~ dedicated to prettyhemmings because I love ashton and lacey king keeps me nervous in séx education. ~

By the time Monday rolls around and Gypsy takes her seat at the desk, she's learned two things:

1. Ed is back

2. There's a new tenant in Charming.

Had she worked the desk on Saturday, she'd have known that a very tall, very muscular young man had checked into the room beside Pattie and Justin. She'd have known that this guy, this UNLV graduate is named Stephen, although he goes by "Steph." Gypsy would know that this "Steph" plays for the NBA and only checks into a room at Charming because he has been asked to speak at his *alma mater and was supposed to have been booked in a suite in the Wynn, but someone fucked up majorly and now, instead of being at a 4-Star hotel, he's booked in a motel and that's alright only because he's literally staying in it for all of two nights before he gets into a suite on The Strip because his agent has booked him a 'higher quality' arrangement.

So, while Gypsy was getting her tattoo with Harry in her chair and Justin squeezing her hand, Steph is checked in by Demi, the girl who has definitely seen his picture around campus although she knows next to nothing about the history of her school's basketball team.

But, Gypsy knows now because Gyspy is again in front of the computer with the files from her grandma's 'log book.'

However, the excitement of having an actual NBA basketball player in Charming almost immediately wears off as Gypsy leans her head against the headrest of her swivel chair and rubs her eyes.

She's tired. It's Monday. Life has gone back to being boring.

By noon, however, things liven up a bit.

By noon, Gypsy receives a text from Justin.

What are we gonna cross off next?

Gypsy assumes (correctly) that he's talking about her list, and because she has obviously not given the list any thought since Saturday night after her third glass of Long Island Iced Tea and she was thinking of little else aside from dancing with Zayn and tasting alcohol that was delicious, she pulls up her list on her phone and responds to Justin with the easiest thing she thinks is left on there:

Ready to dye my hair?

And because Justin is very obviously invested in Gypsy's list, he texts back:

That ones boring as fuhhhhh

Gypsy scoffs because seriously? Really with this excessive use of 'h's'?

Not everything on here is about me getting drunk and/or embarrassing myself thx

Justin must not be busy because he replies with near immediacy.

idc

I'll pass

Harry can do that with you

That stuff smells like shit

Gypsy rolls her eyes.

Fuck you Justin

Ok, is his reply. Yeah. Fuck me Gyspy.

Gypsy laughs because one word: Justin. "I walked right into that one, didn't I?"

"What've you walked right into?"

And Gypsy looks up and grins. It's Ed and he's got her lunch for her-one thing she certainly missed having Matty around-and it's a tuna sandwich and a bottle of juice.

"Justin," she replies as Ed sets her food in front of her. "Y'know, the idiot."

Ed nods. "I cannot find the lie," and he leans against the desk as Gypsy laughs, taking a bite of the sandwich. "Now, what have you managed to get into while I was gone?"

Gypsy holds her fingers in front of her mouth as she chews. "The list," she finally says, "I've been finishing things," and she holds up her arm, "See?"

Ed nods appreciatively. "Cool beans."

Then, Ed laughs. "You were sprawled on the kitchen floor after you very nearly didn't drink the vodka," he chuckles. "This," he lifts her hummingbird, "Well, this is a tad bit shocking."

To that, Gypsy can't help but nod. "Fair enough," she says, and she continues to tell Ed of the three tasks that she's already completed.

"But now, I've decided that I want to dye my hair," she finishes, "and Justin thinks it's the lamest one on the list so he isn't helping me with that," she points to her phone. "That's who I was talking about when you walked in."

Ed hums. "Well," he begins, "if you want your hair dyed, you ought to find Rih."

Gypsy wrinkles her nose. "Who?"

"Rih," Ed says. "Y'know, Rihanna? The really fit police-lady? Officer Fenty?"

"Oh, Robyn!" Gypsy nods.

Ed hums. "She's always got a new something on with her hair."

"Yeah, definitely. Thanks, Ed. D'you know where she might be?"

To that, he shrugs. "Katy would, though. They're very nearly always together."

Gypsy takes another bite of her sandwich. "Cool beans," she teases, and Ed forces a laugh.

"Aren't you a funny little Lareaux?"

"Technically," she swallows, "I'm a Kaeka. But, you already knew that."

______

At dinner, Gypsy searches for Katy and/or Robyn and does not find either of them.

Gypsy knows how weird Katy's schedule is, but Robyn? She hasn't seen her in days.

