Rafe began to stir in his sleep, feeling the warmth of another body nestled against him. As he slowly opened his eyes, the early morning light filtered softly through the curtains, illuminating the room in a gentle, golden hue. His first thought was of Allison. The realization that she was still in his arms brought a small smile to his lips—a rare expression for someone who was so often guarded, even in private.

At some point during the night, Allison had shifted in her sleep. Rafe remembered falling asleep with her head resting on his chest, her heartbeat softly resonating against him. Now, she was turned away, her back pressed against him, and his arm was wrapped protectively around her waist. Her fingers were still intertwined with his, as though even in sleep, she wanted to hold on to him. He gazed at her for a few minutes, his thumb gently tracing the curve of her cheek, marveling at how peaceful she looked, how vulnerable. It was a side of Allison he rarely saw, and it stirred something deep within him—a tenderness he had never felt for anyone else.

Allison murmured softly in her sleep, a barely audible sound that made Rafe's heart clench with a mix of affection and uncertainty. She stirred slightly, stretching as she began to wake. Her eyes fluttered open, still hazy with sleep, and she turned her head to face him. For a moment, they simply looked at each other, their expressions soft in the quiet intimacy of the morning.

"Morning, princess," Rafe murmured, his voice low and rough from sleep. The nickname, once a teasing moniker, now carried a weight of affection that surprised even him.

Allison hummed in response, a sleepy smile playing on her lips. "Morning," she mumbled, her voice warm and drowsy.

She yawned, stretching herself out before rolling over to face him fully. Now, only inches apart, they shared a quiet moment of contentment, their breaths mingling in the space between them. Allison reached up, her fingers brushing against his cheek, and Rafe instinctively leaned into her touch.

"Did you sleep well?" she asked, her voice still thick with the remnants of sleep but tinged with genuine curiosity.

Rafe's smile widened, his hand moving to brush a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "I did," he replied honestly, his thumb continuing its gentle caress along her cheek. "Did you?"

Allison nodded, a more pronounced smile curving her lips. "Yes. I'm starting to like this," she admitted her tone playful but with a seriousness that didn't go unnoticed.

"Sleeping with me?" Rafe asked, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth.

Allison's smile softened, her eyes locking onto his. "Waking up next to you," she corrected, her voice laced with a sincerity that made Rafe's chest tighten. There was something raw and real in her words, something that cut through all the noise in his head.

She leaned in, closing the small distance between them to press a tender kiss to his lips. It was meant to be a quick kiss, a good morning gesture, but as soon as their lips met, the familiar pull between them intensified. What started as a brief connection deepened into something more. Rafe's hand found its way to her waist, pulling her closer as their kiss became more passionate.

Allison responded eagerly, shifting her position until she was straddling him, her legs on either side of his hips. The feel of her so close, the warmth of her body against his, sent a rush of desire through him, and he deepened the kiss, his hands sliding up her thighs to grip her firmly.

Just as the heat between them began to build, a knock on the door shattered the moment. They both froze, their lips still barely touching, as they heard Kie's voice on the other side of the door.

"Hey, Allison, are you awake?" Kie's voice was muffled by the door, but the tension it brought into the room was palpable.

Allison's eyes widened in panic. "Shit," she whispered, quickly pulling away from Rafe. She scrambled off the bed, glancing around the room as if trying to figure out what to do. "Get into the bathroom," she hissed urgently, tossing his clothes at him in a hurried frenzy.

Rafe moved quickly, grabbing his clothes and slipping into the bathroom just as Allison pulled on her night robe. The door closed with a soft but decisive thud, leaving Allison alone to face her sister. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart, and walked toward the bedroom door.

She opened it slightly, just enough to peek her head out. "Hey, I was in the bathroom," she lied smoothly, forcing a casual tone into her voice.

Kie gave her a once-over, her eyes narrowing slightly in suspicion. "Oh, okay," she said slowly, before stepping inside. "I just wanted to talk to you about something."

Allison's stomach twisted with anxiety, but she kept her expression neutral. "About what?" she asked, though she already had a sinking feeling she knew what was coming.

Kie hesitated for a moment, her gaze searching Allison's face. "First, promise me you'll be honest," she finally said, her voice serious.

Allison furrowed her brows in confusion, though her heart pounded in her chest. "Um, okay. About what?"

Kie took a deep breath as if steeling herself for the confrontation. "Is it true that you're sleeping with Rafe?"

