outerbanks imagines.

welcome home-jj

y/n inhaled the north carolina breeze as she stepped on the pavement of her former childhood home,
taking in the setting around her.
"wow, it's been years."
her brother spoke in the same breathless tone she knew she possessed in this moment as well.
when they walked inside of their grandparents home,
smells of homemade food and southern comfort nearly knocked her to the ground.
she missed this more than she realized.
"my lovelies!"
their grandma exclaimed once hearing the door open.
she rushed to her grandchildren and wrapped them up into a tight, welcoming home.
well over eight years ago,
y/n and her brother were forced to move from the island in tow of their workaholic parents.
they hadn't returned until this very moment.
and it was as every bit as blissful as y/n imagined.
"i missed it here!"
y/n exclaimed as she set her luggage in the room,
walking around to examine it in a state of nostalgia.
nothing had changed.
it amazed her how this place challenged the troubles of time;
no matter how much the outside of the world had morphed,
this entire house stayed the same.
after a while of catching up with one another,
y/n and her brother were finally free to roam as they pleased.
and y/n made way to the one place she truly felt happy:
the beach.
exhilaration ran wild in her veins as she felt the familiarity of sand beneath her bare feet,
the shocking strength of the waves,
the tranquility surrounding her. 
everything wrong in the world was no longer now that she remained in the water.
the sun soaked into her grateful skin,
who hadn't felt the beautiful warmth of it since she departed.
the world became nonexistent.
all y/n could focus on was the crashing of the waves that carried her,
the loud birds that hovered above,
and the final feeling of comfort.
"i'll be damned. if it isn't y/n l/n."
she could hear the southern drawl thick and clear.
it didn't trouble her any to place a face to the voice.
her eyes peered open to reveal the blonde headed boy that now hung over her,
his smile big and bright as she remembered it.
"jj!"
she gasped,
hurrying to climb free of the water and into his arms.
she heard him chuckle while they embraced one another tightly.
"how've you been, cupcake?"
he asked once they caught their breath.
y/n watched as he ran a hand through his hair.
"good! the west coast had been good to me,"
she said with a perfect smile.
y/n then realized how he had matured into his facial features quite well.
he was a sight for sore eyes.
"i can tell! you look amazing,"
he spoke while eyeing her body to sell the compliment.
she giggled like a schoolgirl with a crush and shook her head.
"so do you! i see the cut has done you some good."
"yeah, you could say that."
"this is all so crazy. i remember us being kids together,"
she laughed,
the memories starting to rush forward.
"seems like forever ago."
"you're telling me."
jj chuckled before saying,
"remember when we got suspended in the fourth grade for throwing rocks at mrs judy?"
"oh my god!"
y/n exclaimed as she began to recollect the details.
jj had really been the best friend she'd ever had.
how could she have forgotten that?
surely their friendship could survive the test of time.
it had to.
"oh, j, we've got to hang more now that i'm back"
"without a doubt. how long you here for?"
"just the summer,"
she said.
"at my grandparents. do you remember the nights we spent together there?"
"how could i forget? i got ringworm from playing in their backyard with you."
"ew!"
y/n laughed as she pushed his shoulder playfully.
her eyes fell back behind jj's shoulder,
where she could see her brother walking alongside the kook boys.
their conversation had ended for now.
"i've got to go. but, i'll catch you later, okay?"
"yeah, for sure."
y/n leaned forward and kissed the cheek of her long lost best friend.
she then walked past him to be met with her brothers friends:
rafe, topper, kelce, and sarah cameron.
"y/n? there's no way that's you,"
topper greeted as he wrapped her in his arms.
y/n laughed,
feeling welcomed by this greeting,
then hugged him back.
"it's me all right."
"you grew up. you look good!"
topper said while pulling back to gain one more look at her.
the best thing about topper was his innocence towards y/n.
he treated her like one would treat a sister.
"yeah. you look real good."
y/n overheard the words of kelce and rafe,
whose eyes peered their way through her body in a manner of objectification.
it made the girl cringe;
every bit of warm welcoming y/n felt quickly dissipated.
"thanks."
y/n laughed as cordially as she could before turning to sarah cameron.
sarah was practically writhing in anticipation for their greeting.
"hey, girl!"
y/n giggled as they hurried to wrap each other in a big hug.
it should be noted that y/n's position on the island was nothing short of odd.
when she was born and up until the time her and her brother were seven,
they lived in the cut and were practically dirt poor.
just until their father came into a large sum of inheritance that quickly boosted their social status;
they were able to move to the figure eight side of the island.
she had connections to both sides.
although she lost touch with her side to the cut,
especially after ten years of living elsewhere,
that part of her would always exist somewhere deep inside.
"we're having a party tonight. you guys have to come,"
topper invited as he grabbed her brother by the shoulder in a fraternal embrace.
y/n snapped herself from her thoughts to engage into the conversation.
"yeah! please come y/n,"
sarah begged as the wind flew through her silky hair.
y/n couldn't help but stare in a moment of mesmerization.
"we'll be there,"
y/n and her twin brother spoke in unison,
earning a laugh from everyone in the group.
they soon departed from one another,
all going home to get prepared for the night ahead of them.
after hours of rummaging through her closet,
y/n decided on a perfect outfit she knew would make the statement necessary:
that she still belonged here.
"ready?"
her brother asked as he peeked in her doorway.
y/n gave herself one last look through in the mirror then said,
"yes."
and together,
they walked out for a night of fun and trouble.
once they arrived at toppers place,
they parted ways.
y/n went with sarah cameron and her friends,
and her brother went with topper and his friends.
during a game of cup pong,
y/n felt her phone buzz.
she quickly pulled it out to see a text from jj.