OBiGEM

Welcome to my Sims Space! In an effort to make my tumblr more mobile friendly to navigate, you can now browse through my Legacy Story posts, my CC Finds, my challenges, resources, and YouTube content. This navigation post will remain pinned, but will likely be tweaked as things get added to this space, so bear with me, and happy simming!

The Fletcher Legacy

Gen 2 (From the Beginning)

Arc 0: Prologue Arc 1: The Summer Before Arc 2: Fall Year 1 Arc 3: Winter Year 2 Arc 4: Chaos & Disaster With Love - Year 2.5 (Recent)

Start//Recent

Gen 1.5 (From the Beginning)

Arc 0: Recap Arc 1: A Tale of 2 Birthdays Arc 2: Camp Longhorn Arc 3: Side Plott Arc 4: A Very Special Love Day Arc 5: A Very Fletcher Spooky Day Arc 6: Baby 4

Start//Recent

Gen 1 (From the Beginning)

Arc 1: Newly Wedded Arc 2 : Family of 3 Arc 3: Growing Pains Arc 4: Warning Signs Arc 5: When We Met Arc 6: Fractured Arc 7: Renewal Arc 8: New Beginnings

Start//Recent

My Challenges

21 Day Fiance

My Reshade

Sharp Colarity

CC Finds

"I don't want you to stop." Matthew held her gaze for a sustained moment, then looked away. "I mean, I don't mind you texting me. Your weirdo puzzles are sometimes interesting to solve."

"They're not meant to be puzzles." Cordie giggled. "I guess I was failing to get you to hold a conversation."

"You have a really bad habit of giving very little away, ya know that?"

Matthew shrugged. "I've never been much of a conversationalist."

"I guess you've always kind of been that way." Cordie giggled again, then sighed. "But it's nice, the ways you're still the way I remember you from childhood."

Matthew didn't respond to her remark about how he was still the same. Partly because he didn't know what to say. That she regarded him at all and thought back on him fondly—that felt nice.

In moments like this, it made it feel possible that she felt the same way about him that he felt for her.

He knew it wasn't exactly the same. Maybe it wasn't even a little the same. But there was a warmness there. A genuine want from her to be near him. Even if he was only imagining it, he wanted this feeling to last. So at every turn, if she wanted him to, he'd be as close to her as she'd let him.

For Cordelia, she may not have gotten what she thought she wanted—an admission of friendship from Matthew—but she shouldn't have made that into a game in the first place. Matthew had always been small with words but impactful with actions, and his actions tonight confirmed what she'd hoped for.

They were friends in all the ways that mattered most.

"Hey, Matthew?"

"What is it?"

"I just wanted to thank you again. You kind of really saved me tonight. I got in over my head trying to shut the party down, panicking, passing out. If you weren't there I don't think I'd be OK right now."

"I was stressed and scared and you really took control and fixed everything in ways I never would've thought of or could do on my own. You're amazing for that, you know?"

Matthew cleared his throat. "I'm not. I just happen to be rich and across the street. It's easy to solve problems with money."

"Well, I feel really lucky you used your powers of affluence for my sake this time."

Cordie moved closer to Matthew. At first he thought it was to reach for the soap bottle but instead, she cocked her head to the side resting it on his shoulder. When her warmth connected with his heat, he froze.

"Hey, Matthew," Her voice was lower but just as sweet, "it's been nice being able to rely on you for extra support. If I need help like this again, would it be OK if I called or texted or something? I promise I won't make it a puzzle."

Cordelia was so close to him it made it hard to think or relax.

"I mean…we are neighbors. If your parents or friends or boyfriend aren't around—if you really needed my help—then, yeah. I guess."

"Could I ask for your help even if they are around?"

"Even if they are, then…yeah, I guess."

"That's comforting." Cordie smiled. "You're a good guy, Matthew."

"And just so you know, the offer is mutual. If you ever needed help with anything, I'm here for you. Even if it's just to talk and you need someone to listen. I'm good at that."

Matthew didn't respond right away, so Cordelia felt it right to add "because it's like you said, we're neighbors."

"And that's what neighbors are for, being there for each other and everything, right?"

Her earnestness was met with more silence.

"Or, I guess, never mind. I'm overstepping probably."

"No." Matthew finally spoke. "I just…I'm processing. I can get overwhelmed with words. Sorry."

"No, don't be! I guess I can talk a lot"

"That's not it, it's—" The idea that she could need him for comfort was so unexpected and confounding. It made it difficult for him to trust his impulses right then. She was so close. "Is it OK if we don't talk for a bit and just stay like this for a while?"

"It's not because I think you talk too much, but if we keep talking like this, I'm afraid I might…" He couldn't say for sure what he might feel pulled to do.

"No, it's OK. I think I get it. Let's just stay like this. At least until the dishes are done. Deal?"

"Yeah, deal." They both agreed.

But before she could take up her part of the clean up, there was one last bit of business to take care of.

"You don't have to keep doing that." Cordie approached Matthew. "You should head home. Make sure the party mob doesn't destroy your house."

"The house should be fine. I put Dale in charge."

"Dale?" Cordie couldn't hide the skeptical tone in her voice.

"He's honestly pretty reliable with keeping order. He has military parents so I guess it comes with the territory."

"Oh." There was an awkward pause. "Well, I should help if you insist on doing our dishes. It is our mess after all."

"Scooch over." Cordie said as Matthew made room for her. She clicked on the radio for some vibes with their suds and grabbed a plate.

"You know," Cordie started up conversation again to fill the silence. "I'm surprised you even know how to do dishes, or that you'd want to stay to do ours."

"What do you think I do when my parents go out of town on the weekends?"

