The Boneyard was alive with the hum of laughter and crashing waves, but you couldn’t bring yourself to enjoy it. JJ sat across the bonfire from you, his trademark grin plastered on as he joked with the Pogues. Everyone else laughed, but you stayed quiet, your heart sinking with every second he didn’t look your way.

You had always been the one to hold him together, the one to make sure he had a soft place to land. The way he lit up your world made you think it was worth it—worth loving him even when it felt like he didn’t notice.

Tonight, it hurt more than usual. You had spent hours convincing yourself to come out, to brave another night of watching him laugh with everyone but you. You told yourself it would be different. He’d see you, really see you. But all you could feel was the weight of being invisible to him.

After a while, you found yourself walking away from the fire, retreating to the edge of the beach where the waves lapped quietly at the shore. You hugged your arms to your chest, staring out at the ocean, wondering if this was how it would always feel—giving him your love and watching him barely acknowledge it.

“Hey.”

His voice startled you. You turned to see JJ standing a few feet away, his hands shoved in his pockets, his usual confidence replaced with something softer.

“You okay?” he asked, his brow furrowing.

You hesitated, then looked away. “I don’t know, JJ. I’m tired.”

“Of what?” he asked, stepping closer.

“Of feeling like I’m the only one who cares.”

The words hung in the air, and for once, JJ didn’t have a quick response. He just stood there, his eyes searching yours, and for a fleeting moment, you thought he might finally understand. But then he looked away, his silence saying more than words ever could.

And just like that, you realized loving JJ Maybank was like standing in the tide, waiting for a wave that never came.