Thursday morning dawned crisp and clear, with the sun casting gentle rays over the calm campus. The air was cool, carrying a faint breeze that rustled through the trees lining the quiet pathways. Birds chirped softly, creating a peaceful melody that seemed to settle nerves and stir anticipation.
Justin and John found themselves waiting patiently at a secluded bench nestled beneath towering evergreens on the edge of the campus park. The spot, serene and shadowed, with soft whispers of leaves overhead and a calm stillness that made it feel like the world had paused just for them. The gentle hum of distant activity was muffled here, replaced by an almost reverent quiet.
As they waited, their conversation drifted to Austin's upcoming introduction. Both Justin and John were curious and a bit on edge, wondering about the woman who had captured Austin's heart.
"I'm still trying to picture her," John said, eyes scanning the shaded surroundings.
Justin chuckled, rubbing his hands together. "Yeah, me too. Austin said she's amazing… but I just hope this isn't some awkward family meeting."
John nodded. "Either way, it's about time we finally meet her. I just hope it goes smoothly."
The air felt thick with expectation as they watched the path leading to the bench, waiting for Austin, and his girlfriend to arrive.
Justin's phone buzzed just as he and John were chatting, a message lighting up the screen: "Almost there, don't be mad, we're on our way." Justin smirked, shaking his head. "Austin always knows how to build up the suspense."
Minutes later, the quiet at the spot was broken by the crunch of footsteps on the gravel path. Justin looked up first, spotting Austin approaching confidently, a smile on his face. Right behind him was Bella, walking gracefully but with a hint of hesitation in her step.
Bella's eyes scanned the shaded bench, then suddenly locked onto Justin's. She froze for a moment, then whispered almost in disbelief, "Justin?"
Justin's heart skipped. "Bella?" he replied softly, barely able to believe she was really here.
John, sitting beside Justin, snapped his head toward them, eyes wide as if he couldn't believe the sight before him. The quiet serenity of the place suddenly felt charged with tension, anticipation hanging heavy in the air.
Austin's brow furrowed in confusion, glancing between Bella and Justin. "Wait… you know my brother?" he asked, voice laced with surprise.
Bella swallowed hard, her gaze shifting from Austin to Justin, emotions flooding her. "Your brother is Justin," she said quietly, tears welling up and streaming down her cheeks. Without a word, she let go of Austin's hand and turned abruptly.
The weight of the revelation hit her like a tidal wave, she had fallen for two brothers. The shock, the confusion, and the undeniable truth that she still loved Justin all crashed into her at once. She couldn't believe it; the tangled web of her heart left her breathless as she disappeared into the fading light.
Austin hesitated, he turned to face Justin, eyes full of confusion.
"Justin, what just happened?" he asked quietly, noticing the tears glistening on Justin's cheeks.
Justin wiped his face, struggling to find words. Austin then glanced at John, who looked equally unsettled.
"John," Austin said, voice trembling, "what's going on here?"
John took a deep breath, then looked Austin straight in the eyes. "Justin and Bella… they were involved. Things got complicated, but Justin still loves her."
Austin's face tightened with hurt as he processed the words. He stared at Justin, searching for confirmation. Justin just nodded silently, unable to meet his brother's gaze.
Austin's eyes darted between John and Justin, struggling to grasp the weight of what had just been revealed. He ran a hand through his hair, clearly shaken. "So... you and Bella? This whole time?" His voice was low, mixed with confusion and pain.
Justin's jaw clenched. "Yeah. It's complicated, but I still love her. We just... got torn apart by things neither of us wanted."
John sighed heavily, rubbing his temples. "Austin, man, this isn't just about you or Justin. Bella's caught in the middle of all this, and it's tearing everyone up."
Bella stood silently beside them, her eyes wide and unfocused. She didn't say a word, but the shock and disbelief were clear on her face as she watched the brothers exchange heated words.
Austin finally broke the silence, voice firm despite the hurt. "Look, I get it's messy, but Bella's my girlfriend now. That's where she is."
Justin's expression hardened. "You think because you're with her now, it erases everything we had? She chose me first. Ask her."
Austin's eyes flashed. "She's with me now. You need to back off."
The brothers' voices rose, their argument thick with anger and resentment. Bella just stood there, overwhelmed, caught between two worlds she never imagined would collide like this.
As the two brothers argued fiercely over who loved Bella first and who deserved her now, the tension between them crackled like lightning.
Justin's voice cracked as he snapped, eyes blazing with hurt and anger. "You think you own Bella? You're just a placeholder, Austin, someone she settled for when she couldn't have me. Don't act like you're her first choice, because you're not."
The words hung in the air, heavy with anger and hurt, making the space between them even colder. Bella stood silently nearby, stunned and speechless, watching the bitter exchange unfold.
Austin's hand shot out before anyone could react, connecting sharply with Justin's cheek. The slap echoed loudly in the quiet space, a sharp sting burning across Justin's skin. Justin instinctively brought his hand to his cheek, eyes blazing red with anger and shock as he stared back at Austin.
