https : *⋆❝ sadiesinkhergf ! ❞
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🪷 . . . chapter four
┈➤ 𝗚𝗟𝗢𝗥𝗬 𝗕𝗢𝗫, jj maybank
❦༄

🪷 chapter four !
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VALENTINA'S FAVORITE COPING mechanism when she was upset was simple yet effective: shop until she literally dropped. it wasn't the healthiest habit, but nothing dulled the sting of a bad mood quite like a spree of retail therapy. and right now, 'upset' didn't even begin to cover it.

all she really wanted to do was crawl into bed with a pint of ice cream, binge-watch love island, and pretend the world outside didn't exist. but no, her father had decided to disrupt her wallowing with an obligation: taking her friends out for dinner.

so, she had marched into her dad's office, snatched his american express card from the desk, and embarked on what could only be described as a shopping rampage.

emerging from the fourth store, her arms were already burdened with five bags of luxury finds, each one a temporary balm to her bruised mood. shoes, dresses, jewelry- nothing was off-limits.

valentina walked with effortless grace, her heels clicking against the pavement as though she were striding down a runway, completely unbothered by the weight of the multiple shopping bags slung across her arms. as she rounded the corner toward the next store, she felt an unexpected tug on her hair accompanied by a low chuckle.

she froze mid-step, spinning around slowly with an expression already primed for a sharp, biting remark to whoever dared to touch her. but as her gaze settled on the culprit, her irritation melted away in an instant.

a big smile lit up her face. "oh my god, hi!"

lucas stood there with a grin, hands stuffed casually in his pockets. "aw, you're finally going to the gym?" he teased, gesturing at the bags weighing her down.

valentina laughed, shrugging dramatically. "yes, everyone cheered! retail therapy is my cardio."

he chuckled, stepping closer. "well, it looks like you're running a marathon today."

"don't judge me," she quipped, her smile widening. "what are you doing here? shopping for a new personality?"

he placed a hand on his chest, pretending to be offended. "i'll have you know i'm here on important business. and i already have a perfect personality, thank you very much."

she rolled her eyes playfully. "debatable. now help me carry these bags, will you? i need both hands free to swipe this card."

lucas laughed but didn't protest, grabbing a few of her bags with a mock groan. "i'm surprised your lanky ass arms could carry those," he said as the two walked into the next store together, their banter continuing to no end.

"oh my god, babes, you'd look so good in this!" lucas exclaimed, holding up a bright neon skirt that looked like it belonged in a '90s workout video. his face was painted with an exaggerated expression of awe, as though he'd just stumbled upon the crown jewel of fashion.

valentina froze for a moment, her eyes widening in pure horror as she took in the offensive garment. then, with a loud scoff, she burst into laughter. "we should get matching ones."

after wandering through store after store and seeing nothing but the same repetitive styles, valentina let out a frustrated groan. "i'm so over it. everything looks like it was copied and pasted from last year's fucking clearance rack."

lucas, who had been scrolling through his phone while occasionally holding up ridiculous items to make her laugh, nodded in agreement. "yeah, fashion innovation is dead. let's call it quits before you start throwing racks over."

valentina chuckled, tossing her hair over her shoulder in exhaustion. "tempting, but fine. let's get out of here."

the two made their way to her car, lucas complaining loudly about the weight of her shopping bags as he helped load them into the trunk. "do you make all your friends your personal maids, bitch?" he teased, dramatically pretending to wipe sweat from his brow.

"hm, yeah actually, except for my angel sarah." valentina shot back with a sweet smile.

with her bags secured, they decided to grab ice cream from a nearby stand to kill time before she had to prepare for the evening's dinner.

sitting on a bench, valentina swirled her spoon through her strawberry gelato, letting the cool sweetness melt her earlier irritation. "this is lowkey better than retail therapy," she admitted, watching lucas juggle his triple-scoop cone with way too many toppings.

he nodded, a bit of chocolate sauce smearing the corner of his mouth. "see? ice cream solves everything. even your existential crisis over boring fashion."

she laughed, leaning back against the bench as the sun dipped lower in the sky. "not my fault people these days have an ugly sense of fashion. how am i supposed to look sexy and classy when they sell shit like that?"

