Romy stared out the airplane window as the sun began to set, casting a golden glow over the Charleston skyline. Her heart raced with a mix of excitement and nerves as the plane touched down, her mind buzzing with the reality of what was happening: she was about to start her first major role on Outer Banks.

"Okay, Romy," she muttered to herself, adjusting her headphones and gathering her things. "This is it. You've got this."

As the plane taxied to the gate, she quickly scrolled through her phone, noticing a few missed texts from her mom.

Mama:
"I'm so proud of you, baby! Call me when you land. ❤️"
"I know you're going to be amazing!"

Romy smiled, her fingers hovering over the reply button, but before she could text back, the flight attendants opened the doors, and everyone stood to leave. She slipped her phone into her jacket pocket, grabbed her carry-on, and followed the crowd through the terminal.

The air in Charleston was warm and humid, so different from the Italian coast she was used to, but it wasn't unpleasant. As she stepped outside, a production driver was waiting for her, holding a sign with her name: ROMY BLEU WOLF.

"Hey, that's me!" Romy waved with a grin, pulling her suitcase along behind her. The driver greeted her with a smile and helped load her bags into the SUV.

As the car pulled away from the airport, her excitement only grew. This wasn't just another small role or a cameo—this was Outer Banks. She'd been binge-watching the show for months, already a fan, and now she was part of it. She couldn't believe she'd be meeting the cast soon. Chase Stokes, Madison Bailey, Drew Starkey—these were people she'd watched on screen, and soon she'd be working with them.

When Romy arrived at her hotel, the Outer Banks crew had already left her a welcome package in her room. There was a handwritten note on top of the neatly folded OBX hoodie:

"Welcome to the family, Romy! We're so excited to have you. See you at the first read-through tomorrow! — The OBX Team"

Romy set the note aside, quickly slipping into the hoodie. It was surreal seeing the Outer Banks logo stitched into the fabric, knowing she was officially part of the show. She grabbed her phone and sent her mama a quick selfie in the hoodie, captioning it, Made it! First day tomorrow.

After unpacking a few things and freshening up, she got a notification: dinner with the cast. A nervous buzz hit her stomach as she checked the details and saw the address. She had just enough time to change and head over to the restaurant where she'd be meeting some of her new co-stars.

Romy stood in her hotel room, staring at the clothes sprawled across the bed, a growing sense of indecision knotting in her stomach. Casual dinner with the cast—it sounded simple enough, but this was her first night meeting them off set, and she wanted to make the right impression.

She grabbed a black leather jacket from her suitcase and held it up in front of the mirror. Edgy? Too much? Dropping it onto the growing pile of clothes, she sifted through her options: a floral summer dress, a cropped sweater, a pair of ripped jeans that she always wore but were starting to look a bit too worn. She sighed, tossing the jeans aside and pulling up her phone, scrolling through some fashion inspo.

"Why is this so hard?" she muttered, chewing on her lip. Casual, but not too casual. Stylish, but not trying too hard.

Romy stood in front of the mirror, staring at herself in yet another outfit. She had gone through jeans, shorts, dresses, and even debated wearing the leather jacket again, but none of it felt right. After trying on and discarding a few more options, her eyes fell on a flowy, bohemian-style maxi skirt hanging at the back of her closet.

She hesitated for a moment, then slipped it on, pairing it with a simple white cropped tee. It wasn't what she had originally planned—she thought she'd go more laid-back for a casual dinner with the cast—but something about the skirt just felt good. It was comfortable, yet still had that "effortlessly cool" vibe she loved.

"Okay, this is the one," she decided, twirling in front of the mirror and watching the skirt billow around her legs. It was perfect. And different. She grabbed her favourite necklace, a small crescent moon pendant her mom gave her when she first started working on her YouTube channel, and finished off the look with a pair of strappy sandals.

Before heading out the door, Romy snapped another quick selfie in the mirror and posted it to Instagram, capturing her vibe for the night.

𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘄𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘆, 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗯𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 23.3𝘮 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴

𝗿𝗼𝗺𝘆𝘄𝗼𝗹𝗳𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 Finally decided on an outfit! 🌙 Casual dinner with the @obx crew—feeling like Jaine would approve. ✌🏽 

👤📸 : some random guy i found

𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗿 Looking good, Rom! Proud of you. Also Dawn misses you!!!
↳ 𝗿𝗼𝗺𝘆𝘄𝗼𝗹𝗳𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 omgg come down as a family trip!!

𝗷𝗼𝗵𝗻𝗻𝘆𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘄𝘀 Don't forget—Netflix doesn't keep extras for long.
𝗻𝗲𝘁𝗳𝗹𝗶𝘅𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹  johnny... #notpredictingthecorrectfuture

𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗯𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸 pretty ❤️
↳ 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗼𝗻 okay are we all going to ignore her EX commented?? right okay...

𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 You're meeting the Outer Banks cast, not walking a runway. Relax.

𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘄𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘆 10/10 already, and I haven't even seen you in person.

𝗮𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 Let's be real—you could show up in pajamas and still outshine us

𝗹𝗲𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗸𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗶𝗶 Uh, where was MY invite? Also, I better see pics.

𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘆 Why is everyone acting like this is such a big deal? It's just an outfit.

𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗹𝘆𝗻𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 You're about to SLAY, as usual 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩
↳ 𝗿𝗼𝗺𝘆𝘄𝗼𝗹𝗳𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 love you girly 🤍🤍

𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 Romy giving "main character" energy even before the first scene.

𝗿𝗼𝗺𝘆𝗳𝗮𝗻𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗲𝟮𝟰𝟳 Romy, you could wear a paper bag and still look like a queen!! 💖

𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 Love you, but you're doing way too much about this. Just sayin'.

𝗻𝗲𝘁𝗳𝗹𝗶𝘅𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 We can't wait to see you shine! Welcome to the OBX fam. 🎬✨

𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐟𝐟.

The retro diner buzzed with life, filled with the scent of sizzling bacon, freshly brewed coffee, and the chatter of customers. Romy Bleu Wolf sat at the booth nearest the jukebox, nervously scrolling through her phone. Today was the day—her first official meeting with the cast of Outer Banks. She had exchanged a few friendly DMs with them after being cast, but seeing them in person was an entirely different experience. 

The door jingled, and Romy glanced up. In walked Chase Stokes, Madelyn Cline, Madison Bailey, Jonathan Daviss, Drew Starkey, and Rudy Pankow, their energy filling the room instantly. They looked effortlessly cool, like they belonged on the cover of a magazine, each with a distinct vibe.

"Romy!" Madelyn's warm voice cut through Romy's nervous thoughts as she approached the table with a bright smile. She slid into the booth beside Romy, pulling her into a quick hug. "It's so good to meet you! You're even cuter in person!"

Chase grinned and dropped into the seat across from her. "Welcome to the chaos," he said, leaning back with ease. "I hope you're ready, because working with us is like signing up for a nonstop family road trip."

"More like signing up for babysitting duty," Drew quipped, dropping into the seat next to Chase. He nodded toward Rudy, who was already tearing open sugar packets and sprinkling them onto the table like confetti.

"Hey!" Rudy protested, chucking a sugar packet at Drew's head. "You're just mad because I'm funnier than you."  Jonathan slid in beside Drew, shaking his head. "Rudy, no one thinks that. Literally, no one."

Madison joined Madelyn on Romy's side, giving her a wide smile. "Ignore them—they do this all the time. The real question is... waffles or pancakes?"

Romy blinked, caught off guard by the sudden question. "Um... waffles?" she said hesitantly. 

Madelyn and Madison cheered, high-fiving. "She's one of us!" 

Rudy leaned across the table dramatically, whispering, "Wrong answer. Pancakes are superior." 

