Chapter Text
Y/n's family were barely skimming above the surface of Kook. Their family had been cemented in the Kook history books for years now, buying into the several country clubs, the yachts and the property that was would sit on figure 8 just waiting to be used. But as time when on and business took a dive, they found the water they had once been paddling in start to become rough and they weren't so sure they would still be standing after the next wave hit.
They'd rented out the once-empty property, opted out of some of the expensive sports they never had any interest in to begin with and kept their spending habits to a minimum. Yet, debt was gaining on them. If they weren't too careful, they'd be looking at a new house on the Cut. But they still had one trick up their sleeve. One of archaic ideals and one of which Y/n herself was very much against when it first came to light.
"No," Was the first word to slip from her tongue. Her body was hovering in the doorway between their front yard and the foyer. "I won't do it."
Her parents stared her down, sympathetic yet stern. "We wouldn't be asking if we had any other choice."
She had found herself speechless. She had been so close to leaving for the day, the van holding her friends only meters away. Just as she was about to leave, her mother caught sight of her, and dropped this bomb like it was nothing. "Yes, we do!" Y/n continued to argue. "My friends out there are mostly pogues, it's not the end of the world if that's what we become. I mean mom you never even liked half the people who attended the country club."
"We're trying to keep this family afloat," Said her father.
She could barely believe it. "So you'd rather sell your daughter's freedom away than have to live like a pogue." The girl scoffed.
"We're not selling anything." They defended.
Y/n was ready to quip back at them both, unaware of the fourth figure that was emerging from behind her. "Good morning, Mr and Mrs Y/l/n." JJ's joyful tone didn't blend too well with the tense atmosphere which had the family suffocating against the thick air. "I hate to break up this little, lovely conversation you guys are having, but we really should get going. Only so many hours in a day, right?" An awkward chuckle escaped his voice as he suddenly realised the stone expressions he was facing.
Y/n was already walking to JJ's side as she gave her last thoughts on the matter, "There's no way I'm doing it."
With that, she turned her back to them. "You two have a good day!" JJ's voice sung before he too turned, slinging his arm around his friend's shoulder, feeling her relax just at his touch. "The fuck was that about?" He wondered, voice much lower as to not alert the two adults which were still hovering by the door.
She couldn't explain it there and then. Rather she entered the back of van and kept quiet until they were all out on the HMS Pogue. The boat was practically stranded in the middle of the ocean as their conversation lulled against the salty air. Y/n and JJ were sat next to one another, so close their thighs were skimming against each other as they shared the joint JJ had just rolled. The others were paired off in their couples, sat as couples did, not daring to go a moment without the other's touch.
But, despite such, they had all listened to the rant which had been stumbling from Y/n's lips. And each of them were just as much against it as her - if not more so. "Right, right, let me get this straight." John B started as his eyes narrowed and his thoughts connected together the girl's explanation. "Your parents want you to get into Rafe Camron's pants-"
"My brother!" Sarah interjected as she held up a hand.
John B nodded at such before continuing on, "So that what? He feels inclined to help your family out financially?"
"Isn't that like prostitution?" JJ giggled from the girl's side, the joint caught between his fingertips. "Wait, what if I helped you out financially?" His brows were wiggling with a suggestive expression that the girl didn't play into.
"First off, I don't think you have the resources to help financially." She took the joint from him. "And second, this is serious JJ! Them and Ward have already arranged that we attend Midsummers together."
"I thought we weren't going to that?" Kie nagged, tied between Pope's arms.
The three girls, the three kooks, had all agreed to skip out on the event this year. Instead, they were going to crash at Sarah's empty house and have a much-needed girls break. "Yeah, well guess who doesn't have a choice anymore." Y/n huffed, pressing the joint to her lips before her head hit JJ's shoulder.
"And here I was thinking we were passed putting women up for marriage," Kie muttered, gaining a hum of agreement from the two other girls in the boat.
"Hey," Sarah thought as she sat up, John B's arm falling from her shoulders. "One good thing about having to get with my brother, we'll be able to hang out more."
A slight smile slithered across her lips, "And drown out my everlasting sorrow." She giggled.
"There is one thing your parents got wrong about this plan." Pope spoke up.
Y/n raised a brow, "Which is?"
"Simple. Getting you to hang out with Rafe Cameron is only going to make you hate him more."
While that had urged on laughs at the time, there was something Y/n had completely missed: how wrong they actually were.
