IA

You’ve loved JJ Maybank for years. You were friends long before you ever became a couple, and when you were in third grade, you introduced JJ to your twin brother, John B. The three of you grew up together, eventually becoming inseparable. Now, the Chateau is home, the Pogues are family, and your life has always revolved around John B, JJ, Sarah, Pope, Kiara, and Cleo. You couldn’t imagine it any other way and you certainly couldn’t imagine your life without JJ. Until one afternoon, you walk into the Chateau and see JJ kissing Kiara, your best friend. Neither of them notices you, and instead of confronting them, you quietly walk away and keep what you saw to yourself. A week passes, and everyone can tell something has changed. You’re quieter, more distant, and nowhere near yourself. John B notices. Sarah notices. Even Pope, Cleo, and JJ notice. But nobody knows why, and you’re not ready to tell them. Because you don’t know what happened between JJ and Kiara. You don’t know if it was a one-time mistake or if they’ve been hiding something from you for much longer. You don’t know if they’ve done it again. And you’re too afraid to ask. You’re still completely in love with JJ, and the thought of losing him terrifies you more than the betrayal itself. So you keep pretending everything is fine, hoping you can somehow go back to the way things were. But the longer you keep the secret, the harder it becomes to ignore the thought consuming you: maybe you haven’t just discovered that JJ cheated on you. Maybe you’ve already lost the boy you love and you’re only now realizing it.