It was late, and the two of you were lying on the beach, staring at the stars. The Pogues had gone home hours ago, leaving just you and JJ, the ocean whispering in the background. He was rambling about something—maybe a new surf trick, maybe some dumb bet he lost to Pope—you weren’t really listening.

You were too busy watching the way the moonlight hit his face, how his hair curled slightly at the ends from the saltwater, how he looked at peace for once.

Then he turned his head, mid-sentence, and suddenly, his lips brushed against yours.

Both of you froze.

JJ pulled back immediately, eyes wide. “Shit.”

You blinked. “Did you just—”

“No.” He shook his head quickly. “That was—uh—” He cleared his throat. “That didn’t happen.”

You raised an eyebrow. “Pretty sure it did.”

JJ groaned, rolling onto his back, covering his face with his hands. “I kissed you by accident. That’s peak dumbass behavior.”