5 days left ; Thursday ; 2 days until the party

"Kiara, you'll be in charge of making sure the moles don't get stuck in the hole; just press this button here to keep the game from restarting," Dean says as I take over the 'Wac-a-mole' game booth.

Rafe is nowhere to be found, running 10 minutes late, giving me hope that he won't show up.

As I recall Rafe nearly drowning me, the tightness in my chest grows. He's lucky Dean is here keeping an eye on us; otherwise, Rafe might not see tomorrow.

I was furious when Dean texted me to tell me I'd be working this shift with Rafe. Didn't he notice that we don't get along? Why put two lions in a cage knowing they'll fight?

I wanted to text Dean and apologize for not being able to make it, but I knew I had to make it up to him. I ruined his night when he had a chance to draw a larger crowd.

Charleston was a long way from Kildare Island, but it was well worth the trip. While I'm in town, I might as well make the most of it. It is unquestionably much easier to gain hard cash quickly.

As I begin to believe he won't show up, the weight on my shoulders begins to lift.

"I apologize for being late; I just had to drop Serena off at-"

Speak of the devil.

I turn around, my gaze locked on Rafe, his hand resting on the shoulder of a girl I assume is Serena.

"What the fuck is she doing here?" spits out Rafe. His piercing gaze fixed on me, his voice filled with hatred.

I thought he was aware that I would be present.

"Keep your mouth shut, wiseass. You already know why she's here. You understand why you're here as well." Dean says this while hurling a fair employee shirt at him.

"Do I? I wasn't the one who started the uproar." Rafe says this as he grabs the shirt.

"Work your shift or you'll be fired. Then you can run away with your little girlfriend, but don't think with your dick in the meantime ", Dean expresses his displeasure with Rafe's remarks.

As if on cue Serena walks away.

Dean's response makes me smirk. At the very least, I have someone on my side tonight.

Shit will be a lot easier tonight than I thought. The sooner this is over, the sooner I can persuade Dean to let me join another poker game.

Dean removes his nametag and unlocks the booth door.

"Fuck are you going?" I ask, confused as to why he was leaving.

"I'm not wasting a night like tonight for you two," Dean says as he starts walking away.

I mentally sigh as I press my lips into a thin line.

I take it all back; a night with the devil will be torturous.

"Thank you for ruining my date," Rafe says from behind me.

When I turn around, I see him leaning on a table, arms crossed.

I scoff slightly and begin to turn on the game and arrange the toy hammers.

"She seemed relieved to me," I mock him as I fiddle with the buttons, trying to warm them up.

"Yeah, I don't blame her for wanting to leave your presence," Rafe chuckles.

In annoyance, I bite my lower lip and close my eyes. He never gives up, does he?

You can never talk down to a Kook. It doesn't matter if you're correct. They always get what they want.

They dupe you into believing you're nothing more than trash, and then they dump you on the side of the road. Let's just say it will be more difficult to walk away if you get in their way.

I did everything I could not to turn around and beat the shit out of a murderer who was standing behind me.

I couldn't risk losing the money tonight. With the cash, I was almost halfway there. Tonight would be a bonus, along with the poker game a couple booths down that I'd be able to get into with my fake ID.

I wanted to respond, but I knew that if I just kept my mouth shut the entire night, it would go much faster.

A teenage boy approaches the booth and looks strikingly similar to John B, causing me to lose focus on chastising Rafe.

~Flashback~

"I hereby stand and anoint you, Kiara-" John B begins, but then pauses for me to tell him my middle name.

"Marie." I say this while trying to hide my laughter at John B's terrible attempt at a British accent.

"Kiara Marie Carrera. Kneeling before me, as I use this wooden sword to anoint you as the new Pogue member." John B says proudly, standing before me with his wooden sword.

I dramatically lower my head as he lightly touches the tip of the wooden sword to both of my shoulders.

"Here's to going full kook...Pogue-style!" JJ yells behind John B, causing me to leap to my feet and join him in laughter. JJ hands me a beer as we raise our glasses in toast.

I take a look around at the three boys who have made living on the Outer Banks bearable. I moved here not long ago, knowing no one and nothing. I'm now surrounded by friends who accepted me for who I was.

I was worried they would reject me because I was a 'kook.' But I was mistaken.

