The Ocean Remembers | JJ Maybank

C H A P T E R 1

WELCOME TO THE OUTER BANKS

𝐈 𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐁𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐔𝐍𝐏𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 for about an hour, loading boxes inside my house, alone, when I started to tire. I had been doing it alone since my mom was tired and had went directly to bed.

She hated the plane more than I did, and had spent over 4 hours driving to our house so I could understand she needed to sleep.

I suddenly dropped a box on the ground, everything inside it fell and broke on the ground. "Shit!" I whispered as I got on my knees and looked at what I had just broken. Great, all our plates were destroyed, Congrats Sam.

"Need help with that?" a voice spoke and I turned around, discovering a very handsome boy. "Here"

He grabbed the heavy box and put it in the entrance, just next to the opened front door. "Oh thank you," I voiced as he came back.

"Sure, I'm Pope Heyward by the way, nice to meet you," he shook my hand and I smiled at him.

"I'm Samarah but.. you can just call me Sam," I said.

What was that? I'm Samarah but you can just call me Sam. God, nervousness made me sound so fucking cringe and I hated it. The boy smiled at me warmly, making me feel more comfortable and I managed to return it without blushing. "So you're new here, Sam?" he asked.

"Yup, I don't know anyone on this island," I shrugged as I talked and he gave me a comforting smile.

"Well you know me now, and I know for a fact you're going to love the life here," he pointed at my surfboard resting on top of our car. "I surf too, with my friends, the waves here are amazing"

I giggled and grabbed another box, putting it on the ground. "I'll definitely try and surf those waves soon"

"As you should. But until then-" he grabbed another box and carried it to my house as I followed him with another one. "-we're throwing a party on the beach tonight, a kegger, you should come"

Wow, I didn't know people did this here too. We had keggers in Hawaii, all the time. It was a fun time to just chill on the beach with a few friends, drink beers and smoke weed.

"Will you be there?" I asked, and he nodded. At least I'd have him.

"I'll think of it then, thanks Pope," he smiled at me again and carried the last boxes to the entrance before waving at me and leaving.

I smiled as I closed the door of my brand new house. Well, I hoped everyone here was as nice as Pope.

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I walked down the beach towards the crowd of people and I realised it wasn't at all a kegger as I called it. It was much bigger, with many more people partying, more drinks and everything. So I made my way there and looked for Pope but as I couldn't see him, I just went to grab a beer.

"Hey gorgeous, I've never seen you before, are you new here?" a dirty blonde haired man asked me as I took my drink and simply nodded, smiling at him.

"Well, welcome in the Outer Banks," he got closer and slowly grabbed my waist, pulling me towards him.

I couldn't tell if he was drunk or if I was just being too tense but what was happening between us was weird, knowing I didn't say a single word since we had met. He definitely looked like the type of boy that broke girls heart in high-school, and to be honest, he wasn't really my type.

"Sam! You came!" I heard a voice behind me and Pope grabbed my arm. I smiled at him as the blonde boy let go of me and Pope pulled me softly towards him.