Chapter 17: Cocoa, Wheat, and Still Life with a Coffin.

February 5, 2024, 5:00 PM. The Mansion and Estate District of Dreamside, Cocoavilla.
Aria sits in her home, dressed in a white T-shirt and loose blue lounge pants. She refuses to admit the small internal crisis twisting inside her. The idea of Kate becoming Brian's girl spins out of control. Brian has clearly fallen for her—hard. The thought that Kate might dump Alex for him feels amusing, exciting, even arousing, but…
Aria takes a sip of cola from the can and sits on the spacious couch in her living room.
What if Kate does not dump Alex? What if Brian loses his mind? And if she does… Alex is a fool, sure, but he seems like a decent guy. Fuck.
Aria sighs and rubs her earring between two fingers. No, she does everything right. But she cannot let Brian take over.
Still, she needs advice.
Aria swings her legs off the couch, leans toward the laptop on the glass coffee table, and sets the half-empty cola can beside it. She types a WhatsApp message to Cheryl, who shows as online.
CocoaAmericano: "Cheryl, we need to talk. Right now, video call, just the two of us. Can you?"
A few seconds later comes the reply.
CherryChanelly: "Oh, SweetCocoa, let's do it!"
A joyful, mischievous expression appears on Cheryl's face on Aria's laptop screen. The redhead beast looks in the mood today.
Cheryl sets her iPhone on a special stand on the table in her art studio at the main building of Cherry Hill estate. Aria sees her working on a painting—a gloomy still life with fruits and a coffin.
Cheryl wears a bright red dress with a deep neckline that highlights her small, attractive breasts and slim figure with its slightly firm butt. She picks up a brush, turns toward the canvas, and continues painting while speaking to Aria in her usual narcissistic-mannered tone.
"Oh, Cocoa… you look so gloomy today. Did something happen?" She freezes for a moment without turning around. "Oh, no! Don't tell me you caught syphilis or something. I get it, your boyfriends' black rods don't fit most condoms. But you have to think about your health, darling!" she says with genuine cheer and keeps coloring the coffin.
Aria rolls her eyes dramatically, but her expression darkens right away. She pulls her knees to her chest, wraps her arms around them, and presses her back into the couch cushions. Her usual confident posture turns subdued. Cheryl notices despite still painting.
"No, bitch, I don't have syphilis," Aria snaps, irritation sharp in her voice. "It's just… this thing with Brian and Kate gets complicated. Brian is basically obsessed with her now. And I'm starting to think maybe I made a mistake pushing this whole situation."
"Hmmm…" Cheryl steps back from the painting and studies her work. "Cocoa, you sound like a laxative. 'Made a mistake'?" She glances at the phone, her expression unreadable. "Just don't say it publicly, sis. You'll embarrass me." She returns to the canvas with a sigh. "So your black buffalo gets harder for Kate than for you, huh? And you're just jealous? Or worried about Kate's kid?" She chuckles, meaning Alex. "Just admit it: you still have a long way to go to reach me… though you try." She adjusts her hair with her free hand and continues without turning. "The Roman courtesan came to Sappho the Lesbian…" She hums, clearly casting Aria as the courtesan and herself as Sappho. "What do you want from me, hmm?" She turns to the screen. "Even through my phone I feel your despair. Don't worry, girl. Just figure out what you need: a shameful prom escape because you wear the same dress as your friend, or your most dazzling day of the year?"
Aria's jaw tightens. She huffs and rolls her eyes again, but the bite is gone. Her arms stay wrapped around her knees, shoulders curled. She stares at the wall, then exhales heavily and drops her forehead onto her arms.
"I don't know what I want, alright? That's the problem." Her voice comes out muffled, thick with frustration and exhaustion. She lifts her head, presses her hands into her face, and runs them through her hair. "It started as a joke. Like, okay, maybe Brian and Kate would be cute together."
Cheryl freezes, brush pressed to the canvas, then resumes shaping the black coffin. "And? What bothers you? Listen, Ballerina Cappuccina…" She sets the brush aside on the paint tray and walks to the table. Leaning in, she looks straight into the screen. The red dress traces the contours of her small but enticing breasts, neckline deep. The color pairs perfectly with her ginger hair, fair skin, and green eyes.