"You changed my life, Kie." JJ teases while holding his hand to his heart in a dramatic gesture.

"And you've gotten me kicked out of the house." I joke as I smile at him.

Pope and I share a side hug, and then JJ and Pope head outside to the bonfire near the hammocks.

As John B and I lounge on opposite sides of the Hammock, I notice Pope and JJ playfully wrestle near the fire.

I still remember the day when I confronted one of the Kooks who was trying to flirt with me. JJ and Pope were also in that class.

I saw JJ and Pope nod their heads in approval as soon as I put the Kook in his place. What happened after that is history.

As I watch them wrestle, I shake my head. "You're standing too close to the flames." I emphasize.

"They'll be fine, because A Pogue always seems to get too close to the fire. You'll get used to it, Kie." John B says while staring at me.

"That's risky." I say, returning my gaze to John B.

"Yes, in some cases. But you have to confront your demons in some way. Fighting fire with fire, you know?" John B says as he takes a sip of his beer.

"Should've told me that before I got myself into this." I tease him, I say, grinning.

John B shakes his head reassuringly. "Don't worry; take it as a learning experience. People say, "Don't fight fire with fire." But how are you going to learn to take a stand and give it your all when the opportunity arises?"

"Damn, I thought Pope was the one with the brains. Shakespeare thrown in for good measure, eh?" Smirking, I say.

"Mmm, you might want to double-check your sources on that, Kie," John B says, playfully nudging me with his foot.

I turn my gaze to the setting sun. He was correct; that was one of the lessons I learned while boxing. Something to think about and remember.

"You know, Big John would've been proud." I state.

John B gives me a slight smile. His eyes were filled with sadness. John B was strong. I admire his ability to persevere in life. Something I wish I possessed.

"Same for you," John B says.

I chuckle, not sure whether I was laughing at what he said or laughing at the thought of my parents accepting me.

I turn my head to the side, my mouth in an upward frown. "Mike and Anna? If it weren't for Sarah, I'd be at home right now, playing the 'perfect daughter' card. I stated that I was going to Sarah's house for a sleepover."

At the mention of Sarah's name, John B shifts on the hammack. He was aware that I was struggling in school.

"Screw them, you're not who they think you are. They want you to believe you are an outcast, but they are the outcasts. You're a pawn in their game, but we're all pawns in this game called life ", says John B.

"But it's up to us to make the right move."

I reflected on how I never really stood up for myself in school. I was terrified of the girls, and if I made the wrong move, I'd be the one in trouble.

That is why I chose to take up boxing. I let out all of my rage in the most effective way possible. Barry told me about the underground boxing under Byron's, and I decided to go there instead of to a Kook Party every Friday.

It allowed me to divert my attention away from life, and the best part was that I actually earned money.

"So tell me once more why you're not going to college. You're dumping so much information on me that I can barely keep up." I tease.

Looking out into the distance, John B sips his beer.

"I mean, I considered it, but I believe my father would have preferred that I do something for him. I don't think he's gone, at least not yet."

Since his father's death a few months ago, John B has been staying up late. Something was going through his mind as he kept looking out onto the ocean.

I've never lost someone in that way before, but seeing him in this state broke my heart.

It was incredibly difficult to lose a father. I remembered my father, and I knew I had to help him, pay Hart so my father wouldn't leave.

Nobody was aware of Hart's existence. Not even the Pogues. It was better that way, keeping them out of trouble and away from my father's shady business.

I wanted to tell them in the hopes that they would help me. But I was afraid they'd look down on me.

There was someone in the back of my mind who I couldn't place, but who I believe would understand and even help me.

If only I could connect the name to the empathetic trait.

"Hey love birds, come check this out, Pope's got himself a side chick! ," JJ yells, holding Pope's phone in the air, making it difficult for Pope to reach his phone.

John B and I exchange a glance before approaching the two boys.

~End of Flashback~

"Kie."

"Kie," I see someone snapping their fingers in my line of sight.

I quickly snap back to reality.

"Stop wasting your time drooling and get to work," Rafe groaned.

I blush, embarrased as I turn to face the John B lookalike.

"Sorry, I uh— you looked familiar," I apologize to the boy.

Rafe scoffs, but I ignore him.

