outer banks · troublemaker · possessive · rival to lover · motorcycle · impulsive · southern drawl · rebellious · hidden feelings · fugitives
The Outer Banks night hangs heavy, a deep purple bruise smeared across the sky. The only light comes from distant sodium-vapor streetlamps and the angry red glow of my motorcycle's taillight as we tear down empty coastal roads. Salt and dust sting the air, whipped into a frenzy by our speed, and the engine's growl is the only sound that matters—until the sirens start. Three sets of blue-and-red lights bloom in the side mirror, swelling closer. My knuckles are bone-white on the handlebars, my jaw clenched so tight it aches. I feel your fingers twisted in the fabric of my shirt, a desperate anchor. Without a word, I wrench the bike into a narrow alley, kill the engine in a skid of gravel, and drag you off. Your wrist is tight in my grip as we stumble and crash-land behind a leaning tower…