"You have a cleaning staff, and besides, you kind of give too pampered for housework."

"You're one to talk, Princess Sugar was it?"

"Oh, ha ha. I'm not as dainty as I look. I know my way around a scrub brush."

"Well, I wouldn't think I look very dainty either, do I?"

"No, I guess you're pretty…" Cordie paused as she glanced over at Matthew, the bulge from his flexed muscle suddenly something she couldn't unnotice. "Sturdy." She glanced away. "That aside, I'm glad you came."

Matthew paused. "You are?"

"Well, yeah, because it means, well, you know."

"I know?"

"Yeah, ya know, that we're like…" Cordie left an intentional blank space for him to finish her sentence.

"That were like?"

"Yeah, that we're 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦…" She emphasized that last like with her eyes.

"What is it that you want me to say?"

"I don't want you to say anything, I just want you to admit—ugh!" Cordie grumbled. "Why do you think I've been texting you? Why did you even come over tonight?"

"I don't even know how you got my number, and you text like a book of riddles."

"And you came over because?"

"I came over because you made that crazy Social Bunny Post. I thought that you—I just wanted to make sure you were…" He trailed off.

"You were checking up on me because we're…"

"We're?"

"Finish the sentence."

"With what?"

"You really don't know what we are?"

"How could I possibly?!"

"It feels like you want me to say that we're," Matthew swallowed, "that what I feel is the same as how you feel? Since cotillion things have been different between us, maybe. Unless I'm wrong about that. Am I?"

Cordie let out a deep sigh, "Matthew, you're impossible."

"Now I'm impossible?"

"Because you've all but stopped short of saying the word!" Cordie huffed. "I guess, this is as much as I can hope for, or maybe I shouldn't be pushing too hard for something so superficial. You're right. Things between us have changed since cotillion. I think I worried I was the only one feeling it"

"So I got anxious about it and rushed into getting you to admit that you felt it too, but I shouldn't have turned this into a game. If my texts have annoyed you then—"

Matthew reached out for her plate. Their fingers brushed.

"I wasn't annoyed."

Camille immediately tensed.

"You're bluffing. If you tell Nana, she's gonna come here and stay with us till Mama and Daddy get back."

"Yup, probably." Cordie shrugged.

"You'll get blamed for everything. She'll watch us like hawks. You won't get to have your little date with Jai either."

"Yeah, that seems likely." Cordie was still nonplussed.

"When Mama and Daddy come back Nana will tell the worse possible version of the story. They'll never trust you again."

"Mmmhmm."

"Why are you doing this? Do you want to be grounded for life?"

"No. I want you to clean up your own mess."

"And you're going to do that by torpedoing your credibility?"

"This whole time I've been freaking out about trying to figure out a way to get you to listen to me without getting in trouble or losing Mama and Daddy's respect, but the truth is, it's just not possible."

"This happened under my watch. So if I have to take a hit to my credibility, then it's deserved. I was in charge, and I let them down. But you have to take responsibility for your role in this Camille. I'm telling you to clean it up, but if you won't listen to me, I know you'll listen to Nana."

"So what's it gonna be Camille Adora? Are you cleaning your mess up on your own, or am I calling Nana over to make you do it?"

Camille gnashed her teeth. "OK, fine, Cordelia Andrea!" Millie middle named her big sister right back. "I'll do it, but you have to promise you won't call Nana."

"Me calling Nana is still on the table until every last can, bottle, and trampled into the ground piece of food is picked up and bagged for trash pick up. It needs to look like a party never happened out there. Am I clear?"

"OK, fine, whatever! It'll look brand spanking new, you tyrant!"

"I'm not a tyrant. After everything you've done, what I'm asking is beyond reasonable."

"It's going to take me all night. I won't have time to finish editing my sheet music for the contest. I hope you're happy."

"Honestly, Camille, you should've thought of that before pulling this stunt. But—"

"I'm not heartless. As soon as you finish cleaning up, I can help you finalize your edits. It'll be faster that way, right?"

"How? You suck at reading music."

"But I've got a good ear for melodies. You can play me what you have and I'll give you my notes, so you can finish in time to submit."

"Fine." Camille's temper cooled. In fact, she was surprised Cordie had offered her ear at all. And she wasn't wrong, Cordie's ear was stronger than most.

"Good. Now hurry up and clean up the backyard, and we got a deal."

"Sure." Millie packed it up to head out back, "but while I'm out there—"

"You should be careful." A smirk had found its way to Camille's face.

"Careful of what?"

"Careful that you won't do anything that might make Jai Jai cry. Sure would be a shame if his fragile little heart crumbled into a million little pieces."

"Stop being weird or deals off and I'm calling Nana!"

"I was being serious, actually, but I'm not gonna tempt the wrath of Nana, so just forget about it. I'm sure nothing will happen anyway."

As Camille continued on to the back patio, Cordie couldn't help but wonder if her little sister had managed to get another one over on her.

Going the nuclear option of calling Nana was the only way, and it worked. Camille was finally listening to her with no push back.

But what did she mean by not doing anything that might make Jai Jai cry? Jai wasn't even here tonight, thank goodness. How embarrassing would that have been?

So did she have something up her sleeve to tell Jai about tonight to embarrass her?

"Gross." Millie muttered under her breath as she felt held hostage to the awkward exchange.

It was clear as the stars in the sky that Matthew Landgraab was into her big sister, but Cordie had clouds for brains and was oblivious to it. It was so embarrassing to watch.

"Oh, and my sister," Cordie quickly changed the topic, "thanks for staying with her after everyone left."

"To be honest, I stayed less to look after her and more to make sure she stayed put here."

