Kook King

Believe Everything You Hear

One Saturday afternoon, I tell Ava and Deirdre to meet me at our spot. I'm hopeful and excited, but also super nervous. I know Ava and Deirdre will flip out when they find out about me and Rafe, but once I tell them how different he is from his repuation, they'll like him. Although, I can't imagine hanging out with Rafe, Ava, and Deirdre. What would we even do? Go to parties together? On triple dates? Would we hang out in Figure 8 more or The Cut?

My body buzzes with nerves and excitement. There are so many possibilities.

Our spot goes way back to the beginning of our friendship. Shem Creek is home to all of the fishing boats and yachts that, of course, only belong to kooks. It's riddled with hungry seagulls and impatient fishermen who reek of the water. I know quite a few people who work here, and despite how busy it can be, it's relaxing to come here and watch the water glisten under the sun. I like to stand at the end of one of the long docks and just think.

Today, though, I stand and wait for my friends to appear under grey skies. I notice that many of the fishing boats are missing, and I hope that the fishermen are all safe.

Ten minutes after I arrive, Ava tosses aside her old bike into the gravel. I spin around at the sound to see both of my friends running over to me. They both look confused and worried. Before they even get to me, Ava is shouting, "Is it true? Are you really hooking up with Rafe Cameron?"

They're nearly out of breath. They must have dropped everything and rushed over as soon as I texted them. Even though I've been preparing myself what to say and how to say it for days, now that my friends are actually here, my mind goes completely blank.

"Who told you guys that?" I'm careful about my wording. I make sure not to say, 'How do you guys know that?' because then they would point out that I'm not denying it.

"Topper Thorton," Deirdre says, folding her arms across her chest.

A flashback of Topper's evil smirk at Rafe's house comes back to me. Of course. He's trying to sabotage me and Rafe simply because I'm a pogue. But it doesn't make sense. Topper would never be caught dead talking to pogues unless they were under his foot.

I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. "He talked to you?"

Ava huffs. "Yes," she snaps. She glances at Deirdre and frowns. "Well, no. He shouted at us from his car then sped off." She rolls her eyes before snapping back into annoyance. "But, I mean, he's lying. Right? Because you and Rafe would never..." She stops talking when she sees the serious look on my face. Her voice grows smaller. "I mean... Rafe Cameron is... not your type. Right?"

I settle onto the tree branch and take a deep breath. My friends already look furious. I can't imagine what they'll say once I tell them that Topper wasn't lying. I shrug in response.

Their eyes widen. "What?!" Ava nearly shouts. "You did hook up with him?"

I nod, avoiding their gazes, an uneasy feeling settling in my stomach.

Ava and Deirdre exchange glances. "When?"

"The same night as the Boneyard party."

Deirdre sighs heavily.

"And then again at his house a few days later."

It's like I told them I helped kill someone. They look horrified and heartbroken. Deirdre covers her open mouth with her hand. I don't normally see those looks on their faces unless a pogue and a kook just got into a huge fight at a party.

"Y/N... Please tell me you were almost black-out drunk when you hooked up with him," Ava says, sitting beside me.

Now, my blood begins to boil. I never usually get angry or annoyed with my friends, but Ava's and Deirdre's reactions are way too over dramatic. "You would rather hear that Rafe took advantage of me while I was black out drunk than to know I willingly hooked up with him?" I shriek. My gaze moves between them. "Wow, guys. Thanks." I stand up and start walking away when they call after me.

"Y/N, it's Rafe Cameron! Kook King, remember?" Ava says to my back.

"He's a coked-up, rich brat," Deirdre adds, and something twists in my heart. These are not the kinds of reactions I expected from my friends, even if it is Rafe Cameron.

"Does JJ know about Rafe?" Ava asks.

I shake my head furiously. "Why the hell are you asking me that?" I shout, but I already know the answer to that question. "Why does it matter if JJ knows about Rafe? I don't owe him anything! And for the last time, I don't care if he likes me!"

My friends realize they've pushed a button.

I start to walk away when another thought comes to my mind, and I whirl around on my heel, the gravel crunching under my feet. "You know, I thought that when you guys found out about Rafe, you'd listen to me when I say he's not what you think--"

"It's not what we think, it's what we've heard--"

"Exactly!" I shout. "It's what you've heard. You don't even know him! You won't even consider that he may be better than you think, not even when I'm telling you?"

Deirdre tilts her head at me. "Y/N..."

Ava holds her hands up. "Wait. Why are you so defensive of him? It's like- like..." Her face scrunches up, like she's disgusted, as the puzzle pieces fall into place. "It's like you're with him."

I don't say anything.

My friends gasp, their hands flying to their mouths. Ava steps forward. "Y/N. No. Please tell me you're not with him." When I remain silent, she says, "Holy shit. I thought you still had some sanity left, but you've lost it. You've completely lost it. I mean, Rafe? Really?"

I'm sick of her reaction. "Yeah," I snap. "Rafe. I'm with him whether you like it or not. I like him. You're not even willing to give him a chance. Why should I listen to you?"

Deirdre stares at me, concerned. "Y/N, we just- we don't want anything bad to happen to you-" She reaches out for me, but I yank my hand away.

"That's dramatic."

"No. It's not." Ava folds her arms across her chest, a dark look on her face. We stare at each other like angry bulls, ready to charge. "Literally anyone else besides Rafe would be way better. Even Topper Thorton would be better!"

I scoff, knowing just how absolutely wrong Ava is. After that incident at Rafe's, there's no way in hell I will ever like Topper. I hold my hands up, stepping back. "You know what? I'm done with this. I was really hoping you guys would be happy for me, but... nevermind."

As I start to walk away, Ava shouts, "Happy for you? We're worried! Don't come crying to us when he screws you over!"

I flip her off, walking away faster as a lump forms in my throat. How could my friends react this way? How could they be so cruel? Sure, it's Rafe Cameron, Kook King, but they won't even believe me? Their best friend? But whatever. I don't need my friends to approve of who I'm seeing. They'll probably come around eventually once they realize Rafe has a different side to him.