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If there was one thing about the Outer Banks, there was never a lack of parties. Lacy and Kie had found themselves at the small dive bar at the edge of Kildare beach, the bar that seemed to have no problem turning a blind eye to fake IDs. I mean, whatever gets the job done I guess.
The past two days had been a whirlwind. With her heart slowly shattering from her realization of JJ's extra curricular and with a brand new Grady White sunken to the bottom of the marsh, with only the Pogues to find it, Lacy and Kie had decided that they needed a drink. As the two girls stood at the edge of the crowded bar, the pulsing music and dim lights creating an intoxicating atmosphere around them. Lacy took a sip of her drink, the bitter taste of the alcohol burning down her throat. It had been a long day, and she needed something to numb the pain that had been gnawing at her since the accidental phone call.
As she scanned the room, her eyes fell on a familiar figure leaning against the far wall, his dark gaze fixed on her with an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine. Rafe Cameron. She knew she should stay away from him, knew he was trouble in every sense of the word. But tonight, she couldn't bring herself to care.
In Lacy Caldwell's high school years she stood out not just for her radiant smile, but for her unwavering dedication to her studies. As a freshman, she had already made a name for herself as one of the top students in her class, earning the respect and admiration of her peers and teachers alike. Her and Pope had always loved their study sessions in the library. From AP Lang to Physics, they shouldn't get enough.
Rafe Cameron, on the other hand, was known for his rebellious streak and devil-may-care attitude. He was a senior, with a reputation for being a troublemaker both in and out of the classroom. Despite his academic potential, Rafe had a tendency to let his grades slip, preferring to spend his time causing mischief rather than hitting the books.
Their paths first crossed in the school library, where Lacy volunteered as a peer tutor for struggling students. Rafe, on orders from his father, had been assigned to her as a last-ditch effort to salvage his grades before graduation, much to his chagrin. He had initially balked at the idea of spending his free periods cooped up in the library with a freshman, but he begrudgingly agreed to give it a try.
From the moment they met, there was an undeniable tension between them. Lacy was determined to help Rafe succeed, offering him her patience and encouragement even as he pushed back against her efforts. She refused to give up on him, seeing his potential even when he couldn't see it in himself.
At first, Rafe resisted Lacy's help, viewing her as just another do-gooder trying to fix him, as his family constantly was. But as they spent more time together, he began to see her in a different light. He was captivated by her intelligence, her kindness, her unwavering belief in his ability to succeed. And for the first time in his life, he found himself wanting to prove her right.
