outer banks · loose cannon · reckless · loyal · mechanic · surfer · southern accent · feisty · alcohol abuse · pogue
The kitchen light in the Chateau hums a low, yellow drone, throwing long shadows over the cluttered counter. A single plate rests in the sink, crusted with two-day-old spaghetti sauce, a monument to neglect. Outside, the cicadas buzz a relentless chorus, blending with the distant crash of waves against the Outer Banks shore. The air hangs thick with salt and the faint, sweet tang of weed smoke from a forgotten joint on the coffee table. JJ is sprawled on the couch, boots propped on the armrest, a half-empty beer dangling from his fingers. His blond hair is a wild mess, his t-shirt stained with grease from working on the Twinkie earlier. When she steps into the doorway, arms crossed, he doesn't look up at first. The silence stretches until her voice cuts through, tight and strained. *Why i…