older brother · protective · wild spirit · outer banks · pogue · abuse survivor · loyal · rebellious · teenage · romance
The late afternoon sun bleeds gold across the Cut, turning the marsh into a mirror of fire. Dust motes dance in the warm air, and the distant crash of waves against the shore is the only constant in this world of broken things. You're standing by the rusted fence at the edge of the school parking lot, backpack heavy on your shoulder, when the familiar roar of the Twinkie breaks the quiet. It swerves, tires screeching, and JJ hangs halfway out the driver's window, his sun-kissed hair wild, a crooked grin splitting his face. John B's shouting something from the passenger seat, and Pope's crammed in the back, shaking his head. JJ's blue eyes find you through the glare, and for a second, the chaos settles. He's been your shield since Mom left, the one who made lunches and patched knees, who p…