The question hung in the air like a bomb, and for a split second, Allison felt her world tilt on its axis. She let out a nervous laugh, trying to buy herself some time. "Where did you hear that?"

"His sister, Sarah, told me," Kie replied, her voice devoid of the usual venom but heavy with concern.

Allison's mind raced, cursing Sarah silently for her loose tongue. "I thought you didn't like her," she deflected, trying to shift the focus.

Kie's expression hardened slightly. "Well, we made our peace, and then she told me she saw you at the Midsummer's party with Rafe, looking like you just had sex," she said, her voice edged with accusation. "And you were out all night. Was that 'friend' you mentioned Rafe?"

Allison felt her stomach drop. She could feel the walls closing in around her. "That's insane," she protested weakly, knowing how unconvincing she sounded.

"Where were you for like half an hour at the party then? I was looking for you, but I couldn't find you," Kie pressed, her voice rising with frustration.

Allison opened her mouth to respond, but her mind was blank. She could feel the lie slipping away, the truth clawing its way to the surface. "You seriously believe her?" she asked, trying to buy herself more time.

"Why would she lie? It's her brother," Kie shot back, her eyes boring into Allison's with an intensity that made her want to shrink away.

"Who is she to go around saying stuff like that?" Allison muttered, her irritation flaring up. She was angry at Sarah, at Kie, at herself for getting caught.

"She only told me. It's not like she told Jordan. Imagine how that would end," Kie said, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper.

Allison's blood ran cold at the mention of Jordan. "Shut up, Kie," she snapped, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and anger.

Kie looked at her in confusion, taken aback by the sudden outburst. "Why? Do you want me to tell him how you're sleeping with Rafe too?" she challenged, her voice laced with venom.

Before Allison could respond, the bathroom door opened and closed with a loud thud. Rafe stepped out, his expression a mixture of anger and hurt. He had heard everything.

Kie's eyes widened in shock as she took in the sight of Rafe standing in her sister's bedroom. It was like a nightmare come to life, the enemy inside her home. "What the hell?!" she exclaimed, her voice rising in disbelief.

But Rafe's attention was solely on Allison, his eyes blazing with a fury that made her flinch. "You're sleeping with a Pogue?" he spat, his voice low and dangerous.

"Rafe..." Allison whispered, her heart-shattering at the look in his eyes.

"Just tell me the truth, Allison," Rafe demanded, stepping closer to her, his voice rough with betrayal. The hurt in his eyes was palpable, and it cut through her like a knife.

Allison shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "I did," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Rafe let out a harsh, bitter laugh. "So that's why you wanted us to be a secret," he said, his voice dripping with bitterness. "So the Pogues know you sleep with him, but I'm a secret? Why? Do you like him more? Does he fuck you better?" His voice cracked with emotion, and when Allison didn't immediately respond, his anger boiled over. "Does he!?"

"Get out of my house, you asshole," Kie yelled, but Rafe and Allison both ignored her, locked in their own world of pain and betrayal.

Allison flinched at the venom in Rafe's words, a tear slipping down her cheek. She shook her head frantically. "It's not like that," she tried to explain, but the words felt hollow even to her.

Rafe nodded slowly, his expression hardening as he seemingly forced himself to shut off the pain. "Mhm," he muttered, his voice devoid of the warmth it once held. His eyes, now cold and distant, bore into hers with a detachment that made Allison's heart constrict painfully. It was as though he had just decided to close the door on whatever they had, without a second thought.

He shook his head, as if to rid himself of any remaining emotion, and took a step back. "I don't want to see you again," he said flatly, his words like a death sentence to Allison's hopes.

"Rafe, wait!" Allison's voice cracked as she reached out toward him, her desperation clear. But he didn't stop. He brushed past Kie, who was still standing in shock and walked out of the room without a backward glance.

Allison stood frozen for a moment, her mind reeling from the shock of what had just happened. She heard the front door slam, followed by the roar of Rafe's motorcycle as it sped away, the sound growing fainter until it was swallowed by the distance.

Kie stood behind her, arms crossed and face tight with mixed emotions—part satisfaction, part regret. "So it's true," she said.

Allison's world felt like it was crumbling around her. The anger she had managed to hold at bay now erupted. "Fuck you, Kie! I fucking hate you!" she screamed, her voice breaking as she shoved her sister out of her way. She didn't care about the tears streaming down her face; she didn't care about anything except the unbearable pain in her chest.

