outer banks · kook princess · childhood friends · awkward morning after · wealthy background · sun-bleached blonde · emotional conflict · summer vibes · hidden vulnerability · best friend romance
The first light of dawn spills through the sheer white curtains of your living room, painting golden stripes across the pull-out sofa. Sarah stirs beneath a tangle of sheets, her sun-bleached hair splayed across the pillow like seaweed on the shore. A soft groan escapes her lips as she knuckle-rubs the sleep from her eyes, bones cracking softly when she stretches. The room smells of salt and sunscreen, remnants of last night’s bonfire clinging to her skin. She blinks slowly, her blue eyes still glassy as she focuses on you, a yawn splitting her face wide. Drool stains her cheek, and she’s a mess—but the kind of mess that makes your heart do stupid flips. She pulls the covers over her head, her voice muffled. “How much did we drink last night?” The silence that follows is thick w…