𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵 || 𝘫𝘫 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘬

𝐓 𝐖 𝐄 𝐋 𝐕 𝐄

That evening, back in the Outer Banks, Aleena's POV:

I knock on the door where the kooks mentioned the party would be. A vibrant blonde girl swings it open, welcoming me inside. Stepping through the doorway, my eyes widen at the sight that greets me. The house is buzzing with teens in various swimsuits and loose outfits, creating an atmosphere of carefree revelry. Determined to find Sarah and Topper, I navigate my way through the bustling crowd, pushing deeper into the massive and expansive house.

To my right, I notice a group of people engaging in body shots, their laughter mingling with the faint scent of alcohol. On my left, a haze of smoke hangs in the air, betraying the presence of those partaking in a different kind of drugs. The pungent aroma of weed wafts through the space, hitting me even from miles away.

As I approach the pool area, my attention is drawn to two figures perched on the edge of the roof, peering down into the water. Squinting my eyes, I recognize the teens as Sarah and Topper. The crowd surrounding them is urging them to jump, their voices echoing with excitement. Topper cradles Sarah in his arms, their gazes fixed on the pool below.

For a second I thought that he might actually drop her.

After a brief exchange, Topper takes the plunge, leaping from the rooftop and jumping into the pool with Sarah.

My hand flies to my mouth, in fear that they might land with a painful thud, but it luckily ended very well.

Turning away from the pool, I suddenly come face to face with Kelce. He holds two red solo cups filled with a red-colored liquid. "You made it," he remarks, his gaze scanning my presence.

I offer a slightly awkward smile, my hand instinctively moving to my neck. "Yeah, I thought it would be fun."

He extends one of the cups towards me, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Want one too?"

I shake my head, maintaining my smile. "No, thanks."

"You sure? It's the one and only Kelce cocktail," he jokes, raising the cup enticingly.

I'm not pretty sure if he was joking though.

I raise an eyebrow, playfully grinning. "And what does the Kelce cocktail involve?"

He runs his tongue over his teeth, a smirk playing on his lips. "That's a secret, babe."

Chuckling softly, I take a guess. "Let me guess... Vodka and Crystal Light?"

His eyes light up, and he looks up with a smile. "That's a good guess."

An awkward silence descends upon us as we survey the lively scene around us, observing the crowd engaged in dancing and revelry. After a few minutes, we notice the crowd parting to make way for someone...

"There's Rafe!" voices echo through the crowd.

"Aye Rafe, how you doing man?"

"Rafe, we've got a spot for you right here!"

"We've got something for you, Rafe!"

Well, it's clear that everyone knows Rafe.

Kelce turns on his heels and strides over to him. They exchange a handshake, and then Kelce leans in, whispering something in Rafe's ear. Without missing a beat, Kelce moves on, engaging with other people.

Rafe scans the area and locks eyes with me. His towering figure makes his way towards me, and he chuckles as he looks down because he's at least one head taller than me. "Didn't think you'd actually come," he remarks.

"Here I am," I reply, meeting his gaze.

He leans closer and brings his lips to my ear, his voice barely audible over the booming music. "You're looking good tonight."