riptide- outer banks

eighty-six | rising tide

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15 Months Ago

Logan didn't know exactly why they hadn't gone in yet. All he knew was that they hadn't. As he turned to glance down at Kori, his suspicions became more evident. Her brow was slightly furrowed, jade eyes pinned on the house in front of them as loud music spilled out onto the street.

"This is it. After this, there is no turning back." She stated, finally turning to meet his gaze.

He simply smirked. "Don't tell me you're nervous to hard launch–" He paused to gesture to the space between them. "This."

At that, Kori lifted her chin, lips tilting up in a simper. "Not in the slightest."

Without another thought, she laced her hand through his and started towards the door. Logan's head lightly shook as he followed his girlfriend, the two of them stepping through the threshold of the house. Almost immediately, dozens of heads turned in their direction. Maybe it was the fact that a 'kook' was at a party on the cut. Or maybe it was the fact that rumors had already spread after what had happened with a certain somebody getting his nose broken by that same 'kook' a month prior.

Or maybe, just maybe, it was because Kori Maybank and Logan Cameron had just walked in...together. Hand in hand. Girlfriend and boyfriend. JJ's reckless little sister and Sarah's perfect little brother. Oh, how those labels had changed since that stupid boat had gone down in the marsh. Two teenagers that could not have been more different, yet their wounds were all the same.

Kori Maybank and Logan Cameron. What a shock.

"Someone wanna tell me where the drinks are?" Kori suddenly asked.

Without hesitation, there was a chorus of cheers. It was time to party and everyone knew that that was Kori's speciality. Drinks were being shoved their way as the fray of teenagers immediately accepted them. Logan didn't know how exactly how he would've been taken, since he had been a kook less than six months ago, and he hadn't made any 'pogue appearances' since switching sides, but it didn't matter. If he was with Kori, it didn't matter. Not to the pogues anyway.

And they needed a break. After everything they'd been through in the past few months–no, weeks–they just needed a break. To recap, Big John had died. Ward had died. They had found the lost city of gold. They had almost died doing so. Now, they were insanely rich. Two backpacks filled with gold nuggets? They wouldn't admit it, but they were kind of kooky. Not to mention, Logan had invested part of his cut and the trust fund Rafe had given him, which had started to bring in even more cash.

And now they were rebuilding. They'd gotten Luke's place back, but had lost quite a bit in the process– thank you, JJ. With way less than what they'd planned to have leftover, building their shop was gonna be a wild ride. They'd only started the process, and it was slow, but it was happening. Their dream was, slowly but surely, becoming a reality. Within the next seven or eight months, they would have their surf and bait shop.

They were happy. Despite losing her father figure and losing his dad, they were happy. They had each other and they had their little family. That's all that mattered to them.

Kori let out a cheer as she lifted her plastic cup in the air with the surrounding teenagers. Logan had to grin as he watched her down the liquid inside. He reached for another cup, bringing the beer up to his lips & taking a swig. He wasn't entirely sure how many he'd had at this point, just that he felt good. Things felt lighter.

"Come on!" Kori exclaimed, grabbing hold of his hand as she started towards the back door.

Outside, there were even more pogues. Some were smoking a blunt by the campfire—that's the direction they headed in—but others were jumping off the pier or playing various drinking games. It was all a bit chaotic really, but that's the pogue life. Chaotic & full of fun.