𝐘/𝐍'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕

I woke up to the sound of Storm humming in the kitchen and the music even louder. The scent of slightly overcooked waffles and what I could only assume was a gallon of syrup hung in the air.

Groaning, I rolled out of bed, rubbing the sleep from my eyes as I shuffled toward the bathroom before going to the sound of the chaos.

"Well your left hand's free and your rights in grip! With another left hand—"

"Storm, please tell me you didn't use all the syrup again," I said over the music, leaning against the doorframe.

She was singing the Outer Banks theme song like her life depended on it.

Storm, wearing my oversized fire department hoodie like a dress, turned around with a grin. "Good morning to you too, grumpy."

I raised an eyebrow, crossing my arms. "That's not an answer."

She held up the nearly empty bottle. "There's enough left for one pancake... maybe."

I sighed, shaking my head. "You're lucky I like you."

"Lucky? I'm your favorite person in the whole world!" she quipped, setting a plate on the counter. "Waffles?"

I grabbed one and took a bite. "These are... extra crispy."

"It's called texture," she said, feigning sophistication. "Chefs on TV talk about it all the time."

"Uh-huh," I said, smirking. "What's with all the energy this morning?"

"Are you serious?" She stared at me like I'd asked her why the sky was blue. "It's Poguelandia Day!"

I couldn't help but laugh at her excitement. She'd been counting down for weeks, her enthusiasm bubbling over into daily reminders about the event.

I grabbed a mug from the cabinet and poured myself some coffee, taking a long sip before responding.

"I know, kiddo," I said, leaning on the counter. "But we're not leaving until a little later. We've got some time, practically all day."

Storm's face fell dramatically. "All day? That's, like, forever."

"Forever, huh?" I said, smirking as I grabbed another waffle. "Then I guess you'll have plenty of time to double-check your homework and pack your bag for Monday."

Her groan was loud enough to wake the neighbors. "Why are you like this?"

"Because I'm the grown-up," I said with a grin. "And I love torturing you."

"Worst. Sister. Ever," she muttered, stomping toward her room.

"You'll thank me when you're acing math tests!" I called after her, chuckling to myself.

. . .

The hours crawled by, filled with chores and a steady stream of Storm's impatient questions. By mid-afternoon, I had finished vacuuming the apartment, folded the last load of laundry, and was double-checking my email for the event details.

I smiled as I skimmed the confirmation email: two VIP packages for Poguelandia, including a meet-and-greet with the cast. Storm had no idea. She'd lose her mind.

"Do you think we'll see Madelyn Cline?" she asked for the fifth time that afternoon, her voice rising with excitement as she paced the living room.

"I don't know, Storm," I said, playing it cool as I closed my laptop. "Maybe."

"She's my favorite," Storm continued, ignoring my vague answer. "She's so pretty and funny. Don't you think she's cool?"

"She's alright," I replied, keeping my tone neutral.

Storm shot me a look. "You guess? How can you 'guess' about Madelyn Cline? She's amazing."

"She's alright," I repeated, smirking as I grabbed my keys. "Now come on, let's get going before you combust."

Storm practically sprinted to the car, her energy contagious despite my attempts to stay calm. As I climbed into the driver's seat, I glanced over at her, already bubbling with excitement, and felt a small pang of pride.

I couldn't wait to see her reaction when we met Madelyn. For all her chatter, Storm deserved this moment, and I was happy to make it happen—even if it meant standing awkwardly in a room full of screaming fans.

"Ready for the best day ever?" she asked, bouncing in her seat.

I chuckled, pulling out of the driveway. "You have no idea."

.  .  .

The minute we stepped through the gates of Poguelandia, Storm's energy practically tripled.

Her eyes widened as she took in the sprawling festival grounds, complete with colorful banners, live music blasting from a nearby stage, and the smell of fried food wafting through the air.

"Y/n, look!" she exclaimed, grabbing my arm and pointing toward a massive Ferris wheel that dominated the skyline. "We have to go on that!"

I chuckled, adjusting my sunglasses as I scanned the crowd. "Alright, but let's not make it the first thing we do. We just got here, and I need food if I'm gonna survive the day."

Storm groaned but didn't argue. Instead, she bounced on her toes, practically vibrating with excitement. "Fine, but only if we get funnel cake!"

"Deal," I said, steering her toward the nearest food stand.

