**Valentina "Val" Torres's P.O.V**
"Hey, bae!" I call out to Brielle, my voice echoing through the bustling high school hallway. The sound of lockers slamming shut and the chatter of students fills the air, but my focus is entirely on my best friend.
"Hey, boo!" she calls back, her voice carrying that familiar warmth that always makes me feel at home. We lock eyes from across the hallway, and for a few seconds, we just stare at each other. Then, as if on cue, we burst into a fit of laughter. It's one of those moments where you laugh for absolutely no reason, but it feels so good that you can't stop. The kind of laughter that makes your stomach hurt and your cheeks ache, but you don't care because it's pure joy.
We finally manage to catch our breaths, only to realize that half the people in the hallway are staring at us. Some are smiling, others look confused, but we don't care. We're used to being the center of attention when we're together. Brielle and I have that kind of friendship—loud, unapologetic, and full of life.
"Where are the others?" I ask her, glancing around the hallway. Usually, our little group is easy to spot, but today it's just the two of us.
"With their actual bars," Brielle replies with a smirk. I chuckle, knowing exactly what she means. Juliette, one of our closest friends, has been inseparable from her boyfriend, Nico, ever since he came back to town. Nico is one of my brother's best friends, and after being gone for a year, he decided to finish high school here. It's been a bit of an adjustment for all of us, but Juliette is over the moon, and honestly, it's kind of cute.
"So, Brielle," I say, wiggling my eyebrows suggestively at her. I can see the gears turning in her head as she tries to figure out what I'm about to say.
"I have a feeling I know where this is going," she groans, rolling her eyes. But I can see the hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
"When are you going to tell Jett you like him?" I ask, unable to keep the teasing tone out of my voice. This time, it's her turn to groan, and she does so dramatically, throwing her head back like I've just asked her the most ridiculous question in the world.
"Easy. NEVER! And it will stay that way. I doubt he even likes me back," she whispers the last part, but it's loud enough for me to hear. There's a vulnerability in her voice that makes my heart ache a little. Brielle is one of the most confident people I know, but when it comes to Jett, she turns into a nervous wreck.
"NO!!! I SHIP JETT AND BRIELLE FOREVER!!!" I protest, trying to hold back a giggle. I can't help it; the idea of Brielle and Jett together is just too perfect. They're like two puzzle pieces that were made to fit together, even if they don't see it yet.
"You sound like the president of ships!" Brielle retorts, and I pout like a child, sticking my bottom lip out for added effect. We look at each other again, and just like that, we're laughing all over again. It's one of those moments that reminds me why I love our friendship so much. We can go from serious to silly in a matter of seconds, and it's always genuine.
We finally stop laughing, and without even needing to discuss it, we say in unison, "Sleepover? At mine/yours? Done!" It's like we're on the same wavelength, always knowing what the other is thinking. We start laughing again, and yes, we are that crazy. But it's our kind of crazy, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.
The rest of the day goes by smoothly, and before I know it, we're walking to my car, ready to head home. The sun is starting to set, casting a warm golden glow over the school parking lot. It's one of those perfect evenings where everything feels just right.
"Val!" I hear my brother call out, and I turn to see Reynolds jogging over to me. He's still in his football gear, his hair a mess and his face flushed from practice.
"I'm gonna be back a little late tonight, alright? Just wanted to let you know," he says, slightly out of breath.
"Okay, but me and Brielle are having a girls' night tonight," I reply, giving him a knowing look. He smirks, clearly understanding what that means.
"Yeah, sure, see ya! I have football practice," he says before running off. I watch him go, shaking my head with a smile.
"Okay, go get sweaty on the field, but don't get dirty!!!" I yell after him, giggling as Brielle joins in. He responds by flipping me off with his middle finger, and we just laugh it off. That's the kind of relationship we have—full of teasing and sarcasm, but always rooted in love.
---
**Brielle and I are now in my room, surrounded by snacks and wearing matching pajamas. My room is a total wreck, as usual, but that's just how I like it. It's cozy and lived-in, and right now, it's the perfect setting for our girls' night. We're watching *The Pope's Exorcist* on Netflix, and the movie is just getting to the scary part when suddenly, the power goes out.**
"MOTHERFUCKING PIG!!!" I yell in frustration, throwing my hands up in the air. The room is plunged into darkness, and I can hear Brielle groaning beside me.
"Seriously?!" she exclaims, her voice filled with the same frustration I'm feeling. We were so close to the climax of the movie, and now we're stuck in the dark.
"Come on, let's go check what's the problem," I say, grabbing my phone to use as a flashlight. Brielle nods in agreement, and we both get up, ready to investigate.
But just as we're about to leave the room, we hear a loud thud coming from my closet. We freeze, our eyes widening in the dim light of my phone.
"What the hell?" I whisper, my heart starting to race. Brielle grabs my arm, her grip tight with fear.
"I thought we were the only ones home!" she whisper-yells, her voice trembling slightly.
"I think we have company," I reply, trying to keep my voice steady. My mind is racing, trying to figure out what to do. I quickly go under my bed and grab the frying pan I keep there for emergencies. Don't ask why I have a frying pan in my room—it's a long story. Brielle, not wanting to be left unarmed, grabs the spatula that's also under my bed. Again, don't ask.
