Avoiding Responsibility (Avoiding #2)(95)

The university town was only an hour outside of Atlanta and with more bars per square block than anywhere else in the country. It was a perfect place for a bachelorette party. Lexi personally thought it was close to the best place in the world. She might be a little biased though. And that's how she had got suckered into making the hour drive with Bekah and her three stooges for a bachelorette party she had wanted no part in.

A limo had pulled up outside of Ramsey's apartment only a few short minutes after she had gotten off the phone with Bekah. The girls had chatted the entire way there about stuff that Lexi had no interest in. They hadn't included her in the conversation, and she was a little thankful. She didn't particularly want to try to make meaningless conversation with any of these people. She clearly wasn't going to stay friends with them after this weekend. The effort she would have to put in to make conversation was just too much to deal with.

The limo driver pulled up outside of the Hilton downtown. Their bags were swiftly deposited into their rooms, and then the girls convened in Bekah's suite.

"So I went to the trouble of getting you all matching bachelorette outfits," Bekah squealed reaching into one of her bags and pulling out black and grey pleated mini skirts, black v-cut halter tops, and knee high socks. Lexi's mouth dropped open. Was this girl serious? "You all brought black heels I'm sure."

The other girls hopped up and down like they were actually excited to parade around in those outfits. Lexi couldn't figure it out. Why would anyone want to look like that?

"Amber, this one is yours," Bekah said handing over an outfit to the tallest one in the bunch. At least something of worth was coming from these stupid costumes. Lexi would finally know all their names. She had never been formally introduced, and since she had been ignored in the car, she had never gotten a chance to ask.

"Kersey here is yours," she said handing it over to the mousy blonde. The girl did seem to be excited about the prospect of dressing up, but Lexi could see that she didn't approve of the scandalous outfit.

"Hey Bekah," Kersey chimed in as she held the miniscule skirt to her body. "Are you sure this isn't missing some material?"

"Shut it Kers," Bekah snapped. "I don't want any of your bible thumping conservatism tonight. I'm your best friend, put on the outfit."

Lexi's eyes opened wide at the confrontation. It seemed to have been had many times before. Kersey's face remained stoic as she pushed past Bekah into the bathroom to change. Amber was already stripping down naked in front of everyone.

"Maddie here is yours," Bekah said tossing the outfit into the waiting girls arms.

"Thanks, B," Maddie said shrugging her shoulders. "You sure do reminisce high school."

"I thought we looked hot as school girls," Bekah told her.

"You were the only one," Amber drawled shimmying the halter over her head.

"These are pretty close to our school uniforms," Bekah said to Lexi who was looking at her dumbfounded. "We went to an all-girls private school."

"Oh," Lexi said putting the pieces together. No wonder Bekah was so catty. You know besides being the only girl in a family that was supremely wealthy and had never heard of discipline.

"Here is yours. I hope it fits," Bekah said handing it to Lexi. "I think it's your size."

"When did you find time to get this in my size?" Lexi asked looking into the skirt to check the sizing. Surprisingly, it was exactly the right size.

"I didn't. It was Parker's," Bekah said simply cocking her head to the side as she looked at Lexi

"What?" Lexi asked dropping the skirt on the hotel room floor. Her mouth hung wide as she stared into Bekah's face.

Bekah smiled brightly. She managed to make even that look devilish. "The outfit was for Parker. You guys are so similar in…well," she said looking her up and down, "...size that I just figured you would fit."

"What?" Lexi gasped a second time. She gulped hard staring down Bekah.

"Well she's my fourth bridesmaid, but she's too busy working now so she couldn't make the trip," Bekah told her simply. Her head was cocked to the side as her eyes bore into Lexi studying her every feature. "I thought someone would have told you." Her tone was sweet, but Lexi knew too well now that it was dripping with venom.

How had she not figured it out before? When Ramsey had told her that Parker was going to be at the wedding, had he been warning her? Of course, he had said that he wanted her there because Parker was going to be in attendance. If he had said she was going to be in the wedding, she probably would have flipped out further.

"Is something wrong?" Bekah asked batting her eyelashes as if she were innocent.

Lexi sighed quietly to herself. The truth was that everything was wrong this picture. Her wearing Parker's clothes felt very wrong. But she also knew Bekah had done all of this on purpose. She was bating her. She had planned this from the minute she had invited Lexi to join her on her bachelorette party. And it had just played into her hand that no one had brought up Parker previously.

And why would they? It was an awkward enough situation without Ramsey bringing her up all the time. He had made his point by telling her that Parker was going to be there. Lexi's ultimate decision to attend might not have had anything to do with Ramsey or Parker, but it certainly had helped spur her forward.