MOONLIGHT | outer banks ²

SIXTEEN. (storm)

"Did we seriously just finish three bottles of wine?" Derek's words slipped from his lips drunkenly as he looked at the last empty bottle.

"well, Laney finished one by herself" Sam's comment ended with him glaring at me.

"I was celebrating" I let out. "celebrating what? I'm the one that's engaged" Sam slurred, Derek fighting to hold back his giggles.

"I was celebrating for your asshole" I joked, bringing my cup to my lips only to discover that it too was empty. "I think it's a good call to head to bed then" Derek suggested, the three slowly nodding our heads.

"night lovebirds, don't have sex too loud please," I told the two as I walked past. I shut the door behind me and stumbled my way to my bedroom.

When my eyes fluttered open and the sun was beaming in, warming my skin, I knew I was hungover. I brought my face and try to massage the headache away.

I froze slightly when I felt movement from beside me. I turned and was met with Madison's sleeping body and I sighed.

The girl stirred and yawned as she woke up too. "morning" The brunette let out and I smiled. "morning" She leaned over, pressing a kiss to my cheek before sitting up fulling and stretching.

"We should get up" Madison suggested, moving back for another kiss. "mhm, okay" I nodded, kissing the girl's neck before getting up and wrapping a blanket around myself.

"need to borrow something?" I asked as I looked through my closet. "no, I should probably get going and head to my mom's" Madison told me as she pulled on some of her clothes from the floor of the bedroom.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" Madison let out, kissing my cheek.

"no sleepover tonight?" I asked, leaning to look into my mirror and fix my hair. "can't, gotta study at Veronica's tonight, we have that dumb algebra project. Remember" Madison told me, playfully shoving me so she could use the mirror too.

Madison kissed me once more before saying bye and walking out of the room. I could hear her talking to the boys before the door opened and then closed. I took a makeup wipe from my bag and wiped my face off quickly, trying to get the makeup I wore the night before off.

"hey, you decent?" I moved from the mirror and walked to the door, opening it to see Derek standing with a sly smile on his face.

"What?" I asked, my brow raised. "nothing, just I guess we should have been telling you to not be loud" He laughed, dodging my attempt at a shove.

"Haha, what do you want?" I asked, picking some of my laundry off the floor. "well, your brother wants to start planning" Derek started. "for the wedding?" I cut him off, mouth falling open in shock as the boy nodded.

"you guys just got engaged last night and you're already planning?" Derek rolled his eyes at me.

"We don't want to wait, so do you maybe want to come with me to Chapel Hill today and check some stuff out?" He suggested and I weighed my options, spend the day with Derek on the mainland or stay on the island with no plans.

"yeah, when's the ferry leave?" I asked and he checked his watch.

"We gotta leave here in fifteen," He told me before moving from the doorway and shutting the door. I looked at myself in the mirror before turning back to my closet, trying to pick out a better outfit.

I fixed the hem of my dress and pulled my hair back into a ponytail before grabbing my purse and walking down the hall.

"you sure you want to be stuck with her all day?" I heard Sam ask Derek, I rolled my eyes before going into the kitchen and grabbing an orange.

"I think I'll be fine" Derek joked, wrapping an arm around my shoulder. "you ready?" He asked, smiling as I nodded.

"have fun" Sam shouted to us, waving from the doorway as we climbed into Derek's truck. The leather seats felt warm from the sun as I climbed in. It didn't take long for us to pull towards the ferry.

"This is my first time off the island since I got here" I commented, leaning over the railing as the wind blew through my hair. "well, Chapel Hill is beautiful. You'll love it" He told me and I smiled at the boy.

"For what it's worth, I'm really sorry you and Sam got stuck with shitty parents" He let out, placing his hand over mine.

"Thanks, for what it's worth," I told him, turning back to the water. "We can skip the whole, you hurt my brother I hurt your speech again yeah?" He asked and I let out a laugh, adding in a nod.

"Here, I'll go get us some food. We still have another hour or so" Derek told me, getting up from his seat.

"okay" I answered, my gaze staying on the waves. It was calm, the water seemed to call me. But as I sat in my spot I couldn't stop my mind from imagining the rough waters from the night John B and Sarah left. How water looked in storms, it raged and they were in an open boat.

They could have actually died, I thought he was dead for two months. I went so long trying to figure out how to grieve him and now he was alive, just like that.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. I looked out at the waves but they had changed, they were raging storm waves.

I sucked in another breath as I let my eyelids close. I tried to calm my breathing but I felt like something was stuck in my throat and like someone was sitting on my chest.

I could feel my hands start to shake and I moved from the railing. I opened my eyes and tried to look out at the calm water, reminding myself there wasn't a storm and that I was okay.

I sat down on one of the benches and took more deep breaths, but it seemed the more I tried to calm myself down the more intense things felt. I brought my hands to my face and I let out shaky breaths.

"Laney? oh my god, Laney are you okay?" I could register his voice but it felt so far away, like I was in a tunnel miles away.

"Hey" He let out, I could feel his arm wrap around me and pull my body to his. "you're okay, whatever happened, you're okay" He assured me, rubbing my back.

I forced myself to open my eyes and look at the water, forced myself to see the blue water and the calm sky. I took another deep breath and I felt my heartbeat slow.

"I'm sorry" I let out, looking beside me to Derek.

"Sorry for what?" He asked, still soothingly rubbing my back. "just for being a mess, I'm okay. I don't know what happened" I admitted and he nodded. I leaned closer to him and allowed him to comfort me.

"I got you a coffee and a sandwich" He spoke up, pulling from our hug to hand me the cup and box. "thank you," I told him, my hands holding the warm cup close to me.

"so, where do you want to head first when we get there?" Derek asked, changing the topic. It was something I was thankful for.