The party was filled with kooks, and that uneasy feeling settled deep in your gut. JJ, always your rock, sat beside you, offering a rare sense of comfort in the sea of people you’d rather avoid.

You should have hated him. Everything about Rafe screamed trouble. He treated your friends, the pogues, like they were beneath him, and you had every reason to despise him. But no matter how much you wanted to, your eyes couldn’t stay off him.

From your spot with JJ, tucked away in a corner of the crowded summer house, you watched Rafe laugh with his friends like he didn’t have a care in the world. JJ noticed, nudging you sharply. “Don’t even think about it,” he muttered, leaning closer so only you could hear.

You blinked, snapping out of your trance. “What?” you asked, trying to act like you hadn’t just been staring at Rafe for way too long.

JJ gave you a knowing look, shaking his head. He turned you toward him, pointing a finger in the air like he was about to make one of his famous proclamations. “Rule number one: never trust a kook,” he said with certainty. Then he jabbed his finger in Rafe’s direction. “Especially that one.”

Before you could say anything, Rafe’s head turned sharply, his eyes finding the two of you through the crowd. His expression darkened, and you could feel the shift in the air.

“What did you just say?” Rafe’s voice rang out, cutting through the party noise. His tone was sharp, daring, and suddenly, you wished you could disappear into the floor.

Your heart skipped a beat as Rafe’s gaze locked onto you and JJ. His blue eyes narrowed, cutting through the crowd like a warning.

“Listen, if you wanna-” Rafe said, his voice dripping with arrogance. He shrugged off Topper’s grip, taking a few steps closer. He tilted his head, eyes burning into JJ. “If you wanna say some bullshit behind my back, why don’t you say it to my face?”

He slapped his palm against his cheek, taunting with that same smug grin. “Say it to my face.” His voice had dropped low.