: ̗̀➛ 𝐈𝐍 𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐂𝐇 Victoria Miller's world is upended when she learns her life as the Pogue Princess is over. No longer surrounded by her group of friends, she's forced to adjust to a new, unfamiliar reality as a Kook. After a year of her not so...
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VICTORIA STUMBLED OUT OF BED, her vision still blurry as she glanced at the clock. 8 p.m.
"Shit," she muttered under her breath, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She should have gotten up an hour ago. The Pogues were probably already halfway through the kegger by now.
But before she joined them, there was something she had to take care of. Something she couldn't put off any longer.
Her hands moved on autopilot, brushing through her messy hair and grabbing her bag. She slipped quietly out of the Château, careful not to alert the others who might still be lingering outside. The cool evening air hit her skin as she started down the dirt path, her pace brisk but steady.
The walk wasn't long—thankfully. She wasn't exactly awake enough to trek halfway across the island. The air was cool but not cold, just enough to wake her up without making her shiver. The wind caught her hair, lifting it gently as she moved, and for a moment, the island seemed almost serene. The last golden rays of sunlight stretched across the horizon, glinting off the waves as the tide rolled in. The salty tang of the ocean breeze tickled her nose, and the rhythmic sound of the surf filled her ears.
Sometimes this place isn't so bad, she thought, her lips twitching into a small, fleeting smile. It wasn't a bad place—not when you ignored the chaos that always seemed to find her.
Her thoughts evaporated as she reached her destination: a beat-up camper sitting on a patch of uneven ground. The paint had long since chipped away, and the small set of steps leading to the door looked more like a pile of mismatched bricks. She hesitated for a second, taking a deep breath, then knocked a few times on the dented metal door.
Through the grimy window, she saw a shadow move. A moment later, the door creaked open, revealing Barry.
His expression shifted to a smirk as soon as he saw her. "Well, well, look who it is," he drawled, leaning lazily against the doorframe. "Yoo, who do we have here?"
"Hey, Barry," Victoria replied, forcing a smile.
"Long time no see," he said with a laugh. "What's it been—a week?"
"Something like that," she muttered.
"Come on in," he said, stepping aside and gesturing to the camper's cramped interior.
