POGUE CHATEAU MEETINGS were always messy. Layora usually was invited because they counted her as one of them so, to hear Sarah's voice walking into this, her heart dropped.

Sarah was a kook. Through thick and thin but now that she was involved with John B, it was gonna be different. "No effing way!" Kiara grumbled upon seeing Sarah seated at the chateau. Layora was seated next to JJ, Maia, and Pope who were all watching the show unfold. "You brought her here? So what? She's in on this now?"

"Look all I care about is her cut, comes out of your share." JJ informed, wrapping an arm around Layora who was snacking on her gummies. "You know, I don't remember taking a vote. This is our thing. A Pogue thing." Kiara's passive aggressive tone was enough to make anybody uncomfortable and Maia was just that. Her two friends who hated each others guts.

Pope noticed her body language and took her clammy palm in his, rubbing her thumb with his. "I gotta say, I'm just a tad uncomfortable with all of this." Pope informed, holding up a finger. "Thank you!" Kiara said, "When are you not?" John B clapped back, sighing. It was clear whose side he was on. "I rode here on the back of Jj's bike pretty comfortably." Pope shrugged, "So proud of you, kid." Layora said, high fiving him.

"You know we were all extremely comfortable till you brought her here." Kiara stared her down, "Stop talking about me like I'm not here!" Sarah finally spoke up, "Then leave!"

Layora was starting to get irrated with the two girls, a hand falling on her forehead. "I told you." Sarah said to John B. "Told him what exactly? That your liar?" Kiara butted in, "No that your a shit talking bitch!"

Layora and Maia's eyes widened, the two best friends caught in a cross fire between them. Maia was about to get up before Layora held her hand, pulling the girl over to her once JJ and Pope started making stupid bets. "Everybody shut up!" John B finally yelled, making the room go silent. "Kie, you are my best friend, right?" John B sugar coated the whole thing, making Layora aggravated, "And Sarah your.. your my girlfriend."

"Jesus," Layora huffed, looking the other direction. "What, Lay?" Sarah said, cocking her head at her aggressively. "John B, you couldn't have thought this shit was gonna work right? Come on, don't be an idiot," Layora begun before Kiara began to talk over her, "No, what was all that talk about you just using her for information? Get a map, cut her lose?" Now Layora was pissed, staring at John B with a look he's never gotten before.

"Seriously, JB?" Maia sighed, finding this whole thing stupid. "Look love just walked in, okay?" John B said, making Layora officially done, "Oh, bullshit." She mumbled under her breathe.

You might think Layora was being dramatic, over exaggerating. But, Sarah was one of her best friends. And John B was reeling her into a mess that would eventually ruin them all.

"It just kind of happened. And I'm not gonna deny it." John B shrugged. "Look, cut the bullshit, John B. If she's in, I'm out." Kiara said, the ultimatum completely unfair to him. Layora looked at John B, giving him pleading eyes. "I'm not doing this. I can't!"

"Im very interested, actually. Me or her?" Kiara egged on, leaning against the porch. "Come on, Kie." Maia mumbled. Once John B didn't answer, Kiara took the answer for herself and stormed out. Maia looked at John B then the door, running after the curly haired girl.

Sarah then got up despite his protest, "Gonna let yall chat." She mumbled, storming out. "I'm out too," Layora said, not even making eye contact with John B as she followed Sarah.

They walked in silence and Layora could see the uncertainty in her eyes. Sarah felt a hand wrap around hers making her let out a breath she didn't know she was holding in. Her head slowly lowered against her best friends shoulder, letting her walk her to the car.

Layora could feel the shaking in her hand and she wanted to go in there and strangle all of them. It wasn't always a trio. Yes, it's always been Sarah, Lay and Maia but, Kiara was one of them once upon a time. Some things just don't last forever.

Silence filled her once Sarah had drove off and it made her sad to know they all have separated. Maia sat by Kiara, listening to her silent sniffles and loud thoughts. But, when Pope came along it was almost like the energy shifted. Maia sent him a smile which he halfassed, wrapping an arm around Kiara.

"Pope, what're doing?" Kiara sniffled, pushing his arm off her shoulder as she scooted back into the wood. Maia got up, scooting back to watch their interaction. Pope almost seemed, determined. "I don't know." He mumbled. "Just be your normal weird self. I hate John B right now." Maia nodded in agreement, bowing her head.

Kiara looked at Maia in a way that completely tore her apart. She tucked her lip into her mouth, nodding as she walked away. Maybe she just needs space.

