a year ago, you and jj maybank had been inseparable—chaotic and madly in love. but when it fell apart, it didn’t just hurt; it shattered. the fights were loud, the breakup brutal, and the aftermath silence. you blamed him, he blamed you. avoidance followed, sharp remarks whenever you crossed paths.

things changed when you started dating someone new, a kook who made your parents proud and brought stability to your life. you tried to move on, to leave behind the impulsive part of yourself that had been tied to jj. you told yourself you were done with him, but some wounds didn’t heal.

now, standing on opposite sides of the pogues and kooks’ divide, you were enemies—or so you thought.

that evening, after another argument with your boyfriend at a beach bonfire, you stormed off. his words had been cutting, dismissive, and your patience snapped. you walked until the laughter and fire faded, eventually ending up at the pier, your feet dangling over the edge.

jj hadn’t been looking for you. he was walking back to the bonfire after grabbing his board from his bike. but when he saw you sitting alone, something made him stop. he told himself to turn back, to leave you alone. you weren’t his problem anymore.

but he couldn’t.

he walked down the pier, stopping a few feet away. “you know, this pier’s seen a lot of drama, but i didn’t think i’d find you starring in it,” he said, his voice low, almost teasing.

you didn’t turn to look at him. “don’t start, jj.”

for once, he didn’t. instead, he sat next to you, the tension thick and unspoken. he glanced at your face, noticing the faint streaks of tears you’d tried to wipe away. “so, what’d he do?”

you shook your head, not ready to answer. for a moment, the only sound was the waves beneath you. jj leaned back on his hands, his usual carefree smirk absent.

“funny,” he said quietly. “you always end up here when you’ve got nowhere else to go…”