You were walking along the pier, the breeze from the ocean brushing through your hair as the familiar salty scent filled your lungs. The Outer Banks hadn’t changed much — same water, same sun-drenched skies — but everything felt different now that your father had dragged you back here after all these years. Living next door to the Camerons again felt like stepping into the past you weren’t sure you missed

Lost in thought, your shoulder suddenly knocked hard against someone else’s

“Shit, sorry,” you muttered, stumbling slightly

You looked up to see a group of four — three boys and a girl. The boy you’d bumped into had sun-bleached hair, blue eyes that sparkled with mischief, and a grin that made you feel like you were suddenly under a spotlight. He said nothing, just smirked, and you quickly turned away, brushing it off as an accident

But later, as your hand slid into your bag and came up empty, your stomach dropped

Your wallet — gone.

Not just any wallet. Inside was the only photo you had left of your mom — you two smiling on the beach the summer before she died. You’d kept it with you every day since. It wasn’t about the money. It was about that picture.

Panic turned into fury as you stormed back toward the pier, scanning for the group you had seen earlier. It didn’t take long to find them, lounging near the edge like they had nothing better to do. The blonde boy was sitting with his back to you, flipping through something — your wallet.

You marched up, your voice sharp and cold. “Is that mine?”

The boy looked up, smug and lazy, the corners of his mouth curling into a cocky grin. “Ah… is it yours?” he teased, holding the wallet up like a trophy.

You didn’t blink. You could see the edge of the photo sticking out. Your heart tightened in your chest.

“JJ,” the girl with wild curls — Kiara, you thought her name was — shot him a warning look. “Give the girl back her wallet.”

JJ barely glanced at her, his eyes still locked on yours “Relax, Kie. I was just checking to see if she had any dirty secrets in here,” he said, pulling out the photo and turning it in his fingers “Aww… this your mom?”

You snatched it from his hand like it burned “Don’t touch that.”

He blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift in your tone — and the flash of hurt you couldn’t hide

“Okay, damn,” he said, holding up his hands in mock surrender as you took the wallet from him. “Didn’t know it was sentimental.”

You said nothing, just stared at him with a look that made his smirk falter, if only slightly.

“See you around… mansion girl,” he called after you as you turned to leave.

You didn’t respond — but deep down, you knew this wouldn’t be the last time you saw JJ Maybank.