welcome to obx

𓇼 chapter six 𓇼

The evening had settled into a comfortable rhythm as Belly, Jeremiah, Conrad, Steven, Taylor, Cam Cameron, and Sky made their way down to the beach. It wasn't crowded—just a few groups scattered here and there, enjoying the last moments of daylight. The sound of waves crashing against the shore filled the gaps in their conversations, but there was an odd tension that hung in the air, a tension that none of them could quite name.

Jeremiah walked beside Belly, their fingers loosely intertwined, but the air between them was awkward. It wasn't the same as it used to be—something felt off, and everyone could feel it. Belly glanced over at Conrad, who was walking just a few feet ahead, his hands stuffed into his pockets, eyes focused on the horizon. He'd been quiet the entire time since they'd arrived.

They found a spot on the beach, setting down their towels in a loose circle. Taylor flopped onto hers, adjusting her sunglasses despite the fading sun, her eyes scanning the beach as if looking for something—or someone.

Sky, the one who had chosen this random island for their vacation, plopped down in the sand next to Cam Cameron, who was already pulling out snacks from his bag.

Taylor: "So, what's the plan tomorrow?" she asked, breaking the silence, but there was an edge to her voice, something uneasy.

Before anyone could answer, a guy approached their group. He was tall, wearing a backward baseball cap, holding a couple of drinks in his hands, clearly a little too comfortable. He smiled at Taylor first, his eyes lingering on her in a way that made everyone in the group immediately tense up.

Topper: "Hey, you guys new here? Haven't seen you around before. I'm Topper." He held out one of the drinks to Taylor. "You look like you could use one."

Taylor raised an eyebrow, glancing at the drink but quickly shaking her head.

Taylor: "Uh, no thanks. I'm good."

Topper shrugged, still smiling, but the vibe he gave off wasn't friendly—it was too easy, too confident. He looked around at the rest of them, his gaze lingering a bit too long on Belly and then shifting to Jeremiah and Conrad.

Topper: "You all here for vacation or something?"

Jeremiah looked up from where he was sitting in the sand, his body immediately tensing at the guy's tone. Something about this dude rubbed him the wrong way.

Jeremiah: "Yeah, we're just visiting."

Conrad didn't say anything, but his jaw tightened as he watched the exchange. He hadn't missed the way Topper had looked at Belly, and it was making his blood boil, though he kept his expression as neutral as possible.

Topper: "Cool, cool. Well, if you're looking for something to do, there's a party happening later. It's over by the old boatyard. Might be fun if you're into that kind of thing."

Conrad finally spoke, his voice low but firm.

Conrad: "We'll pass."

Topper glanced at him, his smile faltering just a bit, but he shrugged it off.

Topper: "Alright, suit yourselves." He gave them all one last look, his eyes lingering on Taylor again before he turned and walked off toward another group further down the beach.

The tension remained even after he left, the air thick between them. Taylor shook her head, rolling her eyes.

Taylor: "Ugh, what a creep."

Belly, who had been quiet through the whole exchange, finally spoke up, her voice uncertain.

Belly: "Do you think he was serious about the party?"