“Shit.” Alice rolled over and patted the space in the bed next to her that was supposed to be empty. It wasn’t.

“Shit.” She searched for her phone, finding it under her pillow. She reached in the direction of the nightstand, searching for the glasses that should be there by habit. Luckily, even in whatever state she was in when she went to bed, habit prevailed. Sitting up, bringing the blanket with her to keep her naked body covered, she shoved her glasses unceremoniously back into her face. She sat with her back straight up against the bed’s headboard and hugged her knees to her chest.

“Shit,” she whispered as she got a good look at the man in the bed next to her. He shouldn’t be there. Hell, she shouldn’t be there. This was definitely not her hotel room.

Alice checked her phone seeing way too many missed calls and missed text message notifications on her phone.

The messages could wait, she thought to herself as she rubbed at her right temple and the headache that resided below it. Text messages it is then, she thought as she opened her group chat for the bachelorette party.

12:23 am

Lori: Alice, where did you head off to?

Anya: I saw her on the dance floor with some hunky guy a minute ago. Didn’t see his face though. His butt was amazing, though.

Penelope: Alice, get back here. We’re doing shot for my wedding. This is my time, and you shouldn’t be off with some guy you were grinding with that you JUST FUCKING MET.

12:51 am

Anya: Did you leave?

Penelope: She better have, because I’m pissed

Anya: Shouldn’t we be more worried that she’s gone and so is that guy?

Penelope: No, if she’s going to ruin my bachelorette weekend by doing this, it’s on her. I’m not worried.

“Shit.” Alice switched to a text thread just between her and Lori.

1:00 am

Lori: Alice…I know your upset about Pete and that drama, but this isn’t the way.

1:04 am

Lori: Where are you?

1:17 am

Lori: We’re leaving the club and heading back to the hotel. Penelope is fucking livid.

1:43 am

Lori: I am getting worried. This isn’t like you. Let me know you’re ok as soon as you can.

“Shit.” Alice looked at her bedmate again. She started mindlessly twirling her hair, another habit that came out when she was stressed. She saw that Anya messaged her. She’d look at Penelope’s last. She knew they’d be awful.

1:45 am

Anya: I’m all for pissing off Penelope. She’s been a total bridezilla this weekend. I just don’t know if sneaking away with some handsome stranger and ghosting us was the way to go.

1:57 am

Anya: Well…now’s she’s throwing things. I’m glad the rooms are on her credit card. I’m hiding in your room with Lori.

2:07 am

Anya: This was not the “crazy bachelorette weekend” I signed up for. Drinks, dancing, cute guys, maybe a tattoo I’d regret later. Full on melting down bridezilla in the room nextdoor is crazy…but it’s the wrong kind of crazy.

2:19

Anya: Ok. Be safe…whenever you are. I expect a full report in the morning about the amazing butt guy.

“Shit.” Alice took a deep breath as she opened the messages from Penelope.

1:56 am

Penelope: I will never forgive you for this. You ruined my magical weekend. This was supposed to be about me, and now Anya and Lori are more worried about you than me. I’m the bride. You’re the idiot that left us for some man that you don’t even know.

2:45 am

Penelope: I hate you; you fucking bitch.

3:14 am

Penelope: You really just need the attention, huh? I let you have time to wallow when Pete left you, even though this year is supposed to be about me and my wedding. Then you go and pull this. You’re such a pick me. I hate you.

3:16

Penelope: You’re out of the wedding. I don’t even care if you make it back tonight.

“Shit.” This was bad. Well, not really. She didn’t want to be a bridesmaid anyway. She was a replacement for another woman that decided she couldn’t handle Penelope. Then Penelope came crying to her about her vision and the astetic she lost, and how she needed a third bridesmaid. Alice stupidly said yes to being a bridesmaid, and has been regretting it ever since. Being in this fucking n wedding is what caused her an Pete to go on a break. He couldn’t take the stressed out version of her that Penelope created. They fought because she was overstimulated and she took out her emotions on him. She saw that now.

Alice opened up the group chat thread. Lori has just messaged again.

6:01 am

Lori: We all hope you’re ok. Remember that our plane is scheduled to leave at 12:15 pm. We hope to see you there.

“Shit,” Alice laughed to herself. Penelope would rather she be dead in a ditch than on that plane.

“Good morning, beautiful,” the man in her bed said as he slowly rolled over on to his side, facing her, and smirked.

“Shit.” Alice stared at Pete, then her phone. She put the phone the nightstand and laid back down in bed.