Outer Banks Imagines

Sixteen Years Later | Topper Thornton

Word Count: 2.1 K

"Y/N."

I glare at the ring pop. "Topper, I swear. First of all, we're seven. I'm not marrying you. Especially with that poor excuse of a ring." I tell him sassily.

He sighs, holding the ring up higher. "Please, Y/N. My mom is always telling me that if I want something, I need to work for it. I want you. Please say yes."

"Fine, Top. When we're older, I'll marry you. I promise."

"You swear?" He asks, and I hear the worry in his voice.

"I promise."

He stands, brushing the sand off of his pants. Of course he needs to look perfect. He wouldn't be Topper if he wasn't perfect. "Will you at least wear the ring?" He begs. "It's red. Your favorite color and flavor. You know you want to." His eyes are shining bright, and I know that I'm making his day by saying yes to marrying him in the future. And him asking me is making mine.

I finally give in, knowing he won't shut up until I do. "Fine."

And he grabs my hand, slipping the ring onto my finger, smile lighting up his face.

. . . . .

Sixteen Years Later

"Y/N."

I snap out of my memory, eyes widening. Oh, shit. I just zoned out. During my own wedding ceremony. And my fiancé caught me.

"Sorry." I whisper, meeting his blue eyes head-on. But this doesn't feel right. It never really has, but I needed this. I needed to move on. And now that I'm here, standing in front of him, about to promise the rest of my life to him, I'm finally realizing how much of a mistake I've made.

"Oh my God." I whisper, ripping my eyes away from Rafe's. "Oh my God." I repeat.

I yank my hands from his grasp and his eyes go wide. "What—"

I sweep my gaze through the crowd. Where is he? He promised me he would be here. Why can't I see him? I'm freaking out, and I can't stop myself. I ignore Rafe and the minister calling my name, focusing on this single thing. Because if I don't find him, fast, then I might actually pass out.

As if he knows I need him, Topper suddenly emerges from the crowd and appears in front of me, his eyes expressing his worry. "Y/N?" He's the only person I hear, and he hurries to me, immediately taking my face in his hands. "Are you okay? What's going on?"

"I can't do it, Top, I can't. This isn't right." I don't care about all the Kooks who are going to flip out, namely Ward since he's paying for most of this. I just can't do it.

"What are you saying, Y/N? Of course you can do it. You're marrying Rafe. The love of your life. You're okay. You'll get through this panic. Just breathe."

I shake my head stubbornly. "That's the thing, Top. He isn't. He's not the love of my life." I argue.

He looks more confused than ever. "What do you mean? Of course he is."

"No, he isn't. I need to get out of here." My breathing is getting more shallow by the second, and the panic is swamping me. I need to get out of this situation, fast. "You gotta believe me, Top, he isn't."

"Okay. Okay. I'm gonna get you out of here." He promises me, wrapping both of his arms around me and hurriedly ushering me out of the church. I don't know what the point of holding the ceremony in the church was, considering the Camerons are some of the most anti-religious people I know. He tightens his hold on me when he hears Ward yelling after us, calling me a bitch and telling me to come back, not to embarrass his son.