A Beginner's Guide to the American West ✓

chapter twenty

c h a p t e r  t w e n t  y

*

Las Vegas during the day is a strange experience. It's strange enough to wake up in a proper bed, still wearing yesterday's clothes, and it's bewildering to step out into a still-bright city that never turned off its lights. Everything is still glaring, the neon lights a strange shade of tragic as five of us head out for breakfast.

At some point while I was sleeping, Sam eventually made good on his word and added all of us to a group chat. It's weird to see everyone's names and profiles. This morning, Carrie and Adedayo – or rather, Caroline Grace Dearn and Ade Eze – messaged to say that they'll be doing their own thing today. Considering Young-mi stayed with the twins last night, I'm fairly certain Carrie and Adedayo are hooking up.

The next message came from Brannan O'Neill, who is meeting up with an old friend and won't be around, followed by Sam, as Sam U. L. Jackson, letting us know that he's doing admin today.

The rest of us find our way to an IHOP and order a small mountain of pancakes.

"So," Klara says, conspiratorially meeting my eye as she tucks her hair behind her ear so I can see both pairs of earrings, "what are you guys going to do today?"

Arjun looks at me. I shrug. He does too. "We're not sure," he says. "The city's reputation is pretty ageist."

"I was here years ago," Kristin says, "when I was still a teenager. There's a really cool outdoor neon museum, and fake Paris. Oh, and the tower at the end of the strip has rides at the top!"

That has me shaking my head, saying, "No, no, no. I don't do rides." The thought alone makes me feel queasy. "I can barely walk straight as it is, without adding a rollercoaster to the mix."

Arjun laughs. "Ok, no rollercoasters. I'm not a fan anyway."

"To be honest, if I were you, I would walk down the strip, see the sights, and then go back to the hotel pool," Klara says, stealing a bite of her sister's maple bacon. "It's hot out there, and I don't know if we'll have a pool again."

The thought of lying in the pool is an enticing one. I mull it over as I eat my Mexican Tres Leches pancakes, before I ask, "What're you doing today?"

Young-mi claps and grins when she says, "Outlets."

"Huh?" My mind goes to plug sockets.

"They have some amazing outlet malls here. Huge discounts; awesome shopping," Klara says. "The three of us are going to go there after breakfast, and you're more than welcome to join."

My nose wrinkles at the thought of trawling round shops in this weather. I hate shopping and I struggle with heat, so shopping when it's at least thirty degrees outside is a big no.

"That face is answer enough." Kristin laughs. "You're very expressive."

I clock the disgust on my face and try to tame it back to normality. "Sorry. Uh, yeah, I don't do shopping. But you guys have fun, snap up those bargains." I absent-mindedly snap my fingers, my mind on my food, to a chorus of laughter. "If anyone wants me, I'll be by the pool."

"I'll be there," Arjun says, and with a grin, he sticks out a dark brown arm and adds, "Gotta work on this tan."

*

I ate too much. The IHOP portions are ridiculous, even by American standards, and it was ambitious to think I could polish off four of their pancakes as well as a sweet, creamy coffee. The buzz from the caffeine can't compete with the sluggish tiredness that comes from overeating, and it's near torture to drag myself out of the restaurant only to be accosted by the kind of heat I can only describe as disgusting.