~Valentina~

By the time Max, Ronnie, and Michael get to the house, it's a bit trashed. I'm sitting on the bottom steps of the stairs as Alva screams and breaks things throughout her house.

"Um. Valentina. What the fuck is going on?"

All three men look at me, I can't help but give my best friend a disgusted look.

"Tell that bastard to get out of my house!"

Max walks towards the stairs but I stop him from going up.

"Val move! Alva, what's going on?"

Alva comes down, face red. She has a hammer in her hand. Michael looks back between Alva and Max.

"Oh, I know EVERYTHING Max. I want to hear it from you, you bastard. You cheater. You piece of shit!"

She swings the hammer with every word. She's so reckless with it that Ronnie takes it away from her. Max just lays on the floor as Alva goes up to break more stuff.

"I did. I cheated. Just kill me Michael."

"Wait what the fuck is going on?"

"I cheated on your sister Michael. You finally get to kill me like you've always wanted."

I look at Max, confused.

"What the fuck. Get off the floor Max."

"No! I'm being a man. I cheated on the love of my life. I deserve this beating. Come on Michael."

Michael looks at me, up the stairs, then back down at Max. The distant sound of things breaking can still be heard from the second floor. Ronnie puts the hammer down and shakes his head.

"I'm so disappointed in you Max."

"Fuck off Ronnie."

"She really loved you."

"You have no room to judge me."

I look down to Max, then to Michael.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

I see Ronnie give Max a warning look. Michael blinks fast, his eyes narrowing.

"Green."

"Max, I'm not like you."

Alva has come down halfway to see what's going on. Max smirks bitterly at Ronnie.

"You're right, you're not like me."

Max pauses and looks at me.

"You're worse. Val got the shit beat out of her for you."

Ronnie steps forward.

"Max shut the fuck up."

Michael steps between them, just as confused as I am.

"Continue Green."

"Val, I know you hate me right now for hurting Alva. You need to know the truth. Ronnie's been cheating. I made one mistake trying to protect Alva. I can never come back from that. But Ronnie's been seeing Rei behind your back. A lot. Texting, calling."

It's in that moment everything clicks. The secrets, the phone, the way Ronnie's been acting. My mouth hangs open. This is what JJ was trying to get me to realize. I really am stupid. I should've known better. I ignored the warning signs, just like I did with Arthur. There's a touch on my arm.

"Val? Are you okay?"

Alva has me sit down on the stairs. Ronnie is screaming at Max, Shouldn't Alva still be angry? She's known Max for years. I've only known Ronnie for a short time. Almost 2 years? I think.

"Val? We're here, you're okay."

Did Michael know? He couldn't have. He would've said something. He's my family. Right? Him and Ronnie were friends first. Can I really trust them? Why are they treating me like I'm fragile? I'm fine. Really.

"Thank you for telling me Max."

Max just nods from his spot on the floor. I look over to Ronnie. He's staring at me.

"Don't look at me like that."

"Val, please. It was a mistake."

"Save it. I've heard it before Ronnie. Fool me once, shame on Arthur. Fool me twice, shame on me."

Michael frowns.

"Val don't blame yourself."

"I'm not Michael."

He backs off at my tone. Fuck.

"I'm not blaming myself. I should have recognized the signs. This has happened before."

"Wow."

I look up to Ronnie with no emotion in my eyes.

"Shut up. Jesus."

"You're the one that told me never to compare myself to him. Now you're comparing me to him?"

I roll my eyes at his attempt.

"Well now there are some similarities aren't there? Cheating, lying, going behind my back."

Ronnie sighs.

"Can we talk about this at home in private?"

I laugh, throwing my head back.

"No! What is there to talk about? What do you want? Another chance? Ha! Say what you have to right here."

"It's no one's business but ours."

I laugh more and pick up the discarded hammer. I wave it at Ronnie.

"There's no 'ours' Ronnie. No. What you're gonna do is leave to your whore for a bit so I can pack my shit. Michael, can I stay with you?"

Michael nods as Ronnie gets more angry.

"She's not whore."

All of us, including Max, glares at Ronnie.

"You don't even want to talk about it?"

"No. There's nothing more to say."

He looks at me, then at Michael.

"Fine. Since everyone's snitching. Michael paid someone to break into your apartment so you'd move back in with us."

Michael looks down in shame and I shake my head.

"I'm thankful."

"What?"

Ronnie looks shocked and Michael looks up surprised.

"I shouldn't have been living alone. Shame on you for trying to use Michael to shoulder blame from me."

Ronnie slams the door open.

"Fine, whatever. Leave if you're gonna leave."

With that, he storms out.