The Fine Line - Rafe Cameron

Chapter Four

The morning after Midsummers, Alexandra's hangover was a painful reminder of the weekend's chaos. As she pushed herself up in bed, memories swirled back—dancing, laughing with Sarah, and, of course, Noah being the worst date ever. But one moment stood out more vividly than the rest: her encounter with Rafe in his backyard.

For a while, she had doubted whether it had all been a dream. Yet the memory solidified—Rafe's concerned expression, his uncharacteristically earnest gaze. Yes, it had happened.

The next day, she finally confided in Sarah about Noah, careful to leave out the part where Rafe had witnessed everything. Sarah listened intently, apologizing profusely and swearing she'd stay out of Alexandra's dating life for good.

Now, a few days had passed, and every time Alexandra walked or drove past the Camerons' house, she found herself glancing over at the driveway, hoping to catch a glimpse of Rafe's bike. It hadn't been there for days, and each time disappointment washed over her, raising questions that nagged at her mind. Why did she keep looking? What was she hoping to find?

As she made her way downstairs, a peaceful silence enveloped her, a welcome change after the storm that had swept through the Outer Banks, leaving behind a crisp, clear sky. Her family was away on a camping trip—something she couldn't be bothered with. You couldn't pay Alexandra to spend a week in a tent getting bitten by mosquitoes, so they left without her, leaving $100 on the kitchen counter and a promise for her to be "on her best behavior."

Which, of course, was not going to happen.

She had spun a convenient lie about spending the weekend with the Camerons, freeing herself to throw the party she'd been eagerly planning. It was the perfect chance to let loose, especially after the disaster that was Midsummers.

Sarah was in charge of the invites, JJ and John B were supplying the alcohol, Kiara brought the playlist, and Pope...well, Pope was showing up.

That afternoon, Sarah arrived, dragging a bag full of slutty clothes that she hid deep in her closet away from Rose.

Dropping the bag on Alexandra's bed, Sarah began sifting through the outfits. "I need to find a top that makes John B wanna give me his John D," she giggled, holding up a sparkly crop top with a mischievous grin.

"Gross," Alexandra cringed, picking out a yellow lace top.

She walked into her bathroom and began arranging her makeup on the counter. "Did you send the invites out this morning?"

"Yeah," Sarah replied, stretching out on Alexandra's bed. "I invited the entire island, basically."

Alexandra shot her head out of the bathroom door, eyes wide. "What?"

"Well, don't leave me in charge of a party if you don't want it to be huge," Sarah chuckled.

"Oh dear God," Alexandra groaned, pressing her fingers to her temples. "My parents are gonna kill me."

"I doubt everyone will show up," she added nonchalantly, waving her hand in the air. "You're fine."

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As the sun dipped below the horizon, the once-quiet house transformed into a lively party, brimming with people mingling, dancing, and drinking. Alexandra maneuvered through the crowd in her living room, gripping an empty tequila bottle tightly in her hand.

Finally reaching the kitchen, she let out a long, exasperated sigh. The entire island had indeed shown up; there wasn't a corner of her house that wasn't overflowing with people. Her eyes landed on JJ, leaning casually against the counter, drink in hand, a grin spreading across his face as he chatted up a group of girls.