It all started with a Snapchat. Just one little Snapchat. Who knew that a harmless request for a hiking trip would spiral into full-scale psychological warfare? Jeffrey Harrington certainly didn't. He was happily married (if you could call navigating Justin Lewis's obsessive tendencies and law enforcement drama "happy") and settled into a fairly peaceful life. For once. But then Laurel Castillo, his best friend from college, had to ruin everything with her dramatic tendencies and that annoying ability to make you feel guilty even when you knew you were right.

The problem wasn't that Laurel asked him to go hiking. The problem was Jeffrey said no.

And the problem with saying no to Laurel Castillo? She never took it well.

It was a Sunday afternoon when it all began. Jeffrey and Justin had just moved into their new apartment — a sleek, modern spot in downtown Philadelphia. Floor-to-ceiling windows. Stainless steel appliances. The kind of place that made you feel like an adult even when you still ordered DoorDash five nights a week.

Justin was sitting on the couch in gray sweatpants and a tank top, watching reruns of Law & Order: SVU while scrolling through his phone. Jeffrey was on the balcony, nursing a glass of red wine and contemplating why he had chosen to marry a man who thought Mariska Hargitay was God.

His phone buzzed. Snapchat. From Laurel.

Laurel: "Wanna go hiking next weekend?"

Jeffrey sighed. He liked Laurel — loved her, even — but hiking? Was she serious? The last time he went hiking was when his father, David, had forced him on a boy scout trip. It ended with Jeffrey crying in the woods, covered in mosquito bites, and eating melted trail mix out of a plastic bag. Not exactly a memory he wanted to relive.

He typed out a quick reply.

Jeffrey: "Hey, I'm busy next weekend. Maybe some other time?"

Within seconds, she responded.

Laurel: "Busy with what?"

Ah, here it was. The guilt trip.

Jeffrey: "Justin and I have plans."

Laurel: "Like what?"

Jeffrey: "Just... plans."

Laurel didn't reply immediately. Jeffrey figured that was the end of it. He was wrong.

The next day, he woke up to a slew of notifications. Apparently, Laurel had Snapchatted Michaela, Connor, Oliver, and Asher about the conversation. The Keating 4 had officially been mobilized.

It started subtly. Justin was the first to notice.

"Did Michaela just unfollow me on Instagram?" Justin frowned, sitting on the couch with his phone in hand.

Jeffrey looked up from his laptop. "What?"

Justin showed him the screen. "See? I was following her, and now I'm not."

Jeffrey sighed. "Maybe it's a glitch."

Justin narrowed his eyes. "It's not a glitch. Nobody just accidentally unfollows someone."

Jeffrey opened his phone and checked Instagram. Sure enough, Michaela had unfollowed him, too. So had Connor. And Oliver. And Asher.

"What the hell?" Jeffrey muttered.

"Oh my God." Justin's face went pale. "Laurel posted a story."

Jeffrey clicked on Laurel's story. It was a black screen with white text.

"Fake friends are the worst. Especially when they lie to your face."

"Are you kidding me?" Jeffrey groaned.

Justin sat up. "What did you do to Laurel?"

"Nothing!" Jeffrey shot back. "I told her I couldn't go hiking, and apparently, that's a crime now."

Justin's eyes darkened. "I never liked that girl."

"Justin—"

"She's manipulative," Justin growled. "I knew it. From the moment I met her, I could tell she was trouble."

Jeffrey sighed. "Don't make it a thing."

"It's already a thing." Justin stood up. "We're at war."

Jeffrey rubbed his temples. "Can you calm down?"

"No," Justin said seriously. "This is a declaration of war. And we're not losing."

It escalated quickly.

Justin started it by blocking Laurel on all platforms. Jeffrey told him not to, but Justin didn't care. The next morning, Jeffrey opened his door to find Connor standing outside with a smirk on his face.

"Connor?"

Connor was chewing gum obnoxiously. "Hey, Jeff."

"What are you doing here?"

Connor took a dramatic step inside the apartment. "Just checking in on you. Heard you've been busy."

Jeffrey closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. "I told Laurel I couldn't go hiking."

"Yeah, I heard." Connor's tone was smug. "But then she saw you and Justin at that rooftop bar on Saturday."

Jeffrey's eyes widened. "How did she—?"

"She has sources."

"I didn't lie," Jeffrey insisted.

"You said you were busy."

"I was! With Justin!"

Connor tsked. "Sounds like a lie to me."

"Connor—"

"Look, Jeff. You can keep lying to yourself, but you hurt Laurel. And that's not cool."

Jeffrey's jaw tightened. "Are you seriously picking her side over mine?"

"Obviously." Connor shrugged. "She's family."

"Oh my God." Jeffrey rubbed his face. "This is so stupid."

Connor smiled. "You're not wrong."

It got worse.

Justin started getting passive-aggressive messages from Oliver.

Oliver: "So... Jeffrey's too busy to hang out with Laurel, but not too busy to go out drinking?"

Justin replied, "Mind your business, Oliver."

Oliver sent back a meme of Kermit the Frog sipping tea.

By Wednesday, Asher had gotten involved. He posted a TikTok. A direct hit.

It was a montage of Jeffrey's and Justin's wedding pictures — edited to dramatic music — ending with the text:

"Imagine thinking you know someone, only to find out they're a liar."

Justin was livid. "That's defamation."

"Asher's a clown," Jeffrey said.

"That's not the point," Justin fumed. "This is social warfare. We can't let them win."

"I'm not playing this game," Jeffrey replied.

"Well, I am."

Justin went rogue.

The next day, Laurel received a bouquet of dead flowers with a card that read:

"Hope you enjoy the hike. — Justin"

Laurel Snapchatted it immediately.

Laurel: "Really?"

Justin commented, "Consider it symbolic."

Laurel replied, "Grow up."

Justin answered, "You first."

Jeffrey confronted Justin in their kitchen.

"Stop it!" Jeffrey shouted.

"I'm protecting our honor," Justin said.

"You're making it worse!"

Justin folded his arms. "Why are you defending her?"

"Because I love her!" Jeffrey shouted.

Justin's face twisted. "More than me?"

Jeffrey stared at him, his chest rising and falling. "No. But I'm not picking sides between my husband and my best friend."

"Looks like you already did," Justin muttered.

Jeffrey threw his hands in the air and walked away.

It all came to a head at a Christmas party at Annalise Keating's house.

Annalise stood between them, arms crossed. "Enough."

Laurel pointed at Jeffrey. "He lied."

"I didn't lie!" Jeffrey shouted.

"You were busy drinking!"

"I never said I was staying home!"

Laurel narrowed her eyes. "I see how it is."

Justin stepped forward. "Watch how you talk to my husband."

Laurel took a step toward him. "Or what?"

Connor, Oliver, and Michaela stepped in. "We got Laurel's back."

Justin cracked his neck. "Oh, you brought backup?"

Jeffrey's mouth fell open. "What is happening right now?"

Justin smiled darkly. "You started this."

Laurel smiled just as darkly. "No, you did."

Annalise sighed. "You know what? I need a drink."

And with that, the Christmas party dissolved into chaos.