"I get that your Brian is a real bad boy with a kind heart, but… he agreed to your idea. Kate agreed. Alex agreed. If anything goes wrong, let them blame themselves. Either way, you won't be left without Brian's black dick, don't worry. Your beloved King B loves spending time with both of you." Cheryl smiles warmly. "Kate will never trade her brown-eyed bestie for some poor Eastern European boy with a big need for attention from a white American blonde. Even if that white Eastern European boy writes the best books about the kind of sex he can't deliver in practice." She pushes off the table with a sly smile and glides back to the painting, brush in hand. "There's room in Brian's heart for both of you, Ari. Kate will always stay with you because you complement her so well. Tonight Alex will date his hand while Kate dates the 'chocolate factory' in Topanga. White introverted boys these days are perfectly happy with their own hands anyway, if you catch my drift."
Aria exhales sharply through her nose, lips pressed into a thin line as she stares at the laptop screen. Cheryl's words hit with their usual precision. She swipes her tongue across her teeth and shifts on the couch, adjusting her white T-shirt and loose blue lounge pants.
"I know he agreed," she mutters, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "That's not the fucking problem."
Cheryl hums, rolling the handle of the brush between her fingers as she watches Aria on the iPhone screen. Her green eyes narrow slightly, lips curving into something knowing.
"So... what is the problem, then? Brian doesn't want to share Kate with Alex, and Alex and Kate themselves don't know about it yet, right?"
Aria exhales sharply, fingers pressing into the couch cushions. "Yeah, that's the fucking problem, Cherry," she mutters, voice tight. "He's holding it in, but I can feel it. He's coiled up, waiting for me to say something. Like I'm supposed to give him permission to just—" She gestures vaguely, frustration clear on her face.
Cheryl's brush freezes. "Permission… for what?" She raises an eyebrow with a smile. "Permission to steal Kate away from Alex? I hope you didn't give your black knight the idea that beating the crap out of Alex would be a good move?"
Cheryl steps aside for a few seconds, disappears from the laptop camera, then reappears holding a bottle of water. She twists off the cap and takes a few sips with the grace of someone shooting a commercial. "Dreamside is, after all, a refined creative community—we don't value roughhousing here." She sets the bottle aside. "I don't know the exact habits of black guys from Beverly Hills, but I suspect boys will always be boys… especially when we're talking about black boys."
Smiling, Cheryl rests her hands on her hips. "But anyway, why am I talking like some slut from Blacked.com? Enough of this raceplay nonsense. You're the expert on chocolate éclairs here, not me." She crosses her arms over her chest. "All you did was introduce those two. If they end up fucking tonight, so what? Poor Alex's dick is going to fall off from jealousy? If someone can't handle a few sexual acts without breaking down… maybe Dreamside just isn't for him. You know, there are lovely Amish communities in America."
Aria scoffs, shaking her head. "That's not even the point, Cherry. I'm not worried about Alex's dick falling off. I'm worried about Brian." She leans forward, elbows on her knees, fingers laced together. "You know Brian. He's not the type to just sit back and watch. If he thinks he's in love with her, he's going to act on it. And if Alex finds out—"
She trails off, biting her lip. "I don't want this to blow up in all our faces. Dreamside is supposed to be a safe space, not a fucking reality TV drama."
Cheryl's face relaxes, understanding spreading across her features. "Listen to me, 110 lbs of cocoa... When you told me that on the morning of February 3 you were going to their mansion to persuade Alex yourself—I told you this is exactly how it would turn out." She puts her hands on her hips again and sighs. "You shouldn't have sent Kate to Swag&Pop that morning for nothing, instead of letting her talk to her own boyfriend about it. But no—you showed up, teased Alex like, 'Your dick has bored Kate, baby—so now she wants Brian'…"
Cheryl pauses, thinking. "Well, there's a grain of truth in what I just said. But whatever..." She adjusts her red dress around her small bust. "What matters is that Kate and Alex love each other, and Alex will do whatever Kate tells him. And if Kate decides to go further… Well, then that will be Kate's decision and responsibility, not yours."
Cheryl looks at Aria with fondness. "Even on the small screen of my iPhone you look really cute in your white T-shirt and blue lounge pants. Don't be blue—or your boobs won't grow, too."
