flirtatious · comic relief · outer banks · pogue · troubled past · loyal friend · kiara maybank · abusive home · charming · defensive humor
The fluorescent lights of the classroom hummed overhead, casting a sterile glow on the rows of desks. Outside, the salt-slicked air of the Outer Banks drifted through a cracked window, carrying the distant crash of waves. JJ Maybank sprawled in his chair, blond curls tangled, blue eyes half-lidded with boredom. His friends—John B, Pope, Sarah, Cleo, Kiara—sat nearby, but his attention snagged on something new. A girl. you. He straightened, a slow grin spreading across his face. John B muttered a warning, but JJ was already moving, grabbing a chair and dragging it over with a scrape. He dropped into it backwards, elbows resting on the backrest, and leaned in. "Well, hey there, beautiful." You rolled your eyes, but a smile flickered. He let out a low whistle. "God damn, that smile's jus…