"Dude, why are the delivery trucks following us? Don't bring work with you." Mike's friend Jim observed while looking in the mirror.
Mike sat in the back between his friend A.J, smiling to himself. "Those trucks are going to get us backstage at the Veronica Salt concert." He thought of the plan before he left, glad of the delivery, figuring it was the best way to talk to Veruca.
Chris, who was sitting in the front, turned around and stared at his friend. "No way. She is only the hottest thing that the UK has produced. Don't even joke, man."
Mike looked at his buddies. "Now why would I joke about that? After all, it's my bachelor party."
"An all week bachelor party, with Veronica. Does life get any better than this?" A.J replied. "I'm going to take her into a 24 hour chapel and marry that woman."
Chris shook his head. "The only one getting married around here is Mike. Though I don't know how after all we're putting him through. The whole works, dude. Everything Vegas has to offer."
"I thought the best thing about working in electronics was making the best car stereo systems ever. Now I know better. I knew there was a reason we were friends. Nice job, Mike. Woah, check out that chick on the billboard. NICE!" Jim nodded towards the sign where Violet stared back at them suggestively. "Contortionist. I'll bet that chick is very bendy, if you know what I mean."
"I know her. That is I used to. We should see her tonight!" It was easy to recognise Violet with the blue "outfit" and the blonde hair. He couldn't help but smile at the thought that the people who understood him still existed and were in Vegas that very week. Not to mention that Violet had certainly grown up nicely.
"Who don't you know man." A.J sighed. "Well we are going to get some beers in you. Put a gut on that disgusting body of yours."
Mike had built up a good amount of muscle over the years. Gaining weight to lose the lanky frame from the television incident and Wonka's. Though he was still a little taller than usual. He wished he could tell his friends when they asked him what his secret was.
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Violet was getting ready for that nights show. Placing body glitter strategically on her blue skin. For some reason she wasn't so thrilled about the show. She requested that she have her after show drink in her dressing room as opposed to the drunk and excited people in the audience.
"Violet be on stage in twenty minutes." A voice called from outside the door after a soft knock. "Looks like there's a Bachelor party tonight, so extra smiles."
Violet rolled her eyes. "This is Vegas, since when are there not bachelor parties in this place." Violet mumbled while fixing her hair.
"Well, so this is what you're doing with yourself now. I knew it was you the moment I saw the sign Violet Beau-" Veruca's face appeared in the mirror, Violet turned around and stared her in the face.
"It's been awhile." Violet asked stopping her before she couldsay her old last name then turning back around. Building up the emotional walls. "So, what's up?"
"Well, me and my husband came to see your show. So, where's your husband? You're bound to have a few marriages under your belt, living in Vegas and all." Veruca flipped her hair, helping herself to some lipgloss.
Violet looked her right in the eyes, not in the mood. "In the interest of saving time, why don't you just tell me what you want?"
"Just to see my old friend. We did share that one day remember." Veruca replied. "That one interesting day that only three other people besides us and parents involved know about basically."
"I'm fully aware. Now I have to go." Violet replied.
"I just wanted to talk. I can tell that day has affected you in ways I couldn't imagine." Veruca explained.
"Look, we're not friends. We never were. You don't even know me." Violet snapped. "You sing songs about how you wish someone understood, then you come in here acting like a perfect pampered little slut. To what? To brag about how your life is better than mine? Done. Now go away."
"Look, chill out. I didn't mean that. It's just the last place I thought you'd end up." Veruca said.
Violet turned around, still in a fowl mood. "Well I did. Now as much as I'm loving this Kodak moment, I have to go. Some of us don't live the Veronica Salt perfect life."
Veruca slapped Violet accross the face. "You don't know me either. If my life is so perfect, why do I feel so limited? I can't do anything without the approval of image consultants. I'm 23 and I'm married already to a man I don't love and who doesn't love me for who I really am. While most people are finding themselves, my life is planned out in a little black book. That day changed my life and I thought of all people you would understand. I never knew how to do things for myself, now everything is being decided for me. I'm tired and I thought you'd care." Veruca began to leave before Violet stopped her.
