Anessa's POV

I was born and raised in Outer Banks, North Carolina. It's a small community of islands off the coast of North Carolina. The Outer Banks is a string of barrier islands, formed by the sea and the shifting sand. It's a wild and beautiful place. Tourists flock to our beaches every summer and sometime other months as well. Those times were great business for my parent's surf shop. It's been around for as long as I can remember. They sold surfboards, wetsuits, and other beach gear. My dad even taught surfing lessons on the side. We lived above the shop and we were right near the ocean. The sound of the waves crashing onto the shore was a familiar, soothing sound. It's something that I could hear clearly, no matter where I was. The salt air was always in my hair and on my skin, and I've learned to love it.

My family were locals. I never imagined living anywhere else. It's all I ever knew. I have a lot of fond memories from growing up there. Most of my childhood was spent running up and down the beaches, swimming in the ocean, and riding my bike everywhere. I loved collecting seashells and looking for turtles with Kiara. Going surfing with all my friends and then playing in the water after. Watching the sunrise and the sunset with my parents. All of those memories were so special to me and they brought me such joy.

But, it wasn't always a perfect life. The island was split up into two sides. The Figure Eight was where the rich people, the higher class, lived and they were known as kooks. The other side of the island - the Cut - is where the poor people, the middle/lower class lived and they were called pogues. There was a lot of rivalry between the two sides, the kooks and the pogues.

It was rare for a pogue to end up on the Figure Eight side. If they did, they were usually treated badly. And vice versa. I honestly have no idea how the feud even started in the first place. My parents never talked about it, and it wasn't like we had to deal with them everyday. But, whenever someone mentioned the Figure Eight, it was always done with a hint of disgust or contempt. My parents had grown up together. They'd met as children and had fallen in love. They lived here their whole lives and never dreamed of living anywhere else. But, they were always supportive of my dreams.

My mother, Bridgit Ackerman, had her own café on the island. It was somewhat in between Figure Eight and the Cut and it was such a popular place there were a mix of pogues and kooks that came. They had amazing food and their coffee was the best. It was the go-to place to meet up with friends. It's where I first met Kiara when we were little and we hit it off right away.

Anyway, that café had been in our family for generations. Even when my parents made the surf shop, they kept the café because it had been in the family. It was important to us. It's where my parents met and got married. Where I grew up. It's still there, and it's run by my mom and my older brother now.

My dad, Kieren Ackerman, was the oldest in his family. He had a younger sister, but they didn't really get along. She lived on the mainland and was a lawyer. They didn't speak very often and she had never stepped foot on the island. I don't think I've even seen a picture of her. When I tried talking about her, my parents would clam up and change the subject. So, I stopped bringing her up and we just went on with our lives.

My dad was well known around the island, more so on the Cut side. He used to be a pro surfer back in the day which causes a lot of tourists to come around to visit. They wanted to get his autograph and have a photo taken. He didn't mind it, as long as they respected his privacy and the people who live there. He taught surfing lessons, and he had his own surfboard line. He and I spent a lot of time surfing together when I was little. He taught me everything I know. He taught everything my older brother knows too. And now, my brother helps my dad with the surfing lessons.

I have an older brother named Kegan. He's two years older than me. We're close, and we've always looked out for each other. Though we do have our fights and disagreements, but that's normal. Kegan works with our dad at the surf shop. He also helps our dad with the surfing lessons and takes over when he's busy. He's eighteen, but he graduated early since he had enough credits. I'm sixteen and I'll be a senior next year.

Kegan's a bit overprotective. He's never liked me hanging out with John B and the pogues, because he says they'll only cause trouble. He's not wrong, but he's not completely right either. The guys aren't troublemakers, though they have gotten in their fair share of scrapes and scuffles. But, they aren't bad people. They're just trying to survive. They're trying to make it through each day. They're looking for a way to escape. A chance to live a different life.

The pogues - John B, Kiara, Pope, and JJ. They're my best friends. I have known John B the longest. We've known each other since we were practically born. Our parents were friends and we grew up together. He was my first friend, and he's stuck by me through everything. I would do anything for him, and I know he'd do anything for me. I could always count on him. I trust him. He's always been there for me.

Kiara and I met when we were five. We met at the café when she came with her family. We became instant best friends and have been ever since. I remember I had been outside where baby sea turtles were going to hatch at any minute and because of my love for turtles I had to be a part of the whole thing. So, I was the first person to notice Kiara and her family coming toward the beach and I was excited to tell her about it. Turned out she had the same amount of passion about turtles and excitedly joined me in watching them. That was the beginning of a wonderful friendship.

I'm still surprised I'm friends with JJ. We're complete opposites. He's always been the prankster, the wild one, the funny one. He's always getting in trouble, doing stupid things, but he's got a good heart. He's loyal and would do anything for his friends and anything to protect his loved ones. Though he's a klepto and a drinks, smokes, and does drugs sometimes, he's not a bad guy. The two of us have a sibling type of bond. I know he'd do anything for me. He's always trying to annoy me, or tease me. But, he's like a brother to me. When me and John B met him, the three of us became a trio and we've been friends ever since.

Then, there's Pope. He's the smart one. He knows everything, and he can solve any problem. He's calm, and he keeps the others from doing anything too crazy. He's the voice of reason. I always got along with him, we met when we were little kids, and we became close. I know I can always count on him to have my back. We often work on homework together and study together. He's a bit of a conspiracy theorist, sometimes it's annoying, sometimes it's interesting.

But, we all got along and we all were like a little family. We all took care of each other, and we watched out for each other. It's all we've ever known. It's our way of life. And, it's not something I'd ever change. Well, there's one thing I wanted to change. Recently, I started seeing John B differently. At first, I couldn't figure out what it was. Then, I realized I had a crush on him. It was unexpected. We'd known each other for years, and we were like siblings. I wasn't sure how I felt about it. Or if I should even say anything. I didn't want to ruin our friendship. I didn't want to change things between us. So, I kept quiet and tried to push my feelings away.

I thought it would go away eventually, but it only grew stronger. Every time I saw him, my heart skipped a beat and my stomach did a little flip. It was like this feeling that I couldn't explain. I just hope I'll be able to keep these feelings to myself. Because, I'm afraid of what will happen if I don't.