welcome to obx

𓇼 chapter two 𓇼

The car ride to the Outer Banks had been long, but the second they pulled up to the beach house, Belly could feel the weight of summer excitement settle over her—mixed with the tension that had been brewing for weeks. She sat in the backseat next to Taylor, who was already on her phone, snapping pictures of the view from the driveway. Belly's gaze shifted forward to the house, wondering how this trip was going to play out with everyone in one place.

Jeremiah parked the car and stretched as soon as he stepped out, his messy curls falling in front of his eyes. "Finally," he groaned. "Thought we'd never get here."

Belly smiled at him, feeling a little flutter in her stomach that she tried to ignore. It wasn't that things were bad between them—far from it. But ever since they'd made things official, there had been this constant undercurrent of awkwardness, especially around Conrad. Belly glanced over at him, still sitting in the front seat, his jaw clenched as he stared out at the ocean. He hadn't said much during the drive, and that was typical for him lately.

Steven, ever the mediator, opened the trunk and started pulling out bags. "Alright, are we eating first or crashing at the house? I vote food."

"Definitely food," Taylor said without hesitation. "I'm starving."

As they all grabbed their bags and headed inside, Cam Cameron and Sky walked in last, Sky carrying a guidebook and a beach tote as if they were preparing for some kind of adventure. It had been Sky's idea to come to the Outer Banks—a suggestion none of them had really expected. But Sky had insisted, saying that Cousins Beach was getting old and they needed something new. That, of course, hadn't gone over well with everyone.

"I still can't believe we're in the middle of nowhere," Taylor muttered as they dropped their stuff by the front door. "Sky, seriously, why this island?"

Sky rolled their eyes, clearly used to the teasing by now. "Because it's different, okay? We always go to the same place. And besides, the Outer Banks has history, and it's not just a random island—it's practically legendary."

"Yeah, legendary for shipwrecks and treasure hunts," Cam added, trying to back Sky up. "It'll be fun. You'll see."

Belly smiled, trying to ease the tension. "It's nice. I like it here already." She glanced at Jeremiah, who gave her a playful nudge on the shoulder. Despite the awkwardness, she still loved how easy things were between them. For the most part, anyway.

"Okay, let's eat," Steven interrupted, grabbing his wallet. "There's that restaurant down by the marina. I saw it on the drive in. It looked decent."

Everyone agreed, and they left the house, the air warm and salty as they walked along the narrow road that led to the restaurant. Belly could feel the excitement starting to build, even with everything hanging in the air. It was a new place, a new adventure, and maybe...a fresh start.

The restaurant was small, with a casual vibe and an outdoor deck overlooking the water. They grabbed a large table outside, the view of the sunset casting a soft glow over the whole scene. Belly sat next to Jeremiah, trying not to think too hard about how Conrad was sitting directly across from them, his expression unreadable as always.

"So," Steven said as soon as the waitress brought over menus. "What's the plan for this week? What's on the Sky-approved agenda?"

Sky, seated next to Cam, smiled brightly. "Well, I was thinking we could rent bikes and explore the island tomorrow. There's this tour that goes to the old lighthouse, and there's also a beach party happening on Friday night. I checked it out online, and it's supposed to be pretty fun."

Taylor groaned. "A bike tour? Seriously?"

"You'll survive," Sky replied, unfazed. "And the party will be worth it."