"What do you mean?"

"She was determined to do an encore performance at my place."

"I knew if I left with everyone at the party back to my place, I'd have to be on a near endless perimeter patrol to keep your sister out, and I'm not confident I would have succeeded. This way is better. I only have to keep my eye on her staying put here, I'm very competent at that."

"I'm a little surprised, she's not attempting to escape. How'd you manage that?"

"What I learned with this one is you can't make her do what she doesn't want to do, but you can incentivize her with things she cares about. I gave her a choice. She can help me do dishes or edit her sheet music."

"It seems editing her music is a pressing matter for her right now due to some kind of contest, so she's opted to not be difficult, stay put where I can see her, and work on that rather than escape to the party."

"I see. But all this mess, it isn't yours to clean up. Millie should be doing it."

"Probably, but you said it yourself that she doesn't listen to you. And this is as much as I could manage."

"Yeah because you haven't laid out the proper motivator to get her to do what she should yet."

"And what motivator is this?"

"Leave that to me. Princess sugar has finally left the building"

Since the moment their parents left, Cordie tried to be as many steps ahead of Camille that she could muster. She failed at that game, so rather than trying to be smarter or an authoritarian, she was going to surrender.

"OK, troll. Playtime is over, go outside and start bagging garbage."

"Yeah, no. The backyard is a total train wreck. There's no way in hell I'm touching that with a 10 ft pole." Millie shrugged. "But Alpha will be done with her updates in an hour. She can do it."

"No she can't!"

"Sure she can. She's a robot."

"I mean that she won't because the mess belongs to you."

"I already said I'm not doing it, and there's nothing you can do to make me." Camille held her ground.

"Sure there is. If you don't go out there right now and start shoveling garbage into some trash bags, I'm telling."

"Please. You're gonna tell Mama and Daddy?"

"Millie?" There was no mistaking it. It was her sister's voice.

"In here." She called back, her voice coming from the kitchen area.

As Cordelia approached, there she was sitting at the table jotting something down in a notebook.

"For goodness sake, Millie, you scared me half to death!"

"I thought—" Cordie's mind raced through all the possible unsavory things that might have happened to her little sister, things she couldn't think about. "Well, never mind what I thought. I'm just glad you're OK. And thanks for finally listening to me and calling off the party."

"Don't thank me." Camille shrugged as she continued her scribbling without looking up. "Thank your boyfriend."

"Boyfriend? Jai's here?"

"Not him. Your 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 boyfriend." Camille nudged her head toward the sink that Cordie just now realized was running. In front of it, a boy with flaming red hair.

There he was. Matthew Landgraab, by their kitchen sink, washing a mountain of dishes.

What was he even still doing here? And cleaning no less. It didn't seem like a thing he would willingly do, but if Camille was right, and he had something to do with clearing out the party, she had to thank him.

"Umm, hey." Cordelia approached him.

"You're awake." His reply was frank without looking up from the suds.

"Yeah. I am. So…is it true? You were the one who shut the party down?"

"Well, I would think I had to. You fainted. It was clear keeping it going was bad for your health."

"But how? There were so many people here. How were you able to just get them to leave?"

"Simple. I made them an offer they couldn't refuse."

"You paid them?"

"Not directly. I made an announcement that the party was moving across the street to a bigger house, endless top shelf alcohol—"

"—and a meet greet with the cast from Growing up Del Sol."

"No way, that super popular reality show? That must have been super expensive to pull off. But what about your house? Aren't you afraid all those people will wreck it?"

"Our maid service will just clean it all up."

"And anything that gets damaged, I'll pay to replace. No big deal."

"But what if your parents find out? Won't they be suspicious of credit card charges or won't your maids say something?"

"Our maids don't get paid to be curious, and short of me purchasing a small country the charges will go unnoticed."

"It just seems like a lot." Cordelia was at a lost for words. "I don't think I'd ever be able to repay you for all of this."

"I didn't do it to be repaid. It's like I said, it's not a big deal."

"It is. I got so overwhelmed with trying to shut it down myself I fainted. What I'm saying is—"

"Thank you. Thank you for getting rid of everyone, spending your own money and pulling personal strings to lure people away to your place, for being there when I fainted. You were the one who carried me to the couch, right? Thank you."

Back at the Fletcher residence…

Things had quieted down, for Cordelia at least. In her unconscious slumber she was finally able to relax. She felt like she had become enveloped into the lightest of bubbles floating above everything that was stressing her out.

It wasn't just that she felt lighter, there was another feeling too.

It was something that smelled so sweet, like a smokey cinnamon, charred at its edges. It smelled so nice, but also so familiar, like she had smelled something like that before, but she couldn't place it.

She could soak in that smell forever. Whatever it was, it put a smile on her face.

As the scent drifted, wakefulness came. Cordelia sat herself up, yawning. She must have been really tried as she felt she'd been sleeping for a while. She stretched her arms out as she tried to remember her dream.

What was it she was doing last? She was in a bubble, right? Floating or something. No, that can't be right. If she was floating in her dream, then in real life, could she have been being carried by something?

And then she slowly started to remember what she was doing before she dozed off.

She fainted, but it wasn't just that. She had been talking to Matthew before she fainted. And before that….the party!

Her heart started racing once more. That's right, Camille had orchestrated an entire party in their backyard and the sheer panic of it all was what caused her to faint.

She didn't quite know how she got back inside or how long she'd been out, but none of that mattered now. The party and the house had been allowed to go on while she just slept it off.

She immediately turned toward the sliding door, hoping beyond hope that it wouldn't be that bad. Unfortunately—

Where teen parties are concerned, it's always that bad.

