Sunset games. Rafe Cameron

ten

CHAPTER TEN
[10]
"what once was" her's

Olivia woke up to the soft ping of her phone on her nightstand. She squinted against the morning light filtering through her curtains, reaching over to grab it. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the message on the screen

RAFE
Party at my place tonight. You should come.

She stared at the text, her mind spinning. It had been a while since she'd heard directly from Rafe, especially after their strange encounter the other night. The Pogues were her world now, but there was a small part of her that still felt tethered to her old life-the life she used to share with Topper, Rafe, and Leah.

She threw her phone back down on the bed and sat up, rubbing her eyes. Should she go? She could already imagine what the Pogues would say if they found out. JJ, especially. But she couldn't shake the pull, that part of her that missed the effortless luxury, the parties, the carefree attitude. The Kooks, for all their flaws, had been a huge part of her life growing up.

The rest of her day dragged on as she tried to distract herself. She watched TV, tried to read, but her mind kept driftina back to Rafe's text. What was she even expecting to find at that party? A sense of nostalgia? Closure? Something else?

By the time evening rolled around, Olivia found herself standing in front of her closet, staring at the clothes hanging inside. With a sigh, she pulled out a simple but nice dress, the kind she hadn't worn in a while. She knew she was making a choice, one that might complicate things, but she couldn't deny the part of her that wanted to see what going back would feel like.

When Olivia arrived at Rafe's house, the music was already blaring, and the driveway was packed with cars. The house loomed in front of her, all glittering lights and loud laughter spilling out into the night. She took a deep breath, telling herself it was just a party. Nothing more.

Inside, the scene was familiar, too familiar.
People she hadn't seen in months mingled in expensive outfits, holding drinks, laughing, and talking as if nothing had changed. It was like stepping into a time capsule, and for a moment, Riley felt like she had never left.

Rafe spotted her almost immediately, weaving through the crowd toward her. His eyes were glassy, his movements just a little too loose. He was clearly drunk, and there was an edge to his grin that made Olivia's stomach twist.

"Olivia!" he called, throwing an arm around her shoulder before she had a chance to react. "You came. I knew you would."

She tried to smile, though the intensity of his closeness made her uneasy. "Yeah, I wasn't sure at first, but... I figured, why not?"

Rafe handed her a drink without a second thought, already pulling her deeper into the crowd. His words were slurred, and Olivia could smell the alcohol on his breath, but there was something else too, something sharper. He was coked out, no doubt about it.

"Come on, let's have some fun," Rafe said, leading her toward the living room where people were dancing, laughing, and downing shots. "You've been with the Pogues too long. Time to remind you what it's like to really party."

Olivia hesitated for a moment, but the music was loud, the energy infectious, and before she knew it, she was knocking back a drink, then another. Her body felt light, her worries melting away as Rafe led her from one room to the next, introducing her to people she hadn't seen in forever. It was dizzying, but in a strange way, comforting. The more she drank, the easier it was to forget the tension of the past few weeks.

At some point, they ended up in the backyard by the pool. The air was cooler out here, and the water shimmered under the lights strung above. Olivia found herself laughing as Rafe told a story about a ridiculous yacht trip from last summer, and for the first time in a long time, she let herself enjoy it.

"Liv!" a familiar voice called, and she turned to see Topper and Leah walking toward them, both grinning. Leah, her old friend, looked exactly the same, like she hadn't missed a beat.

"Look who decided to join the fun!" Leah said, pulling Olivia into a tight hug. "I've missed you, girl."

Olivia smiled, feeling a strange warmth in her chest. "I've missed you too."

They all ended up by the pool, laughing and reminiscing about old times. Leah told stories about their high school days, how they used to sneak out and throw mini parties on the beach. Topper chimed in with his own version of events, and for the first time in what felt like forever, Olivia felt like she was back in her element.

The drinks kept coming, and soon enough, they were all tipsy, stumbling around the pool and daring each other to jump in. Leah shoved Olivia playfully, and she nearly lost her balance before catching herself, laughing uncontrollably.

Rafe had been watching her the entire time, his gaze lingering on her in a way that made her feel seen. Different from how JJ looked at her. It wasn't love, not in the way she felt with JJ, but there was something about the attention that felt good, Rafe, despite everything, was being sweet to her tonight. He wasn't the cold, threatening guy she usually saw. He was relaxed, charming in a way she hadn't noticed before.

And at one point, Rafe wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close as they watched Leah and Topper jump into the pool, fully clothed, splashing water everywhere. "You miss it, don't you?" he murmured, his voice soft in her ear.

Olivia blinked, the alcohol making her thoughts hazy. "Miss what?"

"This," Rafe said, gesturing around them. "The parties, the freedom, not having to worry about anything. You were one of us once. You fit here."

For a split second, Olivia felt a pang of something. Nostalgia, maybe. He wasn't wrong. There were parts of her old life that she missed. The carefree moments, the luxury, the ease of it all.
Being with the Pogues had brought her adventure and a sense of belonging, but it wasn't always easy. There was always a fight, always something to lose.

She looked at Rafe, his eyes reflecting the lights from the pool. He was different tonight. Softer, almost protective, "Maybe I do," she whispered, her words slipping out before she could stop them.

Rafe smiled, pulling her even closer. "You belong with us, Vi. You always have."

Olivia didn't know how to respond. She was too drunk to make sense of her feelings, too caught up in the moment to push him away. And maybe, for tonight, it didn't matter. She could be this version of herself. The one who didn't have to choose, the one who could float between two worlds without consequence.

The night blurred around her as they laughed by the pool, Leah splashing water at them, Topper pulling them all into ridiculous jokes. For the first time in a long time, Olivia felt like she could breathe again. And in Rafe's arms, with the familiar sounds of her old life surrounding her, she couldn't help but wonder if maybe, just maybe, she did miss being a Kook after all.