Twenty minutes later, we were sitting at a picnic table, each of us holding a plate piled high with greasy festival food.

Storm had opted for the classic funnel cake, while I went for a mountain of nachos that was probably meant to be shared.

"You've got powdered sugar all over your face," I said, smirking as Storm attempted to wipe it off with the back of her hand.

"Do not," she mumbled through a mouthful of cake.

I leaned back, snapping a picture of her on my phone. "You do now."

"Y/n!" she whined, trying to snatch the phone from my hands, but I held it out of reach.

"Relax," I said, laughing. "It's for the scrapbook. You'll thank me when you're older."

"Doubt it," she muttered, but the small smile on her face gave her away.

As we finished eating, the sound of cheers erupted from one of the smaller stages nearby.

A band was mid-performance, their lead singer hyping up the crowd as fans waved their arms in the air. Storm's eyes lit up.

"Can we go watch?" she asked, already halfway out of her seat.

"Go for it," I said, gesturing for her to lead the way. "Just don't blame me if I embarrass you with my terrible dance moves."

Storm rolled her eyes but grabbed my hand, dragging me toward the stage. The next hour was a blur of music, laughter, and more than a few awkward attempts at dancing on my part.

Storm recorded almost everything on her phone, occasionally turning the camera toward me with an exaggerated groan.

"You're so bad at this," she teased, spinning in a circle as I tried to mimic her moves.

"Hey, at least I'm trying," I shot back, throwing in a dramatic hair flip for good measure.

Storm doubled over laughing, clutching her stomach. "You look like you're in a shampoo commercial."

"Maybe I missed my calling," I said, grinning as the song ended. "What's next?"

She scanned the nearby booths, her face lighting up when she spotted a dunk tank. "Let's do that! You can dunk the guy."

"Oh, I'm definitely dunking the guy," I said, cracking my knuckles as we walked over. "Hope he's ready."

𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐲𝐧'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕

Backstage at Poguelandia was buzzing with energy. PR reps scurried around, finalizing schedules and ensuring everything ran smoothly, while crew members adjusted cameras and microphones.

The distant roar of fans from outside the barricades filtered into the space, setting the tone for the day. I leaned against a snack table, sipping water as the rest of the cast gathered around, their moods light and full of anticipation.

"Alright, so what's the over-under on JD saying something totally ridiculous during the interviews?" Rudy asked, smirking as he shoved a handful of pretzels into his mouth.

"Why is it always me?" JD protested, throwing his arms up in mock indignation. "I'm not the wild card here. That's you, Pankow."

"Pankow's the chaos generator," Carlacia agreed, laughing. "You're just the guy who says the quiet part out loud."

"You know what? I'll take that," JD said with a shrug. "Keeps things interesting."

"Sure," Drew chimed in, leaning against a nearby wall. "Interesting like a train wreck."

JD pointed at him. "I'm the best god damn train wreck," JD joked. Drew rolled his eyes but didn't bother to argue, which only made JD grin wider.

Madison sat cross-legged on a couch nearby, scrolling through her phone. "Y'all are a mess, but I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Speak for yourself," Chase said, glancing up from his own phone. "I have to wrangle you guys all day."

"You? Wrangle us?" Carlacia shot him a look. "Pretty sure it's the other way around."

The group burst out laughing, and even Chase cracked a small smile. Across the room, I caught JD nudging Rudy with his elbow.

"Hey, what are the odds Rudy trips walking onstage?" JD asked loudly, his grin mischievous.

"Zero," Rudy shot back. "I'm a picture of grace, thank you very much."

"Grace?" Madison raised an eyebrow. "You tripped over a cable five minutes ago."

Rudy groaned, covering his face with his hands as the room erupted in laughter. "Okay, that was a setup."

"Sure it was," I said, smirking as I grabbed another bottle of water.

"Alright, guys," our PR rep clapped her hands, drawing everyone's attention. "We're heading to the interview area in ten. Everyone ready?"

"Born ready," JD said, throwing a fist in the air.

"Let's do this," Madison added, tying her hair back.

"Big day for you," Chase said suddenly, glancing at me. "Kelsea's going to be side stage, want her autograph?"

The room fell briefly silent. I stiffened, forcing my expression to remain neutral. "Hope she enjoys the show," I said lightly, refusing to take the bait.

Carlacia shot me a supportive glance, her eyes saying, Ignore him. I gave her a subtle nod, focusing on the day ahead. Today wasn't about Chase or Kelsea.

