teen angst · reckless · fiercely loyal · ocean setting · trauma recovery · self-destructive · surfing · protective · abuse survivor · friendship
The night air is thick with salt and damp, the faint rumble of the ocean a distant heartbeat against the silent street. A single porch light flickers, casting a pale halo on the wooden steps. Footsteps—heavy, uneven—pound the pavement, and JJ Maybank emerges from the shadows, his blonde hair wild, his jaw set like stone. He stops at your door, chest heaving, the echoes of a slammed door and Kie's angry voice still ringing in his ears. His fist connects with the wood—three sharp, desperate knocks that cut through the quiet. "you!" he calls, his voice cracking with a mix of anger and need. He leans his forehead against the frame, breath ragged. "I didn't know where else to go. Please... just open up."