Cordelia stared toward the sliding door in shock at all the debris and open and cracked bottles and half eaten food littered about the ground. And that was just what she could see from the patio.

The damage was much worse once she was able to get out onto the patio and gain a wider vantage of the backyard.

"OK, this is bad. But at least it looks like everyone that was here before has left." That alone elicited some relief until she realize something alarming.

As she scanned every corner of her backyard, it was clear that there wasn't a single soul left out here—not even her little sister.

"Where could she be?" She started to panic as she focused on Camille's guitar standing vacant and unattended.

She didn't know how long she'd been out. What if while she was asleep, Camille went with someone at the party? Millie wouldn't do that, would she? She's too smart for something like that. But the fact still remained she was missing.

"I'll go inside. She's probably in her room." Cordie reasoned.

As soon as she was back inside the house, it became too apparent how quiet it was. If Millie was here, she'd hear her, right?

She was working on music for a contest, so she'd be playing her guitar, wouldn't she?

"Millie?" Cordie started to call around for her. She had to be here.

"Millie?" She called again to no answer.

Cordie's heart began to race again. What if rather than going with someone at the party, someone took her? She didn't get a good look at everyone there. What if someone unsavory snuck in? And then right now, Millie could be in danger.

"Millie, please!" Her voice had grown desperate.

She was her little sister. She was supposed to protect her and take care of her while her parents were away, but then she had to go and faint and leave her unattended and now she could be—

"So, all of this was just to propose to little old me?" A cheeky smile was plastered across Mel's face.

"Well, I never would've had to go through all this trouble if you had just said yes to my original Love Day proposal from 7 years ago."

"You mean the one you told me not to answer?"

"I mean the one you know you would've said no to."

"Fair enough. So, fiancé, what's the plan?"

"We get married, obviously."

"Obviously," Mel giggled, "but I meant what's our plan for the rest of tonight?"

"I told you already. We get married."

"Wait, are you saying you want to elope, tonight?"

"Melody, I know you. And I know a big, grand, traditional ceremony isn't your vibe. Trying to do it big for your proposal led you to jump off a cliff. A big ceremony would probably just turn you into a runaway bride. So I'm going to trust my gut on this one. Marry me, tonight."

"On one condition."

"Name it."

"Let Poppy pick the chapel. She has impeccable taste."

"Deal."

The promise was sealed with a prenuptial kiss.

"Aww, how sweet," Poppy gushed. "Now wrap it up because if you wanna get married at my suggested chapel, we don't have a lot of time!"

As they made their trek back up the range, Saunders scooped Melody up into his arms.

"Hey! My feet work, I can walk."

"I know, but I don't really feel right about my bride walking around in her underwear."

"I guess just this once I'll let you be chivalrous." She couldn't deny how right this felt.

"Come on you two, save the making out for the chapel." Poppy teased.

"Oh, that's right, you do actually know of a good one right? I kind of was just assuming you knew a place." Mel asked.

"Don't worry about it, I know the perfect place. Just try not to be too dazzled by it."

"Before the chapel," Alejandro stopped them, "perhaps we should collect your clothes?"

"No time. Drive us to the chapel, Ale?"

"But you and your friend are half naked."

"That's what rental outfits are for. In the meantime, I'll just hold onto your coat."

Once she made it within arms reach of Saunders, he pulled her the rest of the way into his arms. Before his expression was so stony, she was sure this was it. He'd walk away from her, but now in his arms, his hands were gentle around the small of her back and within them she felt soft and fragile.

"Listen," He began, "You're not the only one who's made mistakes here."

"If you mean your past—"

"I don't. I mean with this trip. I blew everything up into this whole grand thing because I thought I had to create this perfect moment, but what I wanted to do never needed any of that."

"I'm going to do something that I should've done a long time ago, before this trip before any of this, and just plainly ask you to do the only thing that matters right now."

"You want me to do something?"

"Yes. Marry me."

"What are you saying?"

"Exactly what I said. Marry me."

It wasn't that Saunders hadn't asked her the question before, and even before when he'd uttered those words it had taken her aback, but after everything she'd done?

"You don't mean that. Really think about what you're asking. Saunders—"

"Don't pull away from me, Melody." Saunders asserted not just for her to physically stay with him, but for her to emotionally stop drifting. For her to call him Saunders instead of Lukas was no coincidence. "You said you wanted me to want to stay. Well I do. Not just for now, but forever."

"We've already built a life together, a family. I love you. Of course I want to stay. Of course I want to marry you."

"How could you really? I'm a mess. I'm avoidant. I don't know if I'll ever fully believe I deserve you. That can't be what you want or what you want to put up with."

"Answer me this then, what is it that you want?" Saunders volleyed the question back.

"I don't know."

"Do you love me?"

"You know I do."

"Say the words."

"I love you."

"Do you want to be with me?"

"Yes."

"Forever?"

"Forever."

"Then there's nothing left to understand. I want the same."

"So marry me."

"Saunders…Lukas, I can't promise this won't happen again. That I won't spiral, that I won't see myself as unworthy, that I won't run. What kind of life is that? You can't want that."

"All I want is you. So please, stop avoiding the question and answer me. Will you marry me?"

"Well….then, if you're OK with being chained to this mess forever—"

"Melody, marry me."

"OK then. I'll marry you. Yes."

"Good, Watcher, Side Boob I was two seconds from throttling you!"

"Poppy, be nice. I said we could stay, but not to ruin their moment. Now, cállate." Alejandro quieted her.

"OK, fine, I'll be quiet. But I'm going to be internally as loud as I can be about how happy I am for them."

"I can agree to that. True love is a beautiful thing."