"You're picking Kie." Layora stomped into the room, the three boys caught completely off guard. "What?" John B said, not expecting her to take Kiara's side. "You picking Sarah, will make everything worse and you know it. You knew bringing Sarah in would cause shit but you still did it, B." Layora explained, JJ putting a hand on her lower back, taking a chug of his drink. "Look, I know it's bad but I've got a plan. And you shitheads are gonna help me."

         AFTER A SUCCESSFUL EVENING OF locking Sarah and Kiara up in a stranded boat Layora finally could make her way home. The cold shower hit her warm skin after the troubles of the day felt like they were being melted off. Her wet hair hit against her back and the fresh scent filled the room.

But, her calm aura was quickly thrown off by a bang at her window. She jumped at the noise, making her way to the glass. She locked her window out of paranoia before taking a long look outside. Just as she calmed down, a face quickly appeared on the other side, making her let out a scream.

Her hand flew to her heart before she furrowed her eyebrows at the familiar face. "Rafe?" She mumbled, taking in his sweaty and disturbed appearance.

Rafe had no where else to go. With the booming pain in his wrist he could no longer keep himself held up on the roof, let alone climb down. Once the window opened and Layora saw the large wound on his wrist, she instantly reacted. "Jesus, Rafe!" She grumbled, letting him climb in.

Rafe huffed in pain, holding the spot above the wound. He looked around, taking in the baby pink room and decorations. As Layora rushed to her bathroom to get a first aid kit, he chuckled to himself even though it hurt like hell. "Cute room." He teased, wincing as she practically dragged him to the nearest chair.

"What did you do, Cameron?" She grumbled beginning to clean the pulsating burn. Rafe hissed in pain, tilting his head back. Layora tried to ignore his actions, but he was sexy as hell, in pain or not. "The hell does that matter?"

"Cause you came to my house unannounced with a burn mark, that for your knowledge if you couldn't tell, is infected. So, I would love to know." Layora rambled, stopping to lock eyes with him. Rafe raised his eyebrows at her shocked expression to how close they were. "I owe some money. And now I'm in some deep shit. Good enough answer for you?" Rafe stated, lowering his tone to a calm one that almost knocked the wind out of Layora. "Why would you care, anyway? Don't you hate me?"

Layora winced at the remembrance of her own words, making her lower her head back to his wound. Rafe watched her every move, moving a peace of hair out of her face every once in a while. "Where did you learn to do all of this?" He asked. "My dad." She answered, grabbing a gauze wrap. "Whenever I would get hurt, he would make me clean up my own wounds. It sounds bad but he would guide me through all of it. To make me strong, I guess." Rafe noticed the emotion in her voice and couldn't hold himself back in holding her pinky as she wrapped his wound.

She gave him a look that he recognized from the other night, making his heart flutter. Once she was done, Layora got up and walked towards the bathroom, putting away the kit. And when she came back, Rafe was standing with his hand grazing over the wrap.

"It shouldn't fall off or loosen or anything. I tied it tight enough— I hope." She smirked, looking away then at him. Rafe nodded, trying to smile but all he could do was stare.

Layora felt bad for her words that were muffled last night because even though she wanted them to be true, they weren't. "I don't hate you." She mumbled, looking up at him. His eyes that were once distant and harsh were now softened into a more gentle yet so nonchalant expression. Rafe's heart skipped a beat and he was confused as to what changed between them in such a short amount of time. Or was it always like this?

"Why not?" He asked, shocking himself as he furrowed his eyebrows. Layora found herself fighting a smile of some sort, making Rafe form one as well. "A little birdie tells me you're not all that bad. You just have to be bad because you're scared." Layora stated, leaning against her head against the wall, crossing her arms as she watched his reaction.

"Well, this birdie of yours is wrong." Rafe dead panned, making Layora even more intrigued. "If you really were bad, you would've beat the shit out of me for calling you scared. But, you're right." Layora was right.

Rafe would've threatened someone's life up and down if those words left their mouth but with Layora he was more interested than mad. In fact, there wasn't one angry bone in his body in this moment. Her lashes batted against each other slowly under the dim light above her, making his breath hitch.

"I'm uh.. I'm gonna go," he finally coughed out, making his way to the window. "Thanks for the hospitality." Rafe said, unlocking the seal. "Hey, Cameron? You know, nobodies home? You can take the stairs." She chuckled at his stupidity, making him roll his eyes. "Wish you would've said that, Rae." He scoffed, moving to the door. "You're welcome." She giggled, a rare occurrence for Rafe.

His body calmed at the noise before pulling the handle, "Yeah, yeah."

Layora bowed her head, chuckling to herself once the door closed. She looked around her room, confused as to why she was getting comfortable with someone like Rafe.

I mean, just last night they were at each others necks, now they are— what? Friends. No way. That can't be.

Rafe Cameron is an addiction.