Respite

Courtney’s appearance from Jay’s perspective…

“Sub, bitch?” You hear Courtney cockily greet Brooke.

The room goes eerily silent after Brooke’s gasp, concerned that something happened. Everyone looks confused as to what’s happening, except for you and your seven girlfriends who all have worried looks upon seeing Courtney.

You immediately leave Celeste’s question hanging, as you make your way towards Brooke to support her. You’re not alone in this regard it seems, as Tanya follows you from behind. Surprisingly, Tanya pulls you back.

“Not yet, papi.” Tanya tells you, her eyes communicating the rest. She understands why you’d want to support Brooke and confront Courtney together, but Tanya also understands that you should all give Brooke the opportunity to talk to her first.

You notice that a small group forms behind you and Tanya, and you all watch as Courtney yanks the bottle of whiskey from Lizzie’s tray, before asking her for a straw.

“Welp. I give up.” Viv then says upon seeing Courtney steal her booze, raising her hands like she’s done with this shit. “Tonight’s cursed.” Viv adds, and you can’t help but reluctantly agree with her.

“What? Why? Who’s that?” Nelly asks in confusion, noticing how the partying atmosphere they were slowly building with their antics suddenly disappeared in a flash after Courtney’s appearance.

“THAT… is problema número dos.” Tanya answers her daughter.

“Oh. Okay.” Nelly says in reaction, and you can tell that she’s getting ready for a fight as she attempts to take out her earrings. “Then let’s handle it.” Nelly proactively replies.

“Tranquila, mija.” Tanya immediately stops Nelly from continuing her prep. “Not that kind of problem.” Tanya informs her.

“Babe! There you are!” You then suddenly hear Chad shout from outside, and before you even know it… you’re smiling.

There was a time when hearing Chad’s voice immediately exhausted you. But tonight, it’s like music to your ears. This party needs his golden retriever energy right now.

‘Shit, YOU need his golden retriever energy right now.’ You think to yourself.

…

“Thank you for your service!” You hear Chad thank Lizzie while giving her a salute.

‘And there it is.’ You say with a chuckle of disbelief.

“Love Coach!” Chad then excitedly greets you from across the room. You give him the same salute he gave Lizzie with a huge grin on your face. He talks to Courtney for a moment, excusing himself, before making his way towards you.

“Who~ is THAT?” You then hear Nelly ask after seeing Chad. You look towards her and see her licking her upper lip like Chad’s some kind of prey. You’re confused as to why Nelly doesn’t recognize Chad at first, but quickly realize that she and her sister didn’t actually get to meet him and Courtney while you all stayed at the Presidential Suite. You all just told them that they were taking the master bedroom as a thank you for saving Stella and Cassie in one of their Girls’ Night Out.

“Oh! Babe!” You all hear Courtney call out to Chad, and an immediate sneer appears on Nelly’s face.

“Jesus Christ!” Nelly shouts, just as Courtney shouts, “Tell him ‘FUCK YOU!’ for me, wouldya?”, obviously referring to you.

“Is there not a single guy in this party that’s not already taken!?” Nelly asks in frustration, not even bothered by hearing Courtney’s request to curse you.

“I heard Brad’s single.” Sofia tells her sister innocently.

“Wait, you are?” Nelly asks Brad with a look of hope mixed in with lust, making you and Tanya immediately share knowing glances. Although Tanya’s is a little more mischievous than yours. You can tell she’s tempted to have her daughter bark up that tree just for laughs, but Nelly seems to notice this and calls her mom out for it.

“What?” Nelly asks her, and Tanya looks at Brad with a look that’s asking him what she should do.

“I’m gay, sweetie.” Brad unfortunately reveals to Nelly. “I am flattered though.” Brad adds, but this just stings even more for Nelly, and Sofia can’t help but laugh out loud at her twin’s expense.

“Esta maldita perra.” Nelly utters, realizing that her twin set her up for that. Nelly immediately attempts to remove her earrings again to show she’s not gonna let her sister get away with that prank. Sofia, on the other hand, quickly steps back and blends into the crowd like that Homer Simpson GIF for safety.

As you watch Tanya promptly stop Nelly from going after her sister, you unexpectedly feel an arm wrap around your shoulders, before it pulls you in closer. “I missed you, Love Coach!” Chad happily greets you, sharing his jovial energy with you as if he understood the assignment without being told what it was. You pat him on the back gratefully as a greeting back.

“You’re gonna need to unpack that, Love Coach.” Celeste teasingly tells you.

