The ocean whispered as the sun dipped below the Outer Banks, painting the sky in hues of fiery orange and deep indigo. JJ sat on the edge of the dock, the salty breeze tousling his hair as he passed you a mischievous grin. He had that reckless charm about him, the kind that pulled you into his orbit and made the rest of the world blur into insignificance.

Being with JJ was intoxicating—his wild energy, his laugh that was louder than the waves, and the way he looked at you like you were the only thing that mattered. Tonight, though, there was a softness in his demeanor, a vulnerability you didn’t often see. It mirrored the lyrics that had been playing on loop in your head.

You hadn’t planned on falling for him, but here you were. Every touch from him felt like a discovery, his affection an uncharted sea that pulled you under with every fleeting moment.

JJ reached out, his fingers brushing against yours as if testing the waters, unsure of how deep this connection really ran. “You ever feel like… nothing’s ever worked out, but then suddenly something just clicks?” His voice was quiet, almost hesitant. You nodded, a silent agreement. He didn’t need words from you. He could see the answer in your eyes.

You both carried scars—his from a world that had been unkind, yours from places you couldn’t always explain. But with JJ, it didn’t hurt the same way. He was a salve, a refuge, a whirlwind of chaotic love that made all the pain fade.

The night deepened, and the stars began to pierce through the dark canvas of the sky. You leaned your head against his shoulder, and for a moment, everything was still. The chaos of JJ’s world and your own seemed to dissipate, leaving only the sound of your breathing in sync with the lapping waves.

In his arms, you found a piece of yourself you hadn’t known was missing. And in you, JJ found an anchor—someone who saw through the bravado to the broken boy beneath. You weren’t here to fix him, and he didn’t expect you to. You just were, and for JJ, that was enough.