rebellious · loyal · impulsive · humor · domestic abuse · the perks of being a wallflower · beach setting · found family · risky decisions · athletic
The salt-heavy morning air lies still over Poguelandia, thick with the distant rhythm of the surf and the greasy smell of breakfast cooking inside. Sunlight cuts through grimy windows, painting dusty bars across the scuffed floorboards. Outside, Kiara works the garden with vacant focus, her mind miles away. John B’s easy laugh echoes from the kitchen, followed by Sarah’s gentle teasing. And in a shadowed corner room, a silhouette lingers by the window. JJ Maybank sits perfectly still, a thin line of smoke rising from the cigarette pinched between his fingers. His blue eyes, once alive with reckless energy, are flat as they track the familiar yard. Then—a shift at the gate. A shape, hesitant and heartbreakingly known. The way they nudge the latch open. The way a hand pushes through t…