Rogue | outer banks

Flashback 1

I sat in the kitchen, my fork suspended in mid-air as I took another bite of my pancakes. "I still don't know why I have to go here," I mumbled, my mouth full, earning a disapproving glance from my mother. Swallowing, I continued, "I mean, I was doing perfectly fine on The Cut."

My brother, Topper, strolled into the room, injecting his opinion as usual. "Because maybe it's time you stop destroying your future," he remarked casually.

I shot him a sharp look, a pancake-laden fork pointed in his direction. "You do realize I'll make your life a living hell," I warned, my tone laced with a hint of menace. "There's for sure no escaping me now."

"Amelia, honey, can you postpone Topper's damnation?" my father chuckled as he entered, pouring himself some coffee.

I rolled my eyes, frustrated by the lack of support. "I just think it's not fair," I argued, my annoyance bubbling to the surface. "All these people are rich as—" I caught myself, my mother's stern gaze cutting me off. "Are rich bottoms that I have nothing in common with," I amended, drawing a laugh from my father.

Topper took a seat next to me. "You can even be friends with Sarah," he suggested.

I couldn't help but scoff at Topper's mention of Sarah. "Your girlfriend who you never bring around?" I mocked, a smirk playing on my lips. "Tell me, Top, is she even real?" I relished in the subtle change in his expression, a mixture of defensiveness and irritation.

"Of course she is real," Topper asserted, attempting to push back against my skepticism.

Feigning curiosity, I pressed on. "Oh, and can you tell me her full name?" I challenged, my grin widening.

"Sarah Cameron," Topper declared proudly.

I couldn't contain my laughter. "Yeah, right," I scoffed, leaning back in my chair. "Like Sarah Cameron would ever look at you."

Topper looked genuinely confused. "What's wrong with me?" he asked, his brow furrowing.

I chuckled, enjoying the banter. "Apart from everything?" I replied, laughter bubbling through my words.

Our mother intervened, appearing behind us and placing a hand on each of our shoulders. "Alright, you two, stop it," she admonished, a sigh escaping her lips. "Can you just..." she paused, searching for words, "can you two just try and get along, please?"

"Oh, yeah," I said sarcastically, exchanging a glance with Topper.

"For sure," we both chimed in simultaneously, bursting into laughter.

Despite our differences, there was a strange bond between us that surfaced when we teased each other mercilessly.

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

The looming presence of Kook Academy hung heavy over my first day, a relentless storm of hostility and glares. I found myself on the brink of five fights, my temper escalating with each sneer and muttered comment that grazed my ears as I walked past. The students at Kook Academy were a breed I couldn't relate to — entitled, judgmental, and completely oblivious to the reality beyond their privileged bubble. I yearned for the simplicity of my days with John B, JJ, Pope, and Kie, surrounded by genuine friendship instead of this toxic atmosphere.

Just when I thought my day couldn't get any worse, a surprising twist awaited me. Sarah Cameron, the elusive girlfriend of my brother Topper, approached me and extended an unexpected hand of friendship. As it turned out, she was real, and her relationship with Topper was genuine — they just preferred keeping to themselves. The offer to visit the Cameron household after school caught me off guard, and reluctantly, I accepted.

"Hey," Sarah greeted as we walked into the kitchen, my eyes quickly diverting to the figure with his back turned to us — a tall, muscular silhouette that exuded an air of confidence.

"Hey," he responded, turning around to face us, his striking blue eyes locking onto mine.

Rafe Cameron. The infamous Kook King, known for causing trouble and cycling through girls like socks. Two years my senior, but undeniably dreamy. His presence was magnetic, drawing me in despite the warnings that echoed through the Island.

"What's with you home?" Sarah questioned her brother, breaking the enchanting gaze between Rafe and me.

"I just need to grab something for Wheeze," he replied, a tight-lipped smile gracing his lips.

My heart raced, caught in a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. The realization that my world had collided with the enigmatic Camerons left me grappling with an unexpected mix of curiosity, intrigue, and a hint of trepidation.

As the awkward silence settled in the room, I found myself locked in an unintentional gaze with Rafe.

Sarah's chuckle snapped my attention, breaking the spell. "Lia, this is my brother Rafe."

"Hey, hi," I greeted with a smile, extending my hand towards him. His firm grip enveloped my smaller hand, and a pleasant shiver ran down my spine as he shook it with a charming smile.

"It's a pleasure," he said, his eyes never leaving mine.

"The pleasure's mine," I mumbled, realizing a beat too late that we were still shaking hands. A wave of embarrassment flushed over me, and I hastily pulled away, hoping the sudden warmth on my cheeks went unnoticed.

"You're Topper's—"

"Little sister," I confirmed, nodding my head. His eyes lingered over me, scanning every inch, and I couldn't help but feel exposed, a blush deepening as I tried to maintain composure.

A strange silence hung in the room once again, broken only by the subtle grin on Sarah's face.

Rafe, breaking the tension, announced his departure, retrieving his jacket. "Anyways, I gotta get going, but erm... you girls have fun, not too much though," he teased, shooting a playful glance at Sarah.

"Shut up," Sarah retorted, rolling her eyes at her brother.

"Yeah, erm, bye," Rafe added, but just before leaving, his gaze shifted back to me. "I'll see you around."

"Bye," I replied, a tight-lipped smile on my face. As the front door closed behind him, I turned towards Sarah, wide-eyed and grinning from ear to ear. "He's hot," I blurted out, unable to contain my excitement.

"Oh, please," Sarah rolled her eyes playfully. "Rafe Cameron is not someone you want to be around," she warned, a mysterious smile playing on her lips.