STRANGE LOVE | RAFE CAMERON |

CHAPTER 3: | KOOK KING |

When Allison returned from the beach, the first pale light of dawn had begun to creep across the horizon. Her limbs ached from surfing, and the chill of the early morning air clung to her skin, but her heart thrummed with the heady mix of exhaustion and joy. She tiptoed through the front door, every creak of the floorboards beneath her feet setting her nerves on edge as she prayed not to wake anyone. Slipping into her room, she collapsed onto the bed, a contented smile playing on her lips as sleep quickly pulled her under.

It was past noon when Allison finally stirred, the harsh light of day filtering through the curtains, reminding her of the late hour. After a long, hot shower, she felt somewhat revived.

Descending the stairs, she was greeted by the sound of raised voices coming from the living room. Her steps faltered as words like "arrested" and "bad influence" caught her attention. She lingered in the hallway, her curiosity piqued, but the desire to avoid confrontation became stronger. Slipping into the kitchen, she hoped to go unnoticed, but that hope was quickly dashed.

"Allison, come here this instant," Anna's voice rang out, sharp and commanding. It sliced through the air like a knife, sending a shiver down Allison's spine.

She sighed, the illusion of avoiding conflict shattered, and she peeked through the doorway with a forced smile. "Good morning."

"Where have you been the whole night?" Anna demanded, her tone laced with accusation, the underlying tension palpable.

"Out," Allison replied curtly, her patience already wearing thin. She wasn't in the mood for an interrogation, not after the night she had.

"This is the second night you've been out all night, and you're only here for three days." Anna's frustration bubbled over, the words laced with a mixture of concern and irritation.

Allison rolled her eyes, her hand gripping the edge of the countertop as she forced herself to remain calm. "So? I can't hang out with people?"

"The problem is who you hang out with." Anna's voice took on a sterner edge, her eyes narrowing. "You know why your parents sent you to boarding school. And if Kie continues to follow in your footsteps, she will be too."

"What?" Kie's voice, filled with indignation, cut through the tension. "I haven't done anything bad! I even went to Kook Academy because you wanted me to!"

Mike's voice joined in, disappointment heavy in his tone. "You've been arrested."

"Well, at least that didn't happen to me," Allison shot back, the words slipping out before she could stop them. She turned to leave, her hand already on her keys.

"You should be a better example for your sister," Anna scolded, her voice rising with frustration.

"Yeah, whatever," Allison muttered under her breath, grabbing her keys and heading for the door. The last thing she heard was the sound of it slamming shut behind her, cutting off Anna's voice mid-sentence.

RAFE'S P.O.V:

The sun shone brightly, casting long shadows across the pristine golf course as Rafe and Topper played their game. But Rafe's attention wasn't on his swing; it was on the girl standing by the edge of the course, her posture stiff as if she were waiting for someone.

"Who is she?" Rafe asked, nodding toward her, his curiosity piqued.

"I don't know, man, but I saw her at the kegger party with the Pogues," Topper replied, his eyes still on his golf ball, not bothering to look at the girl more closely.

"No way, man. She doesn't look like a Pogue." Rafe's eyes narrowed as he took in her appearance.

The baby-pink plaid skirt and white collared crop top she wore were too pristine, too polished to belong to someone from the wrong side of the island. Her white golf cap and ponytail completed the look, along with white knee-high socks with baby-pink stripes and spotless white sneakers.