The dreaded night started drawing in closer. She was forced to pick out a dress that her mom had approved of. Then came the plan and the spits of enthusiasm her parents nagged her with. All about how she must be polite and kind to the boy she barely knew; the feminism inside of her was bubbling in rage.
She had made several attempts to get out of the horrid death trap her parents had concocted, but her attempts were nothing but futile. An hours before the event started, she was trapped into the silk of her dress, the pins in her hair already itchy and her make up likely already smudged. It wasn't until they actually made it to the country club that she found a speckle of relief.
Waiting by the front of the building, were two familiar figures. Both in long, straight dresses, one a pale white and the other a shiny lilac. She'd never been so happy to see her best friends so kook-like. "You have no idea how much relief I feel right now." She thought aloud as she jogged ahead of her parents who were deep into their own conversation; something about the latest business updates.
The two girls welcomed her with needed hugs, "What are you even doing here?" Y/n questioned as she pulled away.
Kie and Sarah looked to one another, smiles lifting to their lips. "Well it's not really girls night without you." The blonde replied.
"And we might have brought some medicinals." Kie zipped open her bag, leaning over to showcase the couple of joints she had stashed there.
She joined in their smiles at that, "You know me too well."
"That hadn't been our idea actually," Sarah said.
Her words seemed to have been timed perfectly as two other figures came to either side of Y/n. Both boys letting their arms hang over her shoulders. She looked to her left: John B. And to her right, JJ. Both fit into shirts and bowties with smirks written into their far too smug expressions. Of course the joints had been JJ's idea.
"Looks like we're your busboys for tonight." John B chuckled.
JJ hummed in agreement as John B left her side to join his girlfriend. "If you're going to be getting tortured all night, what better entertainment for us?" He joked, causing Y/n to playfully smack at his chest.
Though such had only urged more laughs from the shaggy-haired boy. "Wow JJ, your support for me is everlasting." She shook her head but never left his side, just as his arm around her shoulder never left her. "What about Pope?"
Kie answered that by simply pointing towards a truck that was parked near the building. There was Heyward and his son lifting boxes to and from the back of truck. When Pope noted his girlfriend staring, he smiled then gave a wave, accompanied by a wink in return. "You know you really didn't have to do this." Y/n went on as she faced her friends once more.
JJ shrugged, "I've always wanted to crash a kook party." There followed a nod of agreement from John B.
Y/n glanced up at her blond friend, a cheeky glint in her eyes that he was known to fall for. "So what time do you busboys have to start working?" She looked back over at John B.
The boy checked his phone, "Ten minutes." He informed. "Why? What are you suggesting?"
Y/n reached over to Kie's bag, grasping the joints. There needed no reply from any of them. Once Kie had grabbed her boyfriend, the group scurried off to behind the building, right outside the kitchen. It was quiet apart from the background noise of plates rattling and the smell of sizzling food that only urged on the munchies which were sure to follow soon enough.
By the time their supply had run out, the sun had started to set against the water. The skies a blur of orange tones and blue ones as the air ran crisp. Pope had been the first to leave, muttering about how his dad was gonna kill him when he returned with a strange smell surrounding him. Sarah and Kie went afterwards, saying they'd keep an eye on Y/n when Rafe abducted her. Then John B, feeling as his he was a loose part around JJ and Y/n.
"You gonna be alright tonight?" He wondered, hands shoved into his trouser pockets as his feet kicked scatted pebbles under his shoes.
Y/n was leaning against the wall, her arms crossed over her chest, "I'll get through it." She didn't seem to have another choice.
A moment passed between them when neither of them said anything. Then something seemed to switch in JJ as if he had just made a last minute decision. His hands retracted from his pockets and he wandered forward to where his friend was standing. Her eyes drew upward to him but she made no move from the wall. "This isn't like gonna turn into something is it?"
His question of seriousness was met with a giggle. "What? You think I'm gonna be corrupted to the dark side?" Y/n raised her hands and wiggled them in front of her face as she continued to make a noise of, "Ooo..."
But JJ caught her hands and her lips cut into a straight line. She pushed herself from the wall and watched JJ intently, "I'm serious, Y/n." And he was. For once in his life, JJ Maybank wasn't playing a joke, his words were ones holding concern and worry. "He's not just an up-tight, kook, jackass. He's friends with drug dealers, practically mental! Need I remind you what he did to Pope last year?"
Her hands soothed around his as her eyes softened against his stern ones. "Of course I haven't forgotten." She slipped one hand from his grip, letting it raise up and push his various stray hairs back behind his ear. "JJ, this won't turn into anything." She was certain of it because she certain of the love she held for the boy in front of her. "I promise."
