The Lines We've Crossed

TWENTY-EIGHT

The girls' night at Heather's house begins with a cozy vibe, as Heather, Sarah, and Kiara lounge in her room, trying to find a way to pass the time. The three of them are in the middle of flipping through Netflix options when Kiara gets a call from JJ. She steps aside to answer, and her expression changes from excitement to concern as she listens to JJ vent about being stuck at home ever since his arrest.

"He's been trying to stay out of the house as much as possible," Kiara explains after hanging up. "All he wants is to be with his friends or work just to avoid dealing with his dad."

Hearing this, Heather gets an idea. "Hey, why don't we rally up the Pogues and have them sail over here to hang out in my backyard? We could go night swimming, get the fire pit going, make s'mores, and just redo that night before everything went to hell."

The suggestion immediately lifts the mood in the room. Sarah perks up, sitting cross-legged on Heather's bed. "I am sodown for night swimming," she says with a grin. Kiara's face lights up as she texts JJ about the plan.

"He's all for it," Kiara announces, her fingers still flying across her phone. "They'll be here in a bit. JJ just needs to 'acquire some alcohol,' as he put it."

Heather chuckles, pleased with how the night is coming together. "Perfect. I'll go tell Tyler and Rafe." She gets up and heads to Tyler's room, where the boys have been hanging out. As she approaches the door, she overhears Rafe talking on the phone, sounding frustrated about something.

"Barry's not picking up," Rafe mutters as he ends the call and throws his phone on the bed.

Heather knocks lightly on the door, stepping inside. "Hey, you guys up for a little backyard party?" she asks with a smile.

Tyler, lounging on the bed with his arms crossed, raises an eyebrow. "Tiny party? Who'd you invite?"

"Just the Pogues," Heather replies, leaning against the door frame. "They're bringing drinks, and I just turned on the lights in the backyard. We're gonna go night swimming, maybe roast some marshmallows by the firepit. You guys should join us."

Tyler nods in approval. "Sounds good to me. I'm down."

Heather looks over at Rafe, who's sitting on the edge of the bed, his shoulders tense. His frustration from earlier is still evident. She hesitates for a moment before approaching him. "You okay?" she asks softly.

Rafe shakes his head, not meeting her eyes. "I don't want to talk about it," he says, his voice low and irritated.

Heather doesn't push. She knows better than to pry when Rafe gets like this. "That's fine," she says gently, giving him space. "But you should still come outside with us. A little night swimming might help clear your head."

Rafe sighs and looks up at her, clearly battling with his thoughts. Tyler, noticing the tension between them, interjects with a playful nudge. "Come on, buddy, don't let her down. You need some fun."

Heather gives Rafe an encouraging smile, her eyes soft with understanding. She can see how much he's been struggling, and while she knows she can't solve his problems, she hopes the night could at least be a distraction.

Rafe finally relents. "Yeah... I guess," he says, though his voice lacks enthusiasm.

Heather brightens at his agreement, and Tyler smirks at his best friend. "This is gonna take some time to get used to," he teases, glancing between Heather and Rafe, sensing the tension that still simmers beneath the surface of their relationship.

With the plans in motion, Heather heads back to the living room to find Sarah and Kiara setting up blankets and cushions for later, the excitement for the night growing as they prepare. Soon, the sound of a boat engine hums in the distance, and the Pogues arrive at the dock by Heather's backyard.