Aria shifts on the couch, rolling her eyes at the teasing, but her attention quickly returns to the weight of the situation. "You're right, I know you're right. But it's not just about Kate and Alex anymore. Brian..." She trails off, biting her lip. "Brian's been acting weird lately. He's been talking about Madi a lot, and I don't think..."
Cheryl interrupts her with a short, ringing laugh. "Hmm… now this is interesting…" Genuine amusement shines in her eyes, but there's no mockery. "Your 'I don't stick my dick in every girl' guy decided to stick his dick in another girl? Even when Kate Norwin herself is on the main menu?"
Cheryl crosses her left arm under her chest and adjusts her hair with her right hand. "Well, listen, Madi—that's a whole other level… I'm not even sure who will tame whom in the end. Did he get hooked on her right after that video call yesterday evening?" She crosses both arms under her chest. "Don't overthink it, Ms. Vale. You're really diving deep into all this mess at Château des Rêves. You're Kate's bestie. Not Brian's nanny—or a babysitter for all the residents of their French-named mansion and British narrow-mindedness. Just drop it."
Cheryl's words hang in the air, sharp but not unkind. Aria exhales and sinks deeper into the couch, fingers twisting the hem of her white T-shirt.
"Yeah, but—"
"But nothing," Cheryl cuts in, smirking. "You're acting like you're the one who got cheated on. Last I checked, you and Brian were open. Emphasis on open."
Aria rolls her eyes. "It's not about that. It's about—"
"—About him catching feelings?" Cheryl arches a brow. "Oh, honey. Welcome to the club. You invented the club."
Cheryl picks up the brush again, ready to continue painting. She dips it toward the black paint to finish the coffin on her still life with fruits, then freezes and turns back to the iPhone screen.
"Ah… I see!" She traces an indistinct shape in the air with the brush. "I've figured out your hints… It's not about Brian falling for Kate. And it's not about him wanting to try the holes of that cute doctor from Château des Rêves either…" She pronounces the mansion's name with a deliberately exaggerated French accent.
Then she becomes serious, staring piercingly at Aria. "Lean closer to your laptop, baby—I want to see your eyes…" Cheryl says slowly, syllable by syllable. "Tell me you're not in love with Brian. Just say it."
Aria's breath catches. Her fingers twitch against her thigh as she presses her palms flat against the couch cushions. She hesitates, just a fraction of a second too long.
Cheryl doesn't miss it.
"Oh my God," Cheryl exhales dramatically, raising both hands. "You are!" She swirls the brush in the black paint and shakes her head with a stunned laugh. "You actually are! The great Aria Vale—" She jabs the paintbrush toward the screen like a baton. "—is in love with successful rapper King B, who she fucks!"
"I'm not—" Aria starts, but Cheryl cuts her off.
"Aria! Enough! I've got you figured out! Listen—you've always had a thing for Black guys. And rappers. And now—what do we have here? A Black rapper…" Cheryl smiles warmly. "Let's just say your Italian heart melted a little more this time than it usually does. So what? Now you'll just be sharing a boyfriend with your bestie… Or do you really think Kate would mind if you joined them as the third wheel on their dates?"
Cheryl arches her brows suggestively, genuine amusement shining in her eyes. "Some girls want Brian Jackson, others want Kate Norwin… and you get both." She giggles. "Or are you scared you'll lose to Kate in your future little competition of 'Who gives Brian the better blowjob?' Damn… Ari—you're such an idiot. I've never seen you worry over something so trivial. But fine—if something really bothers you… just say it to Kate and Brian. They both love you, and who knows…"
Cheryl pauses. "Maybe soon you'll be loving each other all three ways."
Aria stays silent for a few seconds. Then her face turns mysteriously playful, and she bursts out laughing. "Shut up, Cheryl!" She shakes her head, but she can't wipe the smile off her face. Embarrassment colors her cheeks, yet she knows Cheryl sees right through her. Always has.
"Okay, fine," Aria sighs, dragging her fingers through her high ponytail. "Maybe I did think Brian was cute from the start. And maybe now I've seen what he's like with Kate at parties in Château des Rêves, and I... yeah." She looks away for a fraction of a second before meeting Cheryl's gaze again, resolute. "I really want to be with Brian. And I would like to try a throuple. I mean seriously, no joke."
