. the beginning

[thompson weathers]

THOMPSON

True to form, Thompson is already hungover. Sat on a private jet that did not remotely phase him, he's failed to take his sunglasses off since joining the group, nursing a glass of champagne with the hope that it'll save him. The jet is filled with an excited energy that is actually helping to rally him, the enthusiasm of his peers enough for him to finally get into the spirit of things as he pulls a passing Olivia into his lap. "Liv. Angel. Superstar. Could you please top up my glass? I promise I'll owe you one." The familiar scent of her perfume engulfs him and that too is rallying, so that by the time they've disembarked he's gotten into the spirit of it. Wedged into one of the cars ready to collect them, he's finally beside Jane, who he has to admit looks good even in her more casual travel fit. "Last chance to be roomies, Janie baby. Speak now or forever hold your peace."

STASSI & MAYA

By contrast, Stassi and Maya are incredibly impressed by the private jet. Sitting opposite each other and clinking glasses, the sisters share matching grins. This had felt like it was forever away, even when they had their initial meet up at the first snow party. "So," Stassi smiles, dropping her tone to a conspiratorial whisper, "are you still staying tight lipped about anyone catching your eye?" Her blonde counterpart rolls her eyes, having endured her sister's prying since that same event. "Does everything come down to men with you? I, for one, am looking forward to a weekend with my sister. Especially after the scene you caused at Christmas." It's Stassi's turn to roll her eyes, waving a hand as if she could wave the memory away. "Lulu, can you make extra spicy margs as soon as we get there? Freds, there'll be a full minibar, right?" From the look on Freddie's face, this was a stupid question. "Oh my god you guys, I am so excited."

[freddie beaumont]

FREDDIE

Freddie sits across from Thompson shaking his head at the sunglasses that are still present on his face.. Even in a private jet, they go over the safety concerns and rules of the flight. Freddie makes eye contact with the two beautiful sisters from his seat on the plane, he drops a wink to Stassi as he unbuckles his seatbelt. The plane was settled now and he instantly thinks of the champagne chilling in the fridge. It was time to pop the bottles. “Liv, follow me.” Freddie beckons the influencer to join him in the front to hand out glasses as well as the champagne. He snaps a quick picture of Liv with the many bottles of alcohol, posting it to his Instagram story. They had all agreed upon a ‘close friends’ group and he’s made sure there’s no sight of Thompson. Out of spite towards his best friend Tate, he has no care if Liv will get bombarded with messages from him but merely wants to get under his skin. Back in his seat glass in hand, he laughs at the giddiness that is very obvious from Stassi and Maya. When she asks about the mini bar, he gives her a look. “You only get the best service at the Beaumont, and since you’re with a Beaumont, prepared to be spoiled.” He doesn’t care how cocky the statement is, it was the truth. This was about to be the best time.

LIV

Vegas was Olivia's absolute favorite. Well. Any sort of party was, especially if it included people that were down to have a fun time. Liv follows Freddie to the front cabin where the mini fridge is stocked with champagne. She smirks as Freddie takes her photo and immediately hands the first bottle to Jane. “Cheers, babe. Here’s to another fun filled weekend for us!” Their glasses clink together. Once they’ve finished the first bottle, she stands to get more only to be engulfed into the arms of Thompson, the handsome devil himself. “Mhmm. Anything for you!” She rolls her eyes a bit, but loves the attention he’s giving her. She fills his empty glass and tops off her own. She feels her cheeks warm from a slight buzz, just as the plane lands. Olivia follows behind Pat and Luiz as they exit to the plane to get into the cars waiting for them. She assumes another courtesy of Freddie. “I’m excited for these amazing drinks, Mr. Bartender.” She smiles at Luiz, her tone of voice flirtatious as she slides into the black car.

