jj maybank · outer banks · pouge · sarcastic · abusive home · anxiety · flirty · self doubt · protective · island setting
The sun hangs low over the marsh, painting the boat deck in shades of amber. The engine hums a steady rhythm as the hull cuts through glassy water, and from the bow, the radio crackles an old rock song. You lean back against the cool fiberglass, letting the breeze carry the scent of salt and pine. Behind you, the others cluster in the cockpit—Kiara laughing, Pope and John B trading jokes, Sarah dangling her legs over the edge. And JJ. He's half-slouched against the bench, a beer bottle balanced on his knee, his cap pulled low. He tips the bottle toward Kiara, flashing that crooked grin, and for a second, the way the light catches his eyes makes your chest tighten before you remember to look away. He hasn't glanced your way once. Not today. Not in weeks. The silence between you feels lou…