Cheryl doesn't hide her smirk. "Wow. That's big for you, sweetheart." She swirls the paintbrush in her water cup with a satisfied smile. "Tara will be thrilled to hear I was right—she said you'd eventually want to try a threesome with Brian and Kate. And judging by how you're squirming right now..." She lets the words hang, watching Aria's growing embarrassment and giggles.
Aria rolls her eyes, but she can't hide her rising amusement. "I'm not squirming! I'm just... thinking about logistics. And Kate's feelings. And how it would affect everyone. And also... Brian's possible opinion about it. I mean, will he be comfortable with both of us at the same time?"
"Oh please." Cheryl scoffs and sets her brush down to give Aria her full attention. "He's obsessed with Kate. But he's also obsessed with you. The way he looks at you, sweetheart..." She smiles. "Brian won't say no to being in a bed with both of you. Not unless he's completely stupid—which he's not."
"Hmm," Aria hums, resting her chin on her hand, clearly amused. "You think he'd be into that? I mean, he's pretty dominant... I don't know if he'd like sharing control."
Cheryl snorts and sets down her cup of water. "Baby, if Brian could have what he wants without question, he'd have Kate all to himself right now. But this works out better for him—you've got control of her too." She raises an eyebrow, a knowing smirk on her face. "And trust me, when the time comes, he'll take that control from you if you let him."
Aria feels a flicker of embarrassment at the implication, but she doesn't deny it. She bites her lower lip, glances away for a moment, then looks back at Cheryl. "Maybe you're right," she admits, her voice quieter now. "But it's complicated. Alex still exists in all this. And I do feel bad for him sometimes."
Cheryl waves a hand dismissively. "Oh please. Don't pretend you're all high and mighty about Alex. You knew what you were doing when you brought Brian into their relationship." She gives Aria a pointed look. "And don't try to tell me you're not enjoying every second of it."
Aria lets out a soft breath of laughter and shakes her head. "I do enjoy it," she admits, running her fingers across the glass coffee table as she looks at Cheryl in the WhatsApp video call window on her laptop. Cheryl walks up to the table, picks up the iPhone, and speaks to Aria while holding the phone closer to her face.
"Listen. Alex is a fucking successful writer who publishes under pseudonyms and kisses Kate's ass—and probably not just figuratively. Don't waste your worries on him—he's got plenty of girls in that mansion… he's got Lila, for god's sake." Cheryl pauses for a moment, then continues.
"Look, all that romance he has with Kate—it's sweet and all… But he hasn't had panic attacks for ages. He's already made it as both an erotic writer and as an American. So if Kate stops treating him like a little kid with a sex-option, everyone will be better off in the long run."
Cheryl giggles. "But it's true, cocoa-amie! I barely see Alex these days. Unlike you, I'm only at their mansion for parties." She squints playfully. "She's not still bottle-feeding him and changing his diapers, is she? Or have their relations not matured to that stage yet?"
Cheryl's voice drips with amusement as she leans forward until her face fills the screen of Aria's laptop. "And come on, be honest—when you see them together, does it ever feel like you're watching a teenager making out behind the bleachers? Because I definitely get that vibe." She winks, her bright red hair catching the light.
Aria laughs and shakes her head as she adjusts her position on the plush couch. "Sometimes, yeah. But there's something genuine about them too. Like... they actually love each other."
Cheryl scoffs and rolls her eyes dramatically. "Love? Maybe. But let's be real—if Brian gets serious about making moves on Kate, Alex won't stand a chance." She taps the iPhone screen with a manicured nail. "Kate would never admit it out loud, but she's already halfway there. You started this whole thing, remember?"
Aria exhales sharply through her nose. She picks up the half-empty can of Coke from the coffee table and leans back, looking at the screen. "I started it because Brian couldn't stop talking about her after that party on September 2, 2023. You remember—the one where Kate wore that silver dress and spent half the night messing around on the mini-golf course in the ballroom."
Cheryl's grin widens. "Oh, I remember. Brian looked like someone had hit him over the head with a nine-iron. So you thought, why not introduce them properly? Play matchmaker for your own boyfriend and your best friend. Bold move, even for you."