"you always look sexy." he said with a wink, stealing a spoonful of her gelato before she could swat his hand away.  "you hear from john... d, b, p- whatever his name is?" he asked, rolling his eyes as he shoveled another bite into his mouth.

valentina nodded casually. "yeah, me and sarah saw him. he's fine."

lucas hummed, pausing for a moment before breaking into a sly giggle. "sure, fine. i bet you think he's real fine."

valentina paused, her face scrunching up in confusion before realization hit her. "wait- what the hell is that supposed to mean?" she exclaimed, pointing her spoon at him. "bitch, no way, eugh."

lucas smirked, clearly enjoying himself as he leaned back in his chair. "oh, babes, denial looks so good on you. but seriously, you can admit it to me. you were all over him last night," he cleared his throat, before waving his arms around dramatically. "oh john! stay with me-"

valentina nearly dropped her spoon, fixing him with an incredulous look. "shut up? i have basic human decency and didn't want someone to die? shocker."

"sure, sure," he said, waving his spoon dismissively. "but the way you said 'he's fine' had a little sparkle to it. like,"

"don't even play like that. besides, i don't do boyfriends," she declared with a confident shrug, her tone casual but firm.

lucas scrunched up his nose, clearly puzzled. "what the fuck does that mean?" he asked, his voice a mix of confusion and disbelief. "you just fuck and dip?"

valentina let out a small laugh, leaning back in her seat. "uhm, kind of? i literally don't care at all, plus i don't want to be put on a leash with a boy following my every move."

"so you're basically a fuck girl, got it." lucas said, his voice dripping with playful judgment.

her mouth opened slightly in protest, ready to argue the point, but as the words hung in the air, she paused. he kind of had a point. she didn't do relationships, didn't care for the long-term commitment. her casual flings and lack of attachment probably did fit that description more than she liked to admit.

she sighed, rolling her eyes as she leaned back into her seat. "ugh, don't make it sound so trashy," she muttered, crossing her arms. "but yeah, a girl deserves dick too?"

lucas grinned, clearly enjoying the shift in the conversation. "i mean, i support," he teased. "just don't come crying to me when you're the only one who ends up single as fuck. "

valentina shot him a mock glare, rolling her eyes. "as if i care, you're just jealous 'cause you don't pull."

"pipe down mama, i pull."

"yeah, aids from your fucking ass. don't lie to me."

lucas was about to retort with another insult, but the words caught in his throat as he couldn't keep a straight face. instead, he burst out laughing, his head thrown back in genuine amusement. valentina, however, pretended to remain unbothered, continuing to savor her ice cream while she stiffed a giggle at her own words.

god, i'm so funny.

"anyways," she smiled at the boy, checking her fake watch. "i have to go in like five minutes, do you want me to drop you off?"

"after the hate crime i just received i deserve more than just a ride, bitch."

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valentina stood in front of the mirror, her fingers nervously adjusting the hem of the new chanel dress she had bought earlier that day. the black fabric clung to her figure, with a crisp white bow at the neckline and white ruffles flaring from the skirt. it was beautiful, undoubtedly, but she couldn't help but feel the weight of her father's expectations pressing down on her. her reflection stared back at her, but it didn't feel like it was her anymore. it was a version of herself she had to be- a version that fit the perfect, polished image he wanted to present to the world.

her hair was done in loose waves, cascading down her back, and her makeup was flawless, highlighting her sharp features with a smoky eye and a dark pink lip, as sound of the front door opening downstairs broke her thoughts, and valentina stiffened. her father was home, no doubt on the phone with someone. his footsteps echoed up the stairs, the sharp click of his shoes against the hardwood floor matching the rhythm of her growing anxiety. she quickly slipped on a pair of black heels and a chanel bag to complete the look, adjusting the hem of her dress one last time.

as she made her way to the hallway, her father appeared in the doorway of his office, his sharp eyes immediately scanning her appearance. his gaze didn't linger with admiration or concern, though- he just looked her up and down as if checking her off a list, nodding in approval of her outfit, but offering nothing more.

"you're home early." she muttered, playing with the rings around her finger, and her father inhaled sharply.