JJ didn't say anything for a moment. His eyes danced around the woman's features as he debated his next move. A move of which could have paved a very different course for the months ahead. Alas, he simply nodded and let out, "I know." Before his hands dropped from hers, their skin feeling bitter with the others intertwined anymore. "I should probably go that way," He was pointing to the door which led to the kitchen that read 'staff only'.
He was already wandering towards it slowly, "Right yeah." Y/n muttered.
"I'll see you out there." He said.
"I'll be looking for you." Y/n made no move to turn yet. She waited until JJ slipped into the kitchen and she was left alone. Her head filled with taunting thoughts as she wondered if that moment prior could have been something more.
Alas, the girl stared at the empty space in front of her for a few seconds longer before she too left. They had different entrances to this kook party. Y/n wandered right through the front gates while JJ scurried around through the back door. But, despite such, they would still yearn for each other the whole night, catching glances subconsciously.
Y/n had barely the time to look for either Kie or Sarah before he parents had pulled her to one side, "Oh, there you are." Her mother leapt out a sigh of relief.
She was pulled into a circle of her mom, Ward and Rafe. This was where her torture started. "We were just talking about you." Ward said with a forced smile which made the girl sick.
"Oh, right?" She replied before swallowing the ever-growing lump in her throat.
The air became thick and Y/n wanted nothing more than to have another joint in her bag. She should have known to save one for the times like this. "You've met my son, right?" Ward moved along; smooth. He was gesturing over to Rafe who looked just as unbothered as she.
He sent a weak smile before the two were forced to shake hands. "You know now I think about it, I haven't spoken to Pamala yet." Said Y/n's mother. She should have known this was how the conversation was going to end.
She was already walking away when Ward started to follow, "Neither have I." He joined her side, muttering on with, "I heard she was filing for divorce..." Kook drama really was no interest to either her or Rafe.
Then again, neither was awkward silence. Which was what they were soon left with. "Our parents. The matchmakers, right?" He scoffed and let his posture fall once Ward was out of sight.
She hummed in agreement, "Yeah."
"You want a drink?" He questioned with raised brows.
Y/n looked over to the drink's table and squirmed at the thought of whatever they were severing. "If you mean some shitty mocktail, I think I'll pass."
By the time she was looking back, he had his blazer swung open slightly, grasping a flask from his inside pocket. "Not exactly." He murmured, pouring some into his own glass. "You want some?" His hand was out as an offer, not bothering to be discreet.
Her eyes flickered to the metal flask, she thought on it, but denied with the shake of her head. "I'm good thanks." Straight spirit with how much she had just smoked? Not a good idea, especially considering she was surrounded by up-tight kooks.
There came a light chuckle from Rafe which caused Y/n to keep her eyes on him. He slipped the flask back into his blazer as he said, "You mean because your high as shit right now?" She felt her body tense. "Jesus, relax, they didn't notice. Too busy playing cupid."
She relaxed a little. Her eyes traced the boy as his gaze shot across the sea, sipping his glass frequently. There came a huff from her lips before she moved, coming to his side, getting a view of the beach rather than a crowd of kooks she was sure were eating this up right now. "Are you gonna do it?" The question pierced the silence they were drowning it.
She looked to him but his eyes were still distant, "Do what?"
A second passed and Y/n watched as his head dropped before tilting over to settle on her. "Entertain this?" She felt like she couldn't look away, like his pupils were enticed with her own and it was sickening just the thought of such. "Your parents think that if their daughter is dating the son of the richest guy on the island, then they'll have help making sure their business doesn't fall to the shit." He explained like he was the puppeteer of this situation.
"That's sort of their plan, yeah." She replied, her head turning to spot her parents in the midst of Kook mania. Then she peered back over at Rafe whose eyes were secured on her, "What's in for you?" She asked, not sure if she was taking a step to far in this relationship she didn't know how to navigate yet.
He shrugged, "You're not the worse person I've met."
Y/n looked back, obviously offended as Rafe took a sly sip from his glass of god knows what. "You really know how to compliment a girl, huh." She commented with a scoff.
She hadn't realised Rafe had moved until he was right in front of her, far too close to her likely, staring down at her with no indication of what his next move was going to be. "You've got two options here." His voice was rough against the bitter air between them. "Option one, we play happy couple for the next few hours, leaving together and I'll drop you off home. Nothing more. Our parents go home happy and we can forget this night of torture." He went on to explain.