It was about the fans, and I wasn't going to let anything ruin it.

JD, sensing the tension, stepped in. "Alright, let's get out there before the fans riot. We don't need any lawsuits."

Madison grinned. "Especially not over Rudy tripping again."

"Let it go, Bailey!" Rudy groaned as we all headed for the door.

.  .  .

The crowd's cheers were deafening as we walked onto the stage, the energy electric. The host greeted us with a big smile, microphone in hand, and began introducing us one by one.

"Alright, Poguelandia fans, give it up for the cast of Outer Banks!" he announced, hyping up the crowd. "First up, the coolest rogue of them all—Pope, played by Jonathan Daviss!"

JD jogged forward, waving enthusiastically and blowing kisses to the audience, earning a massive cheer.

"Next, the fierce and fearless Kiara, played by Madison Bailey!"

Madison walked forward with both hands raised, her grin radiant as the crowd screamed her name.

"And let's not forget our favorite shipwreck survivor, Cleo, played by Carlacia Grant!"

Carlacia gave the crowd a playful salute, her confidence shining through.

"Coming in hot, it's JJ Maybank himself, Rudy Pankow!"

Rudy mimed flipping his hair dramatically, earning both laughs and cheers from the audience.

"Now, representing the Camerons, we've got the formidable Rafe, played by Drew Starkey!"

Drew threw up a peace sign, pretending to fan himself as the crowd roared his name.

"And of course, the Kook-turned-Pogue queen, Sarah Cameron, played by Madelyn Cline!"

I stepped forward, waving at the crowd as their cheers reached a fever pitch. The excitement was overwhelming in the best way, and I couldn't stop smiling.

"And last but certainly not least, the leader of the Pogues, John B, played by Chase Stokes!"

Chase gave a quick wave, his smile practiced as the host handed him the mic.

The host wasted no time diving into questions, keeping the tone fun and light. "Alright, first question: If you could play any other character on the show, who would it be?"

"I'd play Rafe," JD said immediately. "I mean, come on, who doesn't want to be the villain?"

"Hard pass," Drew shot back. "No one can pull off psycho quite like me."

The crowd laughed as the banter continued, each cast member getting a chance to share stories and inside jokes from set. For a little while, it felt like nothing else existed but the joy of being here, connecting with the fans and each other.

𝐘/𝐍'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕

The festival had already been a whirlwind of excitement for Storm.

She'd devoured a funnel cake, bought a hoodie that practically swallowed her whole, and dragged me to every booth and activity in sight. But the real surprise was still to come.

"Alright, kiddo," I said, glancing at my phone to check the time. "We've got somewhere to be."

Storm tilted her head, her curls bouncing. "What do you mean? We're not done here yet. I still want to try the ring toss!"

"We'll come back," I said, steering her toward a section of the festival we hadn't explored yet. "I promise."

She followed me reluctantly, but her curiosity got the better of her. "Where are we going?"

"You'll see," I said, keeping my tone light and playful.

Her brows furrowed as we approached a roped-off area marked "VIP Access Only." A line of fans waited eagerly behind a velvet rope, each clutching lanyards and memorabilia. Storm stopped dead in her tracks, her mouth falling open.

"Y/n," she said, her voice a whisper. "No way."

I smirked, pulling two lanyards from my bag and holding them up. "Way."

Her hands flew to her face as she gasped. "You're kidding. We're meeting them? Like, actually meeting them?"

"Surprise," I said, grinning at her reaction. "Think you can handle it?"

Storm let out a squeal so loud that a few nearby fans turned to look. "Are you serious? This is the best day of my life!"

"Yeah, you said that about the hoodie too," I teased, ruffling her curls. "Come on, let's get in line before you pass out."

She practically dragged me to the line, clutching her lanyard like it was a winning lottery ticket. Her excitement was contagious, and I couldn't help but smile as we waited our turn.

When it was finally our turn, Storm's nerves kicked in. She clung to my arm, her hazel eyes wide as the Outer Banks cast came into view.

They were laughing and chatting amongst themselves, but the second they noticed us, JD stepped forward with his signature grin.

"Hey there," he said warmly, his tone instantly putting us at ease. "How's it going?"

Storm froze, so I answered for her. "It's going great. She's been talking about this for weeks."