[jane ridley]

JANE

Jane can barely contain her excitement for the weekend ahead, face composed as casually as she can manage but mind thrumming at the infinite possibilities laid out ahead of them. The slyest of smiles eventually escapes when Liv distributes the glasses, rising quickly from her chair to address the crowd as if the sole host of their demise. "Cheers, you beautiful heathens. May the powder be rich, the booze be strong, and the stories be unthinkable," Easily downing the flute in one glance, Jane's eyes slide briefly to Thompson before flitting away for the rest of the flight, not deigning to acknowledge him until they're sat together in the car. "And ruin any chance of a one-night rendezvous? I'll pass," she murmurs, leaning in further to press her lips to his ear. "Unless you work for it."

PAT & LUIZ

In the other vehicle, Pat still can't believe his luck. The last time he'd been to Vegas had been a blur of college jabs and cheap liquor, suffering in economy back home in what felt like the longest flight possible. Now it's with people whose name he's heard on the news and the owner of the goddamn hotel, grin finally taking over his face as he looks out over the Strip once the Presidential Suite is unveiled. Opulent, massive and begging to be partied in, the hours seem endless as Luiz claps him on the back. "This is the lifee, man," he emphasizes, breezing by to kiss Stassi on the cheek and track down the bar to fulfill her request. Pat's gaze follows him before he disappears, returning to his dark-haired accomplice and her sister who'd made themselves comfortable in the sunken living room. He doesn't think twice before settling next to them, arm thrown over the top of the couch across Stassi's shoulder as Freddie joins the fray. "Something tells me there's more than a mini bar in here, " he starts, surveying the room one more time as music starts to circulate on the surround sound. "And that you weren't kidding when you said we were in for it. Freddie man, thanks again for the hookup."

[thompson weathers]

THOMPSON

"Work isn't exactly my strong suit." Thompson says, well aware of his many, many shortcomings. The strip is as bustling as ever and despite himself he starts to feel the fizz of excitement, the endless possibilities of the last few days starting to percolate through his mind. The hotel is as standard for him as the penthouse but he still gives Freddie's shoulder a squeeze of gratitude as they enter, immediately going to suss out which is the best room so he can lay claim to it, something he expects little resistance too since he's bound to bunk with Freddie and he's sure the other rooms are just as impressive to everyone else. He settles on a bedroom with a huge en suite, expansive views and beautiful mood lighting. "Freddie boy, things are gonna get real romantic between the two of us with a room like this," he calls through, the chatter of everyone filtering through from the shared space as he flops onto the bed.

STASSI & MAYA

The excitement is only intensifying as Stassi lays eyes on the room. She had been a guest of Freddie's in the New York branch of his hotels, a fact she was strangely worried about being revealed within Pat's earshot. Maya gasps as she rushes to the window to take in the full view, the swirl of color against the desert backdrop drawing her in like a moth to flame. Stassi smiles as Luiz's lips find her cheek and she turns to plop herself onto the couch, taking a moment to soak it all in. Soon Pat's arm is slipped around her shoulder and she instinctively sinks down to lean against his chest, kicking her sneakers off to bring her feet up and curl them underneath herself. "Mhmm, thanks Freddie." Maya sits opposite, her eyebrow tweaking almost imperceptibly at the cosy sight. "Jane, you've got the best taste. Think you can get some music going?" Stassi takes the moment to glance up at Pat, a familiar grin on her face. "Can you believe we're really here?"

[jane ridley]

JANE

"No effort, no reward," Jane had teased back, never one to limit herself when rules and responsibilities had effectively been thrown out the window. Nothing screams this further than the room sprawling out before her eyes, humming her approval before dragging Liv off to find a room to occupy. Briefly they bypass a lounge room with an ornate marble bar, Luiz's eyes flickering up slightly to drag over Liv before returning to the round of drinks before him. The laugh under Jane's breath is dark as she pulls her into the next bedroom, unable to hide her glee as she jumps onto the bed. "You havee to fuck Luiz, that man wants you like a snack," she squeals, barely containing her voice even with the door wide open. Sound carries enough to catch Stassi's request, pointing to Liv even though the ask had been for her. "Liv's even better than me," Jane calls back, waiting for her friend to pull out her phone and select a different playlist as she takes a swig from the bottle of champagne she'd nicked from the plane. "Let the party begin, babes."