Their eyes instinctively drew to the sound of the voice that revealed her name.

There behind them a couple paces away, they saw a man doubled over panting.

"Oh no." Melody let out in a squeak.

"Interesting." Poppy eyed him. "That man looks rather slab like, that wouldn't happen to be—"

"Melody," He spoke again between huffs of breath, "you're alive."

"Lukas." Melody said just above a whisper.

"Lukas?" Poppy's eyes drew back to Melody.

"Yes. Poppy, meet my slab of a man, Lukas Saunders."

"Melody, huh? After you gave me shit for my name, Side Boob, you're one to talk." Poppy smirked.

"Shut 𝘶𝘱, Poppy."

"Melody." Saunders finally looked up from his panting. "We need to talk." The glare on his face certainly did not set her at ease.

"Yeah, sure. Of course." Mel gave in.

When Saunders approached them, things immediately became awkward. The silence would have been deafening if it wasn't for the sound of crashing waves or the pressure from Poppy and Alejandro's intense stares.

"Poppy," Alejandro whispered. "This isn't right. We should give them privacy."

"No way! This is my favorite show."

"Poppy." Ale gave her a stern look.

"Would you believe she needs me? I did promise her I'd help her fix things with her guy. So if we stay and make sure she sees this through, she can't keep running away. Perfect plan, don't you think?"

"It shouldn't be. But if she's anything like you—"

"Oh, we're practically mirror images. To a scary degree, honestly."

"Well, then if that's true, then maybe you might have a point. It's harder to run away when there are people in your way."

"Exactly! So stand there and be cute and in her way."

As Ale and Poppy committed to being in her way, Melody struggled to figure out how to get out of her own. Saunders's face was colored with worry and frustration. It was obvious she really messed up this time.

"Look," She started, "I know you're probably mad. I don't blame you. You deserve to be."

"I took off. I spend the entire day with a stranger instead of you for our anniversary trip that you planned and everything. I've been a shit girlfriend, haven't I? Don't answer that." She tried to smile, but it slipped. "I think I just freaked myself out, ya know? At first it was little things."

"Like the fact that you're 10 years younger than me, which for a long time I didn't care about at all, but then pre-menopause happened and things changed with sex and then you kept talking about it—"

"So it's my fault?" Saunders interrupted.

"No, of course not! It's me."

"None of that is the real issue. Ya know, earlier, Poppy and I went to this bar in town together, and you wouldn't believe who I ran into there. It was Heath. He looked kind of awful but also maybe the best he's looked in a long time. We talked. He told me he still loved me."

"He wanted me to stay the night with him. And the whole thing just made me think. Not about wanting to stay the night with him, but about how he was emblematic of the fact that everyone in my life always just leaves and at some point I just accepted that I'm this perpetual way station for everyone."

"I mean, he said he loved me and I didn't even believe it. If I was empty enough to take him up on his offer, I just know he would've been off to the next town sleeping with the next girl by tomorrow morning because that's what I am to guys. I got scared that's what I am to you."

"Maybe it's too late for this, but I don't wanna sleep with Heath, and I don't want you to sleep with some rando llama hand or buffet attendant or whoever. I want you to stay, but I want you to want to stay. If I ruined that, just tell me now and rip the bandaid off before I spiral any further."

"Spiral further than jumping off a cliff?"

"I guess that was pretty crazy, huh?" This time Melody's smile stuck to try and lighten things, but Saunder's face was still weathered. "Say something, please? I know I messed up, but—"

"Melody," Saunders sighed. "Come here."

His face was so serious, it threw her off.

"OK? This isn't like the part where you murder me with your bare hands is it? Because there are witnesses here."

"Melody, no jokes. Just come here. Please."

"Poppy? The guy in the coat, did he just call you Poppy?" Melody looked dumbfounded. "Little C, your name is Poppy? Like the flower?"

"Say my government name a couple dozen more times why don't, ya."

"I'm just confused. Tall, dark, angry, what's the story there?"

"Well…" Poppy started before her gentleman friend cut her off.

"Madre mía, Poppy. When you said you were utilizing vacation days, I thought you actually meant it this time, but if you're working—"

"This isn't work, trust me. Look, everyone just stop asking me questions and calm down."

Poppy snuggled up next to the man. "SB, this is Alejandro. Ale, meet my Side Boob."

"You're really going to keep calling me that?"

"What do you mean? That's your name. Unless you're gonna do the big reveal on 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 government name."

"Like anything could top 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴. Poppy, it's so perky sounding."

"Don't judge. I happen to come from a long line of plant based named individuals. It's very prestigious."

"Oh, yeah, sure. Poppy. Very bad ass sounding."

"Hey!"

"Ay, I hate to interrupt, but what's happening here now?" Ale interrupted still confused.

"That's what I've been trying to tell you."

"Side Boob has been having a really bad day, so I've been making her feel better. I know we had dinner plans, but I kind of lost track of time with all the shenanigans."

"Shenanigans, for you like a moth to flame."

"Aww, honey, you get it!"

"Honey? Is he like a boyfriend?" Mel's confusion grew.

"Boyfriend? Course not."

"Phew, because I was about to say—"

"Ale's my husband."

"Husband!"

"Why so shocked, SB?"

"Just shy of an hour ago you were trying to untie my top. What kind of married woman does that?"

"I'm married, not dead and sexless."

"Qué rayos, Poppy." Alejandro let out a deep sigh.

"I was trying to cheer her up, that's all it was. Don't be mad."

"But still—"

"Yeah, what he said!" Mel chimed back in. "What he hell, Little C? Or should I say Poppy? What even was any of this? I feel like I don't even know you anymore!"

