Her heart was so golden, it rivaled even the sun.
In which a girl is tired of living by everyone else's rules, so she decides to make her own.
[Outer Banks season 1]
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BUMPING INTO A familiar blond boy less than a foot outside her front door was less than ideal for Emerson. She hadn't expected to be hit with a road block so soon, but apparently the universe just wanted to keep her chasing her tail. She yelped in surprise — just like she did the last two times she'd bumped into the boy — and he quickly reached out to steady her. Emerson tried to ignore the fiery sparks that felt almost burning as they rushed down her arms, and she made haste to pull away from him. She was still angry at the boy after everything that had happened, and maybe she was stubborn, but she wasn't ready to forgive him just yet.
"What do you want?" Emerson asked. Her voice was cold and calloused, a tone that sounded unfamiliar even to her own ears. JJ looked taken aback too, but he didn't let the expression stay on his face for long.
"I just, um, I wanted to check on you," JJ said tentatively. "See how you're holding up."
"I'm fine." Emerson scoffed and walked around him, stomping down her porch steps and walking briskly out into the street. JJ was left to trail after her, unsure if he should even continue to follow.
"Are you sure? Where are you going?" JJ queried.
"Nowhere that includes you," Emerson stated. She rolled her eyes, desperately wishing the boy would just leave her alone. But JJ was committed now, and even despite Emerson's hostility he continued to follow the girl.
"Emerson, just hold on," the blond called. He jogged to catch up with her quick pace and grabbed her arm. He spun her around easily and has grabbed her other arm with his free hand, holding her in place before she had the chance to pull out of his grasp. She felt the sparks shooting through her limbs once again and her breath caught in her throat. She looked anywhere but his eyes, knowing that if she caught his puppy dog stare she would immediately cave.
"Look, I know I was a real dick to you that night," JJ said after taking a nervous breath. "I shouldn't have said those things, and I'm not just saying that because your dad died, okay? I really am sorry."
Emerson sighed. She closed her eyes momentarily, forcing them open again and darting them over to JJ's bright blue orbs. "Okay."
"Okay?" JJ's eyebrows shot up, hurt evident in his voice. "That's it?"
"What do you want me to say, JJ?" Emerson huffed. She scoffed and shook her head, frustratedly raising her arms and then dropping them at her sides. "I stuck my neck out for you. I went after you, I gave you the benefit of the doubt. I was just trying to help, and then you took that and threw it in my face. You can say you're sorry all you want, but that doesn't make the hurt go away."
JJ was silent. He swallowed thickly and bit his lip, slowly nodding his head as he stared off into the distance. A pang of hurt prodded the girl as she felt guilty for making him upset, but she shoved it down and turned her back so she could keep walking. To her dismay, JJ still followed.
