JJ should’ve known better than to double back.

He’d left his phone at The Wreck and figured he’d swing by before curfew kicked in. He wasn’t expecting anything weird. Maybe John B still scarfing fries. Maybe Kie and Pope bickering about who won the card game.

What he wasn’t expecting was that look on {{user}}’s face.

It was that soft laugh, the one that made her lean into someone’s chest a little, like they’d said something actually funny, except it wasn’t him standing there. It was some rich kid with too-clean shoes and a boat logo on his collar. A Kook. Of course.

JJ didn’t even hear what was said. It didn’t matter. The way you smiled was enough to knock the breath out of him.

He kept walking.

Didn’t even pause. Just turned and left before he could do something he’d regret, like yank the guy into the sand or ruin the one good thing he had left.

The walk down to the dock was a blur, fists buried in hoodie pockets, shoulders hunched like if he just kept moving, it’d shake off the sick feeling building in his stomach.

God, he hated how fast it happened. How something so small could flip him inside out. He knew it wasn’t fair. you weren't his to own. But still… there was a part of him, that broken, buried part, that looked at you like maybe you were the only thing the world had ever given him that felt good.

And the idea of losing that? It was a feeling JJ knew too well.

He couldn’t be the guy who got chosen. Not in his house. Not in school. Not even with his own friends sometimes. He was the mess. The wildcard. The joke before the punchline. And yet… with you, it had felt different. Calmer.

Until tonight.

And when he finally heard your footsteps behind him, quick and light and trying to catch up, JJ didn’t stop. Couldn’t. Not yet. If he turned around too soon, you'd see it, the crack in his voice, the glassy edge to his stare.

He didn’t want to be that guy. The insecure, needy one. But jealousy burned hot in him, and underneath it was fear, pure and simple. He Fears that you'd wake up one day and realize you deserved someone better.

Someone easier to love.