PAT

Though wildly out of economic place, Pat understood how to get along with these people. Between his quick stint in investment banking and the ever moving social scenes in restaurants he knew how to read and react, understood that the rich cared less and paid more when the limits of their generosity never came up. Nevertheless it felt better to have people he was familiar with here too, head tilting slightly to meet Stassi's gaze and momentarily startled when the sun cut directly across her eyes, viciously blue and rare in their honest warmth. "Not yet, you might have to pinch me later," Pat responds easily, flicking the brim of her baseball cap before turning back to her bright-eyed sister. "Ever been out here, Maya?"

[thompson weathers]

THOMPSON

There are hotel staff buzzing around Freddie and Thompson waves one over to claim the room, encouraging them to unpack for him too. He can't remember the last time he unpacked his own suitcase. Taking in the rest of the suite, he heads towards Liv and Jane's room, easily following the giggling. "Slumber party, is it? Are you gonna do face masks and talk about boys?" Looking at the two of them in this opulent hotel room, it's easy to let his mind wander. "I'm gonna go out on the balcony for a smoke, if anyone wants one."

STASSI & MAYA

"That can be arranged." Maya shakes her head at the question, "I'm not too well travelled, honestly. Not a big partier either," she pauses, eyes glancing around the room as she smiles a pageant worthy smile, "though I'm happy to be reforming my ways this weekend!" Stassi can tell she's slightly overwhelmed by the extravagance around her. Pulling herself away from Pat, she gives his leg a squeeze before crossing sides to sit beside her, keeping her close. Soon Luiz emerges with the drinks and she claps, gratefully accepting hers and taking a sip of the spicy-sour mixture. "God," she moans, taking another. "Exceeding yourself as always!" Maya takes hers and takes a big sip of her own, nodding along. "This is amazing, you're so talented."

[jane ridley]

JANE

Jane undoes the latches of her Rimowa suitcase, grabbing the toiletries that she's artfully arranging in the ensuite before Thompson's voice floats through the doorway. Rolling her eyes, she tugs the sweater that felt stale from the plane over her head, no qualms about being half clothed in front of him as she grabs a clean t-shirt from her bag. "Maybe we'll have pillow fights and I'll go down on her if I'm feeling feisty," she jokes, winking at Liv as she pulls the top over her bra, stepping back into her slides as she drifts her head toward the doorway. "I'll join you, go on."

PAT

"Ah, you're in for a bit of a crash course, then," Pat grins, mimicking her smile. They'd gotten along well enough when he'd been out with her and her friends, Stassi's subtle hints pushing them together as the night had dragged on. But he couldn't lie and say that he wasn't worried too that this weekend would be a lot for her, eyes wide around the room even as her sister settled in beside her. Stassi so much more calm even if he knew she was a bit speechless too, fingers gripping ever so much tighter on the glass as Luiz distributed their round and went on to deliver the others. "Cheers, girls." Pat holds his glass aloft, eyes hovering between the two. "To...a long first night?"

[thompson weathers]

THOMPSON

Having stayed on in New York following their rendezvous, Thompson is relieved to feel the sun on his skin again as he steps out onto the palatial balcony. Various sun loungers and plush outdoor couches are artfully dotted through the space, but he chooses to lean on the glass of the balcony itself, looking down at the hustle and bustle of the strip. He lights up a cigarette and holds the lighter and box out to Jane as she emerges, knocking his sunglasses from the top of his head back down to shield his eyes. Between the champagne, this cigarette and the company, he's feeling better. "What's your vibe, then? Pacing yourself tonight or going all out?"