We walk slowly toward the closet, our hearts pounding in our chests. We count to three, and on the count of three, we yank the closet door open. Three figures jump out at us, screaming, and without thinking, we swing our weapons, hitting them with all the force we can muster. We close our eyes, bracing for impact, and when we open them, we see three guys in boogeyman masks lying unconscious at our feet.
Brielle and I look at each other, our eyes wide with shock, and then we scream and run out of the room. But after a few seconds, we stop, realizing that we need to know who these intruders are. We cautiously go back into the room and remove the masks, only to find Reynolds, Jax, and Xavier—three of our friends—lying there, completely knocked out.
"What the fucking hell?!" Brielle shouts, her voice filled with a mix of anger and disbelief.
"They pranked us," I say, a slow smile spreading across my face. "And I know how to get them back." I rub my hands together, an evil grin forming as I start to plot our revenge.
---
**Jaxon "Jax" Steele's P.O.V**
I wake up to the sensation of something being sprinkled on me. At first, I think it's fairy dust, but then I realize it's glitter. I open my eyes, confused, and look around. Reynolds and Xavier are tied up to chairs, looking just as disoriented as I am.
What the hell happened?
Then it all comes rushing back—the boogeyman masks, Val's closet, being hit with a frying pan. Wait, a frying pan? I groan, realizing that our prank had backfired spectacularly.
Reynolds and Xavier start to regain consciousness, and the chair in front of us begins to spin around. Val appears, trying to hold back her laughter. Why is she laughing? I start to feel more glitter being poured on me, and I look up to see Brielle standing over me, a mischievous grin on her face.
"What the hell?!" I shout, and Brielle bursts out laughing, unable to contain herself. Val joins in, and soon they're both laughing so hard they can barely stand.
"I-I just—oh God!! You're—" Val says between laughs, unable to finish her sentence. She takes her phone out and points it at us.
"Say cheese!" she says, and we all look at her, completely confused. What the hell is going on?
"Val, Brielle, what the hell is going on?" Reynolds finally speaks up, his voice filled with frustration.
"Okay, so because you idiots tried pranking us, you got yourself hit with a frying pan and spatula. Never mess with a girl who has a frying pan and spatula under her bed," Val says, finally recovering from her laughing fit.
"Yup, got that right, hun!" Brielle adds. "Then Val came up with an idea on how to get back at you guys, so we drew boobs on Jax's forehead, a dick on Reynolds's forehead, and a butt on Xavier's forehead with a Sharpie." She stops and starts laughing again, and Val joins in, unable to hold back.
I start panicking, along with Reynolds and Xavier. "What the fuck?!" Xavier exclaims, his voice filled with horror.
"You've got to be kidding me!" Reynolds shouts, his face turning red with embarrassment.
"You're gonna pay for this!!" I say, my voice filled with anger, but deep down, I know we deserved it.
"Then we put a load of waterproof makeup on your faces!" Val adds, bursting into laughter again.
"FUCK!!!" the three of us say simultaneously, realizing that we're going to have a hard time explaining this to anyone who sees us.
---
**Valentina "Val" Torres's P.O.V**
After that hilarious incident, the boys begged us for foundation and makeup cleanser. Of course, we didn't just give it to them. We made a deal—they had to buy us anything we wanted whenever we needed it for the rest of the month. For tonight, we decided to watch a scary movie and ordered pizza, which the boys paid for.
The doorbell rings, signaling that the pizza is here. I open the door to find a very attractive guy about the same age as me, maybe a little older. He looks familiar, but I can't quite place him. He smiles at me, and I smile back, but then I notice him looking at my legs. Shit. I forgot about my pajamas.
"Pizza delivery!" he says, his voice smooth and confident. He seems sweet, but there's something about him that makes me feel uneasy.
"Hold on a second," I say, quickly going to grab some money from my brother. I hear footsteps behind me but ignore them, focusing on getting the money.
"Hey, sorry about that," I say, handing him the money. He takes it, his eyes never leaving mine.
"It's okay, erm…" he trails off, waiting for me to introduce myself.
"Val," I tell him, my voice steady despite the unease I'm feeling.
"Landon," he replies, and my heart skips a beat. Landon. Where have I heard that name before? Then it hits me like a ton of bricks. He's the guy from the alleyway—the one who tried to assault me. My blood runs cold, and I freeze, unable to move or speak.
"Hello, sweetheart," he says, his voice sending shivers down my spine. The bad kind. He smirks at me, and I feel like I'm going to be sick.
"Val, is there something wrong?" Jax's voice snaps me back to reality. He comes up behind me, placing a hand on my back. He looks at Landon, his expression confused but protective. Landon leaves, but not before giving me one last smirk.
"You okay?" Jax asks, his eyes filled with concern.
"Y-yeah… I'm fine," I stutter, trying to convince myself as much as him.
"We'll talk about this later," he says, his voice stern but gentle.
I bring in the pizza and put on a fake smile, trying to push the encounter with Landon to the back of my mind. But deep down, I know that this night is far from over.