written in the stars - a topper thornton fanfic (outer banks)

t h r e e

song: 'brazil' by declan mckenna

- one year ago -

Genevieve sighed as she waited for the boys to come back. Kie still wasn't here and she was beginning to get bored of her own company. She was an introvert at heart, but nobody liked being alone at a kegger. The sound of shoes crunching in the sand and coming towards her pulled Genevieve from her thoughts.

"About time," she exclaimed with an exasperated sigh as she stood up, turning to face a boy she didn't recognise. Her cheeks flushed a light shade of pink as she realised that it was not Pope, JJ or John B who was stood next to her, but a tall blonde who was probably the most handsome person she had ever seen.

His skin was tanned, complimenting his blonde, sun-kissed hair perfectly. But his eyes. A shade of blue like no other. She couldn't stop staring into them, almost as if she was drowning in the bright blue ocean that was Topper Thornton's eyes.

Topper's eyes widened as he locked eyes with the brunette who he had approached. From a distance, he could tell that she was going to be beautiful, but up close she was something else. Her hazel eyes had a soft look to them, but there was also a fire burning deep inside them. She was perfect, like no other girl he had ever laid his eyes on.

Genevieve didn't realise how long she had been staring at him for until his voice pulled her back to reality. "Mind if I join you?" He said, a soft smile forming on his lips. She blinked and nodded, feeling her cheeks beginning to redden even more as she sat back down on the log.

He was a Kook. She could smell it from a mile away. It was the way he held himself but also the very expensive watch on his wrist. She should leave. She should just walk away. If any of the boys saw her with him, she'd never hear the end of it. But, for some weird reason, she stayed rooted to the spot.

"I'm Topper, by the way." He said, breaking the silence, glancing over at her as he sat down next to her. Some called Topper arrogant, but he called himself confident. Speaking to girls was never an issue for Topper, but right now he was finding it hard to form sentences. What was this girl doing to him? Genevieve was gazing at the ocean, almost as if she were in a world of her own. "That's a weird name." Genevieve deadpanned, blunt as ever.

Topper laughed, surprised by her curtness. "Ouch." He said. Genevieve was still staring out at the ocean. She loved the ocean. She loved the sound of the waves crashing against the shore, the smell of the salty water, the feeling of the ice cold water against her feet as she strolled along the beach. Everytime she looked at it, she couldn't help but smile. How could something so dangerous bring her so much peace? Little did she know that, soon enough, she would be thinking that exact same thing about Topper.

"I'm Genevieve," she said, tearing her eyes away from the ocean to glance around for the boys. She spotted them having a chugging competition. God, they were weird. She looked over at Topper to find him staring at her. His eyes compelled her the way the ocean did. There was a ruthlessness to them, but also a warmth. It was strange. She hated this.

Topper nodded, breaking the eye contact as he turned his head to look at the ocean. "Why are you sat here all by yourself?" He asked. Genevieve shrugged. "My dipshit friends are competing in a chugging contest over there," she said with an eye roll, pointing towards the boys. By now, JJ was doing some stupid little dance as he downed yet another beer.

Topper's brow furrowed slightly as his gaze fell on John B Routledge. She was friends with John B, therefore she was a Pogue. 'Damnit,' he thought to himself. When he didn't say anything, Genevieve glanced over at him. "Earth to Topper?" She said, snapping her fingers in front of his face. "Sorry," he muttered gruffly, tearing his eyes away from the boys and back to focus on her face. He couldn't stop the smile forming on his lips as a soft blush formed on her cheeks.

"Well, um, it was nice meeting you Topper," Genevieve said as she stood up, wiping the dust off of her denim shorts, which were probably a bit too short, but she didn't care. Neither did Topper, who was trying desperately to stop his eyes from wandering down there. "Leaving so soon?" He asked, trying to hide the disappointment in his voice. He failed.

Genevieve couldn't help but notice the hint of disappoint that flashed across his baby blues, not to mention the fact that his voice was full of it. "I should probably intervene before JJ needs to get his stomach pumped." She said with a soft laugh before she turned around and headed down the beach towards her friends, two of whom had given up on the contest and were lying on the floor, clutching their stomachs. However, the blonde showed no signs of stopping.

That laugh. The sound that Topper would never be able to forget, no matter how hard he tried. It would be the source of his joy, but also his pain. When he was at his highest, that laugh would lift him higher. But when he was at his lowest, that laugh would drag him lower than he thought possible. He just didn't know it yet.

Genevieve turned around and shot Topper a wave before she jogged off to the boys. She bit her bottom lip, trying to stop the grin that was beginning to form on her face from forming. She failed. The way she felt around Topper made her want to throw up. It was embarrassing how she felt like she was back in the third grade, swooning over some boy. But Topper wasn't some boy. He was the boy. She just didn't know it yet.

Topper ran a hand over his face as he stood up, shaking his head as he let out a laugh. Of course he had to show up to the Pogues-only kegger. Of course he had to meet the girl who would run rampant in his mind for the rest of eternity, probably. Of course she had to be a Pogue. As if his life wasn't already complicated enough as it was.

"JJ, stop," Genevieve said as she smacked the can out of his hand. His eyes widened as he watched the can hit the floor and the beer spill out. "What was that for?!" He exclaimed, automatically reaching for another can.

Genevieve stood in front of him and stopped him. "You're going to get your stomach pumped if you drink anymore." She said, looking to Pope and John B to back her up.

"Uh, yeah, she's right JJ," John B said, standing up a bit too quickly, making him gag. He ran over to the bin and barfed. "Fabulous," Genevieve muttered. "You're such a party pooper Genevieve," JJ said, already beginning to slur his words. She rolled her eyes and stared back out over the ocean.

"Yo! What the fuck is Topper doing here?" JJ yelled, causing Genevieve to tear her eyes away from the water to see JJ pointing at Topper, who seemed to be leaving. "What did I tell you!" He yelled at Genevieve, although she was right next to him. "It's fine JJ. He's obviously leaving, there's no point starting a fight." She said, glancing down at Pope who looked like death.

"Pope, you're the biggest lightweight going yet you still decided to participate in a chugging contest. Where is the logic in that?" She said, kneeling down next to him. Pope groaned and looked up at her. "You shouldn't have let me run off with them," he said, closing his eyes again. Genevieve shook her head and laughed standing back up. "Where'd JJ go?" She asked John B, who was after walking back to them. He shrugged, wiping his mouth with his sleeve as he sat down on the sand next to Pope.

Genevieve looked around for JJ, who was stumbling towards Topper. "Topper! Yoohoo! Topper!" He yelled in between hiccups. Genevieve sighed and jogged up towards him, tugging at his sleeve. "JJ, come on," she said, pulling him back towards the others. Her attempt to pull him was pointless though, as he was way stronger than her. "No! I'm sick of these stupid Kooks coming onto our turf and acting like they own the place! It's stupid! Stupid, stupid, stupid!" JJ said, slurring his words majorly. He sounded like a kid who had just discovered curse words.

Genevieve rolled her eyes. "Look, he shouldn't be here but he hasn't done anything. What's the point in starting a fight for no reason?" JJ narrowed his eyes as Topper was slowly disappearing into the darkness. "Fine," he muttered, turning back around. "Next time, he's done for. Now, Kiara, let's get going." Genevieve rolled her eyes. "It's Genevieve, idiot." She said, smacking him on the back of his head