The boy smiles "I get that a lot. No worries."

"How much does a round cost? I heard your prizes were pretty big. " the boy says, as he looks around for the price poster.

"Rafe, who was supposed to bring the poster, can assist you with that. But he was pretty busy before he arrived." I inform the boy.

Rafe blows his gum out and pops it, glaring at me while still leaning on the table, arms folded.

"You're lucky, I got kicked out of my booth for being late," the boy says to Rafe.

"Oh, that's a shame. It would've been nice if you'd been assigned to this booth; I would've covered for you." I state.

"I know, I'm always on time, so I lost that job. Well, not entirely ", the boy says, slightly smirking as he gives me a quick once-over.

I turn around when I hear a loud ripping of cardboard and see Rafe ripping off cardboard to make a sign.

"Where's a sharpie?" Rafe asks, his face bored.

"Up your ass."

I take a sharpie from the table beside me and hurl it at him.

"The fuck? Don't throw it at me, bitch", Rafe says as the sharpie hits him.

"I'm sorry, I assumed you had a killer instinct. You know that tingling sensation?" I say this because I want him to hear it.

"Peter tingle?" chuckles the John B lookalike.

"Mmm, not quite, Peter's the good guy," I tell him.

We share a laugh.

"Get lost, asshole," Rafe tells the boy, holding back his rage.

With a small grin, the boy raises his hands in surrender and winks at me.

As the boy starts walking away, he looks back and says, "I'll see you around-"

"Kiara."

"Good luck with flash over here," the boy says glancing at Rafe as he walks away.  A/N: if ykyk ;)

I feel skin slightly brush against my arm as I watch the boy walk away.

When I look to my right, I see Rafe attempting to position the sign at the far end of the booth. His presence behind me, leaving little space.

"Move," Rafe spits out as he struggles to balance the sign.

I backed up into him, causing him to drop the sign on the floor on the other side of the table.

"Really, Kie, really?" groans Rafe, his face irritated.

Rafe opens the booth door in order to retrieve the sign before it is trampled.

When a group of teenagers approach the booth, I hand each of them a hammer.

One of the boys recognizes me right away. "Hey, wait, aren't you the girl who stood up to that dickhead or some shit?" the boy asks.

Rafe overhears the boy's remark as he walks into the booth.

"I'm not sure about stood up. Made a valid point." I respond to the boy.

"Shit, he deserved it then," says the boy.

"Hey, you're not playing the game right, I'll show you," Rafe says as he takes the boy's hammer and begins hitting the moles so hard that I had to monitor the buttons to make sure it didn't override.

When Rafe has finished knocking down all of the moles, he returns the hammer to the boy. The game begins to malfunction, and I try pressing every button to prevent the game from crashing.

"Shit, shit, shit! You're going to destroy this!" I exclaim angrily at Rafe.

"That's on you. You break everything you touch, leaving them behind" Rafe sneers.

I stand in front of Rafe, sizing him up. "You're one to talk. Did your mother teach you that? " I mutter angrily through my teeth.

Rafe looks at me his eyes storming to a grey color, leaning his face closer, looking me dead in the eye. It was scary.

"John B was a bad influence on you; should've listened to your parents." Rafe seethes.

"You should-

"Hey! You two, snap out of it or you're fired!" Dean exclaims as he steps between us.

"Kiara, I told you to keep your cool, and here you are breaking the rules once again!" Dean says, disappointedly looking at me.

"It's almost as if if you don't want the money, I can just give it to Rafe," Dean says.

"As if he isn't already rich as fuck," I mutter to myself.

Due to our close proximity, Dean was able to hear me. Dean pinches the bridge of his nose in frustration.

Dean was one of my closest friends. He was almost like a big brother to me. When I met him at the boxing ring, we bonded over Poker. His brother was one of the fighters' trainers, so we met there.

I didn't want to irritate him because of Rafe, but I couldn't stop myself from hating Rafe. Even if I tried, I couldn't stop it.

is that so?

If I screwed up tonight, Dean and his business would be over. I couldn't stand in the way of that.

I mentally braced myself to cooperate with Rafe. I had to give it a shot. For my father.

"Jude was fired a few minutes ago for being late, and I'll call him to work with you both. If someone else here can't put a stop to your nonsense, I don't know what will." Dean states.