“What’s there to unpack?” Hal asks right next to her. “Your cousin has seven girlfriends. If I needed any coaching about love I’d probably choose him too.” Hal explains, and you notice Riley and Erica tilt their head in thought and nodding in agreement to Hal’s statement afterwards.

“EY! Right on, bro! You get it!” Chad says in reaction, and immediately offers Hal a high five who quickly returns it. And just like with you, Hal just quickly ingratiates himself to a stranger.

“What do you mean ‘if’?” Viv asks Hal in a serious tone, and the blood from Hal’s face just immediately drops. Viv quickly laughs the seriousness off though, and punches Hal in his arm.

“Oh, lighten up.” Viv then tells him, and Hal can only awkwardly laugh.

“Oh, by the way bro, Courtney said ‘fuck you’.” Chad tells you.

“Thanks for relaying the message, Chad.” You reply, accepting that you deserve that from her.

“Care to unpack that one, Love Coach?” Celeste then asks you.

“Uhh~” You utter, stumped by how to even begin explaining it to them without having to reveal your secret.

“That’s just how my shorty is. She greets me with that all the time too. That means she likes you.” Chad answers Celeste for you, and your cousin only considers it for a moment before accepting his explanation.

“Anyway, how’ve you been, bro? Haven’t seen you in the gym in a while!” Chad tries to catch up with you. “But you’re lookin’ good! I can tell you’ve continued working out!” Chad compliments you effortlessly, making you smile in gratitude.

“Yeah! You’re lookin’ good, Mr. Craig.” Riley chimes in afterwards. Erica immediately looks away, trying to hold in laughter; while Mercy purses her lips and places fingers over them to stop herself from laughing too. You also notice Maddy looking at Riley curiously after she gave you the compliment.

“Thanks, Chad. Thank you too, Riley.” You thank them both.

Chad then immediately leans into you, and tries to whisper in your ear. “Is that another one of your shorties, bro?” Chad ‘whispers’ into your ear, but it’s loud enough that you’re sure Riley hears it too as her cheeks flush pink.

“You. Are. Killing. It.” Chad adds. Again, Riley obviously hears it, as she tucks her hair behind her ear. You awkwardly smile, while thinking of how to address Chad’s assumption, before Stella interrupts your line of thought.

“Something dirty and sexual!” Stella shouts, to everyone’s confusion, before it’s immediately explained by who appears afterwards.

“One bottle of whiskey, Chef.” Lizzie says from behind you, before handing the bottle of whiskey to Viv.

“Okay~, don’t know why I keep asking, but what the hell was that?” Celeste asks Stella.

“Inside joke.” Stella answers, to Celeste’s clear disappointment, while Lizzie can only smile in embarrassment that she understands the joke. “A much needed one for me if I’m being honest.” Stella comments.

“You know I was waiting for you to show up earlier! Dad and—ow!” Stella tries to continue her inside joke, only for Cassie to elbow her on the side.

“Thank you, Cassie.” Becca tells her, and Cassie proudly smiles for stopping Stella’s divulging of yours and Becca’s private matters. You watch Stella’s look of offense shift to something softer too, like she needed that sense of normalcy from Cassie as well.

“I’M SORRY! OKAY!?” You then all hear Brooke shout at Courtney, making you and Chad turn around to watch what’s happening.

“THERE! Are you happy now, bitch?” Brooke follows up, getting shocked reactions from the group.

“Should we…?” Brad asks with concern.

“Nahhh~, gay bro. They’re good.” Chad assures him. “Babe told me on our way here that she’s just going to bury the hatchet with Brooke. That’s probably what’s happening.” Chad adds.

“What are they burying the hatchet for?” Celeste asks, unable to control herself from needing clarification.

“I’m not sure. I didn’t know what she meant by that at first either.” Chad admits.

“But Babe explained that a hatchet is like an axe.” Chad then adds, to the shock and confusion from the people who are only meeting him for the first time, but to the stifled laughter from the rest.

“Brooke’s prolly just apologizing for forgetting the axe they're supposed to bury. I didn’t see her carrying one.” Chad continues, and the people who were shocked and confused finally understand and accept that Chad might just not be the sharpest tool in the shed.

“Oof. You missed out on your soulmate, sis. You’d have been perfect for each other.” Sofia comments to Nelly, the latter immediately trying to put her sister in a headlock that Tanya prevents once again.

Chad’s assumptions of Brooke and Courtney being alright are confirmed when you all see Brooke wrap Courtney in a hug. And just like with Stella and Cassie meeting a compromise earlier, a certain weight is lifted off your shoulders upon seeing it.

And then Becca asks you something that immediately puts the weight back on.

“Do you think we can trust her?”