My brothers best friend

Chapter 40: Two-Timing or Misunderstood?

Chapter 40

Jake's Point of View

The evening felt like it was stretching on forever. I sat in my room, tossing a soccer ball against the wall, trying to keep my head clear. My phone buzzed on the desk, lighting up with Valerie's last message:

Valerie: Just a hint? Please?

A smile tugged at my lips. She was persistent, that was for sure. I thought about finally texting her back and letting her in on my big news. But just as my fingers hovered over the screen, a new notification popped up.

Breaking News: Valerie Prescott Caught Between Two Men—Is She Playing Both?

My stomach knotted as I tapped the notification, the tabloid article loading onto my screen.

At the top of the page were two pictures.

The first one hit me like a punch to the gut: Valerie and Nick, locked in a kiss at what looked like a coffee shop. His hand cradled her face, her body leaning into his like it was the most natural thing in the world. A timestamp beneath it read Today.

The second picture was all too familiar: Valerie and me, standing in the park weeks ago. The photo showed us mid-kiss, under the golden light of the street lamp. I remembered that moment vividly—how perfect it had felt, how certain I'd been that this thing between us was real. The timestamp under the photo read Five Weeks Ago.

The headline above the pictures screamed out in bold, mocking letters:

"VALERIE PRESCOTT: COLLEGE GIRL OR TWO-TIMING HOE?"

My jaw clenched, my chest tightening as I read the text beneath the photos.

"Valerie Prescott, rising social media star and aspiring singer, has been seen getting cozy with not one, but two different men. Earlier today, she was caught sharing a romantic moment with Mystery Man #1 in a coffee shop. But just weeks ago, she was spotted at a park with Mystery Man #2, sharing an intimate kiss at night. Prescott's fans may love her music and videos, but will they condone her apparent 'player' lifestyle? Is Prescott juggling her growing fame with a little too much extracurricular activity?"

My grip on the phone tightened as I stared at the article. Anger boiled in my chest—not just at the words tearing her apart, but at what those words meant.

Valerie kissed Nick. Today. Just a couple of hours ago, while she was texting me like nothing had happened.

I threw the soccer ball hard against the wall, the dull thud reverberating through the room. My mind replayed every conversation we'd had over the past few days, trying to piece together how I'd missed this. She'd been texting me, acting like we were good—like I was the only one she cared about.

But the pictures didn't lie.

I forced myself to look at the first picture again, my stomach twisting. Nick. Of all people. The guy she knows I hate. The guy who, apparently, wasn't just a friend anymore.

I unlocked my phone, pulling up our text thread. My thumb hovered over the keyboard. A part of me didn't want to believe it, but I couldn't unsee the picture.

Me: We're not meeting up tonight. Something came up.

I hit send, the words feeling cold and final.

The ball rolled to a stop against my foot, but I didn't bother picking it up. I leaned back in my chair, my thoughts racing. Part of me wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt. Maybe there was an explanation. Maybe she didn't know the picture was taken.

But none of that changed the fact that she'd kissed him.

And for the first time since we'd started this whole thing, I wasn't sure if I could trust her anymore.

Valerie's Point of View

I stared at Jake's text, my heart sinking.

Jake: We're not meeting up tonight. Something came up.

I knew why. The article was already out. I'd seen it. Read it. And now, the whole world—and Jake—was seeing me through a different lens. One that made my stomach twist into knots.

I wanted to text him back, tell him that I could explain. That everything wasn't what it seemed. But my fingers hovered over the screen, unsure of where to even start. How could I explain it all? How could I tell him that the kiss with Nick had meant nothing, when I knew how it would look?

I felt a flash of anger—at Nick. It had only been a kiss, a stupid moment of weakness, but it had meant something to him, I could tell. And now, it had spiraled into this mess. It felt like everything I'd been building with Jake was suddenly hanging by a thread, torn apart by a single snapshot.

I slammed my phone down in my purse, rubbing my temples as frustration boiled in my chest.

Taking a deep breath I headed back to my dorm, the familiar walk only making me feel more distant from everything I was trying to hold together. By the time I got back to the building, the weight of the world felt heavier on my shoulders, and I just wanted to escape, even for a few hours.

I opened the door to my room, and as soon as I stepped inside, I was hit with the sweet, comforting smell of melting ice cream.

"Valerie!" Paige squealed, jumping up from the couch. "You're just in time!"

I smiled, a real smile, the first one I'd managed all day. There, sprawled on the couch with tubs of ice cream and snacks, were Viktoria and Paige, both holding spoons and grinning like they hadn't just been through their own share of drama.

Paige held up a spoon, offering it to me. "You've got to try this—mint chocolate chip. Best flavor ever."

I laughed, grateful to have them around. "I could definitely use some ice cream right now."

Viktoria leaned back on the couch, her eyes twinkling. "We've got the movie marathon planned—'After' all night. You're going to forget about whatever's going on. Promise."

I took a deep breath, letting their energy pull me out of my head. I grabbed a spoon, sinking into the couch between them, and they both immediately started talking about the most ridiculous scenes from the movie series.

"Okay, but can we talk about how the main character is completely unrealistic?" Viktoria asked, her voice teasing. "Like, who falls in love like that?"

I smiled weakly. "Right? It's like, real life doesn't work like that."

"Not for us, anyway," Paige chimed in, winking. "But hey, we're not all as dramatic as Tessa and Hardin."

I chuckled, trying to let myself just be in the moment with them. We watched the movie, the three of us laughing and throwing random comments at the screen. Every now and then, one of us would grab another spoonful of ice cream, and for a while, I could almost forget about the mess I'd gotten myself into.

By the time the third movie rolled around, I could feel my eyelids growing heavier. The stress of the day had taken its toll, but in this quiet space, surrounded by my two best friends, it felt like maybe things weren't all bad.

"Okay, I'm done," Viktoria muttered, her voice thick with sleep. "I'm falling asleep right here."

"Same," Paige yawned, tossing her empty ice cream tub to the side. "We'll finish it tomorrow."

I nodded, letting my head rest against the back of the couch. My body felt heavy, but it was a comfort to know that, no matter what happened with Jake, I'd always have them by my side.

I glanced at the empty tubs of ice cream, and for a moment, I thought of how things used to be simpler. Back before all the drama, before everything started getting tangled up with people and emotions I didn't know how to handle.

But as I drifted off, I realized that even in the mess, I was still here. With my friends. And somehow, that was enough.