"It wasn't like that." Aria rolls her eyes, swirling the Coke in her can before taking a sip. "Brian was obsessed. You know how he gets—like a golden retriever with a new chew toy. And Kate? She was intrigued. I just nudged them in the same direction a few times. That's all."
Cheryl arches a brow. "Uh-huh. And then he confessed to you—what was it again? 'Ari, I think I'm falling for her'?" She mimics Brian's voice, deep and hesitant. Aria's lips twitch despite herself.
"Yeah, well." Aria shrugs. "But he did. And you sat there smiling like the cat that ate the canary."
Cheryl leans forward, resting her chin on her hands. "You made it happen, and you had to deal with the fallout. Don't pretend you didn't enjoy it a little."
Aria huffs and shifts on the couch. "Of course I did. It was hot. Seeing Kate and Brian together—knowing I set it all in motion? There's something thrilling about that." She swirls her Coke again, the ice clinking softly. "But it wasn't just about the thrill. I wanted them to be happy."
Cheryl paces around her art studio in the main building of her Cherry Hill estate, holding her iPhone up. She glances at Aria's image on the screen while searching for something. Aria notices that Cheryl's dress is not just red—it's dusted with tiny sparkles.
"You wanted them to be happy," Cheryl says. "And since September 2nd last year, you've been nudging those two together at every party in Château des Rêves, while Kate's clueless boyfriend sits up on the third floor writing books and hiding from the parties. What a long-running prank on Alex." Cheryl chuckles. "Well, it's his own fault. If you don't party with your girlfriend, someone else will. And there's no justifying that with panic attacks."
Aria laughs and sets her Coke can down. "You know Alex. He's a sweetheart, but he's got his quirks. If Brian's going to sniff around Kate like a love-struck puppy, someone has to make sure it plays out nicely."
Cheryl snorts. "Oh, please. 'Plays out nicely'? You mean like a well-orchestrated reality show? 'Wheat Valkyrie' dating the rapper while 'Small PP' hides in his office?" She giggles, finally finding what she looks for. "Alright." Cheryl stops and gives the screen a sly look. "You didn't call me just to get an indulgence for your little scheme and sort out your moral contradictions, did you?"
She stretches the phone out and tilts it, showing off her entire sparkling red dress. "I've got dinner with Tara in an hour. I thought I'd work on my painting while she's out. So let's cut to the chase: what do you want from me, little cocoa slut? Men want to sleep with the magnificent Cheryl, and women want at least a drop of my magnificence. But you're more into boys—and you've got plenty of your own. So what is it, hmm? Trying to drag me into your little adventure?"
Aria leans back on the plush velvet couch, swirling the last sip of Coke before she drinks it. The corner of her mouth quirks up, eyes glinting with mischief. "Oh, Cheryl, always so direct." She tosses her hair over one shoulder, the silver hoops in her ears catching the light. "But you're right—I didn't call just to chat. Though honestly? Your moral compass is way more fun than mine when it starts spinning."
Cheryl rolls her eyes but stays quiet, tapping a fingernail against her phone screen. Aria continues, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial purr. "Alright, here's the deal. You and I both know Brian's been sniffing around Kate for months. And yeah, I may have been the one throwing them together, letting things 'accidentally' happen." She air-quotes dramatically. "But now it's getting real. And I need you to make sure it all plays out smoothly."
She leans forward, elbows on her knees, hands clasped under her chin. "Brian's confessed to me how he feels about her. And Kate? She's starting to catch feelings. But Alex? Sweet, quirky, socially awkward Alex?" She shakes her head, a playful smirk spreading across her face. "He's clueless."
Cheryl rolls her eyes. "So… we're speaking plainly now, okay? Finally, now that you've stopped squirming like a schoolgirl at a gynecologist's office and started calling things by their real names—I'll help you paint the picture. Here's the picture: you fucked up, Ari." She stares straight into the phone screen at Aria's image.
"You fucked up, and now you want me to… what? Convince your horny black buffalo to back off? Distract Alex so he keeps suspecting nothing? 'Enlighten' Kate about how black cocks are better? Listen, everything's already working out great for you—you know about Erodreamarts, don't you? Yeah, I can see it in your eyes already—our whore mayor surely reached out to you yesterday, same as she did to me. From what she told me, they want to drag all the mansions and estates in our district into this shit—including Château des Rêves."
