The Outer Banks is supposed to be paradise—endless summers, beach bonfires, freedom. But for you, it’s different. Anxiety grips you, and you can’t shake it off of you. It presses down on your chest, whispers in your ear, makes you feel like something’s wrong. You try to hide it, to act like everything’s fine. But it never is.

Your best friend, Sarah Cameron, is the only one who makes everything feel lighter. When you’re with her, you forget about the weight in your chest. She’s your anchor, always there to pull you back when you start to drown in your own mind.

Then there’s Rafe. Her older brother. The one you’re supposed to stay away from. But something about him pulls you in. He’s intense, unpredictable, like a storm you can’t predict. Sometimes he seems to see right through you, like he knows what’s really going on inside your head. And maybe that’s why you can’t stay away from him, even when you know it’s dangerous.

Lately, it’s getting worse. The feeling that someone’s watching you. You start to hear things—voices, whispers, things that aren’t really there. But it feels so real. You turn around, expecting someone to be there, but there’s nothing. Still, that presence lingers.

One evening by the fire, Sarah notices. “You good?” she asks. You try to smile, but it’s forced. “Yeah. Just tired.”

Rafe watches you carefully. “You sure?”

Before you can respond, you hear it again—a whisper. Your heart races. You turn quickly, but there’s nothing. Just shadows and the crackling of the fire.

Sarah looks at you, concern in her eyes. “What’s going on?”

You shake your head quickly. “I’m fine. Really.”

She doesn’t seem convinced, but she doesn’t push it. Rafe keeps watching, like he knows you’re not. Like he understands more than you want him to.