STASSI & MAYA

Stassi watches the conversation between her sister and her friend - her best friend, potentially? When had that happened - with careful eyes. It's true that she had been trying to push the two together, and with good reason; they were equally nice to look at, both people she trusted with her life, and ultimately, two people she knew to have hearts of gold. But neither was giving much away. "Cheers," she says, clinking her glass with theirs and taking a long swig. "If it's okay I might go shower. I feel gross," Maya says, leaving her drink with two thirds remaining in the glass. More for Stassi. She excuses herself and Stassi turns back to Pat with a semi apologetic smile on her face. "She'll warm up, you'll see. Anyway, how early is too early for shots?"

[freddie beaumont]

FREDDIE

Freddie gets them checked in and while the rest of the group gets settle, he speaks with a few members of the hotel staff. Making sure that all of his requests were made as well talking of a bit of business. His father's one request of him was speaking with a handful of staff. Freddie wants to do that first before the weekend gets away from him. He envisions his hangovers to be out of this world, especially with Thompson involved. Once the talking is done, he returns to the suite to see that the party has become alive. Olivia was playing DJ with a glass of champagne in hand and the rest of the group was gathered around Luiz who was officially the bartender now. "I'm next in line for a drink, Luiz." Freddie requests. He's ready for a strong drink and to see where the first night leads. He walks out to the balcony to spy Jane and Thompson, cigarettes in hand. "Uh oh. Am I interrupting?" He teases as he approaches the pair.

LIV

Olivia lived out of a suitcase constantly, so she saw no real reason to unpack. She unzipped her bag and freshened herself up with a splash of her signature perfume. She giggles when Jane brings up her hooking up with Luiz. He was beyond gorgeous, she wouldn't mind that one bit. "We will see." She winks at her friend before exiting their shared room. It was theirs for now, but who knows where either of them would end up once the party was in full force. Olivia is thrilled when Jane recommends her for. "I've got the music!" The speaker on the edge of the mini bar lights up on, and Liv pairs her phone. Her playlist is filled with a good amount of throwbacks and current music, something for everyone. Liv hears Stassi ask if it's too early for shots and perks up immediately. There's only a little bit of champagne left in her glass, so she finishes, "Music to my ears!! Never too early. Tequila anyone?" She grabs the bottle next to Luiz who was mixing up a few margaritas. She digs around for something to put the alcohol in. "Who wants one?" Liv asks, she starts to line up the shot glasses.

[jane ridley]

JANE

The first drag that sweeps into her mouth is perfection, Jane handing him back what she'd borrowed before spiraling smoke into the air. Vegas more often than not felt like a fever dream, excess only accessible in her wildest imagination. The fact that it was tangible in this moment spirals the grin up her full lips even further, quirking her brow at Thompson in amusement. "I don't think Vegas has known anything but fast and furious," Jane responds, stepping closer into his space. Luckily catching Freddie's appearance before she pushed any further, Jane takes another drag, heart beating a little harder suddenly at this panicked thought she'd hooked up with both of them. Strangely something she'd kept quiet from Thompson, inner turmoil lulled under the guise of her nimble fingers poised on her cigarette. "You wish, my good man. What about you - Vegas, full throttle?"

PAT & LUIZ

"I've seen," Pat reminds, having seen Maya come out of her shell after a few drinks at the bar. It was loud personalities and one big room right now, drinks and music and energy flowing through the space in a way that seemed so tangible. Nights truly theirs for the taking, smiling against the rim of his glass as Liv and Luiz joined the fray again. "Never early enough," Luiz decides, expertly tossing together another shaker of ice and smooth tequila as glasses lined the bar top. "Any superstitions with tequila shots?" Pat asks once he's off the couch, offering his hand and the question to Stassi. She'd shared amusing anecdotes before around cocktails, briefly catching Luiz's eye as his arm casually looped around Liv's waist to grab fresh limes. Smooth, Pat mouths, his friend shrugging innocently as if he was none the wiser. Salt is poured on wrists like coke lines when they crowd around, a humorous, timely touch. "Salud," Luiz toasts, tossing the glass back with ease. Pat quickly follows suite. "What's the plan for tonight?"

