SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL, J.HUGHES

THREE

I'm walking down my hotel room where's the brunch. In my attempt to look put-together, I've chosen this gorgeous orange dress that seemed like a good idea at the time, but now it's just making me feel even more out of place.

Aubrey had set up this awesome brunch buffet for the day after her wedding. She's the kind of person who never does anything halfway, and her wedding weekend was no exception. I enter the private room, and there are a lot of people, but not as many as yesterday. The room is filled with a mix of Aubrey's closest friends and family. Aubrey herself is radiant in her post-wedding glow as she flits from table to table, making sure everyone feels welcome and well-fed.

Today was supposed to be all about chill vibes and self-care, but instead, I'm wrestling with a serious emotional hangover. It's like my heart partied a little too hard last night and now it's paying the price, you know?

With people packing up to leave today, I can't help but wish I hadn't agreed to extend my stay at Eva's insistence a couple of months ago. Don't get me wrong, I love being here for Aubrey, but homesickness is hitting me hard.

But when Eva pleaded with me to stay an extra day for some much-needed relaxation, I couldn't bring myself to say no. I mean, who wants to be the party pooper, right? Plus, I had major FOMO.

Approaching the buffet, I half-heartedly grabbed some fruit, even though my stomach was protesting against the idea of fancy brunch food. All I really wanted was some basic comfort food, like a burger and fries.

"Hey there, miss! How's the dress holding up this morning?" Jamie chirps, sidling up to me with a grin, his plates all but licked clean. I return his greeting with a sheepish smile and a hug, trying to ignore the memory of last night's debacle.

"Still drying by the window," I confess with a nervous laugh, "I tried to speed things up with a blow dryer, but it's not exactly top-notch equipment." 

But let's rewind to just yesterday, shall we? Fast forward to me emerging from the lake like a soggy mess, feeling more like a drowned rat than the life of the party. And speaking of parties, there's no way I could ghost this one without saying my farewells. I took advantage of the dinner and bar all night so it was just rude and downright unforgivable. 

I called Eva in a panic, hoping she could talk me off this embarrassment ledge. But oh no, Eva's idea of crisis management was to broadcast my impromptu midnight swim to the entire guest list faster than you can think. Fun. 

And just when I thought things couldn't get any more absurd, in walks Jack, looking like he's auditioning for the role of Captain Jack Sparrow in a drowning scene. His suit was practically doing the backstroke.

Everybody knew. 

After a few minutes of catching up with Jamie, he casually mentions that he and Aubrey are going in a spa before heading home. As for their honeymoon plans, Jamie explains they've had to postpone it until next summer due to the start of the season.

After exchanging jokes with Jamie, I finish my plates, grabbing a bit of everything that catches my eye. As I pile my plate high with avocado toast, bacon, I can't help but marvel at how bougie this whole wedding setup is. Like, seriously, who even has a brunch buffet at their wedding? 

Rich people, that's who.

I take a moment to take a pic of my plate, because if I'm gonna eat like a Kardashian, I might as well document it for the 'gram, right? 

"You smell good," out of nowhere, his voice shatters my calm, like seriously, can't a girl just brunch in peace? Ignoring his attempts to talk to me, I focus on the pastries, trying to avoid eye contact like it's an Olympic sport.