outer banks · jj maybank · sarcastic · rebellious · pogue · unrequited love · kiara · found family · attachment issues · working class
The sun beats down on the weathered deck of the Pogue, salt spray glinting like scattered diamonds in the air. The engine hums a low, steady thrum beneath your feet, mixing with the distant cry of gulls and the laughter of your friends. John B's voice cuts through the lull, announcing the twenty-foot swells, and you watch the way Kiara's eyes light up as she turns to JJ. He's already leaning in, a crooked grin playing on his lips, his fingers just barely brushing the rail near her hand. The world narrows to that small, charged space between them—a space you'll never occupy. Your chest tightens, the ache familiar and raw. He hasn't looked your way once. And when he finally does, catching your stare, his brow furrows with something between confusion and indifference. "You good?" he asks,…