it had been a few days of blurry hospital visits but after what seemed like months, meilani was finally going to be left home, but on very strict instructions.

meilani was so grateful to being going home and to even have been given the chance to walk free from the hospital but the one thing on her mind, stopping her from truly being free, was how different life would be around the outerbanks now.

this summer was supposed to be the most perfect summer they had ever had but instead it had turned out to be quite possibly the worst. the group didn't even think that was possible after last summers dramatics.

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kai pulled up the avenue of his residence with his fragile daughter in the front seat. he turned the engine off and hopped out to scramble to meilanis assistance.

"dad i'm fine, honestly. i think it's alright for me to exit the car on my own" she stifled a giggle whilst looking directly at her concerned father. he grabbed her hand regardless of her comment and helped her up the porch.

"surprise!" the group said in unison as the girl walked inside. meilani was overwhelmed but she took in the grand gesture from her loving friends. kiara gently wrapped her arms around the girl, feeling as though her best friend had lost a bit of weight. "welcome home" jj had a smile plastered across his face whilst placing kisses all over his girlfriends face.

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after an hour or so, everyone left except jj. it felt as the pair hadn't had a single moment alone since way before the accident. he crawled in the girls bed beside her as she finished putting away her medication.

"hey" he whispered directly in front of her face. "hey" she replied. they lay, looking at one another in silence for a couple of minutes. it wasn't awkward or anything, it was comforting to them both. it was like a lost connection was happening all over again.

meilani began to drift off into a sleep.

"i don't know if you can hear me right now meilani, but i don't mind, you need sleep. i don't know if i'm just saying this because i'm so tired or the fact you're asleep but i just need to get this off of my chest." jj began to whisper.

"i'm so in love with you, i always have been since the very moment i laid my eyes on you. i know i'm not enough for you because you deserve the world. and i'm such a goddamn mess and it's not even something that can be hidden, but lani, my love for you is so so so strong and i'm so sorry that you were put through all of that. i cant wait to have a future with you and we can have little kids who run around with the perfect mix of me and you in their tiny faces." tears were slowly forming at the boys eyes but he kept going.

"i just feel so guilty lani. i don't know how you do it everyday. you're so strong and you always put the pogues and our stupid shit first before yourself and i admire you so much for it. just thank you for being you. you are the best thing that has ever happened to me, you saved me."

by now meilani couldn't tell jj she was awake but instead she smiled with her eyes closed and held him tighter than she ever had before.

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the sun had risen over the cut and meilani lay in bed, bored out of her mind.

her door swung open and jj strolled in with a fresh glass of orange juice, two waffles and one pill. "morning bubba" he planted a soft kiss against her forehead. she melted at his touch and pulled him to her lips. "morning."

"hey losers!" john walked up to the porch finding meilani wrapped in jjs arms under a blanket. "shouldn't you be surfing or something super fun that i cant do?" meilani smiled up at the brunette who was giving her a sarcastic glare. "we don't do fun things unless we do it as a collective. so if miss meilani haywood can't surf or do something super fun, neither can we" he gave her a cheeky smile before sitting on a seat across from the pair.

"where's sarah?" jj asked looking around. "watching rafe, he's kinda feeling shitty about topper dying and what happened to her" john pointed at the girl. "uhm, when's toppers funeral?" meilani gripped the back of her neck nervously. "uhh, tomorrow i think?" the boy replied. "you're not go-" jj started. "i'm going."

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🥺