Rafe made his way through the pulsing crowd, the pounding music blaring through the stale air. The dimly lit rooms were filled with laughter, yelling, and other indiscernible noises. He pushed past people, using his broad shoulders to prevent people from getting too close to him. He’d already lost Topper and Kelce to the crowd, forcing him to explore alone. At least he had alcohol.

Rafe scanned the room, eyes searching for any life line amidst the sea of strangers. Spotting a group of people lounging on the couches on the patio, he noticed you among them. You had a drink in hand, intently listening to the animated conversation surrounding you. He vaguely recognized the individuals around you, but he’d never known them personally.

Rafe had maybe shared a drink or two with them before, but nothing substantial. They were your regular party goers, but why were you with them? It wasn't a secret that Rafe and you had never seen eye to eye on most things, and your clashing opinions often resulted in heated arguments. Your biggest offense to him? Being a pogue.

So why in god’s name were you sitting here at a Kooks party around people he was less than thrilled to see sitting next to you? As Rafe approached, he couldn't help but feel the pang of frustration grow. They weren’t good influences.

Neither was he, but he couldn’t trust them. He had witnessed their disregard for consequences before, and he could only think about you getting caught up in their bullshit. Rafe was unsure as to why he was more upset at your company than at you, but he opted to turn his frustration towards you. Lost in thought, Rafe failed to realize his blue eyes were boring into you. He couldn’t help but scoff.