𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐅𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐃─𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬

one hundred.

─☼☼☼─
—one year later—

"WHAT TIME DOES your ferry get in?" Kiara's voice carried over the phone which was sat on the coffee table. "Mom told me but I forget."

Shoving another shirt into her bag, Charlotte blew a piece of hair from her face, "I think, like, four thirty or something like that. I'll check my email after."

"You excited?" Her sister wondered, trying to hide that fact that she was excited for her big sister to come home.

Pausing for a moment, Charlotte considered the question. It had been months since she'd been home, and while she was excited, she was also scared. "Yeah," she finally answered. "I can't wait to see you guys."

Kiara snorted, "JJ hasn't shut up about the fact that you're coming home for the past week."

Charlotte couldn't help but smile to herself as she zipped up her suitcase. Despite the fact that she hadn't been back to Kildare Island in months, the Pogues had come to visit her in Durham numerous times. But the group of them hanging out in her small apartment was never the same as them hanging out in the Outer Banks. She was excited to get back to that.

"Tell him he better be ready to take me out surfing the minute I get home." Charlotte teased, grunting as she lifted her suitcase up.

Kiara laughed, "Yeah, he'll be over the moon."

Picking up the phone from the table, Charlotte heard the front door to the apartment open. "I've gotta go, Kie. I'll see you tonight?"

"For sure." Kiara affirmed. "We'll pick you guys up from the ferry. Text me when you confirm the time."

"Okay," Charlotte nodded, "See you soon."

The phone beeped as the call ended, just as a voice carried through the hallway. "Charlotte?"

"In here!" She called, rolling her suitcase toward the door. "Just finishing up packing!"

"You're still not done?" Her boyfriend wondered, letting out a laugh as he emerged into the living room. "Are we staying for the whole summer or something?"

Charlotte shrugged, honestly unsure of how long she was going to stay. The plan had been just to go back for the ceremony at town hall and then return to Durham for the summer, but after talking to her sister, she realized just how badly she missed being with the Pogues at home...no matter how many demons still plagued the Outer Banks.

Smiling, her boyfriend pulled her toward him, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I'm excited."

Nodding, Charlotte pushed a piece of his dark hair away from his face. "Me too." She smiled, trying to push down her nerves. "I'm excited for you to meet my parents."

He grinned, "Hope they like me."

Charlotte rolled her eyes, "You'll be fine. You're always fine."

He smirked, "You're right."

The two had only been dating for three months, but Carson Ross was a welcomed distraction for Charlotte Carerra. The two had started as friends who'd met in one of their classes, and after multiple rejections from Charlotte, and multiple attempts from Carson, the two finally started dating.