"Do you seriously like him?" Kie asked, following after her despite Allison's clear desire to be left alone.

Allison spun around, her eyes blazing with a mix of anger and despair. "So what if I do?" she shot back, her voice trembling.

Kie looked at her like she didn't recognize the person standing before her. "He's a drug addict and a psychopath, Allison."

Allison let out a bitter laugh, the sound harsh and grating. "Like your friends are any better."

Kie's face twisted in offense. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"JJ carries a gun with him wherever he goes. At least Rafe never threatened to kill someone," Allison spat, her words laced with bitterness.

Kie's mouth dropped open in shock. "Wow, this is a new level of craziness even for you," she remarked, her voice thick with disbelief.

"Don't talk to me ever again," Allison snapped, storming into her room and slamming the door in Kie's face. She slid down against the door, her head resting on her knees as she wrapped her arms around herself, trying to hold herself together. The tears came harder now, her body shaking with the force of her sobs. Everything had been going perfectly until Kie barged in and ruined it all.

Allison spent the rest of the day in her room, too heartbroken to do anything but cry. She tried sending Rafe a few messages, apologizing and begging him to let her explain, but he didn't even open them. The silence on his end was deafening. It felt like she was being shut out, left alone to drown in the mess she had created.

In her desperation, she messaged Jordan, telling him she couldn't see him anymore, and that she didn't want anything more than friendship. He was confused and hurt, asking if he had done something wrong, but she brushed him off with the classic line, "It's not you, it's me."

・ • ・ • ・

The following days were a blur of tension and avoidance. Allison refused to speak to Kie, and the atmosphere in the house was thick with unspoken resentment. Kie's parents noticed something was off, but neither sister wanted to explain. Instead, Allison found solace at Jessica's, her only true friend in the chaos her life had become.

At Jessica's, Allison poured her heart out, confessing everything about Rafe, Jordan, and the confrontation with Kie. They had a few drinks together, and for the first time in days, Allison allowed herself to relax. She did a line of coke, needed now more than ever to numb the pain.

When she returned home later that evening, she was shocked to find Kie, Kie's parents, and Jordan sitting in the living room as though they had been waiting for her.

She tried to walk past them, but her aunt's voice stopped her cold. "Allison," Anna called, her tone stern. "Come here."

Allison sighed heavily before turning to face them. "I hope you weren't waiting for me," she said, trying to sound nonchalant.

"We were," Anna replied, her voice leaving no room for defiance. She wasted no time getting to the point. "Can you explain to us what this is?" She reached over to the coffee table and tossed a small bag of cocaine onto it.

Allison's heart sank as she stared at the bag, all pretense of calm slipping away. She knew who had told them. "Uh, I don't know. Baking powder?" She tried to joke, but her voice lacked conviction.

Kie scoffed from where she sat, arms crossed tightly over her chest. "Yeah, I'm sure you've been baking your nose with it."

Allison shot her a murderous glare. "You shouldn't even be talking to me," she hissed, then turned her anger on Jordan. "And you—" She pointed an accusing finger at him. "You told them about this?" She waved the bag in the air, her frustration boiling over.

Jordan opened his mouth to defend himself, but Kie cut him off. "No, I told them," she admitted, her voice firm. "I wasn't sure if I should believe him, but considering who you've been hanging with, I had to check."

Allison laughed bitterly, her gaze cutting through Kie like a knife. "Who I've been hanging with," she repeated mockingly. She knew Kie was talking about Rafe.

"Kie told me everything," Jordan finally spoke, his voice tinged with hurt.

"Oh, did she? Why am I not surprised?" Allison sneered, her anger masking the hurt she felt deep inside.

Anna's voice cut through the tension, sharp and unforgiving. "Allison, if we knew something like this would happen, we wouldn't have accepted you spending the summer here."

Allison nodded slowly, her face turning away as she processed her aunt's words. "Right."

"I know you were sent to boarding school because you were using it before," Anna continued, her voice carrying the weight of disappointment.

"I was never addicted to it," Allison defended herself, though her voice was weaker now. "I used it once at a party to relax, ease my mind, and forget about things."

Kie leaned forward, her eyes narrowing. "Forget about how you sleep with Rafe Cameron?" she challenged, her tone venomous.

Allison clenched her jaw, her eyes flashing with anger. "To forget that you were ever my sister, you fucking bitch."

"You know, I'm glad he heard our conversation," Kie fired back, her words hitting Allison like a punch to the gut.

