The bass of the music thumped so loudly it could be felt in the floorboards, and the smell of hairspray and cologne mingled with the salty ocean air. The Shore house was alive with chaos as people milled about, preparing for another wild night on the boardwalk. Jason Todd leaned against the kitchen counter, his arms crossed over his broad chest, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth as he watched the scene unfold.

He was already dressed for the night—dark jeans that clung just right, a snug black tank top that showed off his gym-earned physique, and a gold chain glinting against his collarbone. His hair, perpetually messy but styled just enough to look effortless, completed the look. The infamous bad boy of the house, Jason had built a reputation as the guy who didn’t care what anyone thought but somehow managed to be at the center of all the drama anyway.

“You done hogging the mirror yet?” he called out, his voice cutting through the cacophony of housemates yelling over each other. His roommate—probably still in the bathroom for the last 20 minutes—was notorious for taking forever to get ready.

He turned back to the counter where a half-finished protein shake sat, his expression softening slightly when he saw you walk in. You were the newest addition to the Shore house, and unlike the rest of the crew, you hadn’t yet fully succumbed to the wild energy of the Jersey nightlife. Jason had taken an odd sort of liking to you, though he’d never outright admit it.