Junior VIP at The Aphrodite

“WOOOOO!”

The girls shout as the bottle of champagne has arrived, courtesy of one Becca Hoffman once again.

After Celeste and Viv were done talking to Becca, the seven of you went on your way to The Aphrodite for some post-dinner drinks. Unlike Dorsia, you have heard of this place before. It’s an exclusive nightclub in the city, once infamous for being an underground brothel that catered to the city’s most rich and powerful; that is, until the morality crusade led by the city’s mayor back in the 90’s. From there, Celeste informed you that it was bought by Becca’s father on the cheap, and he converted it into just a regular nightclub; but you assume he kept the original name for recognition.

On regular days, you probably wouldn’t even be able to enter this place, nor would you really want to as the nightclub scene isn’t really something you enjoy. Tonight though, you’re a VIP, and you’re feeling like one. Even before entering the place, your VIP status was established as you skipped the line of waiting patrons outside and waltzed right into the club.

Your ears were blasted with noise that Stella and Cassie affectionately referred to as ‘music’. Thankfully, your VIP status once again netted you a positive, as Becca provided your group your own private room that muffled out the music to the point where it was bearable enough for you, but still loud enough that the girls could dance to it. The VIP room had purple mood lighting, with a big glass coffee table surrounded by three Winchester velvet sofas that were big enough to comfortably seat three people each.

As you entered the VIP room last, Cassie and Stella took one sofa, Brooke and Tanya another, and the last one was occupied by Viv and Celeste. With two of your girlfriends on one sofa, you chose to sit with Stella and Cassie for the night. The seven of you relaxed on the sofas for a bit, talking about how cool it was to be in the VIP room of one of the most exclusive clubs in the city; then the server entered with a bottle of free champagne and the girls decided to act like they're all in college again.

The whole bottle of champagne was enough for a toast for seven people, so Stella decided not to waste that opportunity and raised her glass and shouted, “To Aunt Celeste! The most baller-est aunt in the family!” Stella shouts.

“To the most baller-est!” Viv excitedly follows up Stella’s cheer before downing her glass of champagne. Stella seemed to down her glass as well. The rest of you just take sips.

“Boo! It’s bad luck not to down **** after a ‘cheers’! It means the thing you cheered for won’t come true!” Viv admonishes the rest of the group, with Stella’s support, “Yeah!”.

“I’m heavily disappointed I can no longer be the most baller-est aunt, but such is life.” Celeste jokes.

“Besides, it’s really Becca you need to thank for all this anyway.” Celeste adds.

“Nah. Knowing Becca, I’m sure you’re going to have to pay her back in some other way.” Viv says to Celeste with a knowing smile, and Celeste actually elbows her for the comment knowing that it would make you worry.

“Celeste, I hope you don’t have to jump through hoops just to treat us tonight. We’re really grateful, but if it’s going to—” you start saying before Celeste waves off your concern.

“I think I said it about a million times tonight, but relax. Viv is just making Becca sound like she’s a hardballer, but all I have to do is go with her to close a deal with one of her prospective business partners tonight. It’s no big deal.” Celeste tells you.

“Oh, you’re not staying, Celeste?” Tanya asks upon hearing Celeste’s answer.

“She said it’s going to be past midnight before the guy even arrives in the city, so we have plenty of time to enjoy ourselves before Becca picks me up.” Celeste explains.

“Oh, I should give you a key if you’re going to be out late.” you tell her.

“Don’t worry about it. Becca said I’ll stay with her tonight, so I already packed this morning after I made the deal with her. My stuff’s at Viv’s restaurant already.” Celeste tells you.

“Wait, that means we’re saying goodbye tonight?” Stella asks, and Celeste just nods. “Then we definitely have to party!” Stella declares, standing up for emphasis.

“Hell yeah! That’s the spirit! Where’s that server? It’s time to order some real drinks!” Viv enthusiastically shouts to support Stella, standing up from the sofa too. Celeste tells her there’s a clicker to notify a server that you’re calling for them, which Viv immediately grabs from the table.

Cassie just cuddles next to you and whispers, “I’m not taking care of her tonight.”.

“Don’t worry, Tanya and I will take care of both of you. So go enjoy yourself too.” you tell Cassie before giving her a sweet peck on the lips, making her smile.

“Yeah, Cass! Free flowing drinks? Are you kidding me? We’re going to get wasted!” Stella excitedly tries to pump up Cassie too, who noticeably perks up at Stella’s enthusiasm and stands up as well.

Cassie puts her arm over Stella’s shoulder and raises her glass and shouts, “Let’s get wasted!”.

“So much for tonight being chill.” Brooke says with a chuckle to Tanya.

“The two of us and Celeste can be chill. These four on the other hand…” Tanya says, pointing at Stella, Cassie, and Viv who joined the other two to dance to the music… and, surprisingly, you as well.