Allison's fists clenched at her sides, her rage building to a dangerous level. "You don't even care how that affected me," she snapped, her voice shaking with the effort to hold back her tears.

"Like you don't care how it would affect Jordan," Kie retorted, standing up to confront her.

"Girls, let's just stop this," Anna interjected, her voice pleading for peace.

But Kie wasn't ready to back down. "No," she replied, her voice stronger than ever. "How it affected his feelings."

"Kie, seriously, stop," Jordan tried to intervene, his voice pained.

"His feelings?" Allison scoffed, turning her gaze to Jordan, who looked away. "That's why I told you I didn't want anything serious, so you wouldn't catch feelings."

"Just like you caught feelings for Rafe. Now you've lost them both," Kie shrugged, her voice dripping with false sympathy.

That was the final straw. Allison snapped. She lunged at Kie, slapping her hard across the face. The force of the blow shocked everyone in the room. Kie reacted immediately, grabbing Allison by the hair, and soon they were in a full-blown fight, clawing and pulling at each other in a vicious struggle.

The room erupted into chaos as Anna and Mike rushed to separate them. Jordan grabbed Allison, pulling her away as Kie's parents restrained their daughter. Both girls were breathing heavily, their faces flushed with anger and pain.

"I don't want to see you or hear from you ever again," Allison shouted, tears streaming down her face. "Do you understand?"

"Allison, I think you shouldn't live here anymore," Anna said, her voice cold and final.

Allison stared at her aunt, stunned by the finality of the statement. "Then where should I go?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"Back to New York," Kie answered, her tone devoid of any sympathy.

Allison shook her head, wiping away her tears with the back of her hand. "I don't want to go back there," she whispered, the words tasting like defeat on her tongue. She took a deep breath, her resolve hardening. "But fine, you won't see me again."

She turned to face Jordan, her voice softer now, but her words were laced with regret. "I'm sorry," she murmured, her voice trembling as she met Jordan's gaze. His eyes, filled with confusion and hurt, softened slightly at her apology, but it was clear that the damage had been done.

Without waiting for a response, Allison turned on her heel and walked out of the house, her footsteps echoing through the quiet halls. She didn't look back, even as the door slammed shut behind her, punctuating the end of what had once been a place of refuge. Her chest felt heavy, as if she were carrying the weight of every mistake she'd made, every lie she'd told. But she couldn't afford to fall apart now—she had to find somewhere to go, somewhere she wouldn't feel so completely and utterly alone.

Allison found herself heading toward Jessica's place, her mind replaying the events of the past few days like a broken record. By the time she arrived, her hands were trembling, her heart still racing with the aftermath of the confrontation. She rang the doorbell, her breath hitching as she waited. When the door finally opened, revealing Jessica's concerned face, Allison felt a wave of relief wash over her.

"Hey, Allison. Did you forget something?" Jessica asked, her tone light but her eyes full of worry.

Allison tried to smile, but it came out as more of a grimace. "No, but I kinda need a place to stay," she confessed, her voice breaking on the last word.

Jessica's expression shifted instantly, her concern deepening as she noticed the tears brimming in Allison's eyes. She didn't hesitate, pulling Allison into a comforting hug. "Come here," she said softly, closing the door behind her. "What happened?"

Allison leaned into the embrace, feeling some of the tension drain from her body. "Kie told her parents about the cocaine, and they found it in my room," she explained, her voice muffled against Jessica's shoulder. "Then we had a fight, and they told me I shouldn't live with them anymore."

Jessica pulled back slightly, her hands resting on Allison's shoulders as she looked her friend in the eye. "You can stay here for as long as you need," she said firmly, her voice full of reassurance.

Allison nodded, a small, grateful smile breaking through her tears. "Thank you," she whispered, feeling a flicker of warmth in the midst of the cold emptiness that had settled in her chest.

Jessica smiled back, her expression softening. "That's what friends are for," she replied, wrapping an arm around Allison's shoulders and leading her inside.

・ • ・ • ・

The next day, Allison lay on the bed in Jessica's guest room, staring blankly at the ceiling. The events of the previous day played over and over in her mind, making it hard to think of anything else. She had been at Jessica's for less than twenty-four hours, but already the familiar feelings of sadness and anger had begun to take over. The anger toward Kie for betraying her, the sadness for what she had lost with Rafe—all of it churned inside her, making it hard to focus on anything else.

