The Difference Between Getting and Needing

e i g h t

like tension you can cut with a knife,
like a wedding ring that never fit r i g h t . . .

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"I told Valerie like, eight times that I wasn't paying for a hotel in the city I live in. It's fucking stupid; I already spend enough money to live here as it is. You know what she told me? Then I guess you're not coming. I said, Valerie, it's my goddamn sister. This is Sutton we're talking about. She will personally perform a slow and painful death on me if I do anything to sabotage her wedding, and that includes any and all pre-wedding bullshit. I swear, these girls have no common sense. Like, thank God I'm not maid of honor but if I was, this wouldn't be happening. Am I wrong? I'm allowed to be pissed off about this, no?"

Collin looked at me from where he sat on a stool on the other side of the island in my kitchen, his lips flattened in thought. He raised his copper mug full of the Moscow mule I'd made for him and took a slow sip.

"No, I think you're right. It doesn't make any sense," he said, shaking his head. "Why couldn't you guys agree on a plan that worked for all of you?"

"Because I'm surrounded by fucking idiots. I'm just 'one of the bridesmaids'. I'm nothing. I have to go along with whatever Valerie says because she's in charge," I explained while wildly waving my hands around in frustration.

"Hearing you talk about this wedding makes me never want to get married. I'm honestly only looking forward to being in Hawaii for a couple days out of this whole thing."

I rolled my eyes a tad too hard and took a heavy gulp from my own mule. "How do you think I feel? Especially that after this, everyone is gonna expect me to be the next one. We've all kind of accepted that Duncan will never get married. Which is fine, as long as he can stay civil with his ex for the sake of Madelyn and be able to keep supporting her. Asher has plenty of time before people start bombarding him about getting married. That leaves me, and just thinking about it is making me itch."

Collin grimaced, which was exactly how I felt too. He took another mouthful from his drink and finished it off, so I grabbed it from him and started to make us a second round.

"So what's the plan now?" He questioned.

"Well, we're supposed to go to some 'Ladies Night' at this bar in Center City tonight. I think tomorrow we're shopping, then doing karaoke and BYOB at some sushi place later on, and Sunday we're doing brunch before they all head home," I told him, snatching a ginger beer out from my fridge so I could make the drinks.

I set the mugs on the island and started mixing the vodka, ginger beer, and lime juice as Collin watched me.

"Okay, 'Ladies Night' sounds like a nightmare," he chortled.

"Don't remind me," I groaned, squeezing half of a lime into each of our drinks. "Some girls dig that whole male stripper thing, and I'm just like... why?"

"Should be interesting."

"Yeah, that's one way to put it."

I stirred both cocktails one more time and then handed Collin his mug. We toasted to the absurd weekend that was ahead of me, even though Collin had nothing to do with it and came over after I got done work merely for moral support.

Sutton's bachelorette party had gone from a simple girl's night out to a whole extravaganza that I clearly had no vote on. Thanks to Valerie being the authoritative maid of honor and the remaining spineless bridesmaids following along with whatever she said, they'd come up with the spectacular idea of renting a hotel in Philly for the weekend. This worked for all of them because no one lived near the city. I, for one, was not about to pay for a hotel in my own damn city.