Cheryl leans closer to the screen. "And now, if your brain hasn't been completely scrambled by Brian's black cock, tell me: where do you think Dana will stash Alex for a couple months, hmm? Let him wander around the mansion, risking the reveal of the big secret behind Sogni Nudi's bestsellers? Some people already suspect that it's all written by just one or two people… Or will she make him move out for a few months? I've already helped you a little before, convincing Dana to pile more work on him so he wouldn't accidentally interfere with Kate and Brian getting closer, even though he keeps away from the parties anyway… So what do you want from me this time, hmm?"
Cheryl waits for Aria's answer. Aria knows better than to try playing tricks with her. Aria's smirk doesn't falter, but her eyes sharpen—a predator's stillness settling in. She takes another slow sip of Coke, letting the silence stretch just enough to make Cheryl's impatience palpable. "Oh, Cheryl. Always cutting right through the bullshit. I love that about you." She sets the can down with a soft clink. "But no, I don't want Brian to back off. I want him in. All the way in."
She leans back, stretching her arms along the couch. "And you're right—Erodreamarts is the perfect cover. Dana's already planning to move Alex out."
Cheryl lets out a loud sigh and sinks into the plush armchair in her art studio. "Alright, let's get to the point. I already told you—I've got dinner with Tara soon, and that's sacred." She brings the phone closer so that her face fills the entire screen of Aria's laptop.
"Yes, Dana will convince Alex to move to some little California town by the end of February—she'll even provide him housing, I'm sure of it. And of course Alex will agree. Which means by March 1st, he won't be at the mansion anymore. You texted me this morning that Kate messaged you, saying Alex supposedly came to terms with her whim about Brian, and that he's not even against Brian moving into their mansion…" Cheryl sighs again, resting her cheek against her fist.
"So what do you want from me, Aria? Spit it out—time is money."
Cheryl's bluntness makes Aria laugh—a sharp, glittering sound. She leans forward, elbows on her knees, her voice dropping into that conspiratorial purr. "Okay, fine. You want it straight? I want you to help me make sure Brian doesn't fuck this up by being… Brian."
She gestures vaguely at the screen. "He's already obsessed. You know how he gets—all intense and broody. Thinks with his dick first, heart second, brain never. Kate's into it, obviously. She likes a project. But if he comes on too strong, or too… needy?"
Cheryl lets out an exaggerated sigh. "So? You want me to take Brian under my wing and teach the black basketball player and rapper how to win the heart of a white golfer and artist? Like you can't handle it yourself? Sweet Cocoa, you know I love chatting with you, but right now I've got no time. Lay out your proposal quickly, and I'll think about how to help you."
Aria rolls her eyes, but a fond smirk plays on her lips. "Fine, fine. Look, you're the only one who can talk to Brian without him getting defensive or horny. Or both. Which is a fucking miracle." She leans closer to the screen, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "I need you to… coach him. Not about the sex—god knows he doesn't need help there. About the finesse. Kate isn't some groupie; she's a fucking masterpiece with a sand wedge and a deadpan joke for every occasion. If Brian comes in like a bull in a china shop, he'll scare her off."
Cheryl rolls her eyes too. "And you're telling me this today, just a couple hours before their first date in Topanga. Well, alright…" She shifts slightly in her chair. "Let's say, based on everything I know about Kate and Brian, and from what I've seen between them at the parties…" Cheryl smiles. "I think this evening and night…" She emphasizes the word night. "…will go more than successfully for our new couple." She adjusts her hair with one hand. "Alright… I'll help your chocolate boy. Just warn him to listen to Aunt Cheryl if he wants to be a little more than just 'exploring new boundaries' for Kate. Something like that." Cheryl shrugs. "So, Ari… that's it? I need to check if everything's ready for dinner with my mon amour."
Aria's smirk widens into a full, wicked grin. "Thanks, Cheryl. Just… make it sound like it's his idea. You know how he gets about his 'artistic integrity'." She blows a kiss at the screen. "Dinner with Tara? Tell her I said hi. And tell her her last patch fucked my high score on Nebula Drift."
"I'll be sure to pass that along," Cheryl says dryly, already reaching for her other phone. "Now go be fabulous. I'll need to work out a training plan for our rapper. I'm going to turn him into a first-class boyfriend for Kate."