Jessica knocked softly on the door before entering, her eyes filled with concern. "Hey, how are you holding up?" she asked, sitting down beside Allison on the bed.

Allison let out a heavy sigh, her gaze still fixed on the ceiling. "Barely," she admitted, her voice tinged with defeat.

Jessica reached out, taking one of Allison's hands in her own. "I hate seeing you like this," she said softly, her thumb rubbing soothing circles on the back of Allison's hand.

"I just don't know what to do," Allison confessed, finally turning her head to meet Jessica's gaze. "I don't want to go back to New York, and I don't want to keep imposing on you and Brandon."

"You're not imposing," Jessica reassured her, her voice gentle but firm. "We're happy to have you. And you'll figure things out. Just take it one day at a time, okay?"

Allison nodded slowly, appreciating Jessica's unwavering support. "Thanks, Jess," she said, her voice softening.

Jessica smiled warmly, squeezing Allison's hand. "Anytime. Now, how about we go out and do something fun? Get your mind off things for a bit," she suggested, trying to lift the mood.

"Yeah, that sounds good," Allison agreed, feeling a small spark of hope.

They spent the day shopping and having lunch at a beachside café, the sound of the waves providing a soothing backdrop to their conversation. For a while, Allison managed to push her troubles to the back of her mind, enjoying the simple pleasure of being with a friend. But as the sun began to set, the weight of her situation started to creep back in, making her feel heavy and tired.

When they returned to Jessica's house, Allison retreated to the guest room, the silence of the house amplifying the thoughts she had been trying so hard to avoid. She sat on the edge of the bed, her phone in hand, staring at the screen as if willing it to offer some kind of solution. She knew she had to reach out to Rafe one last time—she couldn't leave things as they were.

With a deep breath, she began typing a message, pouring out her heart in a way she hadn't before.

Allison: "Rafe, I know you're angry, and you have every right to be. I messed up. I should have been honest with you from the start. I ended things with Jordan because I realized how much you mean to me. I can't stop thinking about you. Please, just talk to me. I miss you."

She hit send before she could overthink it, her heart pounding in her chest as she stared at the screen, waiting for a response. But as the hours passed with no reply, her hope began to fade. The silence from Rafe was deafening, and it only deepened the ache in her heart.

・ • ・ • ・

RAFE'S P.O.V:

Rafe's world had been turned upside down ever since he found out about Allison's involvement with Jordan. The emotions that churned inside him—anger, disappointment, betrayal—were too overwhelming to process. He had retreated to an empty summer house he knew of, seeking solitude to escape from the chaos in his mind.

He had seen all of Allison's messages, but he didn't have the energy to open them, much less respond. What could she possibly say that would make things better? She had lied to him, betrayed him, and made him feel like a fool for opening up to her. And that hurt more than he was willing to admit.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. She had made him believe that what they had was real, that she cared about him. But all the while, she had been sleeping with a Pogue—a Pogue, of all people. It was like a slap in the face, a reminder of all the reasons he kept his guard up in the first place.

Desperate for a distraction, Rafe called up some of his friends and a couple of girls he had been messing around with before. If he couldn't numb the pain, he would drown it out with something else—anything else.

The night quickly turned into a blur of alcohol, drugs, and shallow flirtations. Two of the girls clung to him the entire time, eager for his attention. Normally, he would have enjoyed the validation, the power he held over them. But tonight, it all felt empty. Hollow.

He went through the motions, smiling and flirting, but his mind kept drifting back to Allison—the way she had looked at him that morning, the way she had kissed him like he was the only person in the world that mattered. It made him sick to think about how easily she had played him.

As the party wound down, Rafe found himself in the jacuzzi with the two girls, their laughter and teasing doing little to lift the dark cloud hanging over him. He didn't care about them, didn't care about any of it. But he let it happen, let them distract him from the pain gnawing at his insides.

When everyone else had left, the two girls stayed behind, their intentions clear. Rafe didn't hesitate. He let them take him to bed, let them use their bodies to numb the ache in his chest. But even as they touched him, even as he lost himself in the physical release, it was Allison's face that haunted him, her voice that echoed in his mind.

It was only when the house was finally quiet, the girls asleep beside him, that Rafe let himself feel the full weight of his emotions. Lying in the dark, his mind raced with thoughts of what could have been, of what he had lost. And for the first time in a long time, Rafe Cameron felt something he had never allowed himself to feel before: regret.