"And option two?" Her voice compared to his was drastically much more uncertain, any confidence torn from her under the stare of Rafe Cameron.
He gulped the last of his drink, his arm reaching over past Y/n as he placed it against the table behind them. And there, so close to touching, he whispered to her ear, "There's a game to be played."
He reacted his arm, leaning back as he awaited and watched carefully for her answer. She stood up fully, plucking her courage back, "I don't play games, Rafe." She told him.
He nodded and showed no emotion before taking a step, his arm hovering out for her to take. And with their new plan in mind, her arm hooked with his and they faced the sea of kooks. "And erm, on second thought, I might be wanting that drink."
A smirk rose to his lips before he looked across the patio of Kooks. He spotted what he needed, clicking his fingers to gain the waiter's attention, "Hey, yeah."
Y/n felt the breath leave her body when the familiar golden-haired boy turned. His piercing blue eyes settling in a glare at her and her linked arm. And while his jaw clenched and he struggled to meet Rafe, he had no choice but to play his part, "What can I do for you?" His words were tough like concrete.
"Just a drink for the lady." He gestured over to Y/n, seemingly enjoying this too much. Of course he was aware of Y/n and JJ. Half of the island were aware of Y/n and JJ. The will they won't they. The only kissed when they were drunk. The desperate pleas to convince those around them they were best friends, nothing more.
And Rafe revelled in the way he was stomping on that like it were a bug. "A coke please, JJ." And whatever substance was in Rafe's flask. She sent a smile which was never returned. Instead, he nodded his head and wandered inside where he didn't have to look at the pair.
With that, the two moved further into the crowd, giving into the useless small talk as they weaved through the people they had no care for. Y/n caught glances at Sarah and Kie whenever she were able. But they were unable to swoop in and save her, fearsome of Ward who seemed to be watching the couple from afar. Y/n was awaiting, silently pleading for the moment when Rafe turned to and announced he would take her home now.
She thought that moment was a coming when he turned to her between their travels around the crowd, "You still haven't gotten your drink." He observed.
The recall of JJ had caused the girl to look for him through the crowd. She found no speckles of that shaggy hair or the shirt he wasn't used to wearing. "Yeah, erm," Y/n replied mindlessly as her arm fell from his. "I'm gonna go look for him."
Rafe only gave a nod before watching the girl seep into the sea of people. That look on JJ's face hadn't left her mind. She wondered if he were alright, or maybe seeing his best friend with a kook, practically his sworn enemy, was all too much for him.
She had passed Pope on her way into the building, asking if he knew where JJ was. To which, she had gotten, "Nah, sorry, Y/n." In reply before the two went their separate ways.
Alas, she proceed into the building, turning passed the buffet and towards a small hallway. It was only once she turned the corner, she'd found JJ scrolling through his phone. "There you are." She let out a sigh of relief as she walked up to him. "You know you really shouldn't leave a girl waiting..." Her joyful expression faded when she met JJ's.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't want to interrupt your moment." Her brows became knitted as a fit of anger, one similar to what was raging at JJ, started prodding her on.
"JJ, what are you eve-"
He took a step forward, so abrupt it had cut her words from her lips. "I told you Y/n not to let this turn into something and, gosh, look at you!" He was also close she could feel the fury escape his breath.
"I don't know what's gotten into you, but I stand by what I said. It's not turning into anything." She could recall the deal her and Rafe had made if she so needed.
"Really?" Her best friend scoffed. "You're all over him. I could practically see your drool from the kitchens."
"Oh my-" She shook her head before she continued, soft in her gaze. "JJ, trust me, he hates this just as much as I do, he-"
There came another scoff; he couldn't even bare to listen to her explain herself, "Sure doesn't look like it to me."
"JJ, just fucking listen to me please." He was silent after that, but his expression was screaming with the words he was desperate to let rip. "There's nothing going on and it's definitely not what it looks like. We both hate it, trust me. He said that if we get through this, looking all lovey-dovey, make our parents happy then that'll be the end of it. He said he'd drop me off at the end of the night and then we can all forgot it ever happened."
She watched slowly as his anger fizzled out until he was no longer looking at Y/n as if she'd just betrayed every fibre in his body. The girl took his hands in hers, "I'll get him to drop me at the Château, yeah? I'll see you there." She suggested.
"Yeah, yeah." He nodded with the slither of a smile. "I'm sorry for erm lashing out."
