𝔅𝔬𝔯𝔫 𝔱𝔬 𝔡𝔦𝔢 - Rafe Cameron

⑦

...

Jazmine and Sofia settled in at the bar, drinks in hand, both easing into the kind of laughter that felt effortless and freeing.

Sofia grinned, stirring her drink as she began her story. "I swear, he literally threw his glass on the floor just because of an olive. I don't know what he expected—one minute he's calm, and the next, bam! The glass is in pieces, and he's losing his mind over a garnish."

Jazmine shook her head, laughing. "These rich kids are insane. The things that set them off..."

Sofia tilted her head thoughtfully. "Honestly, though? I was surprised when I heard you're a Pogue too. You don't seem like one."

Jazmine rolled her eyes playfully. "Oh, please. Don't even get me started with that 'Kook' and 'Pogue' nonsense. It's all so... ridiculous, really."

Sofia shrugged, though she still looked amused. "Fine, fine. But I really did think you were born rich, you know?"

"Oh no," Jazmine chuckled, "I'm not from here. But if I were, I'd definitely be a Pogue. No doubt about it."

"Funny, though," Sofia said, looking her over as if seeing her differently. "You totally look the part of a Kook. You've got that effortless, put-together look, like you could fit right in at the country club."

Jazmine let out a laugh, rolling her eyes. "Trust me, it's not me. I just... you know, I've worked with Rafe, and I've saved up a bit. And ever since we started dating, he's been—well, he spoils me. So maybe I do look the part now, but it's not because of how I was raised."

Sofia nodded, a curious look in her eyes. "Do you actually like it here?"

Jazmine hesitated, glancing down at her drink as if the answer might be hidden at the bottom of the glass. "Yeah... it's... it's fine, I guess," she finally said. She wasn't sure how much she wanted to open up, but seeing Kiara confide in Sarah always made her feel like maybe friendships were meant to work that way.

Sofia picked up on the pause, her eyes softening as she leaned in slightly. "Have you ever thought about leaving?"

Jazmine nodded, laughing softly, though there was a hint of something deeper in her eyes. "Yeah, actually. When I first got here two years ago, I didn't like it at all. The people were strange, the whole place felt... different. I remember being so ready to leave, like I couldn't take another day here. I was this close to packing up and leaving it all behind."

Sofia's brows lifted in surprise. "But you didn't?"

"No." Jazmine smiled softly, almost as if the memory were a bit sweet now. "Rafe convinced me to stay. And my sister and her friends... they kept me grounded."

Sofia's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "You hang out with her friends?"

"'Hang out' is a big word," Jazmine chuckled. "I mostly go to see her, but they all live together in this big house they call 'Poguelandia.' I teased Kiara that it sounded silly, but she explained it's the name they came up with when they were stranded at sea. It's actually kind of sweet."

Sofia smiled. "It is sweet. And now you're all close?"

"Yeah. I see Kiara more often, so I've gotten to know them, and they're actually great people. Some of them more than others," she added with a small grin, "but in general, they're all cool."