Annabelle’s POV

Like expected, the guys & the girls only managed to stay away from each other til the sun set. The girls & I had fun though. We did some gambling, drinking by the pool, some shopping & we just arrived from a ‘private’ show I had planned for Michelle. Let’s just say that the ‘married ones’ had more fun than us, the single ones. Guess they don’t get to mess around that much anymore. I don’t pity them. I would give anything to have, even an ounce of what Leana & Val have. An established happy marriage, a family in case of Leana & I’m sure Val it’s not gonna wait that much either. Their life is finally starting to reveal this new chapter & I couldn’t be happier for them. Do I envy them? Til a certain point, yes. But it’s a good envy. It’s kinda different from the envy that’s starting to grow for Michelle. I don’t know if it’s envy or jealousy. I mean… she’s marrying who was, until a week ago, my best friend & the person that I’m sure I love. But I can’t be jealous of her… she’s my friend & I’ll stand by her side on her wedding day & put a smile on my face. That’s what’ll do. So now we’re chillin’ in our room with all the guys, getting drunk & playing some pool. Why our room? Cuz the guys rooms are just that… rooms. Ours… it’s a pretty big, kick-ass suite, with our own private pool, pool table, bar, lounge & whatever you might think. “I can’t believe you could get this suite, Anna” Zacky says, standing next to me. “Who did you blow to get it?”

“No one you know” I say with a wink, playing along. He laughs.

“No, seriously” He says, grabbing a pool stick. “You look nice, by the way” He says, sipping from his beer. A small smile appears on my face when I look at myself & see that all the girls & I are kinda overdressed. I mean, you don’t have to look good to get fondled & groped by strippers. And trust me… a dress is the worst outfit to go to a bachelorette party. When the guy picked me up & started rubbing his package at me, my dress started rising. One more minute of him doing that & would’ve ended in my underwear.

“Thanks” I say, grabbing my pool stick & placing my beer on the side of the table. “Let’s just say that I called in some favors” I say. The truth is, all my co-workers gave me a weekend here as a go-away gift. That’s what happens when you work with a fashion magazine. “Hey, Val” I say, over the music, making the now blonde, again, woman turn to look at me. “Ready for me & Zack to kick yours & your husband asses on pool” I say, leaning at the pool table & giving her a playful smile.

“We’ll be the ones kicking your asses” She says, grabbing Matt’s huge arm & pulling him to where we’re standing. “We’ve been practicing” She says while Zacky arranges the balls. I laugh. Val sucks at pool. She practices & practices but doesn’t seem to improve. Weird for someone who is used at being good at whatever she wants.

*~*~*

“Don’t scratch” Zacky says. I bend down to hit the last ball so we can win our 6th game on a row. Just when I’m about to hit it, I glance up for a moment to see Brian & Michelle passionately making out on a corner. They’re practically fucking & I feel my blood boil & my body tremble from anger. It’s just then that Brian opens his eyes & locks his stare with mine, never breaking his kiss. I see the small smirk that forms on his lips, almost as he was enjoying making me anger, cuz I’m sure I have jealousy written all over it. He then breaks his kiss just to attach his lips to her neck & I see pleasure written all over Michelle’s face, never leaving his gaze. It’s then that I lower mine. “Earth to Annabelle” I hear Zacky say, startling me, making me hit the ball softly, missing the shot.

“YES! WE WIN” Val screams, jumping around & doing a small ridiculous victory dance. I put the pool stick down & turn to look at Brian, whose neck is being, sucked by Michelle now. But he was still staring at me.

“What the fuck, Ann” Zacky mutters.

“I need a drink” I say, walking away & grabbing the shot of JD that Leana was about to downed. I shake my head at the burning sensation in my throat. I place the small glass down & turn, discretely, to see Brian, but he’s nowhere to be found. I sit next to Lacey. “Let this party begin” I say, grabbing another shot, drinking it quickly. I wanna forget everything… everything I’m feeling, everything I’m thinking & everything I know Brian is gonna do to Michelle when it can be me.

*~Next Morning~*

I groan as I turn on the bed, my body colliding with a warm body. I crack my eye open to see Jason sleeping next to me. “Fuck” I mutter, feeling my head throbbing painfully. What the fuck happened last night? The last thing I remember is… I can’t even remember. “Jay” I say, shaking him a bit. He stirs but doesn’t wake. “Jason” I say & it’s then that I noticed that I’m naked underneath the sheets. Did Jason & I have sex? “Oh God” I say, laying down again, throwing my arm to hit Jason on the chest, making him wake up.

“What the fuck, Annabelle?” He mutters, grabbing his head. I stay silence, making him turn to look at me, noticing my grip on the sheet that we’re sharing. He looks underneath it quickly before looking at me. “Why are we naked?” He asks, letting out a big breath.

“I don’t know” I say with a shrug. “& I can’t believe you just looked underneath the sheet” I say, letting out a small giggle.

