aftereffect | THE HANGOVER | p. w

| chapter two |

"You've reached Doug. Sorry I missed your call. Please leave a name and number, and I'll get back to you."

"Hey, it's Lexi. I'm either busy or just avoiding someone I don't like. Leave me a message, and if I don't call back, it's you."

"Dr. Stuart Price with Divine Dentistry. Please leave a message after..."

"Hey, this is Phil. Leave me a message or don't. Do me a favor, don't text me. It's gay."

Giggling with Tracy about the happening of the  bachelorette party, I grinned as she covered her blushing face. "I don't think I've ever seen someone put a dollar bill in a stripper's thong that quick before."

Tracy nudged me with her hip as she continued to blush. "He looked just like Channing Tatum, and I thought we weren't going to talk about it ever again" I smiled at my best friend's hushed voice – she was so cute and naive.

"Yeah, you would think over a decade worth of friendship you would know me better by now," I smirked, crossing my arms before hearing a yell; rolling my eyes, I shook my head, knowing it was just Alan.

He and Doug were being fitted for their suits, and the man child would be the one to kick up a fuss "one of us should really go check up on him," I muttered as Tracy just nodded at me before motioning to the room.

"You're my maid of honor; it's your duty to make sure my life is easy until I say the words I do" I spluttered at her words before she continued, "that and I really don't want to have to deal with Alan today."

I pouted, almost stomping my foot before she turns back with a grin "oh, and Doug wanted to ask you something" Her eyes shone mischievously, "look after them and have fun. "

Walking towards the room the men were in, I gave the doorframe a quick few taps. "Knock knock, it's just me," I say, opening the door when Doug sarcastically yells out, 'come in me.'

Wow, dad jokes already?

Huffing out a laugh, I walk in just as Floyd, their tailor, is stepping out looking very uncomfortable, I should add. I'm guessing that had something to do with Alan accusing him of touching his dick.

"Hey guys, whoa!" I scream, throwing a hand over my eyes, seeing my best friend's brother standing comfortably half naked. "Oh god, Alan, please put some pants on," I beg as the older man shrugs before looking around.

"Hey, uh, Lex, can I talk to you?" Doug asks with a nod of his head.

"Sure, what's up?" I say as we move away from Alan, who was still going round and round looking for his pants.

Doug smiled at me, excitedly. "I want you to come to Vegas with us," my eyes widened in shock; of all the things I thought he was going to ask me, this wasn't one of them.

The last time he wanted to 'talk,' we were picking out an engagement ring for Tracy.

"On your guys' bachelor party?" A grimace overtook my face as Doug just rolls his eyes at my dramatic response.

"Don't look at me like that; you've seen way more strippers than I have" We both laughed, knowing it was probably right. "Plus, if it weren't for you, this probably wouldn't be happening."

I tap him on the arm with a small smile. "This wouldn't be happening; you were both pussies" I joked.

I'm sure that even without my intervention back then, the two of them would have met each other and fallen in love, but I liked that Doug thought this was all on me. It kinda makes me feel special.

"What about the other guys?" I question, biting my lip; it's not that going to Vegas didn't appeal to me, but I didn't want the guys to feel like they were being spied on by not only their best friend but the bride's best friend.

"Phil was the one who suggested it, and you know Stu loves hanging out with you. Come on, Lex, for me?" Doug gave me a pout, which I know definitely would have worked on Tracy, whose words now made sense.

That bitch, she obviously knew all about this, and as always, my love for partying still won out over my rationale.

Letting out a heavy sigh, I put my hand up, pointing at the soon-to-be groom. "Fine-" Doug cheered before I continued, "but Alan's sitting with you."

The dark-haired man pointed at me with a winning smile. "Done!" we both had a quick hug before letting go. "We're going to have an awesome time," he grinned as I snorted. Any time with me was a great time.

I glared at him when his smile didn't break. I knew I was being set up. "Why do I have a feeling you knew I would say yes."

Doug just patted my arm with a playful wink. "We'll swing by your apartment on the way, and you can pack," I groaned, knowing packing was the worst part about any vacation, especially an impromptu one.

If only I hadn't unpacked from the bachelorette party, I would have been totally ready to go again.

"You know, Doug, I was thinking...If you wanna go to Vegas without me, that is totally cool, you know?" we both turned to each other before looking back at the other man knowing Tracy would kill us if we left him behind.

"What are you talking about?" Doug scoffs until Alan pulls the jockstrap he's wearing down under his butt. My eyes hit the roof as I hear Doug begin to stutter – Alan was a little special, but we loved him anyway.

"You know, Phil and Stu, they're your buddies, and it's your bachelor party," The shaggy-haired man explained, making me smile. Although he was weird at times, he cared a lot too.

"Come on, Alan. Those two love you," I tell him, perching on the arm of the chair Doug was sitting on. We were like two parents trying to make their child feel better about themselves.

"And also, I don't want you to feel like you have to hold back...because your wife's brother's and Lexi's best friend/ future husband there," Doug stifled a laugh at Alan's words.

I choked on air as I began to stutter up a storm. "You're not my..."

Doug cut me off. "It's not like that. I already told you, Alan." He began taking off his wedding shoes. "Okay? We're just spending the night in Vegas. It's no big deal. Lexi's coming too, so we'll be fine."

I scoffed quietly. "Yes, because I'm the one who's going to keep us in line. Sure,".

Doug grinned as he looked at me from the corner of his eye. "Besides, you're not just my wife's brother; you're my brother now. We're all family".

"That's right, and when we-" Alan points between himself and me "- get married, you'll be brother and sister, so I just want you to know, Doug, I'm a steel trap. Whatever happens tonight, I will never, ever, ever, speak a word of it."

"We're not getting-"

Doug moved past me to tap Alan on the shoulder in a brotherly way. "Okay. Yeah, I got it. Thank you, but I don't think that...".

Alan shook his head as he stood in front of us with his hands on his hips while Dough and I stare at anything but his jockstrap. "Seriously. I don't care what happens. I don't care if we kill someone".

My eyebrows shot up as Doug glanced at me, looking worried. "You heard me. It's Sin City," The challenged man expresses as Doug sucks in a breath as if wondering if Alan was okay.

"Not sure they mean it as a challenge, Alan," I tell the shaggy man as I turn to leave, "and for fuck sake, put some pants on. It's weird that I had to tell you twice."