𝐏𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐄𝐂𝐓 │ 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧

𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘

WINTER BREAK HAD BEEN ANYTHING but relaxing for Emberly. Between discovering she had a half-brother her father had kept secret and navigating the whirlwind of emotions that came with it, her life felt far from stable. She hadn't told anyone—not Spencer, not Olivia, not Layla. The idea of confronting the truth made her stomach twist into knots. Instead, she buried it, focusing on anything else to keep the storm at bay.

Now, sitting on the beach with her journal resting on her lap, Emberly found solace in her friends' chaos. In truth, helping her friends navigate their problems had been her saving grace. Olivia's family drama and Layla's breakdown gave her something else to focus on—something that wasn't the revelation of Liam. She hated to admit it, even to herself, but she didn't mind playing the role of the supportive friend. If it meant she didn't have to deal with her own mess, she'd take it.

"Okay, um. That hookup is new," Layla said, her voice cutting through Emberly's thoughts. Following Layla's gaze, Emberly spotted Jordan near the shoreline, locked in an enthusiastic kiss with yet another girl.

"Today it's Jasmine. Two days ago, Reagan. Last week, Crystala," Olivia remarked, counting off names with a shrug.

"Wow. Go, Jordan," Layla smirked, a mix of amusement and disbelief in her tone.

"It's his coping mechanism for family drama—playing his own twisted version of The Bachelor," Olivia muttered, shaking her head.

Since the affair had come out, things had been a mess for the Bakers. Coach Baker had moved out, leaving Laura, Olivia, and Jordan to pick up the pieces. Everyone was coping in their own way, but Jordan's method felt especially destructive.

"Liv, he's QB-1 on a championship-winning team. He's just enjoying his newfound fame," Layla said dismissively.

"Sure, if 'fame' means bouncing between girls faster than a quarterback throwing passes. He'd better make sure he's careful, or he'll be dealing with more than family drama," Emberly added dryly.

Olivia let out a small laugh. "That's all we'd need—a scandal involving Jordan Baker."

Switching topics, Olivia's attention turned to Layla. "Speaking of disappearing, you were pretty MIA over winter break."

"Um, you were the one who went off to Lake Tahoe with your mom and Jordan," Layla shot back defensively.

"And I still managed to return texts. Phones work in Tahoe, you know," Olivia retorted, raising an eyebrow.

"Not everyone spends their holidays glued to their family, Olivia."

"Don't forget about me. I stayed here, and Evelyn." Emberly interjected.

"Evelyn was basically impossible to find. And were you really here, though? Because after Santa delivered your best gift ever, you were off-grid," Layla teased with a knowing grin.

Emberly raised an eyebrow. "Not relevant. And I'm not the topic of discussion right now."

"Come on, we both know what I'm talking about. You and Spencer finally..." Layla wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"I don't see how that's your business," Emberly replied, brushing it off.

Olivia softened her tone, shifting back to Layla. "I left you messages because I was worried about you."

"I'm fine," Layla insisted, her smile strained.

"Layla, you trashed your house after the game. That doesn't sound 'fine' to me," Emberly reminded gently when Layla tried to downplay her struggles.

Layla hesitated before admitting, "Okay, so maybe I had a moment. I was angry at my dad for not taking the first break-in seriously. Breaking his stuff made him think it happened again. Now he's back, we're house-hunting, and everything's perfect."