"And that's why I'll never date." I crossed my arms and sat down on the bean bag chair in the corner of my room.

I was in the middle of composing a text to an admirer that included a number of things, including dating. My childhood friend, Margo, was enthralled by my extremely animated behavior.

"You sure you're not trying to convince yourself not to date anyone? Cause it seems to me that you're more conflicted than he is."

"Yes, Margo. We've already been through this, I decided a long time ago relationships weren't for me. Plus it's more fun to flirt."

Margo shook her head and pulled out her phone. She was everything I wanted to be, successful, tall, not a redhead. You would not believe the number of jokes I get on a daily basis that are aimed at my hair.

We were Pogues. The low life. No one gave two shits about how we felt or that we were actually humans. My parents left me when I was little, so I grew up with my friend. Her family took me in and raised me as their own.

Guess karma wasn't good to me. I was a redhead and had dead parents, go figure.

"Bailey, this is why you're always unhappy." Margo whined at me, "You need to settle down with a guy and enjoy life."

"This was the seventh time he asked me out. I'm done toying with him. I need new prey."

"Come on, let's go down to The Wreck for some chow and maybe we can scope out some fresh meat for you."

Margo took my hand and dragged me out of my seat. We jogged down to the diner owned by one of her friends' family. The place was relatively empty for a Friday afternoon. Usually the whole room was buzzing with people, but there was a nice lull.

Kiara, a girl about my age, and Margo's friend, came flouncing out of the kitchen and spotted us. "I'll be right with you ladies."

We nodded and sat down at a table by one of the windows. Sunlight danced around the room and lit the place up. Margo rested her elbow on the table and traced circles into the table. My stomach growled at the the smells wafting from the kitchen.

Pretty soon, Kiara strolled up to our table and addressed us with a smile. "What can I get started for you two?"

"I'll have the usual," Margo smiled.

"Um, I'll have a burger and fries," I said.

She nodded and wrote something down in her notepad. "I'll have those right up for you!"

She disappeared and Margo and I got to our small talk. It was summer and all the tourists, or Tourons as we liked to call them, flocked to our island in droves. One of our favorite pastimes was to seduce Tourons into wasting all their money on us. It wasn't honest, but hell, it was fun.

My latest catch was pretty cute, but I would never be caught dead with a Touron. His father was a judge in the city, so he had a pretty pile of cash with him at all times. I was able to come out of this with three new necklaces, a dress, and purple headphones.

Margo was usually the one guys flocked to. She had the long legs, dark hair, and million dollar smile everyone drooled over. I on the other hand, was often overlooked.

Life wasn't all too bad in the Outer Banks. Surfing was something I lived and breathed whenever I could. Saltwater practically ran in my veins. I've probably spent more than half my life either in the water or on a boat over the water.

Kiara came back with some 7-Up and a large dish of fries. "To keep your stomachs occupied."

We dug in to the warm french fries and grinned at each other. Kie's dad made some of the best food on this island.

There was a clatter at the door and I turned around in my chair to see three boys come stomping inside. John B, JJ, and Pope walked towards the counter laughing and jostling each other. They were the outcasts of the Outer Banks. Everyone knew who they were and their reputation proceeded them.

Margo and Pope were cousins, so I saw a lot of him and his friends. He was a really sweet guy, very book-smart and a true intellectual. John B was my crush during 8th grade. Things didn't work out between us and we decided to stay strictly friends.

Now JJ, he was the free spirit who lived in the moment and damn the consequences. I genuinely felt bad for him. His father was extremely abusive towards him and an intense druggie and alcoholic.

"Hey ladies," Pope came sauntering over to our table while John B and JJ went to talk with Kie.

"Hi buddy." Margo stood up to give him a hug.

"What's up with you guys today?" He stole a fry off of our plate.

"Same ol', same ol'." I sighed and swatted his hand away.

He nodded and consumed his prize with a wide grin on his face.

A swift body came into my peripheral vision and I had just enough time to duck before a red hat was thrown at me. JJ smirked and walked up next to our table.

"How's my favorite brunette and redhead doing?"

"Go away JJ," I chuckled and put his hat on my head.

"Oo mami is looking cute in my hat." He winked and took a drag from his blunt.

I flipped him off and gave it back to him. We had very similar yet different personalities. If someone was to get arrested, it would most likely be either me or him. And probably for something stupid like indecent exposure or petty theft.

He was one of the few guys I could trust with anything. We were really close back in elementary school and he became almost like a platonic boyfriend. Platonic cause I didn't believe in love, all thanks to the parents I don't remember.

"Hey, we're going down to the boneyard later. Wanna join us?" He blew smoke up into the air.

"What time?" Margo asked.

"Around 5."

"We'll be there." I nodded and saluted.

"Yay! Tell all your friends, we can go all night."

"That's what she said," I giggled.

"Ma'am not in my Christian house." He put on a shocked expression.

"JJ shut the fuck up." I punched him in the arm. "I get my humor from you and you know it."

He readjusted his hat and raised an eyebrow. I bit my lip slightly and lowered my eyes. That was something he did often that made me weak in the knees, and he knew it. There were certain gestures, like an eyebrow raise, that put a spell on me instantly.

"See you ladies this evening."

He walked away from the table with Pope. Margo followed his trail with her eyes and I could practically see the drool dripping down her mouth.

Kie came back with our meals and smiled. "If you need anything else, my dad will be here. I'm gonna take off for the rest of the day."

"Okay, see ya later girlie!" Margo and I waved at her.

We ate our food in comfortable silence for a while. I watched the sun make little shapes through the trees. Many people were milling around in the afternoon heat.

If you listened hard enough, you could hear the ocean from almost anywhere on the island. That's one of the many wonderful things about living here.

Once Margo and I finished our food, we said goodbye to Kie's family and walked back to the house. We had a few hours before we needed to leave for the boneyard so we decided to pimp ourselves out since Tourons were probably gonna be there, which meant fresh meat.

"So I'm just gonna put this out there." Margo threw some clothes at me. "If you don't sleep with JJ within the next few days, I'm going to. Cause damn does that boy give me tingles."

I rolled my eyes and started undressing. "Then sleep with him, I don't give a fuck."

"Yes you do. You totally have the hots for him."

"No I don't," I slipped my bikini top on and readjusted my puka shell necklace. "I already told you, just cause we flirt 24/7, doesn't mean we like each other. Plus no Pogue on Pogue macking."

"Whatever. You better make a move on him tonight or he's mine." Margo crossed her arms.

Even though I knew she was partially joking, a part of me twinged in jealously. I had no clue why cause JJ and I were strictly friends, we'd never even had sex with each other.

"That's fine with me." I looked at my reflection in the full length mirror.

My blue and white striped bikini was a new one I had gotten thanks to an admirer a few weeks ago. I slipped on a cropped muscle tee and a pair of light denim shorts. My burgundy vans sat in the corner of the room so I decided to slip into them on my way out.

The time passed quicker than I thought, and pretty soon, it was time for the gathering. Margo was rushing around adding last minute items to her look before I dragged her out the door. Even though there wasn't a set meeting time, I didn't want us to be the last ones there.

"Let's go Mar! The boys will love you regardless of how many flowers you have in your hair."

"Fine fine." She sighed and grabbed her bag.

I grinned and pushed the butterflies out of my stomach. We set off in the direction of the boneyard and trailed behind others who were going the same direction. Margo spotted one of her other friends and caught up with him, so I walked by myself.

The sky was still bright and a cool wind was blowing as I approached the destination. This was going to be a fun night.