𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐈 ─────⋆⋅★𝘳𝘢𝘧𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘯

𝟎𝟗. 𝐬𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝

Isla and Sarah tiptoed through the shadows of Tannyhill's grand porch, stifling their giggles as they tried to unlock the door as quietly as possible. The night air was thick with the salty scent of the ocean, still clinging to their skin from the bonfire. Isla's heart raced, a buzz lingering from the night's events, and her cheeks still glowed from the fire and the unexpected thrill of the evening.

As they slipped inside, they exchanged glances and shared a conspiratorial grin, already savoring the success of sneaking back without alerting anyone. But just as they were about to head up the stairs, the soft sound of voices drifted from the back of the house. Isla's brow furrowed as she glanced at Sarah, who looked equally puzzled.

"Who could that be?" Isla whispered.

Sarah rolled her eyes, a hint of exasperation mixed with resignation. "There's only one person who'd be making noise this late," she muttered, leading Isla through the winding hallways toward the source of the sound.

They stopped just short of the glass doors that led out to the backyard pool area, where the cool blue glow of the water illuminated a small group clustered around the edge. Isla's heart sank as she caught sight of Rafe, lounging by the pool with a smirk on his face, beer in hand, surrounded by a handful of Kook girls and guys, all laughing and relaxed, as if it were any other carefree night.

"Oh, perfect," Sarah murmured, rolling her eyes. She looked at Isla, exasperation mixing with a bit of a guilty smile. "Guess we aren't the only ones sneaking around tonight."

They stepped outside, the cool night air prickling Isla's skin as they approached the pool. Rafe spotted them first, his eyes narrowing as he straightened, smirk widening when he realized who it was.

"Well, well," Rafe drawled, lifting his beer in a lazy toast. "If it isn't the life of the party herself." His gaze settled on Isla, his tone light but with an edge she couldn't quite read. "Miss me already, Blackwell?"

Isla crossed her arms, feeling her earlier confidence waver slightly under his gaze, but she held her ground, shooting him an unamused look. "Didn't know you'd still be up, Cameron," she replied coolly.

Rafe chuckled, shrugging. "What can I say? I don't turn in early," he said, taking a slow sip of his beer. "Besides, looks like you two had a little adventure of your own."

Sarah sighed, hands on her hips as she leveled him with a look. "What's going on, Rafe? Where's Wheezie? And what happened to Rose and Dad?"

Rafe stretched back, looking all too comfortable. "Oh, didn't I mention?" He grinned, but there was a sharpness to his expression. "Wheezie's staying over at a friend's house tonight. Dad and Rose decided to skip town a bit early—some fancy vacation plans, you know how it is." His gaze flicked to Isla, an almost amused glint in his eyes. "Actually, Blackwell, I think they're joining your parents on that little European getaway."

Isla's stomach twisted at the reminder. Her parents had left for their vacation almost a week ago, the latest in a long line of trips she'd never been invited on. She pushed the thought aside, glancing at Sarah, who looked equally irritated by the news.

"So, basically, you're saying the house is empty?" Sarah asked, raising an eyebrow.

Rafe smirked, tilting his head toward the small group of Kooks lounging by the pool. "Empty except for us, yeah. Why else would I invite everyone over for a little afterparty?" His voice carried a note of casual arrogance, but Isla caught the way his eyes lingered on her, as if waiting for a reaction.

One of the Kook girls, who'd been laughing at something Kelce was saying, finally noticed Isla and Sarah standing by the poolside and gave a half-hearted wave before turning back to the group. Isla resisted the urge to roll her eyes, feeling a strange sense of distance from them all. It was like watching a scene she used to be part of but didn't quite fit into anymore.