“I’m not drinking. I’m ‘Team Chill’ tonight.” you tell your girlfriend.

“Oh come on, I can drive your car, and Brooke’s driving Viv home. There’s no point in there being more than two designated drivers. You don’t have to go to work tomorrow like Brooke and I, so why not enjoy yourself too?” Tanya tells you.

“I don’t think you can carry me up the stairs to my apartment, Tanya.” you reply, and Tanya reacts with a look of concern, showing that she didn’t actually think about that part.

“Yeah, Tanya probably can’t, but I’m willing to bet I can.” Brooke replies.

“Are you serious?” you ask Brooke.

“Yeah, I’ve picked up bigger than you during my wrestling days. Don’t worry.” Brooke replies, assured in her abilities.

“You used to wrestle?” Celeste asks Brooke.

“Yeah. I used to get booked by indy promotions.” Brooke answers Celeste, smiling at her interest.

“Wow! That’s awesome! I used to watch that with Jay a lot when I babysat him. I remember he used to be so scared by the dead guy.” Celeste reveals, and Brooke raises an eyebrow at you.

“I thought you always kinda knew it was fake?” Brooke asks you, smiling like she busted you for lying.

“Hey! I was seven. Give me a break!” you try to defend yourself. Brooke, Tanya, and Celeste just laugh at your defensiveness.

It was at this time that a server entered the room and asked what our group would like for drinks.

“What’s our poison ladies and gentleman?” Viv asks the group.

“We’ll take three virgin cocktails, bartender’s choice; four Kamikazes and four Jägerbombs.” Celeste tells the server.

“WOOOOOO!” Viv and Stella shout, while Cassie just laughs at their energy.

“Since someone’s strong enough to carry you to your apartment, you’re drinking tonight too, Baby-J.” Celeste tells you with a wink.

“Baby-J?” Brooke asks Celeste.

“That’s what we used to call him when he was young since he hated being called Junior.” Celeste admits. Brooke and Tanya stifle a laugh, while Viv reacts with a loud, “WHAT!?”.

“Is that what ‘J’ stands for?” Viv adds.

“No! The ‘J’ is for Joseph. I am a junior, but don’t ever fucking call me junior.” you answer annoyed. Getting Viv to laugh even harder.

“My dad’s sensitive about that.” Stella tells Viv with a chuckle.

“What’s so bad about being called Junior anyway?” Tanya asks you.

“Yeah, Junior? What’s so bad about it?” Celeste asks you pointedly, knowing full-well why you hate being called that.

“That! That fucking way of saying it! It’s bad enough kids call each other names for the hell of it, but when your name is already a euphemism, you’re just an easy target.” you explain.

“Awww. Was Junior buwwied when he was wittle?” Viv asks you with a baby voice, and you stare daggers into her, and Viv laughs even harder because of your reaction. You transfer your **** stare to Celeste for having started this whole Junior thing again.

“I’m sorry Jay. It’s not a family reunion without an embarrassing story.” Celeste tells you with a shit-eating grin on her face.

“One of these days, I’m going to find out something about you. I swear it.” you tell your cousin jokingly in fake anger.

“You’ve been saying that for over two decades, Junior. If you haven’t found anything by now, you’ll never find it.” Celeste replies with a smug look.

“Oh-ho! Self-assured are we?” Viv asks Celeste with the same level of smugness, and Celeste’s widened eyes tell you Viv knows something.

“Viv! Talk!” You say excitedly, and Viv just laughs again.

“You can’t just command me out of nowhere Junior. We have to negotiate terms first. Like, what’s my safeword; or, what are my do’s and don’ts.” Viv replies, with a naughty tone to her voice.

“Holy crap, I almost forgot you and Becca used to be kinky together.” Stella reacts.

“You see Junior? Some other person…” Viv says before quickly glancing at Celeste, “...would be embarrassed about something like that. Me? I wear it like armor, so it can never be used to hurt me.” Viv tells you.

“Okay, Tyrion Lannister. You’ve made your point.” you sarcastically reply.

From here the seven of you formed small pockets of conversation, with Brooke and Celeste talking about Brooke’s wrestling days, Viv, Cassie, and Stella still dancing to the music, while you and Tanya have a short discussion about their encounter with Diane earlier; until the server arrived with your new batch of drinks.

The three girls forming ‘Team Chill’ grabbed their virgin cocktails while you and the rest of the girls grabbed a shot of Kamikaze each.

“To Junior!” Viv shouts before raising her shot.

“To Junior!” the rest of the girls shout.

“Yeah, yeah. To Junior!” you say in defeat, not wanting to kill their vibe, and raising your shot as well before downing all of it. Viv immediately grabs a shot of Jägerbomb and raises it as well.

“To Brooke asking more about Junior’s junior!”