[thompson weathers]

THOMPSON

The temperatures outside aren't as oppressive as he remembers them being, usually opting for further afield trips than Vegas at this time of year. It's a lot more tolerable but Thompson slightly yearns for the near unbearable heat of the summer, pounding down and making it impossible to forget that you were in the middle of the desert. The whole city was a monument to humankind's hedonism, the incredible feat of building a city in what should be uninhabitable wasteland only to fill it with neon lights and slot machines. Very American. "Music to my ears," he says, a smirk spreading across his face though it wanes almost imperceptibly as Freddie emerges. He glances between them, wondering if they were eyeing each other up when his head was turned. Fair game, really. He tilts his head at Jane's question, offering Freddie the cigarette box as he waits to hear how much fun his friend was willing to have.

STASSI

Stassi's suggestion of shots has gone down a treat and it feels portentous. She takes Pat's hand, heaving herself up and towards the bar. "It's not the tequila that concerns me," she says seriously, watching like a hawk as Luiz lines it up on eager wrists. Inevitably, some trickles down onto the countertop, making her shake her head. "Lu, throw some over your left shoulder right now. Spilling salt will bring you years of bad luck." Her tongue presses against her wrist, catlike as she takes care to clear it of salt without her own spillage, swilling it down with the tequila. It was clearly top shelf, offering far less burn as it went down though she knew it probably wouldn't be so kind were it to come back up. With this in mind she resolves to settle into the buzz, trying to pace herself to the evening without getting messy or leaving her sister vulnerable. She leans against a bar stool, pondering the question. "Well, we'll inevitably hit the clubs, right? I might need a power nap and a bath before that, though."

[olivia hamilton]

FREDDIE

Freddie's eyes can't help but take in Jane's gorgeous figure. He understood his friend's obsession with the dark haired beauty. Freddie would rather die than let Thompson know of their little 'run in.' Especially after his panicked admission to Freddie a few months ago. Their night of passion would forever be a secret to them, if Freddie had it his way. Thompson offers him a cigarette, and he gladly accepts. It was a guilty pleasure, particularly when the alcohol and various recreational drugs flowed through his veins. Slipping the cigarette between his lips, Freddie lights it and enjoys the familiar feeling it brought him. Blowing his first drag away, he chuckles to the pair beside him. "Vegas is my favorite. Of course I'm going full throttle." He gives them a look as if they had two heads. But a part of him cringed when he said the words full throttle, as if he didn't fully mean it. Freddie gives Jane a quick wink while Thompson isn't looking. "What are you looking most forward to, Jane?" He asks before taking another long inhale. The sounds of some loud cheers pulls Freddie's attention back to the living room. "Looks like they've done some shots without us. I think it's our turn, don't you?"

LIV

Liv grins as the group comes in closer to partake in the first round (of many, if she had it her way) shots for the evening. She watches with admiration as Luiz lines the glasses up, pouring her favorite poison into the tiny cups. She feels his arm briefly shift around her waist, and she can't help but let a smirk take over her lips. The fuzzy feeling of chemistry, obviously buzzing between the two. "Cheers," Olivia loudly proclaims with the rest of the group. Soon enough the liquid is lighting up her small body as a few drops trickle from the side of her lips. The warmth of the alcohol travels down her throat, now warming the rest of her body. Olivia likes the idea of a power nap and freshening up. "What time are we wanting to officially go out? It's Vegas, so we're destined to be out pretty late and if this is how we're getting started...." She gestures to the shots and various alcohols lined up on the bar. "What are you thinking of wearing first, Stassi?" She mentally thinks of all the outfits she stuffed into her oversized suitcase. Olivia peeks out to the balcony to see Thompson, Freddie and Jane. A screen door separated them. She thinks to Jane's confession of her night with Freddie and wonders how that must be going.