"You don't know 𝘮𝘦? What happened to, oh hello Chaos meet Disaster? Neither of us know a thing about 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳."

"Oh don't you dare try to use our kitschy code names against me. Outside of my name, I was very honest and open with you. Meanwhile you're a whole flower with a husband."

"There's a simple way to clear all this up. You know my name, you've met my husband. Now go on and share your name and we can end the day on a high."

"No way! Why should I? I feel all betrayed and stuff."

"Don't taint the day, SB. Spill!"

"Never!"

It took 15 seconds for one dusty brown head to bob back up to the surface, and an additional 5 for a blonde one to bob up right next to her.

The adrenaline was still coursing through Melody's veins as she took in her first breath post stunt. It might've been the most reckless thing she'd ever done.

But that rush? Little C was right, nothing could beat that.

"Plumbius maximus, I cannot believe I just did that! Look at that! We really just jumped from there and now we're here and we're still freaking alive! What even is this?"

"Relax, Side Boob! This is just the euphoria of chasing a thrill."

"Is that what this is? My Watcher, is this what I've been missing all my life? Because I've taken damn near every drug and nothing has ever felt like that!"

"Then you might've missed a few drugs, but this is definitely a top 20 for sure."

"Oh whatever!" Melody splashed her. "You're making that up"

"Let's just say there are a good bit of drugs that aren't on the open market that are a wild ride."

"And how would you know about them?"

"I'm not at liberty to say."

"You know LC, you're a lot of fun, but I never can tell when you're full shit or when you're being real."

"Some would say that's part of my charm." LC rose a brow.

"Well some would say I'm starting to freeze my tits off in this water. How long ya think it would take to get back to the top of the range and get the rest of our clothes?"

"Hmm maybe 45 minutes if we hoof it, assuming they're still there."

"Assuming they're—why wouldn't they be?"

"Well, I might've caught movement in the bushes before we jumped. Could be cougars, could be teens playing a prank. Either way our clothes could be toast."

"Well, damn, LC, what the hell!"

"That's the calculated risk you take when running with me."

"You know….I should be mad at you, but you have a point. Plus," Mel sighed, "I can't stay mad at you LC, you're so cute and unpredictable. I find it way too endearing."

"Aww, shucks, Side Boob, you're making me blush."

"But for real, I'm gonna be an icicle soon so even if our clothes are toast—"

"Gotchu, we'll go see if there's any clothes left to collect. But before we do, you gotta take that in." LC pointed out above them. Somehow the smattering of stars they looked up at from the top of the range showed even brighter from the water.

"Now that's a view." Melody smiled.

The two headed back to the shoreline so they could start their trek back up the range and hopefully back to a present and in tact pile of their clothes. But as they neared the shore, it was clear they were no longer alone.

"Uh oh." Mel could hear LC gurgle above the waves.

The apprehension in LC's voice as she reacted to the tan skinned strangers glowering down at them gave Melody pause.

"Level with me," Mel whispered over to her, "friend or foe? And if he's a foe and we can't take him, tell me we're fast enough to outrun him."

"Chill, SB, he's no foe."

"Perhaps I don't want to know the answer, but when I told you to relax at the resort while I worked today how did that become you jumping off a cliff with a new friend?"

As she walked away from DeShawn, she knew that she was hurting him and that in turn hurt her. But Wren needed her more right now. She could patch up things with D later.

"Hey." Jordin caught up with Wren, but the atmosphere around him was still icy. "I see you haven't left yet."

He didn't respond.

"Oh come on, you know you can't stay mad at me! I'll let you dance with me. You can even place your hands below the waist."

"This isn't a joke!" He finally broke his silence.

"I know, but I told you. D, didn't mean to drop me, so don't be grumpy."

"No, you don't get it!" Wren's temper flared.

"No, I don't." Jordin dropped her playful lilt. "Explain it to me."

"He was reckless! You shouldn't let someone play with your life like that."

"That's just how D is. I've known him forever. He's a goofball. All jokes, nothing malicious. He'd never hurt me on purpose."

"That's not good enough! My dad had a friend who used to play around too much like that. He'd ride at our ranch. He was always rowdy, riling the horses up, and one day he went too far. His horse bucked him and he fell off. Fractured his spine in 3 places. He'll never ride again."

"Do you mean—I mean, can he…"

"Walk? Yeah. He was lucky. But he's got a half a dozen screws in his spine and he'll never have the mobility he once had. So do you get it? From that height you fell you could've really gotten hurt. I don't find anything funny about that."

"Yeah, I get it." A small smile crept onto Jordin's face. "You were worried about me."

"Somebody has to be! I mean get that you've known that guy forever, but he was being careless. You have to be discerning about the company you keep."

"And you're jealous." Her smile widened.

"Wha—jealous?"

"That's not—I mean—it isn't—" Wren stammered.

"It's OK. I think it's sweet." Jordin's smile softened. "You made me feel really special."

"Well, I just, didn't want you to get hurt is all. I didn't mean to ruin the party for you."

"You didn't. In fact, as thanks for making me feel special—"

"I'd like to do something to make you feel special."

"Something like what?"

"Something like this." Jordin stepped toward him and cupped both her hands against his cheeks before planting her lips on his.

In all of Wren's years, he never anticipated that his 16th one would be that of his very first kiss.

The very shock of the moment made a thousand thoughts, a thousand feelings race through Wren's head.

Was Jordin Schaefer really kissing 𝘩𝘪𝘮? Sure they've had moments before, like back in his barn when they really talked for the first time. But it was always a tease. She was never serious.

And it was fine back then because they didn't really know each other yet.