"you going to the dinner like i asked?" he asked, his tone neutral but his gaze sharp. it was hard to read him sometimes- his facial expressions always carefully guarded. she nodded, and he cleared his throat. "what time will you be back?"

valentina forced herself to meet his gaze. "i don't know, maybe i'll sleep over at sarah's house." she replied, her voice neutral, though a small, bitter smile tugged at her lips. it wasn't as if he cared. she could have said she was running off to another continent, and he wouldn't have cared.

he didn't respond immediately, his attention already sliding back to his phone, which he had just pulled from his pocket. he glanced at it absently, giving her a once-over again, before muttering, "be on your best behavior."

she bit back the urge to snap at him. "right," she said flatly, her voice laced with an edge of sarcasm that she quickly stifled.

with that, she walked out, the weight of his expectations pressing down on her as she stepped into the night, leaving the house behind. it was a familiar feeling, this ache in her chest- a constant reminder that to him, she was nothing more than a reflection of his success, a tool in his polished image.

valentina's eyes scanned the dinner venue, searching for any sign of her friends amidst the bustling crowd. the moment her attention wavered, two strong arms suddenly lifted her off the ground, and she couldn't help but let out a startled squeal. she felt a chuckle vibrate through the chest that was now pressed against her back, and when she twisted around to see who had grabbed her, she was met with the smirk of none other than rafe cameron.

"you look good, sweetheart," he said with that same cocky tone she knew all too well. his eyes roamed over her figure, lingering on the black chanel dress with the white bow, and the ruffled layers that made her feel like she was floating. despite the sudden, unexpected lift, she couldn't help but feel her heart skip at his words, but she quickly pushed the feeling down.

"hi to you too, rafe," she replied coolly, offering him a tight-lipped smile, patting his chest lightly as she flattened out her dress. she took a step back, distancing herself from the lingering harsh fingers on her waist.

before she could even gather her bearings, sarah and topper emerged from behind him. sarah rolled her eyes with an exaggerated huff, clearly unimpressed by her brother's behavior. "don't  talk to her like that, weirdo," she called out, her voice dripping with mock annoyance.

rafe merely shot her a glare, unbothered. "i can talk to her however i want," he shot back, his tone playful yet with an underlying edge. valentina's stomach churned slightly at his words, and the familiar unease settled in her chest. she shook away the feeling, though, realizing he was just being his usual arrogant self.

quickly, she turned her focus back to sarah, giving her best friend a reassuring smile to push the discomfort aside. "hey, sexy." she greeted her with warmth, grateful for the easy familiarity of her presence.

"um, i'm right here?" topper scoffed, clearly irritated by the nickname valentina had used for his girlfriend. she, however, didn't even spare him a glance. she didn't care enough to engage with his dramatics. his lips curled into a small snarl as he muttered under his breath, just loud enough for her to hear, "bitch."

sarah turned around with a sharp glare aimed directly at topper, her frustration apparent. rafe whistled loly, clearly enjoying the tension that was building between them. valentina merely pretended not to notice him again, choosing instead to focus on her phone as she scrolled mindlessly through notifications.

"where is kelce?" she asked, her voice casual, as though she hadn't just thrown a non-verbal jab at topper. she wasn't going to let the tension between them affect her night; she had more important things to focus on.

"here is kelce!" the man himself exclaimed dramatically, throwing his hands in the air before slapping his own chest. the two girls of the group exchanged a confused look, clearly unimpressed by his entrance.

"who the fuck do you think you are?" valentina laughed, her eyebrows furrowed. she wasn't even sure if she should be laughing at him or rolling her eyes, but either way, it was clear that he loved making a scene.

kelce, however, didn't seem phased by her sarcastic remark. he flashed a wide grin and immediately dapped up topper and rafe. then, he turned to valentina, his smirk widening. "i'm kelce," he stated proudly, as if his name alone should explain everything.

"bro, you sound gay." rafe chuckled as they started walking towards the entrance, and kelce stopped in his tracks, shooting him a glare.

"i don't? the fuck man." he slightly pushed rafe, making him laugh at the way his friend got offended. he was about to speak again, but valentina interrupted him with a soft slap to his arm, her lips curling into a playful grin. "shush," she whispered, holding a finger to her lips before turning towards the woman behind the desk.

"good afternoon! we have a reservation under the name archibald for seven-thirty?" she asked, her tone polite as she kept a sweet smile on her lips.

the hostess smiled warmly, her professional demeanor unwavering as she checked the list. "ah, yes, right this way," she said with a nod, leading them to the vip area, offering a bit more privacy.

as soon as they settled into their seats, the earlier tension began to dissipate, like steam rising off hot pavement after a summer storm. the conversation flowed effortlessly between the group, laughter bubbling up now and then as they bantered and swapped stories. valentina, however, continued to pointedly avoid giving topper even a flicker of her attention. she didn't need to, she was perfectly content chatting with the other three

kelce launched into a dramatic retelling of a fight rafe and him had with another kook, his exaggerated impressions earning uproarious laughter. rafe leaned back lazily in his chair, adding sarcastic commentary to kelce's story, his grin widening every time he got a reaction out of valentina.