"I'm sorry. Things haven't been good for me. The last ten years I've had to do everything for myself. A lot different to what you've been through. Not to mention I'm still blue on my midsection." Violet laughed. "I guess we're both changed people. Meet me back here for a drink later okay. Start again."
Veruca sighed. "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have barged in here like that. I guess I hate to admit it, but I envy you. Like you said, you made your own choices." She looked at herself in the mirror. "I must have had a few too many drink if I'm admitting that to you."
"Trust me, it's not as great as you might imagine." Violet confessed. "By the way, I'm not married"
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Violet performed her routine, in a better mood than she was before. Veruca sat near the stage, in dark glasses with two security guards surrounding her. Mike's bachelor party went on loudly near the bar, his friends making calls at Violet. Augustus sat in the middle, watching in awe and drinking. Last but not least, Charlie and his date were up the back, half watching the show, half absorbed in each other.
"Damn bachelor party. They're so damn loud. I guess that's what you expect right. How tall is the one in the middle though?" Charlie's date, the young maid named Paige, commented. "So are you liking the show?"
"Yeah I'm liking it." Charlie replied, staring at the guy in the middle of the bachelor party. "I can't believe I've never watched it before. Or anything for that matter."
"I guess it's been a long time since you've really had fun like this." Paige realised. "You get free tickets and passes thrown at you, but not a spare minute to use them, working on the casino and all."
"Well, I'm glad of all people I decided to come out with you. Now the casino is finished, we'll have a lot more free time." Charlie wanted to lean over and kiss her, but was a little nervous about how she would react.
Paige noticed this and smiled. "It's okay. You should relax more." She leaned over and kissed Charlie.
"Hey Mike, bet you're sorry you're getting married now, huh?" One of the party cried out.
Charlie was sure the Mike they were refering to was infact Mike Teavee from the factory. Though he had been debating in his head whether to go over or not. Finally he turned back to Paige. "I'll be back in a moment."
He walked over. "Hey Mike. How's it going?"
"How did you know my name?" Mike replied drunkenly.
"Well, other than the fact you're friends have been calling it out non stop for the past hour, you and I go way back." Charlie explained.
"Hey, number five! Or Charlie Bucket I should say." Mike slapped him on the back. "The only guy here who knows my secret. Except her up on stage. So how's it going? Being all rich and successful and happy all the time."
"I'm not happy all the time." Charlie replied bluntly.
"Yeah, you could have fooled me. Well either way, it's great to see you. Now I'm going to watch that woman on stage and see her after the show. Maybe I'll see you later, when you lighten up and knock back a few shots man." Mike replied, handing him the shots that he had in his hands. The guys were chanting for him to knock them back.
Charlie had the shots and exhaled. Jim pointed out Augustus to the rest of them. "Check out that guy. He's drinking more than all of us combined. Lets challenge him."
Mike and his friends walked over to him, Charlie turned back to his date until Mike came over a few minutes later. "Charlie, man! Drinking boy is pipe boy! Gloop from the factory!"
"Augustus? What are the odds?" Charlie shrugged.
Mike handed him another shot and a beer. "Come on, come over and say hey! We're all buddies here! Lighten up dude. Chicky babe, do you mind?" Mike asked, acknowledging Charlie's date.
"No that's okay. I should be going anyway." Paige replied sadly and stood up. "I have to work early tomorrow anyway."
"For a Vegas chick, that girl is really stuck up." Mike slapped Charlie on the back again. "Anyway, I was hoping to get lucky with Violet, but I don't think my fiance would like that too much. So you can have her. Who knows the last time you got some action. Now drink!"
Charlie knew he should have stuck up for Paige and himself, but he figured that Mike was only saying these things because he was drunk. He looked at the door thinking about running after Paige, but Mike basically pulled him to the drinking game. He let Mike do so, knowing that the chance to be in the room with the two guys who were the closest things he had to friends in the last ten years.
It also felt nice to have a few drinks. Before he knew it there was another mixed drink in his hand and the guys around him chanting, "Chug chug chug." He was so absorbed in the moment that it took him awhile to notice that Violet had finished and Mike had slipped away from the group.