Tides of grace

The new girl

Grace had always felt like an outsider. Her life was different from the one she had imagined growing up-no sprawling mansion, no fancy private school. Just a small town with sprawling beaches, the salt air, and the sound of waves crashing against the shore. But it wasn't just the scenery that made her feel out of place; it was the people.

When Grace moved to the Outer Banks, she thought she'd have time to breathe, to think, to just *be*. What she hadn't expected was to get caught up in the whirlwind of high school drama.

It was her first day at Kildare High, and Grace had no idea that the moment she stepped onto the sandy campus, her life would be flipped upside down.

She had heard about the Pogues-the group of down-to-earth, carefree kids who spent their days either surfing, exploring, or getting into trouble. She had also heard of the Kooks-the rich kids with the perfect tans, perfect clothes, and perfect lives. Grace didn't fit into either group, but the way her classmates talked about the Pogues and Kooks made her curious.

As she walked through the hallways, she caught a glimpse of the familiar faces: John B., the charming and spontaneous leader of the Pogues, Pope, the brainy yet witty one with a heart of gold, JJ, the troublemaker with a sweet smile, and Kiara, the tough yet kind girl who could always be counted on to stand up for what was right.

The Kooks were just as memorable. Topper, the brooding and intense guy who carried a sense of entitlement, Rafe, with his unpredictable nature, and the effortlessly cool and glamorous girls like Sarah Cameron.

But it wasn't them that caught Grace's attention. It was how they all seemed to look at her, as if they were all seeing the same thing.

Grace had always been someone who kept to herself. She didn't crave attention or affection, and she definitely didn't want to stir up trouble between the different groups at school. But when the boys started to give her attention-real attention-things began to shift.

John B. was the first to speak to her, flashing that infectious grin. "Hey, you're new, right? Grace, right?"

Grace blushed, unsure of how to respond. "Yeah, I just moved here."

"You should come hang out with us later," John B. continued. "We're headed to the beach. You'd fit right in with the Pogues."

Grace wasn't sure how to feel. She wasn't used to people-especially guys-being so nice to her. But she couldn't help but be drawn to his easy charm.

Then came Pope, who had always been the quiet one in the group. He was sitting at lunch by himself, scribbling something in his notebook. When he noticed Grace standing near the door, he smiled shyly, almost as if he was waiting for her to sit down.

"Hey, you want to sit here?" he asked, his voice low but warm.

Grace hesitated. She wasn't used to feeling so welcomed. "Sure. Thanks, Pope."

After lunch, JJ had approached her. His grin was mischievous, and his eyes sparkled with mischief. "You've got this whole mysterious thing going on, Grace. I like it. You should come by the Boneyard sometime."

Grace nodded, unsure of how to respond. But she couldn't ignore the flutter in her chest when JJ said her name.

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