Then months went by, she worked on his family's ranch. She was high maintenance and she complained a lot, but she tried hard despite that. She could be sassy, but she was confident, and funny, and nice when she let herself be.

And he admired all of those things about her because he…

Because she was his friend.

But as the kiss persisted, he started to wonder if that's all she was—if that's all he wanted her to be—if that's all he thought of her.

"See? I told you I got you!" DeShawn said as he proceeded to lift Jordie up with one hand. "Light as a feather."

"D, no showing off! I'm serious, I don't want you to drop me, so use 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩 of your hands."

Wren looked on at them both skeptically as he watched Jordin's insistent version of "fun."

"There," He steadied her with his other hand, "You got it?"

"If by got it you mean chugging with my nose, then sure! You have to lift me a bit higher, D."

"How's this?" DeShawn lifted her high enough that she could start to chug. "You're doing it, babe! Chug, chug, chug, chug!" He started to chant.

For a moment, Jordin was really feeling herself. She was downing like a champ, but then the fluid stream started to rush too fast. She tried to kick at DeShawn to signal him to put her down, but instead he tipped her forward more, the flow quickened and in seconds alcohol was squirting out her nose.

The shooting liquid startled DeShawn, making him lose his grip on Jordin, and down she went!

"Babe, oh my watcher, I, I'm so—" But once he saw her face, back on the ground, wincing from the thud, he couldn't help but start laughing. "I'm so sorry, babe!" He said between chuckles, "But your face!"

"I swear I didn't mean to drop you, but your face, if you could just see your face right now!" He could barely contain his laughter.

"What is wrong with you? You think this is funny?" Wren was not amused.

"Oh my watcher," Jordin winced. "D, you're unbelievable." She was almost frowning, but—

Then her mouth contorted into a smile and giggles.

"Oh my gosh, I can't believe I really did that! I bet I looked so uncool. Did it look really bad, all of that shooting out of my nose?"

"Of course not, babe, I told you'd look hot and you did. You'd look hot even if it was boogies shooting out."

"Oh my gosh, no I would not!" Jordin started laughing harder. "You big goof! Now it's your turn to keg stand, so I can laugh at you when you tap out in 2 seconds."

"Nuh uh!"

"Bet you would."

"Oh yeah, what's the wager?"

"Well—" But before Jordin could put a wager on the table—

"I'm glad that you think practically breaking your necks is so funny." Wren's voice cut through their laughter.

"Wren, it was all in good fun. D dropping me was just an accident. Don't be mad." Jordin tried to reassure him, but he moved past her.

"I guess you and I have different definitions of fun."

"Wren, you know that's not true. We'll do something you like next. Please?"

"Sorry, but I think I'll just go. This is more your scene than mine."

Wren walked off as Jordin watched, regret creeping in.

"Oh no. I should go after him."

"Why? He said this isn't his scene, so let him leave."

"DeShawn, the whole reason why he's here is because I begged him to come with me. And then we get here and I hardly spend any time with him. He probably thought I was ignoring him."

"Good. The guy's a third wheel!"

"D!"

"It's true! We were really reconnecting there. I know you feel it too."

"Look, I know I messed up when we were going out before, but I won't make that same mistake again. I miss you Jordin, and I was hoping tonight we could reconnect and officially give this another go, so whadaya say?"

It wasn't that she didn't feel it too, a spark reflickering between them.

But she just couldn't revisit whatever was going on between them right now.

"D, he's my friend, and he's upset. I can't just let him go like this. You get that, right?"

DeShawn clicked his tongue. "I get that you're into him."

"It's not like that."

At the same time that Matthew was being confronted by Camille, Jordin was getting her party on.

The bizarre game of telephone that is news traveling through a party turned Cordie's fainting spell into going inside to grab some ice to nurse a headache. A more palatable tale than the truth.

The completely untrue rumor certainly made it easier for Jordin to concentrate on the only thing she was there for: to have fun.

And she was having more fun than she anticipated hanging out with DeShawn. He was such a goof, he always knew how to make her laugh, and it didn't hurt that he was cute.

She thought for sure she'd be annoyed with him, which was part of the reason why she brought Wren. She didn't want DeShawn to corner her into conversations about them getting back together without him acknowledging him being the reason they broke up. He was keeping it breezy, which ironically—

was making her consider getting back with him after all. Her and D just fit. It's not like she stopped liking him. She just hated his wandering eye. So maybe…

As she played with the thought, her eye drifted to Wren, as if he factored in. Of course he didn't at all. They were just friends.

Sure, they'd gotten to know each other a lot better during her 8-month grounding and all the time she spent paying the Groves back for the door she damaged by working on their ranch. He was always so kind, and sweet, and hardworking, and really nice to her. Probably nicer than she deserved.

Not that she didn't believe she deserved for boys to be nice to her. Of course she did. But with Wren it was different. He was so nice, she almost felt bad when she teased him too hard.

She shook her head. Ugh, why was she thinking about Wren anyway. They were just friends.

Wren was just a really nice guy friend who was just too nice to ever consider dating. It would never work.

"Absolutely." She confirmed her internal thought process.

"Really, you'll do it?" DeShawn turned to her.

"Huh?"

"I asked if you wanted to do a keg stand, and you said, absolutely."

"D, I cannot be one of those sloppy girls who chugs booze out of a keg. I have an image to uphold."

"It'll be cool! As long as you pace yourself and don't suck in too much too fast. You'll be just fine!"

"I'll fall!"

"I'll hold onto you. You know I'd never let you fall, babe."

"Besides," DeShawn looked her over, "I bet you'd look so hot."

"D!" Jordie giggled as she pushed him back, but just as she did she noticed Wren. His expression shifted.