She asks Francisco and Sam and Pattie if any of them have seen her, and after they all tell her 'no,' and Pattie asks if she's seen Justin - to which she says 'no,' but offers to find out - Gypsy leaves the dining hall of Charming and heads outside into the dry heat.

Gypsy misses Matty.

Although she's tremendously happy to see Ed - largely because she'd waited nearly a week to bitch at him for not showing up during her extreme hangover - with his return came Matty's departure, and although he left her his cell and the promise of "returning to give her more help on the list and Chupa Chups to rot her teeth from her head," she misses his company and wishes he stayed in Charming so that she could see him as frequently as she does Harry and Justin.

So, she texts him.

Know any good places I could dye my hair?

And then, she takes a seat on the pavement in her usual spot and waits (although to be honest, she's also keeping an eye peeled for the NBA star supposedly staying in the motel because who does that?)

When her phone buzzes again in her pocket, she snatches it up.

Where? No.

Gypsy sighs. "Damn it-"

But who? Comes another text. Absolutely.

Gyspy bites the inside of her cheek and types Matty back.

You know someone who could dye my hair for me?

Gypsy can almost hear Matty's laugh.

Multiple.

Pick you up tomorrow after work?

And this, Gypsy realizes, is why she loves her new friends.

Yessss!

And Gypsy cheers to herself because wow, she's actually going to finish a list of things she didn't even think she'd start.

She's got to text Harry, she thinks, because unlike Justin, she's sure he'll be more than happy to watch her get her hair dyed (and she's more than correct in that assumption).

As her phone buzzes this time, she's grinning and laughing to herself as she reads her new text.

I see you.

Gyspy whirls around because this message is not from Matty; it's from Justin, instead.

Where are you?

I'm looking for Robyn

Have you seen her?

Her phone buzzes again.

Fuck no

why the hell would i be looking for a cop????

You're weird

Gypsy groans.

NO YOU'RE WEIRD, she types, yes, in all CAPS.

That's when she hears actual laughter.

"Gypsy!"

There's a voice calling down to her.

"Gypsy, c'mere-god, you're so... so weird; Jesus Christ."

And so Gyspy whirls around and looks up-she shades her eyes against the sun and makes out a familiar silhouette-it's Justin and he's wearing a snapback and sweats and no shirt and he's got his phone in his hand.

"Have you been here all day?" She demands.

He wrinkles his nose, "No," he replies slowly, and Gypsy nods because she was about to be upset that he didn't decide to keep her company like he usually did while she was at the desk. "C'mere, would you?"

"Okay-" But that's when she stops, pauses and shakes her head. "Wait," she says.

"Holy shit," Justin sighs. "What, now?"

"Your mom's been looking for you," she says. "She's in the dining hall right now wondering where you've been and-"

"Just got back," he says. "Like, maybe ten minutes ago. God," he sighs, and he rubs his hand across his face. "Could you like, could you just come up here? Please?"

So, Gypsy does.

"What's so important that you couldn't have met me?" She asks, walking along the top floor to bump Justin against the railing.

He grins. "Guess what?"

"What?"

"I've got the perfect party to crash."

Gypsy doesn't understand. "Huh? What do you mean-?"

"Number six, Gypsy, damn," he sighs as she nods, "Shit, could you work with me, here?"

"Oh," she mouths. "Oh-kay," she says, and she begins to giggle. "Got it, got it..."

"Yeah," Justin says, staring at her through the corner of his eye. "So, hurry up and get your hair dyed so we can-"

"Wait," she laughs, "Why do I have to rush my hair? What's so special about this party?"

And a sly grin breaks out across Justin's face.

"Because," he says, "because its happening Wednesday, and we're gonna be poolside with a fucking NBA superstar."

-~*~-

Sorry--this was definitely a filler by be excited for what's about to happen 'cause it's a lot.

*Okay so disclaimer real quick: I know Steph Curry didn't go to UNLV (he went to Davidson College) but for the sake of Gypsy's life and this plot and this story he did so that's just to clear things up lolz.

P.s. gif of him.

Also @elitist came up w/ the most perfect ship name for Cal and Gypsy and it = Calypsy and if that isn't perfection then pshh I don't know what is son. And to @embracetheweird I thank you sooo much for all of my beautiful covers. They are beyond fantastic and guys, she's made the current one/last one so far and holy sh*t I think they're so fab.

Also, thanks a billion to all of you guys who read/commented/voted on Nuts because yeah...we'll see where that one goes hehe. ^-^