I believe that you're my saviour - Rafe Cameron

Chapter 1

I've never had a home. Not a real one anyway. 16 years, no mum, no dad, no random pet... you could say I'm homeless at this point. I've had people who'd look after me, but they weren't family. My family is dead.

I guess you'd think that someone like me would be a criminal by now, committed armed robbery, maybe murder or something. But that's not me. 

Hundreds of foster homes, potential adoptive families later, here I am walking past the 'welcome to Outer Banks' sign. There must've been a storm here recently, it looked like a mess. 

As I walk I repeat my usual thoughts. Will I finally have found my home? Will I like it here? How long am I going to stay here? I guess I just have to wait and find out.

My feet drag me towards the beach. My feet really hurt. How long have I actually been walking? I don't even know anymore. To be honest, I don't know how these shoes have survived this long, the bottoms are peeling off and they're really dirty. I'm probably really dirty and sweaty. I hadn't been to a beach in a long long time and the last one i went to wasn't great. In the distance I could see crowds of people gathered about. Probably a bunch of drunk teens having a party or some shit. 

Not that I liked parties, but maybe going will help me find my way around this place, maybe it can help me blend in and I could find another place to crash. I don't think I can handle any more park benches or dirty sidewalks.

I make my way over to the crowd, mentally preparing myself. I was never one for big crowds, they were always too noisy and too hot. I shivered just thinking about it.

I pushed my way through the outskirts of people, trying to find a place to stand which won't make me look like a total loser. First impressions are important - that's what my last foster parents told me anyway.

As I was walking, a hard shoulder barged into me causing me to drop my bag. 

I knew this wasn't a good idea.

I crouched down to pick up my bag as a guys voice spoke beside me.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, are you alright?" he asked me.

I put my bag over my shoulder again and looked at him. "Oh, it's- It's okay" I chuckled nervously.

"I haven't seen you around here before," he said with furrowed brows "my name is Pope, Pope Heyward," he held out his hand for me to shake.

I looked at his hand then back at him, internally debating whether I should shake his hand or not. I decided to shake it, what harm could it do?

I shook his hand "Abby," I said politely. First impressions...first impressions... "I should uh, I should probably go."

He quickly nodded, "yeah, yeah. Well it was nice meeting you," he said with a kind smile.

I nodded and left, venturing further into the party.

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How did I get here? I don't know what time it is but it must be late because it's dark now. A guy had tried to convince me to have a drink so I had half a cup of shitty beer so he'd leave me alone. I was never much of a drinker, I always hated the taste.

Suddenly I got shoved in the back, making me stumble a couple of steps. I turned around to see a blonde guy chuckling to himself. He was definitely a rich boy, a raging asshole too. 

I said nothing, not wanting to draw attention to myself as I held my bag tighter on my shoulder and started to walk away.

"Hey, where are you going?" he asked following me "Hey, when was the last time you showered? I could fry my breakfast on you with all that sweat and grease!" he teased me.

I kept my gaze down. Who even was this guy? 

"What? You know I'm right," he chuckled, "you're just a dirty pogue, hey I could hire you to mow my lawn y'know, might get you enough money for some soap," he chuckled.

This time I made sure I got away, and made my way towards the ocean. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. I clenched my fists, trying to stop my hands from shaking. I looked out into the ocean, losing myself in my thoughts. I guess this won't be my new home after all.

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After a while of staring out into the ocean, replaying my conversations in my head, I could hear commotion coming from not far away. Against my better judgement, I went to check out what was going on.

I joined the crowed of onlookers and sighed as I saw what was going on. Of course it was that asshole from earlier. He was arguing with another blond boy, however this one didn't seem like a stuck up prick.

"You're so funny man," said the boy. Two people who I assume are his friends were holding him back.

"Dirty pogues," the asshole said to him causing one of the other boy's friends to shove him.

Dirty pogue. That's what he called me before. What the heck is a pogue?

Suddenly the all started throwing punches at each other, the crowd of people chanting and encouraging them to continue. My heart was pounding in my chest. What am I doing here?

"Hey John B, don't make me drown you like your old man, alright?" the asshole said, kicking a boy into the ocean.

After hearing that, John B started to fight back. It was like a full on brawl on the beach. I anxiously cracked my knuckles as I watched.

"Come on Topper! Let's go!" John B shouted, riling him up.

Shockingly, Topper shoved John B down into the ocean, holding him under the water. He was going to kill him.

I squeezed my eyes shut trying to regulate my breathing. I need to get out of here. I stumbled through the crowd, trying to work my way out of the beach. However, when gasps erupted and people started scurrying I had to look back. 

The boy who Topper was originally fighting with had a gun to his head. A gun.

My breath hitched in my throat as I saw the gun. He's going to kill him. My feet were planted in the sand. It was if I had lost control of my whole body, unable to move yet my eyes tracked the gun in the boy's hand.

"Okay, everyone listen up! Get the hell off of our side of the island" he yelled, letting off 2 gunshots into the sky. My body flinched with each shot but still, I was unable to move.

As the crowds were escaping the beach, my legs started to move with them, running and running until I was far away from that beach.

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