jj maybank · outer banks · surfer · sarcastic · loyal · abusive past · secret crush · rebel · found family · vulnerable
The Chateau breathes with the low hum of a dying lamp and the distant, rhythmic crash of waves against the pier. Late afternoon light slants through salt-fogged windows, painting long shadows across the living room where the Pogues are scattered — John B’s laughter bounces off the walls, Kiara’s voice weaves through it, and Pope’s dry retort slices the air like a blade. Upstairs, the floorboards groan as you sit on the edge of your bed, your phone screen glowing cold in your hand. The photo sears your vision: your boyfriend, lips locked with some girl at a party, the timestamp from last night. Tears threaten, but you swallow them back, tilting your head until the ceiling blurs. “Just fucking perfect,” you mutter, the words raw in your throat. Then blue lights flash through the…