Riley x Val (Inside Out 2)

Chapter 12

Riley’s POV

I knew I had to have this conversation, and sooner rather than later. As I walked down the hallway, my mind raced, trying to piece together exactly what to say. I realized that Bree and Grace were right to feel how they did—I had been spending a lot of time with Val. The excitement of something new had swept me away, but now it was time to find balance.

My heart raced, partly because I hated confrontation, even with my closest friends, and partly because I wasn’t entirely sure how they would react. Grace had seemed so firm before, almost hurt. And Bree… she was always the one trying to smooth things over, but I could see the unease in her eyes. They were my besties for life, and I knew I needed to make it up to them.

But Val? I couldn't help but smile thinking about her. She made my heart flutter in ways that were entirely new, and I didn't want this relationship to be just a fleeting thing. I wanted it to work, and I wanted to find a way to make everyone important in my life feel included.

As I reached the courtyard where Bree and Grace usually hung out during lunch, I saw them from a distance—Bree was waving her arms animatedly, telling a story, and Grace laughed, her eyes crinkling at the corners. A pang of nostalgia washed over me. I didn't want to lose this.

Taking a deep breath, I made my way over to them, my footsteps slow but determined. They looked up as I approached, Bree’s eyes lighting up as she smiled.

“Hey guys,” I said, my voice wavering slightly, but I tried to sound as natural as possible.

“Hey!!” Bree greeted, her excitement as genuine as always. “You still coming with us?”

I hesitated, chewing on my bottom lip. “Uh… not exactly.” I saw the look on Grace’s face shift slightly, her smile fading into something guarded. “I really want you both to come to the skatepark.”

Grace raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. “But you agreed to spend time with us—just us,” she reminded me, her voice quieter but edged with frustration.

“I know, I know,” I said quickly, holding my hands up. “And I want to! It’s just… I can’t leave you guys, and I also don’t want to leave Val. I want to compromise. I don’t want it to be like a choice between you and her.”

Grace crossed her arms, leaning back against the bench. Bree was looking between us, her lips slightly pursed, as if she were trying to figure out how to mediate.

“Fine,” Bree finally spoke up, her tone softer. “We may have been a bit over the top, but we love you, girl. We just want to feel like we still matter to you.”

Grace sighed, uncrossing her arms. “Yeah. It’s not like we don’t like Val. We’re just… we’re just worried."

I nodded, feeling a twinge of guilt. “I get it, I really do. And you’re right,” I admitted. “I want you both to be a part of my life, even with Val in it. And I promise I’ll make more time for just the three of us, too.”

Grace looked at me for a long moment, her eyes searching my face, and finally, she softened. “Okay, Riles. We’ll go to the skatepark. But you owe us a pizza night—just us—no compromises,” she added, her lips curving up into a small smile.

“Deal,” I said, relief flooding my chest. I stepped forward and hugged both of them, feeling the familiar warmth of their embrace. “You guys mean the world to me. I don’t want to lose that.”

“We know,” Bree said, her voice muffled against my shoulder. “We love you, even when you’re being a clueless dork.”

I laughed, pulling away from the hug. “Thanks, Bree. I love you guys too.”