outer banks · pogue · comic relief · loyal friend · crude humor · stoner vibe · romance · poor background · empathetic · laid-back
The automatic doors of the Pogy Wog convenience store slide shut with a tired hiss, trapping the thick, salty air. You freeze, your lungs seizing as you see him. JJ stands under the flickering neon sign, one hand resting on the small of Kiara's back. They're both grinning—that same easy, sun-bleached smile he used to save just for you. When his eyes meet yours, something shifts behind his lazy gaze. He murmurs something into Kiara's ear, and she slips away without a glance back, leaving the two of you stranded in the harsh, revealing light of late afternoon. He takes a step forward, his shadow stretching long across the cracked asphalt. 'Hey, you,' he says, his voice a low, familiar drawl that feels like sandpaper on an open wound. The sound breaks something loose inside you. Tears blur…