John B. Routledge, Christian Hughes, Clay Jensen, and Jordan Baker, along with Sarah Cameron, Dani Ardor, Betty Cooper, Jessica Davis, JJ Maybank, Pope Heyward, Kiara Carrera, and Cleo, along with Emily Cooper, Mindy Chen, and Camille, made their way back to the hotel after a long day touring Nimes and trying Provençal cuisines. The Provençal air still clung to their skin as they strolled through the hotel lobby, tired but satisfied from the day's adventures.

As they entered the hotel, Kiara was a little quieter than usual, the recent tension with her parents clearly weighing on her mind. Sarah gave her a nudge, and Kiara smiled faintly. "Let's just forget about it for now," Kiara sighed. "I don't want to think about my mom right now."

JJ, ever the joker, grinned. "What you need is a distraction. How about we throw a little party? I'll 'borrow' some champagne from the bar downstairs."

Kiara rolled her eyes. "Please don't steal champagne."

JJ winked. "It's not stealing; it's repurposing."

Before anyone could protest, JJ disappeared toward the bar.

Emily, Mindy, and Camille, staying at the same hotel, had been part of the day's fun and were quickly invited back for some nighttime relaxation in John B. and Christian's hotel room. They accepted the offer gladly, ready for some low-key fun.


As everyone gathered in John B. and Christian's room, it quickly became a cozy hangout, with pillows strewn about and snacks pilfered from the minibar. The conversation soon turned back to Kiara, and Sarah was the first to ask, "Kie, you good? Want to talk about it?"

Kiara sighed again, her shoulders slumping. "It's just... my mom. And my dad. They're both flipping out about how much I've spent in Paris, Reims, and Nimes. Now they're threatening to send me back to Kitty Hawk."

Pope raised an eyebrow. "The wilderness camp?"

Kiara nodded. "Yeah, because I'm supposedly irresponsible with money. It's ridiculous. They don't get that I'm trying to experience life!"

Christian, leaning against John B., chimed in, "You don't have to justify living your life to anyone, Kie. Especially not your parents. You're doing great."

"Yeah," Dani added. "You've been handling yourself, and you're with us. We've got your back."

The group nodded in agreement. Even Betty, who normally stayed out of family drama, offered Kiara a comforting smile. "Your mom can't control you forever, you know. You've already made the move to NYC. This is just a hiccup."

Kiara smiled gratefully. "Thanks, guys. I appreciate the support. It's just been a lot."


Suddenly, Kiara's phone rang, making everyone jump. She glanced at the screen—No Caller ID.

She sighed. "It's probably my mom. Again."

JJ, who had just returned with a borrowed bottle of champagne, plopped down on the floor. "Oh, this'll be good. Put it on speaker."

Kiara hesitated but then grinned mischievously. "You know what? Why not." She hit the speakerphone button, and the familiar voice of Anna Carrera came booming through the room.

"Kiara, I know you've been hanging up on me, and you will listen this time!" Anna's voice was firm, the frustration palpable. "You cannot just gallivant across Europe like this. You are being irresponsible—"

Emily, perched on the edge of the bed, decided this was her moment. She leaned forward, sass radiating from her. "Excuse me, Mrs. Carrera? Hi, you don't know me, but I'm Emily. And I just want to say, Kiara has been absolutely fabulous this whole trip. She's been living her best life, and maybe if you gave her some freedom—"

Before Emily could finish her well-meaning but sassy defense, Anna cut her off, her voice dripping with irritation. "Who are you? And why are you butting into a private family matter? You don't know anything about how I run my household."

JJ snorted, trying to hold back his laughter, but Emily wasn't done yet. "Well, I do know a thing or two about life, and your daughter is doing great. She's with friends who care about her, and maybe it's time you let her make some decisions for herself."

Everyone in the room exchanged amused glances, knowing this wasn't going to go well. Kiara, stifling laughter, nodded for Emily to continue.

But before Emily could muster another sassy comment, Anna's voice boomed once more. "I don't care who you are or what you think. This is between Kiara and me, and I will not be lectured by a stranger."

Emily's attempt at sass backfired, and the whole room burst into quiet, knowing laughter. Kiara smirked, deciding it was time to end this. "Okay, Mom, I've heard enough. I'm hanging up now."

"Kiara—"

Click.


The room erupted into laughter as Kiara hung up the phone. Sarah gave her a high-five, and JJ popped the champagne bottle, which sprayed everywhere, sending the room into chaos.

"That was epic," Pope said, shaking his head. "I've never seen anyone stand up to a parent like that."

Kiara shrugged, looking far more relaxed than before. "She'll get over it. I just needed to set a boundary. Thanks for backing me up, guys. Even if it didn't... quite work out the way we planned."

Emily, slightly embarrassed but laughing, raised her hand. "Hey, I tried."

"Points for effort," Christian grinned, lifting his champagne glass.


The rest of the night unfolded in laughter and celebration. JJ had managed to bring up another bottle of champagne from the bar, and soon, everyone was toasting to surviving awkward family calls and navigating life together.

Kiara, now in much better spirits, leaned back against the headboard, sipping her champagne. "I can't believe you guys put up with my drama."

"You're family," John B. said simply, clinking his glass against hers. "That's what we do."

As the night went on, the conversations flowed naturally—stories of old trips, future plans, and even more jokes at JJ's expense. At one point, Jessica asked, "So, what's the plan tomorrow? More Roman ruins or just laying around in the sun?"

"Both," Dani answered, stretching out on the bed. "We need to chill after all of today's chaos."

By the time everyone started heading back to their own rooms, the group was more bonded than ever. Kiara hugged each of her friends, knowing that no matter what happened with her mom or her dad, she had a second family right here.


As John B. and Christian finally settled into their own room, Christian turned to John B. with a smirk. "Well, that was quite the night."

John B. chuckled, pulling Christian closer. "I wouldn't trade it for anything."

As they lay there, the soft hum of the city outside, they both knew that their trip—while filled with chaos, family drama, and the occasional stolen champagne—was one they'd never forget.

And with that, they drifted off to sleep, ready for whatever craziness the next day would bring.