As if on cue, Jude was spotted in the distance, so Dean summoned him to our booth.

Dean tells Jude, "I need you to work here with Rafe and Kiara."

Jude appears relieved "I'm down. However, my booth over there pays more." Jude says as he gestures to the location of his booth.

Excitement washes over me as I hoped to work in his booth with him for better pay.

Dean looked at me thinking about it, "Kiara, go with Jude to his booth-

"I don't know how to operate the machine," Rafe admits to Dean.

"Rafe, it's common sense," Dean tells Rafe.

"I thought the same thing until Kiara kept messing with the buttons," Rafe says, smirking.

Dean whips his head towards me. I slouch in defeat, Dean's going to fire me any minute now.

"Don't mess with the buttons, Kiara. Did you not listen to me?" Dean scolds.

"Stay because you know how to use the machine. Jude, please return in 10 minutes." Dean says.

"There's no way you don't know how to operate this," I say to Rafe.

"I do. I just didn't want to see you get a bigger check" Rafe admits.

"No sympathy? There's no point in coming here if your father has a few hundred dollars lying around." I say this while looking at Rafe.

"You think money grows on trees? I have to work in order to earn money. Being a waitress hasn't taught you that?" Rafe bickers back.

"If there's one thing I've learned, it's that hard work pays off. I don't require being spoon-fed with a golden spoon" I tell Rafe, the tension in the air rising.

"What can I say? You've gotten the best of both worlds. So, how's that working out for you? Aren't your parents exhausted? "Rafe questions me mockingly.

I turn to face Rafe, ready to chastise him, but quickly realize that it's pointless.

Rafe Cameron is a difficult man to silence. Whatever you do, he'll come after you even harder, tearing you apart in no time.

Wasn't that something you were amused by?

Something about Rafe Cameron drew me in and made me want to keep tearing him down. But I didn't understand why I couldn't stop.

As the night progressed, more people stopped by our booth to play our game.

I was grateful for the company of other strangers who could keep Rafe and I occupied and not at each others throats.

I began to appreciate my surroundings. I'd never been to a fair before, so coming down here and being at the fair was a treat to say the least.

I inhaled the aromas of the various concessions nearby, which made my mouth water. If only Rafe had been a gentleman and allowed me to grab a bite to eat.

I watch as the teenagers who had come and gone played our game. They're not worried about anything; they're just having fun and letting loose.

I was envious of them. They were with their friends, all together, with no one missing but a complete picture.

My life has never been a whole. I have no idea what that would be like. Despite the fact that I see it all around me, I can't help but wonder if no one has a complete picture.

Everyone's picture has a splatter of paint on it. Because it is so small, it can be difficult to see at times.

The larger the splutter, the more noticeable it is. Looking around, everyone's painting appeared to be flawless. However, as the day draws to a close, people begin to gradually withdraw their hands, revealing their differences with one another.

Maybe if we weren't so afraid of hiding the splatter, we'd be able to come together, share our differences, share our paintings, and proudly display it all on a white wall of new beginnings.

I wish I could have presented this analogy when we needed it the most. I wish I could make this into a movie of some kind, anything to break down the hierachy of Kooks vs. Pogues.

It was heartbreaking to see how someone's death was the only thing that brought us together. Not that it was bad, but it was the unfortunate reality of drawing attention to what needed to be fixed.

We need to rely on one another. We needed to grow as a community by lifting each other up rather than tearing each other down. Tearing each other down will never be a solution to the problem that has been presented to us. However, we are so blind to see it because of our human pride in wanting to be better.

I'm speaking from a bird's eye perspective. I'm not only speaking out about what I see in others, but also about what I see in myself.

By becoming a Pogue, I attempted to crack the system, if not break it. But it was pointless. I didn't join the Pogues to make a statement; rather, I joined because I saw hope and acceptance in those three boys.

Because of the Pogues, I saw a light at the end of the tunnel.

I feel a hand gently tap the back of my head, jolting me back to reality.

"Stop slacking and get to work." Rafe says as he hands a hammer to a young boy.

And we're back.

As a few kids begin to hit the moles, I keep an eye on the buttons. Their parents were directing them, attempting to help their child outperform the other children.