"bitch, if he disrespected me like that i would've kicked him in the balls."

"you know, you should've been there," rafe said smoothly, his sharp eyes lingering on her a little longer than necessary. "might've made it even more interesting."

valentina arched a brow, her lips curving into a teasing smile. "or i might've made it worse," she shot back, swirling her drink nonchalantly.

rafe chuckled, leaning in slightly. "doubt it, sweetheart. you're not the type to make anything worse, only better."

she was about to respond when she felt his hand rest lightly on her bare thigh, the force of his touch catching her off guard. her gaze flicked down briefly, then back up to his face, where his smirk was firmly in place, daring her to react. though a flicker of confusion crossed her mind, she said nothing and made no move to remove his hand. instead, she let it stay there, her expression carefully neutral as the conversation continued.

"i know you would've kicked his ass, val," kelce chimed in with a grin, seemingly unfazed by the subtle move rafe had just made. valentina laughed loudly, her lips parting to respond, but rafe was quicker.

"yeah, just like topper ended john b," rafe interjected, his smirk sharp and pointed.

valentina's laughter stopped abruptly, her smile evaporating into a scowl as she finally turned her attention to topper. the boy was sitting there with a smug, self-satisfied expression, clearly reveling in rafe's backhanded compliment. the two exchanged a quick handshake, their camaraderie palpable and irritating.

her voice dripped with sarcasm as she spoke. "wow. should i applaud? or maybe bake you a cake? big accomplishment, top."

topper's smug grin faltered slightly, but he shrugged it off. "i mean, somebody had to put him in his place."

"his place?" valentina repeated incredulously, her tone icy. "oh, yeah, because you're such an authority on moral high ground."

the tension around the table was palpable now, sarah shifting uncomfortably while kelce chuckled under his breath.

topper's grin faltered slightly, but he shrugged, still puffed up with misplaced pride. "i handled it. what can i say?"

valentina rolled her eyes, her annoyance practically radiating off her. "handled it? you mean you acted like a fucking psycho? and then begged for forgiveness as soon as jj held that gun to your head. congratulations, top. you're officially a liability."

"aright, let's chill," kelce said, holding up a hand like a referee, though his amused grin gave him away. he already had this conversation with the girl, and didn't want to make her even angrier by adding snarky remarks.

the table went quiet for a beat, the air heavy with tension as her words landed. rafe's smirk remained intact, though his eyes darted between the two with interest. sarah looked between them nervously, while kelce simply shook his head, muttering something about keeping the peace between them for once.

"relax, valentina," topper eventually muttered defensively, his voice losing some of its earlier bravado. "it's not that deep, he's alive and breathing, isn't he"

her eyes narrowed as she leaned back in her seat, crossing her legs, which inadvertently caused rafe's hand to slip off her thigh. he didn't seem to mind, leaning in with a lazy grin. "careful, top," rafe drawled, clearly enjoying the show. "she's got a sharp tongue. might cut you deeper than you want to cut that pogue."

the comment earned a giggle from sarah and a glare from topper. valentina, however, just shook her head, picking up her glass and taking a slow sip. "at least i'll do it in style," she said coolly, fixing topper with a pointed look before turning her attention back to the rest of the group.

rafe tilted his head, watching her with an amused glint in his eye, clearly impressed by how easily she held her own.

"you know, val," topper began again, his tone shifting into something sharper, almost taunting. valentina raised an eyebrow, leaning forward slightly, her curiosity piqued but her guard already up. "you're so quick to jump to their defense," he continued, his smirk curling into something smug. "makes me wonder if you're screwing one of them or something."

kelce and rafe both muttered 'ooh shit' under their breath, while sarah groaned audibly, burying her face in her hands. "topper, shut the hell up."

"excuse me?" valentina said softly, her voice calm but carrying a dangerous undertone that made even kelce glance away, clearly sensing a storm brewing.

topper smirked, clearly emboldened by the attention, and shrugged. "i'm just saying. you've got all this passion for them," he paused, looking at the girl whose expression remained emotionless. "it's jj. knowing your history and all, it would make sense for you to whore around with him like a real slut."

"bro, don't go there."

