𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐅𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐃─𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬

two.

─☼☼☼─

𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝘽𝙊𝙉𝙀𝙔𝘼𝙍𝘿 𝙁𝙄𝙇𝙇𝙀𝘿 up about as fast as expected. The minute news of a party was released on the island ─ it spread like wildfire. 

Say what you will about the kids on the Outer Banks, one thing was for sure... they knew how to party. 

Now warmed beer sloshed around in Charlotte's cup as she lowered herself down on one of the logs, her eyes scanning the crowd. 

She didn't want him to be here. Not really. But for some reason, she was searching for him. 

"Charlotte, hey."

The voice came from next to her, and when she turned, her eyes landed on a tall dark haired boy. It was Caden Koffer, a Kook through and through. 

The first thing she thought as he sat down next to her was Rafe would lose his mind if he saw this ─ the two boys hated each other almost as much as Pogues and Kooks hated each other. 

The second thing she thought was Who the hell cares what Rafe would think?

"I heard you were back." Caden grinned, taking a quick sip of his beer. "But I haven't seen you around."

Charlotte shrugged, pushing a piece of hair out of her face. "I literally just got home. Haven't really had time to start the 'Welcome Home Tour.'"

Caden laughed, inching slightly closer to the Carrera girl. "I-uh- I heard about you and Cameron. It's a shame really." It was clear that that was literally the only reason he had approached her. Without Rafe in the picture, Charlotte likely seemed like free merchandise. 

What she wanted to do was visibly roll her eyes and tell Caden to fuck off. What she did instead was simply nod. "It's not a big deal. Shit happens."

His mouth was open, ready to say something that Charlotte likely didn't want to hear, when they were interrupted by two sun-kissed, Barbie-esque girls. 

"Cade, leave her alone." One of the girls ordered, her voice full of disdain. "Go harass someone else."

Charlotte stifled a laugh as Caden stood up, casting a glare in the direction of the new arrivals. "Fuck off, Kensington." He muttered, a withering glance directed at all three girls before he was stalking off into the crowd. 

"Bye, Cade!" Charlotte called after him, a false airiness to her voice. "Really nice talking to you!"

A series of giggles fell from the two girls Charlotte regarded as some of her closest friends. 

Kensington Lewis and Willa Connors, as JJ described, had about one good brain cell put together. But their utter lack of intelligence aside, they were pretty good friends. They had been there for Charlotte through the thick and thin since the first day of high school and had been the only Kooks aside from Rafe that Charlotte actually felt truly comfortable with. 

"You've been home for twelve hours and have yet to send us a single text." Willa spoke, daintily lowering herself onto the log next to Charlotte. "We're trying not to take it personally."

A small laugh fell from Charlotte's lips as she looked between the two girls. "Sorry, guys. I've just been... I don't know."

"Heartbroken?" Kensington offered, quirking a brow. "I mean Rafe has tried to sleep with half of the Figure Eight by this point. That can't feel very good."