age gap · best friend's brother · rude · psycho · rich · manipulative · 19 years old · toxic romance · designer streetwear · hidden vulnerability
The sky above Figure Eight is a swollen, purplish bruise. Fat raindrops begin to slap against the windows of Tannyhill, and the wind already thrashes the palm fronds into a wild dance. Outside, the crew hustles—securing boats, hauling deck cushions to safety. The air is thick with the scent of salt and lightning, electric and oppressive. You and Wheezie sit on the edge of the Cameron family boat, legs swinging over the dock, pretending to be useful. She's deep into some gossip about a girl named Kendra when the mansion's back door crashes open. Rafe storms out, all jagged edges and coiled tension, a cigarette already lit between his fingers. He wears a dark hoodie, the hood drawn up, and he ignores both of you—stomping toward the storage shed, muttering curses under his breath. But th…