NEW MESSAGE !

FROM JACOB . . .

JACOB

me every time when u shoot down my idea of moving back to LA

XOLO 
are we doing this again

JACOB 
yes

XOLO 
bro. We LIVE here. We have an apartment. We have furniture. U have a whole girlfriend who also likes it here

JACOB 
Peyton literally wants to move too. shes on my side

XOLO 
u manipulated her

JACOB 
Peyton LITERALLY said, and i quote… “I miss LA so much. Let’s just move back”

XOLO 
…i feel like ur leaving
out context

JACOB 
she said it while watching a TikTok of the Santa Monica pier
but the intent was there

XOLO 
that is not a legally
binding statement then

JACOB 
it is! i presented the facts
LA is better than New York.
better weather. AND palm trees

XOLO 
there are trees here too.

JACOB 
barely. It’s all concrete and rats

XOLO 
That’s just Manhattan.
We could move to Brooklyn.

JACOB 
LA already exists.
we don’t have to settle for Brooklyn.

JACOB 
AND ILL SAY IT AGAIN FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK.
LA IS BETTER THAN NEW YORK. FACTS.

XOLO 
that is not a fact.
that is a biased opinion from a man who still thinks crocs with socks is peak fashion

JACOB 
u know what
i don’t have to take this

JACOB 
HOLY SHIT

JACOB 
I JUST GOT A
FUCKING GREAT IDEA

INCOMING FACETIME CALL !

FROM JACOB . . .

XOLO SIGHED AS HIS PHONE BUZZED WITH an incoming FaceTime call from Jacob. He stared at the screen for a moment, debating whether to ignore it. Knowing his best friend, his ‘great fucking idea’ was either something incredibly stupid or something that would make Xolo regret picking up. Probably both.

Resigning himself to whatever chaos was about to unfold, Xolo accepted the call. Jacob’s face immediately filled the screen, his eyes wide with excitement, practically vibrating with energy.

“Dude,” Jacob blurted out before Xolo could even say anything. “I just got a fucking greag idea.”

Xolo sighed, already exhausted. “Yeah, that’s literally what you texted—”

“Shut up and listen,” Jacob cut him off, eyes gleaming with mischief. “We’re making a bet.”

Xolo arched a brow. “A bet?” That never meant anything good.

“Yes,” Jacob said, grinning. “You’re always shutting me down about moving back to LA, so I came up with the perfect way to settle this.” He paused for dramatic effect. “You have to DM a girl from LA. Any girl. And you have to make her fall for you.”

Xolo just stared at the screen, waiting for Jacob to explain how that was supposed to make sense. When he didn’t, Xolo blinked. “What?”

Jacob looked way too pleased with himself. “If you win, if she falls for you—we stay in New York. No more LA talk from me, I swear. But if you fail…” He dragged out the last word, eyes twinkling. “We move to LA.”

Xolo let out a sharp laugh, shaking his head. “This is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”

“No, it’s genius,” Jacob insisted. “Because think about it… if you actually fall for this girl, then guess what? You’ll want to be in LA. Boom. Problem solved.”

Xolo groaned, rubbing his temples. “So let me get this straight. If I don’t successfully charm a complete stranger into falling for me, my ‘punishment’ is moving to LA?”

“Exactly.” Jacob nodded, looking proud.

“And if I win?”

“You get to gloat, stay in New York, and I shut up about LA for a whole year.”

Xolo narrowed his eyes, considering the situation. He knew Jacob well enough to understand that once his best friend got an idea in his head, there was no shaking him off it. If he didn’t take the bet, Jacob would just keep pestering him, bringing up LA at every opportunity, dropping not-so-subtle hints about "how much better" their lives could be. It would be relentless.

But if he played along and won, he’d get an entire year of peace. No more impromptu real estate listings sent to their group chat, no more conversations randomly ending with “Anyway, we should move to LA.” It would be over. That alone was almost worth it.

Still, if Jacob was so hellbent on making this happen, Xolo figured he could squeeze a little extra out of it.

“I want a prize if I win,” he said, tilting his head as if he was still deciding.

Jacob groaned, already exasperated. “Fine. What do you want?”

Xolo pretended to think, dragging it out just to be annoying. Then, as if he had just come up with the perfect demand, he smirked. “Custom Nikes.”

Jacob scoffed immediately. “Dude, I’ll hand-make you a pair if it means you start DMing someone.”

Xolo wrinkled his nose. “That is not a selling point.” The last thing he wanted was Jacob’s DIY disaster of a shoe design. He could already picture whatever chaotic mess his best friend would come up with—probably something loud and ridiculous, like neon-colored Croc-inspired sneakers. “Actually, never mind. I want real custom Nikes. Good ones.”

Jacob rolled his eyes. “Okay, whatever, I’ll buy them. Now stop stalling and pick a girl.”

Xolo exhaled, rubbing his forehead. He had no idea how he let himself get roped into things like this, but he knew one thing for sure—this was going to be a disaster.

Note !
first chapter!!
i am so excited for this :)
let me know your thoughts