In some ways, I could relate to that. My parents wanted me to be like the other Kooks. To blend in and follow the crowd.

That was not something I desired. I wanted to express myself however I saw fit. I couldn't understand why my parents weren't on board with it.

That was one of the things that perplexed me about parents in general. They want to breathe their fantasy into you, making you live their dream rather than yours.

But I guess we all had one thing in common as Kooks and Pogues: our parents wanted us to be better.

That was something we all had in common. But we never said anything because we were all putting on a mask of who we weren't to hide who we really were.

"Kiara?" I hear someone ask, and I look into sea green eyes.

A sight for sore eyes. Finally, someone I can get along with.

Quentin and I have gotten along since our- our little thing at Barry's place.

Quentin smirks, "Fancy seeing you here."

I try to remain calm. "Yeah, uh, the fair pays well," I say, mentally facepalming myself for how stupid I sounded.

In response, the tan boy chuckles.

That laugh, q-tip not right now.

I sense a presence beside me. "What's up, Rafe? This doesn't appear to be your type of venue." Quentin acknowledges.

"Ditto. Isn't football practice scheduled for tonight?" Rafe asks Quentin.

"Nah, I wasn't going to miss the fair for practice," Quentin says, running his hand through his hair.

I clenched my hand lightly because I wanted to run my hand through his soft locks like a little bitch.

"I'd do anything to go on a ride." I look at Quentin, trying to take my mind off the attractive young man in front of me.

Quentin looks out at the rides in the distance, "Bet, I'll take you, Rafe can cover for you," Quentin says, looking in between Rafe and I.

Before Rafe could respond, Jude stepped in to save the day. "I'll cover for you, MJ, because Peter here is too much of a wuss to," Jude says as he sips a beer.

I look at Rafe as I open the door and make my way out, letting him know that he lost. "Oh, don't be a bitch Rafe, a girl has to have her fun every once in awhile." I say.

Rafe looked at Quentin, his eyes flashing a deep blue before quickly fading.

"If that's what you call fun, be my guest," Rafe says as he closes the door I opened.

Quentin and I walk away towards a concession stand.

Rafe's POV:

Kiara decided to run away with her little man whore, leaving me here with Jude.

"Walk it off Rafe, she'll be back. Unless you're the jealous boyfriend type?" Jude asks me.

I scoff. "You fucking with me? Kiara means nothing to me." I tell Jude, hatred on my tongue as I say her name.

Jude looks at me intently, his eyes squinting.

"Fuck you looking at, prick?"

"Calm your balls, son. It's not like she isn't coming back. Besides you're getting paid anyway so what's your problem anyways?" Jude bites back.

It was eerie how similar he looked to John B, causing me to do a double take.

The fair had died down a little, leaving our booth with fewer customers.

I was eager to get my pay from Dean so that I could get out of here as soon as possible.

"How long have you known each other?" Jude asks referring to Kiara.

"Long enough." I say, wanting to quit the small talk. This wasn't about to be fucking 20 questions.

I hear a 'mmm' from Jude.

The John B lookalike standing next to me conjured up images of Sarah in my mind.

You did it.

Look what you've done.

She's gone now.

I hit my head with my hands in an attempt to silence the voices in my head. I was in desperate need of a joint right now.

Kiara and I's banter did nothing to alleviate the immense pressure that was already pressing down on me.

She only made matters worse by reminding me of my crimes.

I've come to the conclusion that It'll never end. I sigh in frustration as I approach and face reality.

I didn't mean to. I don't want the entire world against me. In those moments, I didn't know who I was. I don't even know who I am anymore. What am I doing here?

Why can't I silence these voices? Why can't she just shut up and let me speak? Why can't anyone hear me and allow me to speak?

She has.

Kiara's POV:

I was having the time of my life with Quentin; we were on a rollercoaster ride and were nearing the top before going down.

I'm a huge fan of rollercoasters. The anticipation at the top before your stomach drops and the wind hits your face as you descend.

Before the drop, I felt Quentin grab my hand. As he squeezes my hand and lets out a manly scream, I laugh.

"You should've told me you hated rollercoasters before you made my ears bleed!" I say to Quentin, laughing.

