Astrophile

paradise on earth

The Outer Banks, paradise on earth. Or at least that's what the sign says. Olivia Madden has lived in the OBX all her life and if you ask her, the island has more cons than the locals would like to admit.

"I'm leaving!" Olivia announced, already opening the front door to the house, freedom only a few feet away.

"Where to?" Her dad questioned, walking towards her, guessing she was about to leave to the Cut.

"Beach? Annual bonfire? Friends? I don't know dad, first day of summer, we-have-nothing-to-do-but-surf-and-hang-out type of thing."

Her dad, Matthew Madden, is a big-time developer, they had a normal family and lived in Figure Eight, Kooks is what you can call them. Although she does come from money, Olivia hangs out with the Pogues, the "low-class" of the island, much to her family's distaste. So, as you can probably tell... one of the biggest problems of the island is, most definitely, the classist hierarchy created. The never-ending Kooks vs. Pogues hatred that Olivia despised.

"Okay well, be careful and for God's sake text me when you get there and maybe a few times throughout the night? Just so I know you're alive and breathing."

"Yeah, yeah. I promise, dad." Olivia kissed her father's cheek and started walking towards her car. "Tell mom I love her."

Her dad nodded and she quickly started the car, leaving before he could change his mind or continue conversation. It's not that her dad hated the Pogues, in fact, he enjoyed her friends, they weren't too bad. He just wanted her to hang out around the house more and maybe not get in trouble every two days because of whatever social injustice she thought she was fighting by starting arguments with other Kooks. The one time he thought Olivia was finally going to stick around Figure Eight, his daughter and Sarah Cameron had a falling out, bringing her right back to the Cut and the Chateau, or whatever the kids called it.

Olivia had just turned nineteen, she was back from her first year of college in the mainland, it hadn't been too bad, but she missed the island, and especially her friends. They kept in touch throughout the school year, Olivia even met up with Kiara a few times, their colleges weren't too far away. JJ and John B stayed behind in the OBX, and Pope was off somewhere doing forensic pathology. What truly mattered was... they're all back now for three months of summer, they had to make it unforgettable.

The plan tonight was the bonfire. Everyone in the island was going, it happened every year around the same time, usually kids from the ages of fifteen to around twenty something would go and hang out, maybe have a few drinks. Groups would mix and match, it was kind of weird, every other day of the year people seemed to care about your status: Kook or Pogue, but that night, as long as you were cool and wanted to have fun, no one thought about it twice.

"Look who it is." JJ greeted Olivia once she parked her car. "My favorite Kook, looking hot as ever."

"JJ Maybank, long time no see."

Olivia jumped in for a hug, which JJ gladly returned, last they'd seen each other was on easter and it was just for a week, tops. It felt good knowing they could go months without seeing each other and have it not ruin their friendship, it was weird to get used to, but Pogues didn't leave each other behind, especially not for going to college in the mainland.

"Where is everyone?" Olivia asked, looking around for Kiara's car or even Pope's truck.

"Kie meets us there, John B is inside, and I have no clue where Pope is."

They walked side by side, starting to catch up on the latest news. It was mainly JJ talking, he was the bearer of exciting news and there was no way anyone could stop him from speaking about the island, he loved it with all his heart and Olivia loved to hear about it.