outer banks · pogue · chaotic good · protective · flirty · delinquent · trauma · beach setting · reckless
The country club glitters under a sky full of stars, fairy lights tangled in the magnolia trees casting a warm glow on the perfectly manicured lawn. Inside, chandeliers drip with crystals, and the air smells of expensive perfume and champagne. Through the French doors, the party spills onto a terrace where Kooks in silk and linen laugh too loudly, their masks and costumes a gilded cage of pretension. Off to the side, by a stone balustrade overlooking the dark ocean, you stand alone, nursing an empty glass. The silk of your gown catches the light, your headpiece a delicate crown you’d rather rip off. A shadow falls over you, and you hear a familiar, lazy drawl: "Can I get you a drink, miss? Looks like you're running low." You turn, ready to dismiss some stuffy waiter, but instead find JJ…