Couple for Hire [Shourtney]

1. The One Where They Team Up

Hey, you guys! How are you guys doing?

Ahhh, to write these cute little author's notes at the start of every chapter again. I missed the feeling of getting to ask you guys how you're feeling today. If you're doing great, awesome! If not, you got a friend in me to lean on, alright?

Anyway, let's start, shall we? Courtney's POV and see ya!

-/-/-

I sit idly on one of the benches inside the emergency room, finding myself going through Twitter again. What's new anyway? Trump's still mad three months after losing the presidency seat. The virus is gone and hopefully for good. Karens? Still Karens. But the world is somehow a better place, and I don't have a fear of being in hospitals anymore.

"Courtney Miller?" a nurse says to me as she approaches me with a smile. "Your sister's doing alright now."

"Oh, thank you so much," I reply, sighing in relief as she leads me to Kari's bed.

"Hey, girly," Kari greets me with a half-smile and a hug. "Super glad you can make it."

"Well, it isn't every day my super flexible of a sister sprains her ankle now, is it?" I retort, sitting down next to her on a nearby chair. "How did this even happen? You sure you don't have any tears or anything?"

"None, of course," she answers. "It's just your usual dance injury. I think I'll be out of here in no time anyway, but I do need a lift home. Were you at work?"

"Yeah...," I mumble. "But it's cool. When I told Ian, he was on board with it."

"He's a great guy."

"No, no, no, no, he isn't asking you out again, is he?" I ask worriedly, and Kari laughs. "Thank God. I just can't imagine it. He's like an older brother to me, and you're literally my older sister. I don't think I can take it."

"Oh, relax," she assures me, grinning as I help her up and she stumbles through the emergency room with me. "Even if I did tell you we were dating, you would be happy, because we haven't found someone we liked in such a long time."

"Well... you guys aren't the only ones," I add, sighing as we wave goodbye to the nurse. "I attended an anniversary party like, two weeks ago. It was Shayne's grandparents, and I swear, too many couples."

"You were with Shayne though, so that counts."

"Very funny," I remark as I open my car door for her and she slides right into the seat. "He told me he needed a plus one to avoid all the marriage questions. Poor him, honestly, and thank God I'm still 25."

"Sorry to burst your bubble, but after your birthday this year, people are gonna start asking already," she replies as I get into my seat and start the engine.

"Well, they should ask better questions."

"Tell me about it."

I drive from Maryhurst to Kari's apartment, which was thankfully not too far from mine and from the office. I help her up from my car seat as soon as we arrive, and since her apartment was only on the second floor, we didn't have much of a problem with climbing the stairs. As soon as we reach her apartment, I sit her down on her couch and grab a glass of water. It was still pretty exhausting, not gonna lie.

"You're gonna go back to the office then?" Kari asks as I hand her a glass of her own water. "Sorry I took a bit of your time."

"Oh, please, it's not a problem," I reply, crossing my arms. "And Ian said it was alright. I'm only glad that you have enough cash on you to go to the hospital. If I were you, I'd just wait for it to heal up. Just a sprain after all."