"So, what do you think, Wren? Do you think I should do it? If you think it's dumb, then I won't."

She immediately regretted phrasing it like that. She wasn't beholden to Wren, but something in her felt like she should say it when his face changed like that.

"Don't let me get in the way of your good time." His affect was flat.

"Wren—"

"He said he's cool with it, so? Want me to help you up?"

"I dunno, maybe—"

"You were just about to say, yes. I know it. And you were the one who said you were about fun tonight, or was that a lie?" DeShawn continued to hype up the keg stand. Even though Wren said go for it, she could tell from his tone he wasn't keen on it.

But she wasn't much interested in dissecting what spoiled Wren's mood so quickly. DeShawn was right, she was about fun tonight, and her first order of business to achieve that fun was to become queen of the keg stand.

"Unfortunately, I can't do that." Matthew dug in his heels.

"You don't have a choice. You don't live here, and I just asked you to leave."

"Your sister just fainted because 50 kids showed up to party in her backyard against her wishes. You wouldn't happen to know whose behind that, would you?"

"So, what? Are you insinuating that I had something to do with it?" Camille smirked. "Even if I did, you can't prove anything."

"Lucky for you, proving your culpability is something I'm wholly uninterested in. Ending this party, on the other hand, is a completely different story."

"You can't do that! This is my house. The party ends when 𝘐 say it does."

"Just a minute ago you were up and arms about Cordelia's safety around me, but you don't care at all about ending the thing that caused the state she's in now to begin with?"

"Cordie can be so dramatic, but she's not dying."

"She'll be safe in here until I finish my set out there."

"Oh sure, in here, behind a glass sliding door that anyone can easily see her through and break into to get at her."

"OK, then I'll put her in her room and lock the door."

"You're what? 90lbs? You can carry 110lbs up a staircase?"

"115lbs. She really went to town on Mama's sweet potato cheesecake over Winterfest. She's been obsessively skipping meals ever since to try and lose the last 5 of the 10lbs she gained."

"Whatever, none of that matters anyway when the easiest solution is to call off the party."

"No way! And don't you try anything like calling the cops or something stupid like that. There are minors drinking here. Everyone will get arrested, even Cordie. You don't want that, right?" Millie knew she had him, but she continued with, "Don't make me call Alpha to remove you, trespasser!"

The last threat was a bluff. Alphie still had an hour and a half of updates to process, but he'd never know that. Besides, the first threat was enough. He'd never let Cordie be thrown in jail. Teen hormones are so predictable.

"Fine, I'll leave."

"Good."

"But everyone here is leaving too."

"There's nothing you can do, so just let it go already! Everyone here is here because they wanna be. They've got free food, free booze, and great music courtesy of me. They won't leave till they're good and ready."

"They will." Matthew said with a cool confidence that threw Millie off.

What was his deal? Her mind scrambled. He had to be bluffing, right? Millie couldn't tell. She was able to anticipate everything, account for every little detail, but this was a wrinkle she didn't forsee having to iron out.

"Oh yeah," Millie called his bluff, "so how you gonna make them leave?"

"Easy," Matthew replied, his resolve unshaken. "I'm going to make them an offer none of them can refuse."

If Izzy wasn't going to do his one useful job and check in on her sister, she would have to do it herself.

Camille grumbled the whole way to the door, if she'd just let herself relax, none of this would have happened. Who gets so worked up they faint at a party?

"As soon as I get in there, I'm gonna pull her up by the collar, and then I'm gonna smack—"

She froze when she made it to the sliding door. There she was. Her sister. And over top her, the boy with the long red hair: Matthew Landgraab. Her jaw clenched.

"𝘩𝘪𝘮 right off of her." She finished.

There was a lot of things that Camille hated about her sister. But despite all of that she didn't hate her sister. And the last thing she'd ever do is stand around and watch someone hurt her. Least of all, a guy who's already hurt her once before.

"Not today, Satan." Camille clicked her tongue.

Every last cell in Matthew's body pulled toward Cordelia. He was so close to her right now, he could smell the scent of strawberries that emanated from her lip gloss. It would be so easy to just let go and to let them connect, but instead he remained hovered, frozen.

Of course he wanted her, but even more than that, he wanted her to want him. And if he kissed her like this, she'd never want him. She'd hate him. So he couldn't do it. He wouldn't. He couldn't kiss her like this.

He began to roll back onto his heels when he heard the sliding door shut.

He froze.

Whoever it was would definitely get the wrong idea. So should he try to explain himself? Who would believe him with what this looked like? But he couldn't say nothing given the circumstances. He braced himself as he readied his response, but before he could—

"Just what do you think you're doing to my sister?"

He knew that voice. Cordelia's little sister.

"Camille." Matthew rose to face her. "This isn't what it looks like."

"Oh really? Because what it looked like was you attempting to assault my sister."

"I wasn't going to do anything like that."

"Llama crap! You were a millimeter away from her face. You were trying to kiss her again, weren't you? You're such a creep! Do you have any idea how much she hated it the first time you did that to her? She hated it! And she hated you for a very long time because of it. She should still hate you."

"I know!" Matthew's anger flared, but just as quick he pulled back. "I know." He said again, much quieter. He wasn't mad at Camille, he was mad at himself because he knew all of this already, yet he let himself be tempted to almost make the same mistake that would close him out of her life for good.

"Look, I don't expect you to believe me. I know what this looks like, but she fainted. My only intention was to get her somewhere safe till she wakes up. Despite appearances, I would never do anything to hurt her. I would never force anything on her like that again."

Camille searched his face. She hated to admit that it didn't look like he was lying about anything he just said. Not that it mattered that much to her in the end.