His Choice - Rafe Cameron

30. Better Than This

I'm sitting at home, watching a rom-com on tv when my phone buzzes. It's a text from Topper and I am surprised to be hearing from him. 

Topper: There's a party at Kelce's if you're up for it. 

My phone buzzes again, indicating that I have received another text. 

Topper: P.S. I'm glad you're alive. 

I smile to myself at Topper's messages. JJ hasn't let me out of his sight in the last forty-eight hours. He wasn't lying when he said he was going to be more protective over me. When he went to work, John B took over on the babysitting duties. There is no way JJ is going to be okay with me going to this party. I can't sneak out either. I promised him I would be honest with my whereabouts from now on. 

"Hey J." I call out to him, unsure if he is still on the verandah or not. A moment later, he pops his head through the front door. 

"Yeah?"

"Want to come to a Kook party?"

"Spend the night with Kooks? Absolutely not. Free booze? Why not."

"I can't believe you're actually coming."

"Something I discovered about you my dear cousin is even if I say no, you will do it anyway. So I can either let you go and worry about you the entire night, or I can come with you."

I stand up and run over to him, pulling him into a hug. "You are smarter than you give yourself credit for, you know?"

"We're picking up Pope and Kie on the way. John B is with Sarah, I'll text them to see if they'll come too."

"The Kooks aren't going to be very welcoming to so many Pogues."

"Since when has that stopped us?" 

*

"Scarlett, you came." Topper says to me with a smile. His smile fades when he glances over my shoulder, noticing my plus ones. "And you brought some friends along." Topper soon forgets the additional Pogues who have joined when Sarah walks over to him.

"Hey Top, nice to see you again." She hugs him and I hear John B groan in annoyance. Topper's cheeks turn a rosy colour and he asks Sarah if she wants a drink. She takes him up on his offer and they head towards wherever the booze is. John B follows along behind them. 

"Pope, come with me to get us all some drinks?" I ask, purposely leaving Kie and JJ together. 

"As much as I hate to admit it, these Kooks really can throw a party. Is that a food truck?" He looks over in the far corner. "It's woodfired pizza."

"Oh my god." My mouth waters at the thought of pizza and all of the melted cheese slipping off each slice. "You get the pizza and I'll get the booze?" I ask.

He holds out his fist to me and I bump it. "Deal."

We part ways and I head inside. While I am filling up the cups with alcohol, I hear a familiar voice above everyone else's voice in the room. 

"That's pussy shit man. I need something stronger than that. I haven't been high in days. This party is boring and everyone is annoying. I can't be sober for this."

I immediately stop pouring the drinks and look around the room for Rafe. The perks of him being so much taller than most people is that it isn't hard for me to spot him. I walk through the large group of people huddled together and eventually reach Rafe. 

"What are you doing?" I ask him.

"If it isn't my sober sponsor." He says sarcastically before turning his back to me and focusing on a guy with neon green hair and face tattoos. "Now do you have something for me or not? You are getting on my nerves because you have already wasted two minutes of my time."