"You two should shut up, please Shut up, enough of the drama !" Bella suddenly shouted, her voice trembling. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at Austin. "Shut up, Austin, the slap wasn't necessary," she pleaded, her voice cracking. Then turning to Justin, she added softly, "And Justin… you shouldn't have said that."
Justin's voice dropped, a mix of urgency and pain as he spoke, "Bella, I swear I had you first. Everything that happened,the silence, the distance,it wasn't because I wanted it. Those messages…" He pulled out his phone with trembling hands, unlocking it quickly and turning the screen toward her.
"Look at this," he said, his eyes pleading as Bella's gaze shifted to the screen. The screenshots of conversations from Melanie's account glowed softly in the dim light. "She sent those hateful messages to you, tried to turn you against me with lies ."
Bella's eyes widened as she scrolled through the proof, her breath catching. Justin's voice cracked as he added, "I never wanted to hurt you. I never stopped loving you, Bella. You have to believe me."
Austin watched silently, tension etched across his face, while John stood nearby, his arms crossed but eyes filled with sympathy for the pain between them.
Bella stood still, eyes locked on the screen for a few more seconds, her lips trembling. Her voice broke through the silence like a whisper carried by the wind, "Melanie did that…?" She was still in tears, her heart crushed by the weight of everything she had just seen and heard.
Before she could process it all, Austin stepped forward and gently pulled her by the arm, his voice firm but emotional, "Bella, you're my girlfriend now. I don't care about all this drama or what happened before. You're mine, okay?"
But Bella's heart knew the truth, it had always known. She yanked her arm back, her voice rising with raw honesty and frustration, "But Austin, I still love Justin!"
Her words cut through the air like a blade. The entire space fell dead silent. Even the breeze seemed to freeze.
John's eyes flew open in pure shock, unable to believe what he just heard.
Justin's lips parted slightly, a faint, bittersweet smile forming, part victory, part heartbreak.
Austin just stood there. Frozen. Betrayal painted all over his face. His jaw clenched, hands balled into fists by his side as he turned to look at Bella with disbelief… then at Justin with fiery anger in his eyes.
But he didn't say a word.
Not one.
Instead, he simply nodded once, swallowed his pain, turned around, and walked away, slowly but purposefully, leaving behind the silence, the heartbreak, and three people too stunned to move.
As Austin's figure disappeared down the path, the silence that lingered was heavy, too heavy. Bella stood there, her breathing shallow, chest rising and falling like a wave crashing into a storm. Tears streamed down her cheeks, but she didn't bother to wipe them.
Justin, moved by the sight of her breaking down, slowly reached out and gently held her hand, his voice low and shaky, "Bella… please."
But in an instant, she jerked her hand away like his touch burned her. Her eyes, once soft, were now filled with disappointment, disgust.
Justin froze. John looked between them, shocked by the sudden shift.
Bella's voice broke the silence, low but sharp like shattered glass.
"You think this is love, Justin? You think you can stand here and act hurt after everything?"
Justin blinked, confused and breathless.
"You were a flirt. I saw it. The way you smiled at every girl, how you entertained them even when we were… whatever we were. I saw it all, Justin." Her voice cracked but she kept going.
"When I ghosted you, did you try? No. One or two texts and you gave up. That was it. That was all I was worth to you. You let me walk away like it was nothing."
Justin's mouth opened to speak, but no words came out.
Bella's chest tightened. Her next words landed like thunder.
"And don't even think I don't know you slept with Chloe."
Justin and John both snapped their heads up, eyes wide.
"What?" Justin stammered, his voice a dry whisper. "Bella, how"
But Bella didn't wait for answers. She turned away, wiping her tears, her heart too full to hear excuses.
John stood there, stunned. "How the hell did she know that?" he muttered under his breath.
Justin? He was too shaken to speak.
Bella ran as fast as her legs could carry her, her vision blurred by the tears clouding her eyes. Her breath came out in quick, broken gasps as she reached her car. Without hesitation, she yanked the door open, slid into the driver's seat, and slammed it shut. Her hands trembled as she shoved the key into the ignition, and the engine roared to life.
Inside the car, she let it all out , sobbing uncontrollably, her chest heaving with each cry. Her fingers gripped the steering wheel like it was the only thing grounding her. Then, tires screeched against the pavement as she drove off into the distance, her heart shattered into too many pieces to count.
Back at the spot, Justin had run after her but stopped halfway, watching her car disappear down the road. His legs felt like stone.
He dropped to his knees, overwhelmed.
John rushed to him, kneeling beside him, grabbing his shoulders.
"Justin, man, stop… come on"
But Justin broke down completely, crying like a child ,loud, messy, and raw.
"It was all a mistake, John!"he shouted between sobs. "Everything that happened with Chloe… I didn't mean for any of it. I swear! I didn't even want her, I was just… empty. I missed Bella, and I thought she hated me!"
John's jaw clenched. He'd never seen Justin like this before.
"How did she even find out, bro?"
Justin shook his head, still sobbing. "She knows everything… and now I've lost her for good. I don't want to lose bella, i love her so much"
John couldn't even speak. All he could do was hold his friend there, broken, guilty, and full of regret.