Where currents Collide

word count: 2k

content warnings: alcohol use, verbal conflict, physical violence, public humiliation, brief mention of emotional manipulation, and tense interpersonal dynamics.

☼.⋆｡𖦹 °˖☼.⋆｡𖦹 °˖☼.⋆｡𖦹 °˖☼.⋆｡𖦹 °˖☼.⋆｡𖦹 °˖☼.⋆｡𖦹 °˖☼.⋆｡𖦹 °˖☼.⋆｡𖦹 °˖☼.⋆｡𖦹 °˖☼.⋆｡𖦹 °˖☼.⋆｡𖦹 °˖

Sarah's words stayed in my mind, and the more I thought about them, the clearer it became—I needed to talk to Rafe.

I grabbed my phone and called him. Usually, he picked up right away, but this time, he didn't. A flicker of confusion crossed my mind, especially after the night we'd just spent together. He'd been so caring, even if the details were blurry in my memory.

I tried calling again. Still no answer.

Maybe he was busy, I told myself, though the silence was starting to gnaw at me. Not even a text.

To distract myself from the spiral of overthinking, I started scrolling aimlessly through my apps, trying to convince myself it was nothing. There's no way he's mad at me... right?

As I scrolled aimlessly through Instagram, my thumb paused on a post about the big summer blowout at the country club. The flashy pictures and endless chatter jogged my memory—Jj and Pope would be working the event. Pope on food, Jj bartending. The thought clicked something into place.

I needed to go. And to get there, I'd have to ask the only Kook I knew who might help me: Sarah.

I glanced over at her, sitting on the couch, her eyes glued to her phone. Sliding over, I plopped down next to her, trying to keep my tone casual. "Hey, so I see everyone talking about the party tonight. Do you think I can tag along? I need to talk to Rafe. He's been ignoring me all day, and honestly, I don't even know why."

She sighed, lowering her phone and giving me a reluctant look. "I don't know if that's such a good idea," she said carefully. "He left the house this morning still pretty upset."

I frowned, confused. "Upset? About what?"

She shrugged, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "He didn't say much, but... it wasn't a great vibe. Look, I'll bring you as my plus-one since Pope, JJ, and Kie will be there, but maybe don't make a big scene with Rafe, okay?"

Relief washed over me. "Gotchu," I said quickly, already plotting my next move.

༄ ༄ ༄

As everyone buzzed around, getting ready for the party, the energy in the house felt charged. Dresses swished, doors creaked open and shut, and muffled music played from someone's phone in another room. I lingered in the hallway, unsure of what to do with myself, when I caught sight of Jj in the room.

He was standing in front of the mirror, buttoning up his suit jacket. The fabric fit him snugly, accentuating his sharp lines and easy confidence. He shifted, fixing his collar with a flick of his fingers, his blond hair just slightly tousled in a way that felt annoyingly effortless.

Even though I was still upset with him, my eyes betrayed me, lingering on him longer than I meant to. There was something magnetic about Jj in moments like this—when he wasn't trying too hard to be funny or reckless, just... existing.

I told myself I wasn't staring, not really. But the way my breath hitched when he ran a hand through his hair said otherwise. He caught me looking.

"Need something?" he asked, his tone casual, though the smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth made my cheeks heat.