat until she saw that Luke Maybank's car wasn't there.

She exhaled in relief. At least for now, there wouldn't be any run ins with JJ's dad. That was the last thing she needed to deal with.

Quietly, she made her way up the steps to the front door, hesitating only briefly before pushing it open. The door was never locked, not here. She stepped inside and called out softly, "JJ?"

The house was eerily quiet. She moved further inside, glancing around. The place was cluttered but empty, the same as always, the stale smell of beer lingering in the air. As she rounded the corner into the living room, she was suddenly yanked off the ground by strong arms wrapping around her from behind.

Imani let out a startled yelp, her feet lifting off the ground as her heart leaped into her throat. "What the hell!"

Laughter filled the air behind her, and she immediately recognised the voice. "Gotcha!"

"JJ!" Imani screamed his name, laughing in spite of herself as he set her back down. "You scared the crap out of me! That's not funny!"

JJ grinned, blue eyes sparkling with mischief as he shrugged. "Come on, admit it, it was a little funny."

Imani rolled her eyes. "You're so annoying."

As she finally turned to face him, her smile faded, replaced by a sigh of frustration. There, on JJ's bottom lip, was a fresh cut. The skin was split just enough to tell her exactly what had happened, and her heart sank. Luke had gotten to him again.

Imani stepped closer, cupping JJ's face gently with one hand. Her thumb brushed against the cut on his lip, her expression softening with concern. "JJ..."

"It's fine," he said quickly, trying to downplay it, but his smile faltered.

She gave him a sad, knowing look. "You shouldn't have to be 'fine' with this."

JJ looked away for a moment, as if her sympathy was harder to handle than the actual pain. He shrugged, the usual bravado slipping back into place. "What can I say? I'm a tough guy. Built to last."

Imani didn't respond to that, just kept her hands on his face for a moment longer before dropping them, her touch lingering. She wished there was something more she could do, something more than just showing up and offering food.

Speaking of food, she decided to lighten the mood. "I figured you'd be hungry since you decided to skip school. So I brought breakfast."

JJ's face lit up at that, the tension in the air melting away instantly. "You brought me food? Oh, Imani, you really are the love of my life."

Imani laughed, shaking her head as she handed him the container. JJ immediately started tearing into it, his usual hunger kicking in.

"You spoil me," he said between bites. "Give me a couple more years, and we'll just make it official. You, me, a couple of surfboards, and a wedding on the beach."

She snorted, rolling her eyes playfully. "Please, JJ. Like that's ever going to happen."

He grinned wide, winking at her. "Don't crush my dreams. You'll come around."

"It's already been crushed," she shot back, crossing her arms but smiling all the same.

JJ chuckled, biting into the toast, clearly enjoying every bite. But, Imani couldn't shake the weight of what she'd seen on his face. She knew he was used to covering up his pain with jokes, with the same carefree attitude, but it never sat right with her.

No one should have to live like this.

Still, at least for now, JJ seemed happy. And if bringing him breakfast and sharing a few laughs could help, even just a little, Imani would take it.

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author's note:

- please make sure to vote every chapter and I'd appreciate it if there's engagement on this story. it will motivate me to write more!