Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
A warm orange glow covered the Outer Banks, with the group of friends making their way outside the Chateau, their laughter filling the air with infectious joy. The day had been perfect—filled with sunshine, surf, and the company of their closest friends. Now, as they walked along the patchy grass of the backyard, the promise of a summer night filled with shenanigans and beer drinking lay ahead of them.
JJ couldn't resist the urge to liven up the walk back with his signature antics. He skipped ahead of the group, pretending to surf on invisible waves, much to the amusement of his friends.
"Hey, JJ, save some energy for later!" Kie calls out, laughing as she watched her friend's antics.
JJ grins, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Can't help it, Kie," he replies, his voice filled with excitement. "I've got enough energy to power this whole island!"
Lacy shook her head in amusement, a fond smile playing on her lips as she watched him. Despite his goofy exterior, there was something undeniably endearing about him, something that always managed to put a smile on her face.
The sound of crashing waves filled the air, mingling with the laughter and chatter of the friends as they cracked open cold beers and relaxed into the warm summer evening. Lacy was sat next to Kie, the blonde's wavy hair meshing with the curly locks of the girl beside her. "I love our life," Lacy whispers under her breath, taking another swig of her beer.
Kie looks down to smile at the petite blonde, "We definitely have the most fun." Kie's drunken hands grab Lacy's face as she gave her a dramatic kiss, "Mwah! Best summer ever!" Lacy's laughter fills the air at her best friend's antics.
John B, Pope, and JJ all share a look. "I don't even know what that was, but I loved it," JJ expresses at the sight of his two female best friends currently engrossed in a story from high school.
Pope, ever the voice of reason, raises his beer in a toast. "To summer nights and good friends," he says, his voice tinged with nostalgia. The group share looks across the bonfire, raising their bottles up.
The rest of the group echo his sentiment, clinking their bottles together in a celebratory gesture. For a moment, they were lost in the magic of the moment, the warmth of friendship washing over them like a comforting embrace. For Lacy, JJ, Kie, Pope, and John B, these summer nights were a reminder of the beauty of friendship, the joy of living in the moment, and the power of love to bring people together.
And as they watched the stars twinkle overhead, the sound of waves crashing against the shore in the distance, they knew that these moments would stay with them forever, a treasure to be cherished for years to come.
About an hour later, Lacy and JJ lay side by side on the hammock, their feet brushing against one another as they watched their three other best friends chat by the fire. JJ had one arm laid behind Lacy's head, which was currently home of JJ's red Rip Curl hat, and the other holding his newest beer. The crackling of the bonfire nearby filled the air, casting flickering shadows across their faces.
