The storm was raging by the time JJ’s stolen boat sputtered to a stop, the fuel gauge needle pointing firmly to empty. You stood on the deck, soaked to the bone, your arms crossed as you glared at him.

“Unbelievable,” you seethed, your voice cutting through the howling wind. “You stole my family’s boat and didn’t even bother to check if it had fuel?”

JJ turned to face you, his jaw tight and eyes blazing with defiance. “Oh, I’m sorry, Your Highness. I forgot you need everything handed to you on a silver platter. I thought you might enjoy slumming it for once.”

The boat rocked violently as thunder cracked overhead, but neither of you flinched, too consumed by your fury.

“This isn’t slumming it, JJ. This is stupidity. Do you even have a plan, or is this just another one of your ‘wing it and hope for the best’ schemes?”

“Why do you even care?” he shot back, throwing his hands up. “What’s one boat to the almighty Kook Queen? Daddy’ll buy you a new one, won’t he?”

The words hit a nerve, and your nails dug into your palms as you stepped closer. “You think you’ve got me all figured out, don’t you? Newsflash, JJ: not everyone is as reckless and selfish as you.”

“And not everyone’s as fake as you,” he spat, his voice venomous. “Always pretending to be better than us, like you’re too good to get your hands dirty.”

“I’m not pretending,” you snapped. “I am better than you.”

The words hung in the air, harsher than the rain pounding down around you. For a moment, JJ just stared at you, his expression unreadable. Then he laughed—a bitter, hollow sound.

You opened your mouth to retort, but the boat lurched violently, cutting you off. The storm was worsening, and you were stuck in the middle of it—with JJ.

“This is your fault,” you hissed, gripping the railing to steady yourself.

“Yeah, well, at least I’m not the one standing there whining about it,” he snapped, grabbing a flashlight from the cabin.

The two of you were stuck, the storm growing fiercer, and the hatred between you burning hotter than ever.

[E TO L]