“Sorry. I’m not fully awake & this headache is killing me” He says, throwing a pillow over his face. We stay like that for a couple of minutes, before I lean on one of my arms & remove the pillow from his face.

“Did we…” I start, implying if we had sex. He chuckles & grabs my hand, making me rest on his chest.

“I don’t think so. I’m sure I would’ve remembered” He says, rubbing my arm while I draw imaginary figures on his chest.

“Yeah. I’ve been told I’m very memorable” I say, making him laugh & then groan.

“Stop it. My head is seriously killing me” He says.

“What happened last night?” I ask, closing my eyes & enjoying the way we’re laying.

“Well… everyone got pretty wasted” He says & I groan.

“Don’t tell me I break danced” I say, feeling embarrassed. I tend to ‘attempt’ to break dance whenever I’m drunk. He laughs, making my head bounce with his chest.

“No… but you gave us a pretty good show” He says. I furrow my brows in confusion & turn to look at him. “I never knew you were a pro at pole dancing” He says a devilish smile on his face. I laugh softly. “You could make any stripper look like a fucking amateur with the moves you’ve got. Where did you learn to bend & turn that way?”

“I can’t believe I did that” I mutter softly. “Before Val got married, I enrolled all of us to some private classes. You know… with a real stripper. So she could give Matt a show on their honeymoon” I say, remembering all the times we fell from that fucking pole. The guys never knew why out thigh, legs & arms were bruised.

“Where did you meet a real stripper?” He asks, twirling a lock of my hair in his fingers.

“You would be amazed how many models do that to survive” I say, closing my eyes after I see him nodding. “Isn’t it weird that we’re naked & cuddling? Why are we even naked?” I ask out of the blue.

“I think we went skinny dipping at some point, but don’t take my word on that” He says & I’m content with that answer. “& it’s not weird, I saw you naked just a couple of minutes before, didn’t I? & I’m sure that at some point, we must’ve… touched, if you know what I mean” He says, closing his eyes.

“I’m gonna go grab some aspirin. I’ll be right back” I say, turning away from him, looking for something to cover myself. He hands me one of those hotel robes, turning so he doesn’t look. I stand up, grabbing my shoes from last night since I’m sure the floor outside must be disgusting, before walking out to find something to kill this headache.

Brian’s POV

I sit at one of the couches, only in some shorts & shirtless, smoking a cigarette & drinking some water. A million of thoughts running through my mind… all of them consisting of Belle. I cringe a bit at the thought of that name. I cringe at the thought of her face, the tears that adorned her fragile face when we got into the fight, the smile that she seems to give to everyone but me. & the look of hurt in her eyes, masked by anger, when she saw Michelle & I kissing.

I’m not gonna lie… I wanted to hurt her. I wanted to make her angry. Why? I’m not completely sure. I thought it was because I wanted her to feel what I’m feeling… all the pain, anger & love. But I think that my selfish-cocky side won, doing it in part just for fun. Because until that moment, that was the only moment she even paid a bit of attention to me. & I wanted her attention. I still want it. I need it. I crave it.

Because when Michelle & I went to her room & while I was making love to my fiancé, all I could picture was Annabelle squirming beneath me, leaving scratch marks on my back, telling me she loved me over & over again. Me kissing every inch of skin she allowed me to. & when I reached my peak… I muffled her name on Michelle’s lips. “I’m an idiot” I mutter to myself, feeling all the guilt wash over me. How could I get so low? Making love to my future wife & thinking about someone else? That’s the worst way of cheating. & I regret for letting that happen.

I regret for letting my fiancé think that she makes me feel excited & fulfilled & makes me explode inside. That that’s all her… when in reality, it’s someone else. When that someone else is one of her brides maid… the girl I used to call my best friend for the past 20+ years… the girl that I made cry & left her there when she needed me the most… the girl that is so good with kids & that everyone loves… the girl that stole my heart & have it wrapped around her finger without her even knowing. A girl that goes by the name of Annabelle.

I hear a door open & some footsteps & I turn to see Belle walking to the kitchen, not noticing me. I stay quiet, just admiring her & smiling. She looks so beautiful, with bed hair, some of her mascara making her eyelashes stick together & smeared on her lower lid. Not in a cheap slutty way… more like in a way that only fits her. She’s naturally beautiful. I stand up to go to her, the smile never leaving my face, ready to apologize & pull her to me & tell her that I missed her, that it’s killing me not having her near, that I missed the way my body tingles when she touches me, even in the slightest way, but as I got near, I see Jason walking out of the same door she just walked out a minute ago, wearing nothing but a pair of boxers & sunglasses. “Hey, Ann, can you get me some aspirins too? My head is fucking killing me” He says, before noticing me. “Oh… hey, man” He says, taking a sit on one of the bar stools. This made Annabelle turn to my direction, but my eyes where no longer filled with love… but with jealousy & anger. & all of it directed at her.

Notes

ENJOY!