Chapter 1: The Popular Girl
Bailey King never thought she’d be anything more than Issa’s girlfriend. Issa, the star basketball player and the guy every girl wished would look their way, had chosen her, and somehow, that made her special. She wasn’t the cheerleader type, but her shy smile, sharp wit, and golden-brown hair were enough to make heads turn when she walked the halls on his arm.
For Arron, Issa’s best friend, Bailey was just his buddy’s girl—at least at first. Growing up together, Arron and Issa had shared everything: from broken bikes to championship trophies. But this? This was different.
Bailey wasn’t just any girl, and soon, Arron found himself in a position he never wanted to be in—close enough to want something he could never have.
Chapter 2: Help Me, Arron
It started one cold afternoon when Bailey showed up at Arron’s house. He opened the door to find her standing there, arms crossed, a frustration in her eyes he hadn’t seen before.
“Bailey?” he said, confused. “What’s up?”
“I need your help,” she said, stepping inside.
Arron frowned, shutting the door behind her. “What’s going on?”
She sighed, plopping onto the couch. “It’s Issa. He’s been pulling away lately—canceling plans, ignoring my messages. I think he’s losing interest.”
“Bailey, come on,” Arron said, sitting across from her. “Issa’s just busy. It’s the middle of the season.”
“It’s not just basketball,” she insisted. “Something’s changed, and I need to remind him what he has before it’s too late.”
Arron narrowed his eyes. “What does that mean?”
Bailey met his gaze, her voice steady but hesitant. “I want you to help me make him jealous. If he sees me with someone else, he’ll pay attention again. And… you’re the only one I can trust to do it.”
“Bailey, that’s crazy,” Arron replied, shaking his head. “Issa’s my best friend.”
“I know, but you don’t have to do much,” she said softly. “Just be around me. Walk with me to class. Sit next to me at lunch.”
Arron hesitated. He knew this was a terrible idea, but when Bailey looked at him with those pleading hazel eyes, his resolve crumbled.
“Fine,” he said finally. “But don’t blame me if this backfires.”
Chapter 3: The Plan
It started small. Arron and Bailey began sitting together at lunch, their conversations full of forced laughter that didn’t feel so forced after a while. He’d walk her to her car after school or drop off notes in class when Issa wasn’t around.
“What are you guys doing?” Issa had asked one day, frowning as he watched Bailey and Arron talking by the lockers.
“Just homework stuff,” Arron had shrugged casually. “She needed some notes for econ.”
It worked, at first. Issa started asking Bailey where she’d been and sending more messages. Bailey would smile triumphantly, but Arron felt uneasy.
One afternoon, they sat on the bleachers waiting for Issa’s practice to end. Bailey rested her chin on her hand, watching the empty field.
“You’re good at this,” she said softly.
“Good at what?” Arron asked, his eyes narrowing.
“Being there. It’s easy with you.”
Arron’s chest tightened, and for the first time, he couldn’t ignore the way her voice softened when she talked to him or the way her laugh lingered in his mind.
Chapter 4: When the Lines Blur
It didn’t take long for things to change. What started as an act turned into something more. Bailey stopped mentioning Issa as much, and their conversations grew longer, deeper.
One evening, Arron found Bailey sitting on the hood of her car after school, her arms wrapped tightly around herself.
“You okay?” he asked, walking up to her.
Bailey looked up, her face flushed from the cold. “I don’t think this is working.”
Arron frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Issa doesn’t care,” she said, her voice breaking. “It doesn’t matter what I do.”
Before Arron could think, he sat beside her, his hand resting on her shoulder. “You deserve better, Bailey.”
She turned to look at him, her gaze searching his. “You think so?”
Arron’s breath hitched. “I know so.”
For a moment, neither of them moved. Bailey’s face was so close to his, her lips parted slightly. Then, before he could stop himself, he leaned in and kissed her.
The kiss started slow—tentative, unsure. But when Bailey sighed against his lips, her fingers curling into his hoodie, Arron pulled her closer. His hand traced the curve of her jaw before tangling gently in her hair, and for the first time, nothing felt complicated.
When they pulled apart, Bailey stared at him, her cheeks flushed. “Arron…”
“I’m sorry,” he whispered, his forehead resting against hers.
But even as he said it, he knew he wasn’t.
Chapter 5: Issa Finds Out
The next day, everything exploded. Arron barely had time to grab his books before Issa stormed into the cafeteria, his face twisted with anger.
“You kissed her?” Issa shouted, shoving Arron back.
“Wait—” Arron began, but Issa wasn’t listening.
“You’re supposed to be my best friend!” Issa’s voice cracked, hurt and betrayal flashing in his eyes. “How could you do this?”
Bailey stepped between them, her voice firm. “Stop it! Both of you!”
Issa turned to her, disbelief on his face. “You chose him?”
Bailey hesitated, glancing between them. “I didn’t plan for this, Issa. But Arron… he treats me the way I deserve.”
Her words hung heavy in the air. Issa stared at her for a long moment before shaking his head and walking away, leaving Arron and Bailey standing alone.
Chapter 6: Choosing What’s Right
The silence between them was deafening as they sat on the bleachers later that day.
“I ruined everything,” Arron muttered, staring at the ground.
“You didn’t,” Bailey said softly, sitting beside him.
“Isa won’t forgive me,” Arron replied. “He was my best friend, Bailey.”
Bailey took his hand in hers, her touch gentle. “Sometimes people grow apart. It doesn’t make it hurt less, but it doesn’t mean you did the wrong thing.”
Arron looked at her, his chest tightening. “Was it worth it? Everything that happened?”
Bailey smiled faintly. “Yes. Because you showed me what it feels like to matter.”
Arron pulled her close, pressing his lips to her forehead. “We’ll figure it out,” he murmured. “Together.”
Epilogue: Moving Forward
Months passed, and the dust settled. Arron and Issa weren’t the same—they probably never would be—but time softened the edges of their friendship.
As for Arron and Bailey, their bond only grew stronger. They weren’t perfect, but what they had was real. Arron treated Bailey with a quiet kind of love, always putting her first, and Bailey finally felt like she could let her walls down.
One evening, as they sat on the hood of Arron’s car watching the sun dip below the horizon, Bailey turned to him.
“Thank you,” she said softly.
“For what?” Arron asked, looking at her.
“For showing me what it means to be loved.”
Arron smiled, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’ll never stop.”
As the sky turned golden and the world quieted around them, Bailey leaned into him, knowing that for the first time, she was exactly where she was meant to be.
The End