Practice speaking without saying 'like' while Becky coaches you

You set down your sandwich and bounce excitedly on your stool. "Okay! Let's practice right now! I can totally do this!"

Becky swivels to face you, tucking one leg beneath her on the barstool. "Alright. Start by telling me about your day. But every time you say 'like,' I'm going to stop you."

"Okay!" You take a deep breath, your enhanced breasts rising beneath the tiny apron. "So this morning I woke up and... and Rick was already at work, and then I had to do this task where Marcus gave me a driving lesson—"

"Good start," Becky encourages.

"—and then I came back upstairs and there was all this mess from breakfast so I thought I should clean it but then I made it worse because I used too much soap and everything got all bubbly and—" You pause, frustrated by how fast the words tumble out. "This is hard."

"You're doing okay," Becky says. "Try going slower. Think before you speak."

You nod eagerly and try again. "Marcus helped me clean. And you helped too. We wore the... the little aprons and—" Your train of thought derails completely. What were you talking about? "Um. We cleaned stuff?"

Becky's expression shifts from encouraging to concerned. "Ashley, focus. What happened after we cleaned?"

"Oh! Right!" You giggle, twirling a pigtail around your finger. "So then I was, like, taking pictures—" You catch yourself. "I mean... I was taking pictures and—wait, no, that's not right either."

"It's fine to say 'I was taking pictures,'" Becky corrects gently. "That part was correct."

But you've already lost the thread again, distracted by a water droplet sliding down your glass. You watch it with fascination until Becky snaps her fingers.

"Ashley. Stay with me."

"Sorry!" You **** yourself to concentrate, but forming coherent sentences without your verbal crutches feels impossible. Each time you try to construct a thought, it slips away before you can capture it in words. "So I was... and then you... no wait, Marcus was..."

Becky reaches across and squeezes your hand. "Babe, I don't think this is going to work. You're trying really hard, but..."

Tears prick at your eyes, frustration bubbling up. "But I need to be smart for Friday! Your mom won't... she won't take me serious if I sound dumb!"

"Seriously. She won't take you seriously," Becky corrects automatically, then winces. "Sorry. Look, maybe we approach this differently. Mum values confidence and presence more than perfect grammar. If you own who you are—even if you say 'like' sometimes—that's better than trying to be someone you're not."

You sniffle, wiping at your eyes. "Really?"

"Really. Besides, you've got other assets that'll work in your favor." Becky's gaze drops meaningfully to your enhanced cleavage. "Trust me, Mum notices everything. If you walk in there looking absolutely stunning and completely confident, she'll have to acknowledge you."

17:35 | Tuesday 5 Aug 2025 | Rick's Penthouse Kitchen, London

[QUEEN BEE] | [Medium] | [Friday 20:00] | [3 days, 2 hours, 25 minutes remaining]