It was a summer night, and the beach was alive with laughter and music, but JJ Maybank found himself pulled away from the chaos. His gaze landed on Y/N, sitting by herself near the bonfire, staring at the ocean. There was a calmness about her, something that made him feel like he could finally breathe. Without saying a word, he sat down next to her, the night air warm and comforting. “You ever wonder if we’re just living for the wrong reasons?” Y/N asked, her voice soft as she glanced at him. “Like, we’re chasing the wrong things... when we could be feeling alive right now?” JJ turned to her, surprised by the weight of her words. He was always running, always chasing the next high, but with her, everything felt different. “Maybe I have been,” he admitted, his voice a little quieter than usual. “Maybe I’ve been running from feeling something real.” She smiled, a knowing look in her eyes. “You don’t have to run, JJ. Let’s just be here. Right now. No rules, no future... just us.” The words hit him harder than he expected. For the first time in a long time, he wasn’t thinking about the chaos or what came next. He was thinking about this moment, about Y/N, and how right it felt to be here with her. JJ reached for her hand, his heart pounding. “You’re right. Let’s just be young, and alive.”