Veruca woke up on the floor of the dressing room. She looked at the others. Charlie had fallen off the couch, as Augustus had basically taken over it, and lay next to her. Beer dripped from the empty glass in Augustus's hand. Mike wasn't there and the door was left open, showing that he had left earlier. Violet stirred on the dressing table.
"Violet. Want to go get some coffee? Or breakfast?" Veruca whispered as not to wake the others. "I think your boyfriend had the same idea."
Violet opened her eyes, noticing that Mike wasn't beside her. She couldn't help but feel a little hurt. "He's not my boyfriend." Though when she said it, she thought of the possibility then quickly shook it from her mind. "He was really nice. Even when he leaves, I won't forget."
Veruca raised an eyebrow. "You really think he's going to leave and just forget? He was all over you last night."
"Please don't continue. I have to be realistic. He'll leave and I'll stay here. It's a nice thought, but really things don't work that way. Besides, he's still getting married." Violet explained bluntly, thinking about their kiss, but once again having her experiences place doubt in her mind. "He says he's sure, but maybe I just wanted to believe it for once. I don't know."
"He told us last night he didn't want to get married." Veruca said, holding her head. "You didn't seem to mind. Infact you seemed to like him back. Atleast give him a quickie, he's grown up nicely"
"Think about it we were all so drunk we had a debate about grapes. Who knows what he's thinking now." Violet laughed, hoping to get off the subject of Mike. "Besides, what's the story with you and your husband?"
"I can't explain it. I just can't be forced to feel things and I was. Plus he has cheated on me in the past. Before we married." Veruca explained. "I want to leave, but our parents aren't going to let that happen without a real reason. Particularly when all this money is at stake."
"You would have had a prenuptial agreement, with a fidelity clause, right? Your parents aren't going to let you stay married to a play boy cheater, will they? Do they really want that as the new face of Salt Nuts Inc. or whatever the company is called? I say we play the game of entrapment. Set it up so he gets nothing and you get divorced without giving up any of you or your dad's fortune." Violet suggested. "Question is, what kind of plan would he fall for?"
"Anything, he thinks he's god's gift. He seems sweet but there's a demon in there. He gets what he wants when he wants, except for me. He's given up on that. Come to think of it, he's exactely how I used to be." Veruca shook her head at the thought. "Only about his own wants and needs, acting like lovers when there's something in it for him only."
"That's tough. It's the reason I don't trust people basically. I mean what's the point. Statitics are against you anyway. Living here, you know what men want. Then again, a retard could figure that out." Violet shrugged, opening the back entrance to the club and exiting.
Veruca started laughing. "Pessimistic statistics."
Violet looked at her. "What do you mean by that exactely? So, there are the facts in black and white."
"Yes, the facts that a retard could figure out. Remind you of anyone?" Veruca said in a sing song voice. "Honey you sound just like Mike Teavee 10 years ago. You are so meant to be."
"Shut up." Violet said, leading Veruca into the coffee place. "I wonder if you have a hangover or if you're still drunk."
"Okay, I get the hint, but speaking of the gang ten years ago, I think Augustus has switched his chocolate obsession to the glug glug." Veruca made hand actions of drinking.
"Seriously? Why would he need it, he seems pretty positive." Violet suddenly realised. "Oh..."
"I only glanced, but he was drinking the bachelor party under the table. Probably even had a few cups of positive before he came. Besides, we're all here for depressing reasons and to an extent fate, I don't think Augustus came to the club last night to share the happiness with everyone." -----------------------------------------------------
Charlie woke up in the empty dressing room. Though everyone had gone a backstage pass for Veruca's concert sat there for him, since they had planned last night to meet up after the concert. He grabbed it, even though he had his own, before grabbing his head. It had been awhile since he had just gone with the flow, or had that many shots in one night. The only thing he wanted to do was sleep with his head in the toilet, remenissing about the strange but happy night before.
