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Syd stared out the plane window feeling excited, yet nervous about the trip to Vegas. She looked forward to having a good time with Lali, Char, Grace, Anna, and Lali's sister Sam who was flying in from California, but she was nervous about her first appearance as Simone Davidson. Even if it was only with the Rossi brothers, she wasn't looking forward to the inevitably awkward moment she'd have to tell Emiliano her true identity. She hoped that his lack of response last night meant he went to hook up with someone else and was no longer interested in her.

"You okay, girl?" Lali said. "You don't seem as hype as the rest of us. Get in on this first class drink service! I didn't know you had connections like this."

"You know this photography work comes with a lot of benefits," Syd smiled before looking down at her hands in her lap. She told Lali that a company she had done some shoots for hooked them up with first class seats and other perks, but it was actually Sean. He originally offered one of the jets, but she knew that'd be too suspicious.

"Are you still thinking about what happened with Hector? It's annoying he pulled that shit before our trip. I'm sure you're confused."

"Yeah, but all the more reason for me to get fucked up on this trip," Syd laughed.

"And fucked," Lali winked.

Syd shook her head amused. "Girl, just pass me one of them drinks."

***

"Shit, Syd. You went all out. You ballin like this?" Char said as she ran through the two-story penthouse - another favor from Sean that Syd claimed was from a former client. Everyone got their own room upstairs, with Lali getting the master bedroom. Downstairs was the living room, kitchen, and dining area. Syd was lounging on a couch with her legs hanging off the arm.

"Girl, just take your nap so we can turn up tonight," Syd said as she scrolled through her phone. "Shit," she whispered to herself when she saw Sean's Instagram story.

"Just touched down in sin city!" The caption said. The scheme of his penthouse looked similar to the one she was staying in.

"Of-fucking-course," she grumbled to herself as she texted her brother.

Syd: Are we staying at the same hotel?

Sean: Of course. It only made sense.

Syd: Does that mean the brothers are staying here too?

Sean: Nah. They got their own connect.

Syd let out a sigh of relief. She just wanted to have a good time with her friends and didn't need any awkward run-ins with Emiliano.

***

"Damn, you're really getting us the VIP treatment! I don't think I'll be able to return to the real world after this," Lali said almost falling into her chair as they settled in their own section at the club attached to their hotel. Their pregame already had them all drunk or at least tipsy.

"It came with the penthouse," Syd responded.

"They must loveeee youuuu," Sam slurred.

"What can I say? I'm damn good at my job," Syd said confidently. "Anyway, let's get in some sh-"

"Shots!" Sean chimed as he hopped up the step into their section and put his arm over Syd's shoulder.

Syd's friends gave a confused look before Char spoke up.

"I know you! You're that Instagram nigga, uh... Sean, right?"

Sean laughed and raised a bottle of tequila in her direction. "That's right."

"You know him?" Char said, directing her attention to Syd.

"Yeah, uh..." Syd started trailing off weighing whether she should tell that he's her brother or make up yet another lie before she was interrupted by Sean.

"Hell yeah, I know Syd. It was my company that hooked her up with all this. She almost denied me a shoot a few weeks back when she was booking everything for this trip and I told her we'd take care of it just to clear up her schedule."

"Damn, girl! You really are damn good at your job," Lali chirped trying to stand from her seat. Sean stepped away from Syd to gave Lali his arm, helping her steady herself. She held on to him even after gaining her balance.

"You must be the bride-to-be," he said with a smile as his eyes scanned over her.

"That's right," she gleamed.

"So you should be the first to take a shot," he said, holding up the tequila.

Lali didn't need more prompting beyond that and threw her head back with her mouth wide as Sean poured the shot of tequila in her mouth.

"Damn, no lime or salt?" Sean gave an impressed nod as he saw Lali barely react after taking the shot.

"Yeah, not all of us are Lali, so we're gonna need one of those hostesses to run that salt and tray of limes," Char said waving one of them down.

As the night went on, a few more of Sean's friends joined - mostly athletes and artists, which Syd's friends enjoyed. Sam and Char soon paired off with them. Syd was in the lap of a rugby player whose name she couldn't remember for the life of her. She played with his hair and laughed at all his jokes, hoping that hooking up with him tonight would allow her to think straight again without her decisions being influenced by her sexual frustration and she'd be able to reject Hector when she got back home. She kept checking on Lali and Sean who were doing too much flirting for Syd's comfort.

"I'll be right back," Syd said to the man she'd been flirting with before prying herself away and pulling her brother to the side. "Sean, she's about to get married to a damn near perfect man and she's clearly fucked up right now, you better not -"

"Chill." Sean peeled Syd's hand off his shoulder. "I would never take advantage of her while she's drunk. But uh, no guarantees on respecting her marriage if she comes onto me sober. Your friend is fine as hell and I make the perfect side nigga, so..."

"No. If you're telling me who I can't fuck, then I'm telling you that my soon-to-be-married best friend is off limits, bruh. I swear, if you -"

"Y'all kinda look alike," Lali said, startling both of them who didn't notice she was so close.

"Girl, you're drunk and you mean to say your beer goggles are telling that I look like this nigga and not Rihanna or something? I'm offended!" Syd playfully put her hand to her chest as if astonished.

All Lali could do was laugh and lean against Sean.

"I'm going to the bathroom, y'all better behave." Syd gave Sean a stern look.

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A/N: I originally had this and the next section as one, but it was too long, so I split into two!

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