Quentin blushes with embarrassment as I laugh at how cute he looked with his hair all over the place.

"Yeah, yeah, keep laughing," Quentin says, a small grin on his face.

As our safety bar rises, I take his hand in mine and lead him to the ice cream stands.

"Rocky road, please!" I ask the ice cream server.

I turn to look at Quentin after hearing him chuckle. "What?" I ask. "I just assumed you'd go with some girly shit like strawberry." Quentin explains.

I furrow my brows. "I was under the impression that guys like you wouldn't scream like that back there." I tease him by nudging him.

"Aww, look at little Q pretending to be tough. He actually enjoys strawberries ", the ice cream server says abruptly.

Q casts a playful glance at the ice cream server. "Come on, I was on a roll." Quentin explains.

The server scoffs "True, but at a fair? You're making the wrong decision, bro; you despise fair rides."

I make a 'o' with my mouth as I watch Quentin take the hit.

"OK, save that salt for my salty caramel ice cream." Quentin points to the salty caramel ice cream flavor.

"I hope he learns to flirt better when he's with you," the server says as he returns to the ice cream machine.

We sit on a nearby bench near my booth, licking our ice cream before it melts.

I lean back onto the bench as the sound of the fair around us relaxes my muscles. The cool sensation of ice cream on my throat relieved the knot in my throat caused by my earlier argument with Rafe.

"What are your goals? You know, like after you graduate from high school? "Quentin asks, turning his body to face me.

That was a good question. I'd always wanted to be a marine biologist, but with everything that's happened, I've kind of forgotten who I was.

"Marine biologist. How about you?" Curious, I ask him.

Quentin sighs, "I believe I want to be a police officer. Do the right thing and help others. Along those lines."

"Really? Is it not football? You are, after all, the'star' Quarterback. As they all say." I emphasize the words star with my hands.

"I considered it, but honestly, that's what my father wants me to be. And I don't want to let him down, but I also want to do what I enjoy."

"I completely understand how you feel. Do what you love, you know? It's your life. And if they don't like what you're doing or who you're becoming, fuck them ", I say, reassuring him.

~

I had two hours until the fair closed and I could play one last Poker game to end the night with some hard cash.

Rafe and Jude were looking after the kids while they hammered the moles.

I was scanning the crowd, recalling my night with Quentin, when I noticed someone I hadn't expected to see.

Hart.

When he looked up and our gazes met, I started shivering slightly with fear.

Why can't he just leave me alone? Can't his impatient ass keep it cool until I give him the money in 5 days?

I kept an eye on him as he approached our booth. He wasn't alone, though. He was accompanied by his daughter.

I sighed with relief, knowing he wouldn't make a scene in front of his daughter. He was going to leave me alone tonight.

The pain from the bruises he gave me suddenly began to sting. The memory of him beating me returned to me. I felt unsafe even with Rafe and Jude in front of me.

I stood up and put on a fake smile, not wanting to get on his bad side. I gave his daughter a friendly smile. Knowing she didn't know who her father was was like a punch to the throat.

"The game will cost $3 for 30 hits." I say as I hand the hammer to his daughter, feeling his evil gaze on me.

I watch as his daughter plays the game, with Hart cheering her on. I stood there watching the man try to figure out what went wrong. He had a family, but he decided to keep this business going.

I begin to think about my father, who is in a similar situation. Why, Dad? Is it because I wasn't good enough for you that you turned to drugs?

I watch as Jude hands her the stuffed bear, which she takes and squeezes tightly.

Hart turns to face me after thanking Jude for the bear. "Kiara." He says this as he walks away with his daughter.

When I turn around, Rafe is staring at me with an expression I can't read.

"You're here because of Hart."

I couldn't tell if he was asking me, or stating a fact.

Either way, a voice in my head whispered.

Name. Trait. Matched.

A/N: When you write a long chapter and feel like you've nailed it but you're not sure and start to doubt 🤔 and go back 😂 😭 dude me on EVERY school project or essay before turning it in. Lmk how you feel about this chapter 😂 I'm doubting it rn kind of~

+ 1K reads?!?!? How tf is that even possible? 🥺💗

(It is currently 6am and I'm sweating bc of the SAT in like 5 hours Asjdsijdkek I'm so nervoussssss wish me luck!!)