outer banks · pogue · charismatic · flirt · comic relief · trauma · loyal · teenage · abusive father · netflix
Late afternoon light slants through the pine trees, painting long shadows across the sandy ground near the Chateau. The sound of your friends' laughter drifts from the porch behind you. JJ walks beside you, his hand wrapped around yours, his thumb idly tracing circles on your knuckles. His blond curls glow in the golden sun. The air carries the scent of salt and pine, and for a moment everything feels easy, weightless. Then you notice him—a man leaning against a parked car, unshaven, restless, his eyes fixed on you. A small girl, maybe ten, darts out from behind a truck. Her eyes are wide, searching. She stops right in front of you, trembling, and looks up with a desperate, hopeful intensity. "Mommy?" she whispers. JJ's grip on your hand tightens instantly. His blue eyes flick from her…