Party Crasher

The following chapter is written in 3rd Person POV following Brooke…

“Sub, bitch?” Courtney cockily greets Brooke, a shit-eating grin across her lips.

“Court… Wha-...” Brooke utters in shock.

The two former roommates just look at each other like this for what seems like an eternity to them, but in fact, only seconds go by before Lizzie appears from behind Courtney bringing the bottle of whiskey that Viv asked for.

Courtney immediately yanks the bottle from Lizzie’s tray, before opening its cap, and taking a swig like it’s her personal bottle. Well, to Courtney, it is her personal bottle now. Lizzie can’t stop her eye from twitching in annoyance; but like the trained waitress that she is, she calmly places the tray with shot glasses down on a free table, and walks out of the room to get another bottle.

“Hey, waitress!” Courtney shouts after Lizzie, who stops in her tracks, and puts on her best fake smile for Courtney. “Get me a straw for this will ya?” Courtney tells her, returning the fake smile she recognizes Lizzie’s giving her.

“I’ll get right on it.” Lizzie tells Courtney. “Would you like anything else with that?” Lizzie follows up, staying professional.

“Babe! There you are!” Chad shouts, as he makes his way towards Lizzie and Courtney.

“Can you get my babe a cheese omelet while you’re at it?” Courtney adds.

“Unfortunately, we don’t serve that here.” Lizzie replies, making Courtney roll her eyes.

“Ugh. I know. It was a joke. Lighten up.” Courtney tells her. “You were our waitress when he kept asking for that when we had our date here, remember?” Courtney reminds Lizzie. Lizzie just smiles politely. Of course she remembers Courtney and Chad, despite how much she’d rather forget her experience with them.

“I’m sorry. I don’t recall.” Lizzie replies, getting her intended reaction from Courtney who looks annoyed that Lizzie doesn’t remember her. “Would that be all?” Lizzie asks with her same polite and professional smile, and Courtney finally shoos Lizzie off with her hand. Lizzie quickly turns around, dropping the professional facade and rolling her eyes before making her way to the back to get another bottle and Courtney’s straw. Chad gleefully, and quite literally, thanks Lizzie for her service as she walks away. Chad even does a military salute, in genuine gratitude.

“Court—” Brooke tries to address Courtney, but Courtney just raises a finger at her to wait.

“Ep-ep-ep. Not yet.” Courtney tells Brooke.

Brooke just looks at Courtney in silence as they both wait for whatever it is Courtney’s waiting for. Meanwhile, the whole room is buzzing with questions as to what’s happening with this new guest and Brooke.

Chad, unable to read the room, calls out to Jay excitedly, “Love Coach!”.

“Can I talk to ‘Love Coach’ for a bit, babe? I haven’t seen him in a while.” Chad asks Courtney, similar to how a child asks their parents for permission to buy a new toy.

“Go ahead, babe.” Courtney tells Chad, making the hunk of muscle giddy like a schoolgirl. Chad gives Courtney a quick peck on the cheek before making his way towards him, leaving Brooke and Courtney alone again.

“Oh! Babe!” Courtney calls out to Chad, as if remembering something.

“Yes, babe?” Chad asks Courtney, looking worried that Courtney’s going to take back the permission she gave him.

“Tell him ‘FUCK YOU!’ for me, wouldya?” Courtney requests, saying the profanity loud enough so that Jay definitely hears it. Chad doesn’t see anything wrong with that request and stupidly grins.

“You got it, babe!” Chad replies happily, giving her an ‘OK’ hand signal with it, before finally walking towards Jay again.

…

Lizzie eventually returns, and she hands Courtney the straw she asked for, before immediately walking away before Courtney can ask for the new bottle of booze she got for Viv as well. Courtney sneers at Lizzie as the waitress walks away, tearing the paper cover of the straw with her teeth, and placing the straw inside the bottle of whiskey she yanked earlier.

Courtney finally turns to look at Brooke, and sees the still shocked look on her face.

