Golden Hearts | Rafe Cameron [1]

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June 5

I wake up to the sound of my mom calling me from downstairs, but I don't have the energy to respond. Let me sleep. Just five more minutes... but those five minutes don't last long before my mom opens the door and enters my room with determined steps. She lifts the blanket from my head.

"Adeline, do you know what time it is right now?" My mom says irritably before heading to my window to pull up the blinds so the sun shine directly on me. I sigh loudly before rubbing my eyes and stretching my arms and legs. I sit up slowly and look at my mom, who starts picking up dishes that I've left in my room.

"It's incredible how much dirty dishes you leave in here. It's almost like a whole Ikea," she mutters while picking up some mugs and plates from my nightstand and the floor beside my bed.

"Are you aware that you're supposed to work at the surf shop today, in fifteen minutes?" my mom says, looking at me with a tired expression. "Your brother has already been working since opening."

Something I've never understood is why my parents co-own a surf shop with the Cameron family. And not only that. It's my brother Nathan and his best friend Rafe Cameron who are the ones in charge there. Besides our parents, of course. But why did they give the responsibility to them? They're hardly ever there except when they're forced to be.

"Get up now before you're late," my mom says before leaving my room. I sigh loudly and slowly get up from my bed and head to my closet to pick out clothes. It's sunny and warm outside today, but it's cool inside the surf shop.

I end up choosing a light blue crop top and a black skirt to go with it. The skirt is actually a bit too short and maybe shows a bit too much. But it probably doesn't matter as long as my parents don't see how short they are.

I hurry out of my room and through the long corridor and then down the long stairs until I reach the kitchen where my mom is standing doing the dishes.

"Eat something before you go out," she says when she sees me coming down. She doesn't look at my skirt, which is good. I open the pantry and grab a protein bar before filling my water bottle and then heading out of the house towards the surf shop.

One good thing is that the surf shop is right next to our house. Between ours and the Camerons', whom we happen to be neighbors with. It's not surprising that the two richest families on the island live next to each other and work together almost every day.

I arrive at the shop, which is open, and am immediately greeted by the cool air conditioning as I enter. My brother is at the counter with a bored look on his face while talking to a family with children. He quickly meets my gaze with an irritated look before continuing to talk to the family.