riptide- outer banks

seventy-three | against the world

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Kori suddenly felt underdressed. Extremely, one-hundred percent underdressed. While everyone else was in dresses or nicer clothing, she was in her beat up boots, short jean shorts, and black bandeau top. She never normally cared about that sort of thing, but considering that she was technically at a Kook party and the couple it was being thrown for already disliked her, kind of made her feel self conscious.

Wait. She actually did not give a shit. Like, at all. Kie's parents had literally told her brother he was like Luke. That he was nothing more than a liar and a thief. Honestly, they were lucky she hadn't shown up naked. That definitely would have ruined their party. Not that she would've done that. She just liked the idea of their night being ruined.

"Alright. I'll find Kie, you got Sarah?" The blonde asked, glancing at John B as they entered the fray that was the Kooks.

"Yep. In and out." He remarked before dispersing into the crowd.

Kori let out a long breath, turning back to the mass of people in front of her. She stayed near the back, eyes searching for Kiara, but she couldn't find her. Anywhere. Her brow came together as she brushed past a couple, walking through the crowd now.

Where was Kie? Why would—

"Kori?"

It took everything in her to calmly turn around. Everything in her not to lunge at the stupid couple as she met their narrowed gazes. As her gaze shifted to Anna, a bout of confidence ran through her. For once in her damn life, she wasn't shorter than someone she hated. In fact, she was taller than her.

Mike cleared his throat, a thick aura settling between them. "Kori, hey. We didn't know you were coming."

She remained utterly silent.

Anna glanced at her husband, the two of them sharing a confused look before meeting her gaze again. At that, Kori's face broke out into a vexed grin. "Oh, sorry. I was just waiting for you to compare me to Carrie...or Luke."

Anna's lips parted, pure shock filtering into her features.

Kori's brow simply raised. "What? You don't like that?" She seethed, taking a step closer to the couple as her eyes flickered up to Mike's. "I heard what you said about my brother." She paused, anger spilling out in her words. "If you ever say J is like Luke again, I can guarantee more than a money clip will be missing."

Mike almost laughed. Almost. "Are you threatening me?"

"Yeah." She raised her chin defiantly. "I am."

His head began to shake as he dropped eye contact with her. "Go home, Kori."

She laughed, head nodding at the prick. "Oh, you mean the house J and I are being evicted from in two weeks because our dad left for Mexico? Yeah, I'll sure as hell go back there, but you two, enjoy your cozy little home on figure eight." She quipped, beginning to back up. "Oh, and Mike?"

He locked back onto her indignant green gaze.

"Screw you. You're a piece of shit."

She heard him scoff as she turned back around, but she didn't care. Making her way through the fray of people, she found the nearest glass of champagne and downed it. And she hoped they were watching. She hoped they were staring, watching in shock, thinking she was the one they should've said it to. Not JJ.

It was the truth, wasn't it?

〰

Logan was lying down in the speedboat. Not because he wanted to sleep, but because he didn't want to talk to JJ. And not because he was mad at JJ, but because he didn't really want to talk to anyone. He still felt off, so the only thing he could think of to get him to not talk to him was that he was gonna take a quick nap.