“Why do you look so surprised to see me?” Courtney asks smugly as she takes a sip of the whiskey from her straw. “You did invite me.” Courtney reminds Brooke.

“I looked everywhere for you.” Brooke admits to Courtney, unable to think of anything else to say at this moment.

“Ohhh~, I know you did.” Courtney says with the same shit-eating grin as before, and Brooke can only look embarrassed from the remark.

“By the way, nice trick with the phone tracking, stalker. Didn’t know you had it in you.” Courtney gibes at Brooke.

“Court, it wasn’t—” Brooke tries to explain to Courtney, but the latter just waves her off.

“Yeah, yeah. I know it wasn’t your call to do that. No need to tell me a sob story over it.” Courtney tells Brooke. Courtney takes another big sip from the whiskey bottle with her straw, as Brooke just watches her.

…

“So? What are you waiting for?” Courtney confusingly asks Brooke.

“I don’t—” Brooke tries to tell Courtney.

“Just say it.” Courtney tells her, and Brooke just continues to look at her confused, making Courtney roll her eyes and scoff. “Just say your two favorite words so we can move past this and we’re good again.” Courtney nudges Brooke into the direction she wants her to take.

“I’m sorry?” Brooke asks for clarification.

“Not good enough.” Courtney tells Brooke back.

“What?” Brooke continues to ask in confusion.

“Say it like you mean it.” Courtney instructs Brooke, making Brooke finally realize what Courtney means. Brooke looks away from Courtney, blinking rapidly as if trying to reset her mind before she looks at her again. Brooke then takes a deep breath to find the courage to say the words she needs to say.

“Ugh. Always such a drama queen.” Courtney comments.

“I’M SORRY! OKAY!?” Brooke uncontrollably shouts at Courtney. “THERE! Are you happy now, bitch?” Brooke follows up, before covering her mouth again after realizing what it is she just shouted at Courtney.

“I’m sorry.” Brooke quickly apologizes for her tone. Meanwhile, Courtney is just sipping on her bottle of whiskey from the straw like she’s not the one who triggered Brooke’s outburst in the first place.

“I’m sorry.” Brooke repeats. Only this time, it’s meant to apologize for her actions towards Courtney that made Courtney distrust her in the first place.

“I’m sorry for lying to you, Court.” Brooke adds more context to her apology. “I’m sorry for pretending I didn’t know why you were afraid… for pretending I didn’t have the answer for what you were going through. I’m sorry if I didn’t choose to give you that answer when you were obviously already panicking over it. I’m sorry for not being grateful for your concern about me. I’m sorry for… for… I’m just… I’m sorry.” Brooke continues to apologize for everything, before finally realizing that all those words were summed up by her two initial words already.

“And I’m sorry for the sob story. I know you hate hearing those.” Brooke adds with an awkward chuckle.

“Like I’m not used to that shit by now.” Courtney replies with an eye roll, but she can’t help but have a genuine smile afterwards. Brooke can’t help but feel relief to see Courtney smile at her again.

“You need to apologize for taking more than two words too, you greedy bitch.” Courtney then tells Brooke.

“Fuck you.” Brooke says with a smile of relief.

“Ep-ep-ep. I haven’t said I’ve forgiven you yet.” Courtney tells Brooke, taking another sip of whiskey with her straw.

“I know it’s hard for you to trust me again, but I swear we were going to explain it to you eventually! We just wanted to make sure you were in the right headspace before—” Brooke starts apologizing again, before Courtney cuts her off.

“Oh, shut the fuck up.” Courtney tells Brooke. “You and I both know I wouldn’t have listened to him even if you did.” Courtney surprisingly adds.

“Shit, you’d have probably made my paranoia worse.” Courtney admits.

“Court, that’s…” Brooke utters in shock.

‘Did she just agree with me? Wait… is Courtney self-reflecting? Is… Is this even Courtney!?’ Brooke mentally asks herself in disbelief.

“There’s nothing to forgive, bitch.” Courtney assures Brooke with the same shit-eating grin.