"It's fine, don't worry about it, JJ." She assured. "Trust me, if I were anywhere near romantically involved with Rafe Cameron, I'd want you to lash out at me." Y/n had yet to realise how them words were about to haunt her.
At the time, she had chuckled as had JJ and the man who rounded the corner was completely oblivious to what had just been said. "Hey, Y/n." Rafe announced his entrance. The two jolted their eyes to him as Y/n took a step away from JJ. "You get your drink?" The boy's eyes were grazing over at JJ, as if the two were silently fighting.
Y/n sighed as she left the blond boy's side, walking towards Rafe, "On second thought, how about we call it night, yeah?" She welcomed his arm as it trickled across her back, forcing him to turn so they were no longer facing JJ. Though, the girl still clearly caught the glare he sent the other boy.
But Rafe had stuck to his word. They had danced around the patio one last time, saying their goodbyes to anyone they cared enough for and then headed for Rafe's car. The car ride was unsurprisingly silent. Rafe's hand were practically gripping the steering wheel and Y/n truly didn't know what thoughts had caused such passive anger.
"Drop me off at John B's." She requested as she pulled the seatbelt over.
He glanced over as he pulled from the parking lot, "Not yours?" He raised a brow and she shook her head in reply. "Won't your parents want you home?"
She shrugged, "I sleep there all the time, they won't mind." And with that, there came no further argument as the boy shut his lips as headed towards the Cut.
She'd never admit it out loud, and certainly not infont of the pogues, but the night hadn't been as gruelling as she had expected. Sure, Rafe had some edges to him, but he had made the night bearable for them both. And for that, she was grateful.
Y/n assumed she had gotten there before either John B or JJ. The house was still dark and there were no teenage boys running around like the two were known to. "And you would rather sleep here than in your own house?" Rafe questioned, parked right outside as he leaned up to the windshield.
She chuckled at his kook statement, "Trust me, if you had any idea what my parents were like right now, you'd want to get as far from them too." Rafe peered over at her, their eyes locking. He didn't say anything as if the machines in his head were still processing his thoughts. "But thanks for tonight, you know, not making it the worst thing in the world."
"Is that what you thought?" He queried, leaning over slightly. "That having to go on a date with me is the worst thing in the world?"
That question shifted the atmosphere in the air. Suddenly Y/n felt caught between his pupils like she couldn't break the gaze they were enticed with. "Suppose you changed my opinion." She said, though it was a mindless reply, her head too busy trying to work out Rafe's intentions.
Every ounce of logic was screaming at her to leave. This wasn't right, this was Rafe Cameron, Kook King, should-be sworn enemy. But instead, she found herself weak against his piercing gaze like she were his prey. She knew once the moment passed, she was done for. The girl had made no move to exit the car and rather say anything, Rafe gained closer and she mirrored his actions
"I thought you weren't playing this game." His voice was low and he was so close she could feel the breath sweep from his mouth. She thought about replying but found the best way to keep her pride was to shut him up by closing the gap between them.
The first brush of their lips had been soft. It was testing the waters, shifting through that part which was screaming at them both to stop. When that passed, the kiss became nagging, it was desperate to latch onto the thread of emotions which had built up throughout the night. It wasn't until Y/n felt Rafe's palm drop to her thigh that she pulled herself away. Her breath was uneven, their foreheads grazing against one another.
Rafe's eyes were still exploring her as if it were his right. But Y/n's mind was quick to catch up. Sat was here in the flashy sports car outside the Château, it wasn't right. Sat next to Rafe Cameron, his hands drawn to her skin, wasn't right. None of this was right and when that realisation came, she leaned back. "I'm sorry." Her voice came out in a hush, shakey and uncertain. "I- I can't."
Rafe said nothing. He leaned back and there return that ever knowing stern stare everyone else was used to. She glanced to him for a moment, thought about saying something else, but the moment passed and she never spoke a word. Rather, she stepped out from the flashy sports car which didn't belong on this side of the island, just as Rafe didn't.
She stood there by the passenger door, watching him through the window. He still never dared to look at her. The car engine started again as the woman adjusted herself, pulling straps back up to her shoulders and straightening her bag. She watched as the car reversed, slipping back onto the main road and leaving Y/n to look at what was left in front of her.
She expected shadows. She expected to be waiting on the porch until JJ and John B returned. But instead, as the car was whisked away, it revealed a certain blond boy. They were stood across from each other, unable to work out the expression on the other. It dawned on her then that JJ knew. That something wrong, that something illogical, that something stupid she had done had been unknowingly on display to the one person who would have a problem with it.