"I'm rethinking this whole dynamic," Drew deadpanned, flipping through the menu. 

Chase chuckled and shot Romy an apologetic smile. "This is pretty much what it's like 24/7. But don't worry, we've already decided you're part of the family, so you're stuck with us now." 

As the conversation flowed, Romy felt her initial nerves begin to ease. Drew offered sarcastic commentary on everything, Rudy shared an outrageous story about getting stuck in a tree during a shoot, and Jonathan quizzed her on her Outer Banks knowledge. 

By the time their food arrived, the group was laughing and teasing each other like old friends. Romy found herself genuinely enjoying every moment.

"Alright, Romy," Madison said with a playful grin, leaning forward. "You've gotta choose: Pogue or Kook?" 

The table erupted in groans, cheers, and mock protests as Romy pretended to think deeply. Finally, she smirked and said, "I'm gonna go with... Team Waffles." 

"Perfect answer," Chase declared, raising his coffee mug in a toast.

"To Romy and Team Waffles!" Drew added with a smirk, clinking his glass of orange juice against everyone else's. As their laughter echoed through the diner, Romy felt her nerves melt away. This wasn't just a cast meeting—it was the start of something special. She wasn't just joining a show; she was joining a family.

As the plates emptied and the milkshakes dwindled, the group's energy only seemed to grow. Laughter echoed through the diner, the stories grew more ridiculous, and Romy found herself at the center of it all, completely swept up in their dynamic.

Jonathan leaned back in his seat, folding his arms with a mischievous glint in his eye. "Alright, Romy. Since you're officially part of the chaos now, you have to answer the initiation question." 

"Oh no," Romy said with mock dread, setting her fork down. "What's the initiation question?" 

Madison leaned in, grinning like she was letting her in on a great secret. "If you could swap lives with any Outer Banks character for a day, who would it be?" 

The table erupted as everyone chimed in.

"She's gonna say Sarah!" Madelyn teased, elbowing Chase. 

"Watch her pick Pope and leave us all shook," Jonathan added, smirking.

"Nah, she's a JJ girl. I can feel it," Rudy declared, pointing dramatically at Romy. 

Romy laughed, throwing her hands up. "Okay, okay, let me think!" She tapped her chin in exaggerated thought as they all leaned in. "Honestly? Kiara. She's badass, she speaks her mind, and she gets to hang out with all you weirdos." 

Madison let out a triumphant cheer. "I knew I liked you!" 

"Kiara for the win!" Chase said, clinking his coffee mug against Madison's. 

Rudy pouted, crossing his arms. "I'm disappointed, Romy. JJ has jet skis. You could've had jet skis" 

Drew rolled his eyes, leaning back against the booth. "Because clearly, jet skis are the most important character trait." 

"They are!" Rudy shot back, and the table dissolved into laughter again. 

The waitress arrived with the bill, sliding it onto the table with a polite smile. Everyone froze for a moment before Chase reached for it with a theatrical sigh. 

"Don't worry, I've got it. Just remember this next time we're filming and I need someone to run lines with me at 2 a.m.," he said, grinning as he pulled out his card.  "Chivalry isn't dead," Drew muttered as he slid out of the booth. "But Chase's wallet might be after this."

Madelyn stood and stretched, pulling her jacket over her shoulders. "Come on, guys. Let's not scare Romy off on her first night with us."

Jonathan grinned as he nudged Romy playfully. "Too late for that. She already signed the contract. She's stuck with us now." 

As they filed out of the diner, the group gathered under the neon lights outside, the cool night air brushing against their cheeks. The laughter continued as they jostled and teased one another. 

Madelyn looped her arm through Romy's, pulling her closer. "You survived dinner with us. That's the hardest part. Welcome to the family, Romy." 

"Thanks," Romy said, her smile growing as she looked around at the group. "I think I'm going to like it here." 

