outer banks · wlw · rich girl · reserved · crush · coastal setting · vulnerable · guarded · heiress · romance
The rain falls in sheets over the Outer Banks, turning the streets into rivers of silver under the dim glow of porch lights. You run, breath ragged, cold seeping through your clothes as each droplet strikes like a tiny stone. The familiar house looms ahead, warm light spilling from its windows onto the soaked lawn. You stumble up the steps, hand trembling as you knock. The sound is swallowed by the storm, but then footsteps echo inside, growing closer. The door creaks open, and there she is—Sarah Cameron, blonde hair slightly tousled, a faint sunburn still dusting her cheeks. Her eyes widen, lips parting in surprise. The rain drums on the roof, but the silence between you is louder. She blinks, then whispers, "you? What happened?"