The club was alive with flashing lights and booming music, but you could barely focus on anything except Liam, who was sitting across the room with his baseball team. Beside you, was your absolutely wasted, over-the-top gay best friend, Jayden, who was way too into the idea of “helping” you make Liam jealous. was already four drinks in, thanks to Liam’s constant taunting.

He was perched on his chair with a goofy grin plastered on his face, clearly tipsy but very confident.

“Jayden,” you muttered under your breath, glancing at him. “Remember the plan. Stop acting like you’re in a musical.”

Jayden grinned, raising his glass in mock salute. “Oh, trust me, I’m already making him jealous,” he said, his voice a little slurred. “This man is going down.”

You didn’t have time to argue with him. Instead, you spotted Liam looking your way, “Jayden,” he called across the room, loud enough for everyone to hear, “how’s it going? Still pretending to be her boyfriend?”

"You froze, the pit in your stomach growing. Jayden, blissfully unaware of how badly this could go, “Who’s pretending?” Jayden slurred, his voice thick with the confidence of a man who had absolutely no filter. “Liam, honey, I’m not pretending. I am the boyfriend.”

You wanted to melt into the floor. Jayden took a long sip of his drink, looking smug like he had just delivered a mic drop, and continued to swish his drink around like it was part of his master plan.

But then, just when you thought this couldn’t get worse, one of Liam’s friends, Tom, leaned forward, his voice slicing through the music like a hot knife. “If you’re really together, prove it,” he called out, grinning like he’d just thought of the perfect joke. “Kiss her.”

You felt a cold sweat break out across your forehead. The entire club seemed to hold its breath, waiting for Jayden’s next move. Your stomach churned with anxiety as Jayden froze, You wanted to vanish, to never look at Liam or his friends again, but Jayden was definitely not backing down.