My brothers best friend

Chapter 2: Secrets and Smirks

(Edited)

Chapter 2

Valerie's Point of view.

Mason and Jake are standing out there, grinning like two idiots trying to sell cupcakes. What are they doing here? I had promised myself I wouldn't get tangled up with my brother at college—not right away, anyway. I was going to give it a couple of weeks, start making my own friends, and avoid him as much as possible. But, of course, here he is. In my dorm. Ruining all my carefully made plans, like always. Sometimes, I really wish I was an only child. But nope—Mason came first, and I had the misfortune of being second.

Mason plants a quick kiss on Paige's cheek before rushing over to me. "Hey, sis!" he says, scooping me up and spinning me around like I'm five years old. Honestly, I just want him to put me down. "God, it's been forever. I've missed you so much. And look at you—you've grown so much!"

"Put me down!" I groan. Mason has this weird thing where, whenever we've been apart for a while, he greets me by picking me up and twirling me around. It's sweet... in theory. But not every time. Okay, fine, I know I'm being tough about it, but I do love him. As annoying and overbearing as he can be, he's a good brother. He's always made it his mission to protect me. And for that, he's the best brother ever.

"Where's Viktoria?" Mason asks the second he sets me down, his eyes scanning the dorm like she'll just pop out of thin air.

"She's in the bathroom," I reply, giving him an annoyed side-eye.

That's when I spot Jake, standing there in my dorm, looking annoyingly, breathtakingly hot. And honestly? It doesn't do anything to help my mood. Why does God give someone those features? It's so unfair. And when he turns his head and meets my gaze, I realize I've been staring at him longer than I'd like him to know. His lips curve into a smirk. Ugh. So smug. He knows exactly what he's doing.

Mason doesn't know about the kiss. In fact, no one does—not even Viktoria. And that's saying something, because I tell her everything. But this? This felt like it should be a secret between me and him. I don't know why, but I want it to be. It's not that I don't trust her—Viktoria would never spill my secrets, not unless I told her to. That's one of the reasons I love her. She's always had my back. Before the fame. After the fame. She's the one person who's never changed. And she's the biggest cheerleader in my life—right there with me, every step of the way. I always hype her up just as much as she hypes me up. 

"What are you guys doing here, anyway?" I ask, my irritation creeping in. "I told you I didn't want to see you for the first two weeks, Mason, and here you are, already invading my dorm."

Mason grins like he's just won some sort of victory. "We just wanted to say hi, make sure you're settling in," he says, then gestures to Paige. "And, since you're sharing a room with my girlfriend, guess you're stuck with me. You'll probably see me every single day. I know you love me, Val." He winks, clearly satisfied with his own smugness. "And then, there's Connor and Viktoria, so... yeah, you're not getting away from me anytime soon."

I scowl, but internally, I realize he's right. My mood shifts from sour to straight-up annoyed. He's made my day worse, and now I'm definitely stuck with him.

Connor Sanderson. Jake and Mason's best friend. Viktoria's boyfriend. Great. As if I wasn't already stuck with Mason, now I'm stuck with Jake too. How fantastic.

Note the sarcasm.

"Really? How amazing," I say, my voice dripping with sarcasm, forcing a smile.

Paige yawns, stretching her arms above her head before flopping onto the armrest of the couch. "Are you guys going to the party tonight at the Westwood house?"

Jake answers before anyone else gets a chance. "Yeah, me and the boys are," he says, his deep voice sending an involuntary shiver down my spine.

Oh my God, Valerie. Can you stop? Get it together. Why does his voice sound like that? This is so inappropriate.

Can you just let me be? Where was I? Oh right, his voice. Why does he have this effect on me? He says just a few words, and my body reacts in a way it definitely shouldn't. It's been so long since a guy has made me feel like this, and honestly, that's terrifying. Why is it just his voice? Why does it send this shiver down my spine? Thinking about how I'd react to his touch... makes me blush.

Stop it, Valerie. You don't like him. First, he's your brother's best friend—off-limits. Second, he's a player and would only break your heart. And third, he probably doesn't even see you that way.But if he didn't like me, why did he kiss me?

STOP, Valerie, don't be delulu.

The voices inside my head are right—he doesn't like me. He probably just sees me as a little sister since he's been in my life since I was 12. Why does everything have to be so unfair? I want Jake, but he doesn't want me. I want my brother to give me space, but he insists on being around me every single day. Why does my life have to feel like this?

"Are you and Viktoria coming, Valerie?" Paige interrupts my thoughts, and I pause, considering whether I even want to go to the party. Before I can respond, my obnoxious older brother speaks up, answering for me. "No, she's not coming." I narrow my eyes. Did he just say what I think he said? How dare he?

"Uh, yes, I am coming." The nerve of him, thinking he can decide for me—not happening. I'm a grown woman, and I can make my own choices. "I can answer for myself, and yes, I'm going."

"No, you're not going, and it's not up for discussion. You're 19, you're not allowed to drink. And you're not going to that party." I can't help but laugh at what he's saying. He was drinking and going to parties at 19—heck, I'm pretty sure he started at 16. So who is he to talk? He's only two years older than me! What a hypocrite.

He invites me to his parties, so why can't I go to this one? It's so typical of him—so annoying. I know he's just trying to protect me, but I'm 19 for God's sake! I'm old enough to make my own decisions. I don't need a man to make them for me. If he thinks I'm going to let him control my life, he's dead wrong.

The worst part? He doesn't even care about me at his own parties. Yeah, sometimes he'll come over, we'll have a brief chat, but then the next second, he's lost in his own world—completely wasted and dancing with God knows who. He told me I'd miss the best three years of my life, but if this is what it's going to be like, then they'll definitely be the worst three years. What's fun about not going to parties and just studying all semester because my brother's being a hypocrite? Nothing. Nothing.

"Oh my God, Mason, I'm going to that party. You don't get to make that call for me. I'm not a kid anymore." I pause, catching my breath, trying to hold my ground. "You're so hell-bent on controlling me, but I decide what I do with my life. While Vik and I were traveling, we were partying, too. You can't just decide when I'm allowed to live my life."

"Oh, she bites," I hear Jake say, his voice cheerful. When I glance at him, I see him grinning widely, looking straight at me.

"Shut the fuck up, Graham," Mason replies, his tone sharp. Wow, that was harsh. And even though I should be the one who's mad, all I can think is that he's so cute right now. I can see out of the corner of my eye that he's just laughing at Mason.

"I don't care what you've been doing while traveling, and I will forever regret not protecting you from those parties..." Mason starts, his voice carrying that usual protective tone.

"Stop," I interrupt, meaning it. I just want to cry right now. The truth is, I did need him to protect me from those parties. I needed him to protect me from him. But he wasn't there.

At that moment, Viktoria comes out of the bathroom, fresh-faced with no makeup on. Guess she didn't want to wear makeup anymore, which I totally get. I'm looking forward to washing mine off too.

"...and you're not going to that party," Mason continues, ignoring my interruption.

"Hey, what are you guys doing here?" Viktoria asks, walking over and giving them both a hug.

As if Mason thinks he can decide what I'm doing tonight. Mission: Join the party is officially on.