The morning sun streamed through my window, pulling me from a dream of crashing waves and carefree laughter. But the dream dissolved as soon as I felt the weight land on my stomach. Sarah Cameron, my best friend since childhood, bounced on top of me, her long blonde hair tickling my face.
"Ugh, Sarah," I groaned, swatting away the curtain of hair. "Give a girl some warning before you stage a pancake attack."
Sarah giggled, her blue eyes sparkling. "Come on sleepyhead, today's the beach day!"
My stomach lurched. A beach day with the Kooks? I hadn't seen the group chat in ages, buried under a mountain of unread messages. Guilt gnawed at me.
"You didn't see, did you?" Sarah's voice softened, a knowing glint in her eyes.
Kiara, my other best friend, materialized beside the bed, a wry smile playing on her lips. "Nope, definitely missed it."
"It's okay," I mumbled, burrowing deeper into the covers. "Not like I had to bring anything specific..." My voice trailed off as both girls exchanged horrified glances.
"What?" I peeked out, confusion painting my face. Kiara and Sarah erupted in laughter.
"Girl, all we need is for you to get your booty moving!" Kiara exclaimed, her usual carefree demeanor replaced with a hint of urgency.
"Just something cute, but not too cute," Sarah chimed in, rolling her eyes dramatically. "My brother Rafe's coming."
The news hit me like a rogue wave. Rafe Cameron. The infuriatingly smug Kook who'd managed to turn a simple conversation into a full-blown argument just the other day.
"Rafe?" I echoed, my voice laced with apprehension. "Why?"
Sarah sighed. "Long story," she warned. " To make it short, my dad caught me stealing beers from his storage. So Sarah asked Topper to get us some and Topper was with Rafe and Tyler at the time. So Topper invited them to go with us." Kiara explained to me.
"Oh, and I invited the Pogues," Sarah added as she rocked back and forth on her heels.
A familiar knot of tension formed in my stomach. Mixing Pogues and Kooks was a recipe for potential disaster. Yet, a sliver of hope remained. Maybe, just maybe, this could be a chance to bridge the gap between our worlds.
"Alright, alright," I conceded, throwing off the covers. "We'll make it work. Pogues on one side, Kooks on the other, simple as that."
I shuffled towards my closet, grabbing a simple black bikini that hugged my curves comfortably. Whitewashed jean shorts completed the outfit, striking a balance between beach-ready and practical.
"We'll let you get changed," Kiara said, already heading for the door. "We'll be outside helping Rafe and Tyler load the car."
Sarah lingered for a moment, a flicker of worry in her eyes. "Look," she started, then stopped. Finally, she settled on a simple, "Just...try to relax, okay?"
With a nod, I watched her leave, the weight of unspoken emotions hanging in the air. The beach day was supposed to be fun, a chance to unwind with friends. But the thought of Rafe put a damper on my mood.
Taking a deep breath, I wandered over to my bathroom mirror. It was a war zone of colorful Post-it notes, each one scrawled with a simple but powerful message:
You are beautiful!
You are enough!
YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!
Every morning, I forced myself to read them, a mantra against the tide of self-doubt. Reading the words was easy. Believing them, well, that was another story.
Squeezing my eyes shut, I recited the affirmations, willing myself to feel the confidence they conveyed. A shaky smile formed on my lips, more out of habit than conviction.
Packing my beach essentials – towel, sunscreen, tanning oil, a book, sunglasses, a baseball cap, and a claw clip – I felt a pang of apprehension. Then, the insistent honking of my brother's car jolted me back to reality.
beep beep beep
Grabbing a well-worn flannel for a cover-up, I hurried out the door. Today might be a chaotic mix of Pogues and Kooks, sunshine and tension, but I was determined to make the most of it.
YOU ARE READING
The Lines We've Crossed
Fanfiction"You're not so little anymore," Rafe told Heather as he stood beside her in the kitchen. "Is that why you keep looking at me like that?" Heather asked her brother's best friend, who only ever viewed her as his best friend's younger sister and nothi...
