Taking Stock

“Anyone whose feelings for Jay aren’t strong enough can start feeling those doubts too. A seed of doubt just needs to be planted and it can grow.” Becca points out.

“You’re saying…” Cassie utters, before Maddy verbalizes the logical conclusion.

“It’s infectious.” Maddy states, and everyone’s reaction is either one of confusion or worry.

Yours, on the other hand, is one of quiet confidence. Not because it doesn’t sound like worrying news, but because you’ve seen Becca at her most ****—and she’s showing no signs that this news troubles her. You have little doubt now that Becca didn’t come here without a possible solution already.

And then you’re reminded she didn’t come here alone.

“If it is infectious, and your theory holds true that the ones most **** are the ones whose feelings for me aren’t the strongest… then why did you invite every possible person it can infect in the same room as ‘Patient Zero’?” You ask, and gasps of shock exit your girlfriends as they too just realized what Becca has just done.

Becca, meanwhile, can’t help but smile. As if she’s impressed you connected those two dots so quickly. Not wanting to leave that non-verbal jab without a response, you give her an accusative look that asks ‘why do you look so surprised?’, immediately shifting her look to one of apologetic guilt. You immediately let her off the hook and smile, just so she knows you were only kidding.

This brief non-verbal interaction between you and Becca only happened in seconds. Because, while that was going on, Cassie was already taking Becca’s attention away from you.

“Please tell me that that was on purpose, Becca.” Cassie pleads.

“I’m sure it was.” You answer for Becca, showing the others that you're giving Becca your vote of confidence. Becca gives you a thankful nod, before addressing everyone again.

“All of you are right to question my decision, but I knew of the risks involved and came to the conclusion that what I will propose is the best course of action.” Becca prefaces, trying to assure everyone she may be taking a risk, but at least it’s a calculated one.

Thankfully, you’re pretty confident that Becca’s good at math… and that the other girls know that too. You and Becca both look around to the others and see that they are all giving her supportive looks. You notice that Maddy’s expression is the one that seems the most confident in Becca, while Cassie’s is the one with the most doubt. However, just like the non-verbal conversation you had with Becca earlier, you can tell Becca and Cassie are sharing their own right now. Cassie eventually gives Becca the supportive smile, and Becca returns it with an appreciative one.

“Before I begin explaining my plan, let me just recap the situation we are in.” Becca begins.

“First, our external threats. In order to coerce my cooperation, my mother has not-so subtly implied inflicting some form of… criminality on all of us. As for my father, he is presumably still taking my independence as a gross slight to his ego. Most likely, he is in the process of coming up with new threats in order to coerce me back into cooperation.” Becca recounts.

“Sounds to me like we~ should be formulating our own shit. Coerce them into cooperation.” Viv suggests.

“What do you think we’re doing here, V?” Tanya asks back.

“No.” Becca then surprisingly turns Tanya down. “We are not here to formulate threats nor plans to coerce them into cooperation.” Becca informs them.

“Why not!?” Viv and Tanya both ask in surprise.

“Because it wouldn’t work in the long run.” Brooke chimes in, getting everyone to look towards her.

“Being roommates with a habitual line-stepper has taught me a few things.” Brooke prefaces. “People will only bend so far to your bullshit. If you push them hard enough, they break; and if you pull back too quickly, you’re gonna get hit in the face with the recoil.” Brooke explains.

“That’s OUR situation! We’re the ones being **** to bend!” Viv points out.

“And that’s why it won’t work in the long run! It becomes a cycle until both people end up broken!” Brooke points out. “Is that what you want for us?” Brooke asks, getting Viv to stand down and concede her point.

“An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind.” Maddy basically summarizes Brooke’s point.

“Ugh. Why are you people so mature?” Viv asks sarcastically, getting the others to chuckle.

“When push comes to shove though, we are burning those pinche pendejos to the ground, si?” Tanya asks, mostly directing the question towards you as if you’re the final say. You then look towards Becca, seeing what her answer will be.

“If it comes to that, I won’t make the same mistake of merely threatening scorched Earth.” Becca assures everyone.

“Okay, so if scorched Earth isn’t the current plan, then what is?” Stella asks.

“OH!” Maddy suddenly gasps. “The trait that Jay read. The one that’s ‘Most Recommended’ for Paige. We use it to persuade your parents to stop bothering us! Is that what you’re going to suggest, Becca?” Maddy asks excitedly, thinking she cracked Becca’s plan. Unfortunately, Becca gives her a sympathetic smile before she has to disappoint her.

“No, Maddy. I’m afraid that didn’t even cross my mind.” Becca tells her.

“Why not then?” Maddy asks.

“Actually,” Becca says, before taking a moment to consider Maddy’s proposition. “This may be a good opportunity for Jay to give us a full update on the app’s status first. Jay?” Becca asks, giving you the floor to update everyone regarding the app.

“I was actually able to update myself a bit while you guys were still sleeping.” You admit. “With her permission last night, I bought Becca the ‘Supportive Parents’ trait. That’s when I saw I had more points since yesterday. I wasn’t able to check on anybody else, but I did see that the points I acquired were from you girls after last night.” You say, before giving them a more in-depth update.

Supportive Parents (25 Friendship Points) - The person with this trait will increase the probability in which their parents support their life choices, accommodate their request for favors, and agree with their decisions.

Nguyen, Vivian - Affection Score: 100

Love Score: 100 (+12)

Lust Score: 42 (-48)

+50 Love Points. Total: 100 (For reaching the 100 Love Score goal with a person)

Taylor, Brooke - Affection Score: 100

Love Score: 81 (+30)

Lust Score: 28 (-53)

Hoffman, Rebecca - Affection Score: 100 (+45)

Love Score: 74 (+44)

Lust Score: 31 (-69)

+50 Friendship Points. Total: 50 (For reaching the 100 Affection Score goal with a person)

+50 Love Points. Total: 100 (For reaching the 50+ Love Score goal with a person)

+50 Lust Points. Total: 50 (For reaching the 50+ Lust Score goal with a person)

O’Brien, Madeleine - Affection Score: 100

Love Score: 92 (+41)

Lust Score: 49 (-51)

Available Points: 100 (-25) Friendship Points / 100 Love Points /50 Lust Points

“Plus Forty-Four!?” Viv couldn’t help but react. “That office room bangin’ really made somebody fall in love.” Viv jokes, and Maddy’s cheeks turn red when you reveal her Love Score also jumped by a significant amount.

“Actually, it’s just cuz I haven’t checked your scores in a while.” You admit, and it is true that the massive increase in numbers is most likely from you just not checking their scores in a while. That being said, you did notice something interesting about their scores this morning. Even after the amount of times you and Becca shared a night together, it was only after last night that you finally maxed out her Lust Score.

“Now that we’re updated on the amount of points we have, can you please check what the ‘most recommended’ trait is for my father? Is it ‘Silver Tongue’?” Becca asks.

You fiddle with your phone and go to Mr. Hoffman’s profile to check on his ‘Most Recommended’ traits, and ‘Silver Tongue’ isn’t even in the Top 3.

“All of the traits that are recommended for him are actually the prerequisites for the ‘Supportive Family’ trait. The same advanced trait I bought for Maddy before.” You answer.

“I think it’s a safe bet that the app wants you to actually buy these traits for me and not for him.” Becca surmises, and you nod in agreement with her assessment.

“In any case, it’s a good thing that the app isn’t recommending that trait as a possible solution.” Becca then says.

“Why is that?” Maddy asks.

“Because from what I gathered from my conversation with Elaine,” Becca prefaces.

“That trait is a trap.”