JD crouched slightly to meet Storm's eye level. "What's your name?"

"S-Storm," she stammered, her voice barely audible.

"Storm? That's awesome," JD said, his grin widening. "You gotta be the coolest person here."

Storm's cheeks turned bright red, and she mumbled a shy "Thank you."

As JD signed her poster, his gaze flicked to the varsity jacket I had slung over my arm. "No way, you went to South Carolina and played ball?" JD asked as he pointed at my jacket.

I blinked, momentarily thrown off. "Uh, yeah I did for a little,"

"You play ball?" he asked, clearly intrigued.

"I used to," I said with a small shrug. "High school and a little in college."

"No way," he said, straightening up. "What position?"

"Point guard," I replied, feeling a small smile creep onto my face. "You?"

"Same here," JD said, excited. "Man, I miss it. You still play?"

"Not as much as I'd like," I admitted. "But I keep up when I can, get some runs at local courts."

Our conversation quickly spiraled into basketball talk, with JD throwing out his favorite plays and me ribbing him for his questionable choice in favorite teams.

Storm watched us with wide eyes, caught between admiration and disbelief.

"Y/n's better than you," she declared suddenly, her tone completely serious.

JD clutched his chest dramatically. "Wow. Called out by the coolest person here. Harsh."

Storm giggled, her nerves finally melting away. "It's true, though."

"Alright, I'll take your word for it," JD said, ruffling her hair. "But only because you're probably right. Would love to know where the best spot is to get some runs in out here,"

𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐲𝐧'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕

When the next pair stepped up, I couldn't help but notice the little girl first. She was clutching a signed poster like it was the most precious thing in the world, her excitement practically radiating off her.

"Hi," I said warmly, crouching slightly. "What's your name?"

"Storm," she said, her voice steady now.

"Storm? That's such a cool name," I said, smiling. "You're already way cooler than me."

She giggled, her eyes darting to the woman standing beside her. When I looked up, my breath caught for a second.

The woman—Y/n, I learned from her lanyard—wasn't dressed to stand out, but there was something effortlessly captivating about her.

Her posture was relaxed, her smile understated but genuine, and her hazel eyes held a quiet confidence that I found... intriguing.

"And you must be her sister?" I asked, tilting my head.

"That's me," Y/n said with a small smile. "She's been talking about this for months."

"Well, I hope we're living up to the hype," I said, handing Storm a signed poster.

"You are," Y/n said, her tone playful. "She's already planning how she's gonna brag about this at school."

Storm groaned. "Y/n, stop."

I laughed, feeling a little more at ease. "She's lucky to have you."

"Don't tell her that," Y/n teased. "Her ego's already through the roof."

Storm stuck her tongue out at Y/n before turning back to me. "You're my favorite," she said shyly. "On the show and... just in general."

The sincerity in her voice hit me right in the chest. "Thank you," I said softly. "That means a lot. Do you want to get a picture?" I asked as I crouched down beside her.

"Please!" She said excitedly as Y/n took out her phone to grab a picture.

"What about you?" I asked as I looked up at Y/n. "Nah I'm okay," she chuckled but Storm elbowed her. "Who knows when we'll ever meet Madelyn again, take a picture with the greatest actress ever." Storm pushed.

Y/n reluctantly agreed, she stood beside me, her hand resting on the small of my back as we took a picture together.

They both thanked me as they went down the line, Storm freaking out over Madison and Drew.

As they moved on, I found my gaze lingering on Y/n. There was something about her that I couldn't quite put my finger on.

She wasn't fawning or overly enthusiastic like most fans—she seemed grounded, almost like she didn't realize how much she stood out in a room full of people.

I couldn't help but to be intrigued, why was my mind lingering on her? Before I knew it, they were out of the Meet & Greet room and I was sure I'd probably never see her again.

As more fans approached I put on a smile when a girl stopped in front of me squatting down. "Madelyn, I think you dropped this." She smiled nervously, handing me a wallet.

"Oh? Uhm this actually isn't—" I began as I opened it to see the I.D. Y/n's face was on the card and I immediately looked around, hoping somehow she'd come back to retrieve it but there was no sign of her.

"Thanks," I replied, sticking the wallet in my pocket so I could find a way to return it later.

As we wrapped up the meet & greet, we headed back to one of the green rooms to take a little break and eat. I opened the wallet again, looking over her I.D., she had a gorgeous smile.

Y/N