OBX: An Outer Banks Story | Season 1

Episode 2

"Hey. I heard you come in late last night. You go out with a friend after work?" My Grams immediately badgers me as I stumble down the stairs and into the kitchen.

"No. Just biked around for a while," Technically true.

"Sounds fun," I can tell she's judging, but in silence. "Do you have work today?"

"No."

"Well, you've been working almost every day since you got here. So maybe today's a good day to explore the town. Meet some kids your age."

"Yeah. Maybe." I turn to go upstairs.

"No." She has a very stern voice that makes me turn around. "No hanging out in the house today. You're going to go out and meet people. You need to be a normal teenager for just a day."

"But..."

"No buts. I'll give you ten minutes to get ready, then you must leave. I expect you to be gone until the sun goes."

"Grams..."

"What?" She's getting testy.

"Thanks." She just smiles.

"You've got nine minutes now."

At first, I started to breathe randomly. I thought I'd just end up where I'd end up. But then I found myself somewhere I recognized. Somewhere by the water. Somewhere by a dock that a certain person has a boat.

I find myself staring at the dock. Part of me knows that I should just go in the opposite direction and move on. Another part of me wants to rush up to the boat and hope to god he's there and beat him to a bloody pulp. But in the end, I find myself just standing there. Not too close. Not too far. Just close enough to see as that same boy walks out of the boat, but not close enough that he can see me.

I watch as this boy walks around without a shirt. He's on his phone. He's smiling. His hair is a little messy. Something about him draws me in. But then, just as I find myself getting hard once again, a girl with fake blonde hair walks out of the boat and wraps her arms around him. He turns around and they kiss. For some reason, even though I hate this boy, something deep down inside me breaks. I quickly get on my bike, but just before I go off, I see that girl go down to her knees. I stop, and for some reason, am drawn back in. I know it's wrong. I do. But I can't stop staring at them. The boy just holds her head and smiles. I can see him bite his lower lip.

"Shit," I shout as the boy suddenly looks over and makes eye contact with me.

But he doesn't do anything. Just as I'm ready to make a run for it, he stares back at me, smiling. He looks at me directly in the eyes as his mouth opens. I find myself staring, direct eye contact, for minutes. When the girl comes up to her feet, that's when the boy finally looks away. It's like I suddenly get out of a weird trance. I find myself energized and weirdly hot.

I jump on my bike and speed away before I can see any more.

For a while, I bike around without any direction. All that's on my mind is that boy. His slicked-back hair. That smirk. His body. Even those stupid preppy rich kid clothes. Something about him just makes me want to hurt him, but also makes me want to do other things. Other things that I am desperately trying to shove out of my head.

I am so focused on trying to forget that boy that I guess my body moved in a way it's used to and biked to the club. When I come up I see Taylor in the back on a break.

"Hey, busboy."

"Actually it's bar back boy now."

"Ooooh fancy." I find it weird that I'm comfortable around her.