"You better like it here," Rudy called from ahead, spinning dramatically under the glowing sign. "Because this is just the beginning." 

While the others wandered toward the cars, Drew lingered behind with Romy. He leaned casually against the diner wall, pulling his phone from his pocket and glancing up at her with a crooked smile. 

"You held your own in there," he said, his tone teasing but genuine. 

Romy shrugged, laughing softly. "I think I was just trying to survive."  "Nah, you did more than that," Drew said, tucking his phone away. "You fit in. That's not easy with this group. We're a lot to handle." 

"Yeah, I noticed," she said with a smirk. "But I like a challenge." 

Drew raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed. "Good. Because you're going to get one every day on set." He paused, his expression softening. "For real, though—it's good to have you. You're gonna kill it."

Romy felt a warmth spread through her chest, his words bolstering her confidence in a way she hadn't expected. "Thanks, Drew. That means a lot." 

He gave her a small grin and nudged her shoulder lightly. "Alright, come on. If we're late, Rudy will claim the good seat in the car, and none of us want that."  As they walked toward the others, Romy couldn't help but feel like something had shifted. This wasn't just a cast meet-up anymore—it felt like the start of something real, something she was excited to be a part of.

As they walked toward the cars, Drew slowed his pace, letting the others get ahead. Romy noticed and glanced up at him, curiosity flickering in her eyes. The neon diner lights reflected off his face, casting a soft glow over his sharp features. 

"You good?" she asked, falling into step beside him. 

"Yeah, just needed a second away from the chaos," Drew replied, his voice quieter now, less performative. He looked over at her and smiled faintly. "Thought you might, too." 

Romy tilted her head, studying him. "Am I that obvious?" 

"Not at all," Drew said, shoving his hands into his jacket pockets. "But I know what it's like to be the new person. It can get... a lot." 

Romy laughed softly, wrapping her arms around herself as the cool night air brushed against her skin. "It's definitely overwhelming, but it's not bad. You guys are... great, honestly." 

"Great?" Drew raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Don't let Rudy hear that, or he'll never let you live it down." 

She rolled her eyes playfully. "I'll keep that in mind. But seriously, you've all been so welcoming. I wasn't expecting it to feel this... easy." 

Drew stopped walking, and Romy instinctively did the same. He turned to face her, his expression softer now, more serious. "That's because you make it easy, Romy. You don't try too hard or put up some fake front. It's refreshing." 

Romy blinked, caught off guard by the sincerity in his voice. "I... don't really know what to say to that."

"You don't have to say anything," Drew replied, his smile turning a little crooked. "I just wanted you to know." 

For a moment, they stood there, the distant chatter of the others fading into the background. The air between them felt charged, like the world had narrowed down to just the two of them. 

"Drew!" Rudy's voice suddenly rang out, snapping the moment like a rubber band. "Are you flirting, or are we leaving?" 

Romy's cheeks flushed, and she bit back a nervous laugh. Drew sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. "You'd think he'd at least give me five minutes." 

Before Romy could respond, Drew stepped closer, his voice low enough that only she could hear. "Ignore him. He's just jealous." 

Romy raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile tugging at her lips. "Jealous? Of what?" 

Drew hesitated for a second, as if weighing his next words, then smiled faintly. "That I get to do this." 

Before Romy could process what he meant, Drew leaned in and pressed a soft, quick kiss to her cheek. The warmth of his lips lingered against her skin as he pulled back, his gaze steady but a little playful. 

"See you on set," he said casually, turning to jog toward the others before she could respond. 

Romy stood there for a moment, her heart racing and her cheeks burning. When she finally caught up to the group, Madelyn gave her a knowing look, but thankfully didn't say anything. 

As they piled into the cars, Drew glanced at her in the rear view mirror, his smirk just barely visible. Romy smiled to herself, her nerves replaced by a new kind of excitement. Whatever this was, it felt like the beginning of something unexpected—and she wasn't complaining.

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