"topper, what the fuck?"

kelce and sarah spoke up at the same time, the girl slapping her boyfriend harder than she intended, and she was about to go off on him but valentina beat her to it, not even phased by his comment.

"oh, yeah," valentina continued, leaning even closer as her smile turned sharper. "i must be a slut for defending someone you nearly drowned, alright."

topper's smirk faltered, his cheeks turning red as his confidence wavered. "i was joking, val," he muttered, trying to brush it off. "no need to get defensive."

"defensive?" she repeated, her eyes narrowing. "you'd know if i was defensive, top. right now, i'm just pointing out how desperate you sound, dragging me into your obsession with the pogues." she twirled her straw in her drink, looking up with furrowed brows. "i mean, it's a little weird, don't you think? how much you talk about them?"

topper's jaw clenched, and he glanced at kelce for backup, but kelce simply shrugged, clearly entertained. "she's got a point, man. you're always talking about them. little suspicious, if you ask me."

valentina leaned back in her chair, feigning boredom as she continued toying with her drink. "maybe topper's projecting," she mused aloud. "i mean, it would explain why he's so obsessed with them. he's probably dying to have john b sweep him off his feet."

kelce let out a bark of laughter, nearly spilling his drink, while sarah groaned again. "can we please stop?" she pleaded, rubbing her temples. "for the love of god."

topper looked like he wanted to explode, his face red with anger and embarrassment. "you're such a-"

"a what?" valentina cut him off, her eyes locking onto his with an icy stare. "a bitch? a slut? or are you just mad john b's dick is not in your mouth right now-?"

rafe, who had been quietly enjoying the show, rested his arm casually on the back of her chair, his hand once again finding her thigh under the table. "alright, alright," he said, his tone light but full of amusement. "let's not kill topper. yet."

valentina smiled coolly, finishing off her drink and ignoring the way topper glared daggers at her. she turned her attention to rafe, who was now grinning at her like she'd just won him a bet. "don't look so smug," she said dryly. "you're next."

"i can't wait, angel." rafe chuckled, wrapping his arm fully around her shoulder.

sarah jumped in quickly at the opportunity to ease the tension. "so, anyway," she said with forced enthusiasm, gesturing toward the menu. "did anyone else see the insane dessert platter they've got here? i'm thinking we just skip the main course and dive straight into that."

kelce latched onto the suggestion. "you had me at dessert," he said, raising his hand to flag down the waiter, while rafe leaned back in his seat with his arm still around the girl, smirking lazily. topper, meanwhile, grumbled something under his breath and stabbed his fork into his plate like it had personally offended him.

valentina played along, nodding and adding a sarcastic quip about needing to 'stress-eat chocolate after enduring this crowd,' which earned a laugh from sarah. but her mind wasn't really on dessert. instead, it circled back to topper's earlier jab, and an unexpected name lingered in her head.

jj? really?

of all people, why him? sure, jj was charismatic, loud, and a little too charming for his own good. but was he really the first pogue topper thought she'd go for? the idea gnawed at her, not because it offended her exactly, but because it annoyed her.

she couldn't deny that jj was attractive- blue eyes that always seemed to sparkle with mischief, blonde, tousled hair that looked like he barely bothered with it, and that cocky grin that made people forget how much trouble he was about to cause. he had a certain pull, a magnetic energy that was hard to ignore.

but that wasn't the point.

the point was that topper's comment made it sound like she'd fit into some clichéd fantasy of the rich good girl falling for the wild bad boy. like he knew something about her that she didn't even know herself.

valentina crossed her legs under the table, the sharp edge of annoyance digging deeper as she tried to push the thought away. it wasn't like she'd never thought about jj in that way, but not in a serious manner, anyway. besides, he was a pogue. and worse, he knew exactly how attractive he was.

still, the way his name hung in the air, unspoken but lingering, was enough to make her glance down at her drink and wonder why it bothered her so much.

"you good, val?" rafe's voice pulled her back to the present, leaning down to her ear in a whisper.

valentina snapped out of her thoughts and forced a smile. "yeah, i'm fine," she lied, picking up her drink and taking a sip.

but as the group moved on, talking about other people and making jokes, she couldn't help but feel like something about topper's jab was going to stick with her longer than she wanted.

🪷 . . . MAISSA !
hi angelsss!!

okay so i want to clarify, the reason valentina gets so heated about the john b thing ISSS bc she just hates toppers guts & finally found a valid reason to fight him!!!

anyways i love you alllll❤️❤️❤️