Chapter 71
After the flight, everyone headed straight to the hotel. We were all a bit tired from the trip, but the energy was still high with the Super Bowl just around the corner.
As we stepped into the lobby, Cher looked around with a casual glance and said, "Oh, I remember this hotel. It is a nice one."
Exactly what you'd expect from a Beverly Hills princess.
The place really was nice, though—polished marble floors, staff in tailored uniforms, and that faint, expensive scent that lingers in luxury places. Everyone began checking in, grabbing their key cards.
Terrance, Parker, and Spencer looked around like they had just walked into a palace. Terrance turned to me wide-eyed and whispered, "Are you sure we can stay here?"
I just grinned. "Positive, big guy. Just don't break anything. We're good."
Then I turned to the group. "It's 11:00 now. Lunch will be at 12:30 here, for anyone who wants to join. We're heading out for the Super Bowl at 5:30 PM, so feel free to do whatever you want until then."
—
After a quick shower, I headed back downstairs and made my way to the hotel bar. Charlie, Alan, and Spencer were already there, drinks in hand and looking way too comfortable in those lounge chairs.
A few minutes later, Freddie and Sam came in behind me, still bickering about something I didn't even want to understand.
"Let's talk about girls," Sam said suddenly, like she was calling for a classic bro talk.
Charlie raised an eyebrow. "Now this should be good."
Then he leaned in toward me and whispered, "Is she?"
I shook my head. "Not really. She likes boys."
Alan, trying to jump into the gossip, chimed in, "Those two seem like your typical popular girls," clearly referring to Regina and Cher.
"The queen bees," Charlie added.
Then, with a smirk to Alan, he said, "That reminds me of our school queen bees."
"You're kidding. With Carly, they're the most popular girls in our grade," Freddie said.
"Hey, don't forget our little Sam here," I added with a grin. "That would make four. This tomboy-ish girl has a lot of admirers."
Sam gave me a playful punch in the arm. "Ow, don't put me together with them. That just feels creepy, you know."
Charlie chuckled and looked at me. "So you kissed two, and the other two are friends?"
"Wait, you kissed Cher?" Freddie asked, incredulous.
Charlie leaned back, smirking. "Why do you think he switched seats with Alan on the plane after a while? Clearly Alan has zero chances with Pepper."
"Thank you, Charlie," Alan said, unamused.
Then Spencer spoke up, narrowing his eyes at me. "What about my sister? Did you kiss her too?" he asked, trying to sound like the protective brother.
"Nah, we're good friends," I said, unfazed.
"So anyone kissed her?" Spencer asked again.
"I wish..." Freddie murmured.
Without hesitation, Sam stood up and kicked Freddie in the shin under the table.
"OW! What was that for?!" Freddie yelped, grabbing his leg.
Charlie leaned closer to me and murmured, "Are these two?"
"Not," I said, then paused with a smirk, "for now."
—
After a while, everyone came downstairs. We all headed together to the hotel restaurant.
It was funny seeing the diversity of food on the table. Pepper, Cher, and Regina were eating the fancy stuff—the kind that comes in tiny, artsy portions. Pepper had a glass of wine in hand, looking completely at home. Cher and Regina looked like they wanted one too, but Pepper immediately shut that idea down with a firm shake of her head.
Meanwhile, Spencer, Parker, Terrance, and Sam were definitely the ogre types—plates stacked with food like they were preparing for winter. From burgers and ribs to a mountain of fries, their part of the table looked like a medieval feast compared to the delicate plating on the other side.
Carly and Freddie asked for the same as me—Kobe beef with potatoes—after I told them how good it was. Carly took a bite and said with wide eyes, "This beef is so good."
Freddie nodded in agreement with his mouth full. "This is insane. I think I'm gonna dream about this steak tonight."
I just smiled, leaning back in my chair, watching the odd yet perfect group of people around me. Somehow, this chaotic group had turned into something like a family—even if I've known some of them for less than five months.
"And about this afternoon, what are you all thinking of doing?" I asked, looking around the table.
Cher, sitting two seats away, turned to Regina and they said in sync, "Shopping."
I just rolled my eyes. Then I looked at Freddie and Carly. "Want to do some sightseeing? I've never been to Tampa before."
Carly exchanged a look with Freddie, then smiled. "That actually sounds fun."
"I'm in," Freddie added quickly. "Way better than following those two into a boutique war zone."
"Alright then," I said, standing up. "Let's go be tourists for a couple of hours."
—
Me, Sam, Carly, Freddie and Spencer ended up heading out together to explore Tampa. Terrance and Parker stayed behind, fully absorbed in the hotel lounge's pre-game coverage, which included a replay of the previous year's Super Bowl. I just shook my head watching them. "Those two foot maniacs," I muttered.
Grandpa was off with Dad, doing their own thing—probably something that involved stubborn opinions and decaf coffee. Charlie was nowhere to be seen, as usual. And Pepper, ever the responsible one, decided to act as the supervising adult for Cher and Regina. Surprisingly, the two girls didn't mind at all. In fact, they seemed delighted. Pepper wasn't just a chaperone—she was like a queen bee with actual power and poise, and they were more than happy to buzz around her.
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