Then he remembered Paige. He had basically ditched her. Charlie never liked doing that to people, as he was always one of the do-gooders. They had been having a great night, before he had met up with his friends. A part of him wanted to talk to Paige about it desperately. She made him feel less alone in the fakeness of the world around him. Then he thought about his realisation the night before. Though he knew from experience that no girl would ever understand and every time he thought one was different they would show their true self. All they would think was he was a depressed rich man not appreciating what he had been given. Though Charlie believed that all the girls that had come and gone, did not appreciate what they had in their friends. They wanted more from him, they expected the happy, smiling chocotier on the posters and the stuff that came with that.
The fact that Charlie was forced to be happy all the time made him even more depressed. He would be nice, then get trampled on by the mean and fake people of the world. He still wondered if the others had been putting on a show, if they really knew how he felt. Of all of them, Veruca probably understood him the best. Though one thing that Charlie knew wasn't fake is that all of them were glad to see each other and all of them were hiding their stories from the last ten years.
He knew deep down it was fear holding him back from hugging each and every one of them. After all he won the prize and all that came with it. Though he still had to watch the disturbing sights of all of them going through hell. Granted they put themselves in that position, but they atleast took a risk for something they wanted. Charlie didn't take risks and sometimes he wished that he could, aside from the tame invention risks in the factory.
He wondered if they all resented him secretly. He feared that the four people in the world who could really know him would be the ones to turn their backs because he played it safe. Well, he wasn't prepared to play it safe anymore.
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Where else can you get a whiskey at 2 in the afternoon, this is brilliant. Augustus thought to himself. The truth was, he didn't have time for a hangover, because soon after Veruca and Violet had left, he woke up and went to another place for a drink. Jack Daniels had been his friend, helping him see happiness in his problems. Helping him put it to the back of his mind for just that little bit longer.
"Violet and Mike are paired up, well atleast he was all over her last night. Veruca and Charlie understand each other best. Then again, Veruca spoke to Violet about stuff. She could be a lesbian. Though either way, once again, I'm the first to get booted. Oh well! I get to go backstage to a concert and drink lots of stuff." Augustus told the bartender, who was listening with surprising enthusiasm. "See, I'm always optimistic. I'll never be alone I see the good in everything. Everyone thinks Charlie does, but really I'm the one who's happy all the time."
"Actually by the look of you, you're off your fucking head all the time." A.J, one of Mike's friends, who Augustus remembered vaguely beating in a beer chugging competition the night before, sat beside him. "So my friend, what happened to our Bachelor buddy behind the closed doors of that hot chicks dressing room. He didn't get back until an hour ago."
"Who knows. They're probably hooking up. Everyone is. Violet was amazing though, so who can blame him right? After all, we're in Vegas! They're probably married by now. You'll be married tonight and I'll get married tomorrow! We can all have a bachelor party then. Cause for celebration." Augustus blurted out, drinking a beer. "Nah, I'm just kidding. Nothing happened between them. After all if she tried to kiss him she'd probably get a nose bleed because Mike is so tall." Augustus laughed at his lame attempt at a joke as though it was the funniest thing in the world
"Well we're getting back stage to Veronica Salt if you wanted to join us." A.J asked. "We're basically mates. Mike knows you, so it's only natural you come celebrate."
"I'm already getting back stage. Now how many people can say that." Augustus raised his glass in the air. "Now sweet young female bartender who I don't remember the name of, bring me another of these beers and positive thoughts please."
A.J grabbed Augustus's arm. "Come on, I think you've had a little too much party. You can come hang with us, we're up in the penthouse. Expensive as shit but hey its all worth it."
"Wait a minute. Don't kill the buzz. There is nothing wrong with the buzz." Augustus explained, completely drunk now. "It's nice you invite me to the penthouse. That's so cool of you my friend. Or Mike's friend I should say. Bachelor Party WOOOOOOO!"
A.J seemed to regret his desision to bring a drunk traveller up to the penthouse, but reminded himself that Augustus was Mike's friend and after all, it was Teavee's party and they would be meeting at the concert later anyway.
"Bartender bring a heap of drinks to the penthouse. Looks like I'll be hanging out there until the Veruca concert!" Augustus cried out. "WOOOOOOOO Vegas!"