𝐋𝐎𝐌𝐋², jack champion

045, 𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥

045, 𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥
irl + social media

THIRD PERSON +
december 13, 2024

Two days back in Los Angeles had been surprisingly peaceful for Juniper. She'd found herself swept into the warm chaos of holiday preparations with Vinnie and his friends.

They'd spent the day lounging around Vinnie's living room, exchanging early gifts since they'd all be heading to different places for Christmas, laughing over board games, and now, watching How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Her phone had been buried under a pillow somewhere, and for once, she hadn't felt the urge to check it every few minutes. She was just... happy, present.

As the movie played, she felt her phone buzz somewhere in the cushions. She found it and glanced at the screen, seeing "Hayley" flashing across it. Her manager wouldn't be calling unless it was important. She excused herself, trying not to disrupt the movie, and slipped into the kitchen to answer.

"Hey, Hayls. What's up?" she greeted, trying to keep her voice casual.

"Juniper, have you checked your phone? Or social media?" Hayley's tone was urgent, carrying an edge that made Juniper's stomach twist.

"No, we've been offline all day. Why?" she asked, her cheerful mood slowly deflating as Hayley paused.

"A picture leaked, Juni... from Vinnie's birthday party. It's you two... kissing. It looks like you're in the middle of some party game, but people are already going nuts over it. There's speculation everywhere."

Juniper's heart dropped. Oh, fuck.

Her mind raced back to that silly game of spin the bottle at Vinnie's birthday, where they'd shared leaned into a playful, friendly kiss for the dare. It hadn't meant anything—at least not to her and Vinnie—but her mind spun with what others might think.

"Are you serious?" she whispered, leaning against the counter for support.

"Dead serious. It's not a super clear shot, but it's enough to identify you both. Someone screenshotted it from the background of a video," Hayley continued. "You're going to need to make a statement as soon as possible, hun, or the rumors are going to snowball."

Juniper barely nodded, lost in thought. She peeked around the corner and caught Vinnie's gaze, giving him a quick, urgent wave to come join her. Vinnie, looking confused but concerned, followed her into the kitchen.

When he entered, she put her phone on speaker, letting Hayley fill him in on the leaked photo and the storm it was stirring up. Vinnie, wide-eyed, pulled out his phone to check for himself, scrolling quickly until he found the blurry screenshot. It wasn't entirely clear, but the lighting, their clothes, and the angle left no doubt about who it was.

"This is insane," Vinnie muttered, shaking his head. "It was just a game."

"I know," Juniper whispered, rubbing her temples. "But people are going to think it's more than that. I can already see the headlines."

Hayley's voice cut in. "Hun, I'm going to try to handle as much damage control as I can, but you need to put out a statement. Something quick and honest before rumors spiral out of control."

Juniper nodded, her mind racing. "Okay, I'll... I'll think of something."

After Hayley hung up, Vinnie reached out, giving her shoulder a comforting squeeze. "Hey, it'll be fine. We'll clear things up."