American Girl

Nevada

"What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas," Avery Perez laughed. She stepped off her Delta flight surrounded by her two girlfriends. Linking arms with Ebony Goodman and Vivian Nguyen, she marched toward the baggage claim area. Each girl shouldered a carry-on and grabbed a fluorescent-colored rolling suitcase. They located their Uber and sped toward the Strip.

"You are so going to love it here," Avery exclaimed. She sat in the middle of the back seat and spread her arms across the back. She was the only one of the three girls who had spent time in Las Vegas.

Ebony and Vivian stared at the bright flashing lights surrounding them. Their eyes widened when their Uber stopped at the Bellagio. Everything about the casino/hotel excited them. Ebony snapped a selfie in the lobby and posted it on Instagram immediately. She couldn't believe she was actually in Vegas.

Ebony's eyes traveled over everything. Inside, she practically jumped all over. It took her most of the year to save up for the trip. After graduating high school, she took a gap year and started working for Panera Bread. The break from college turned into a three-year stint in the popular restaurant. She met Avery and Vivian there, and the three girls shared an apartment.

The Vegas trip was her first vacation without her family and her first trip west of the Mississippi. She felt grown-up and in charge of her life. Avery traveled widely during her childhood. Her father owned a chain of liquor stores in three states. Ebony thought Felix Perez was the wealthiest man she knew. Vivian returned to Vietnam occasionally to visit her family. Until she moved into their flat, she lived with her Aunt Bao.

Their hotel room was huge and luxurious, far exceeding Ebony's expectations. Avery flopped on one of the beds, Vivian on the other. Ebony wandered into the spacious bathroom and dropped her carry-on on the floor. The counters were soft pearl-colored marble, and the sink and shower had gold fixtures.

"What are we waiting for?" Avery asked, appearing beside Ebony. She fluffed her long dark hair and applied heavy red lipstick to her plump lips. Vivian peered in the mirror and adjusted the spaghetti straps on her mini-dress. She swept her long black hair across her shoulders and posed provocatively.

Ebony also adjusted her hair and makeup. Her brown eyes wore an expectant look. She felt excited and a bit nervous at the same time. It was her first time in a casino. Always careful with her money, she decided on a $500 limit. Once she surpassed that amount, she would stop gambling.

"The sky's the limit, girls," Avery exclaimed, throwing her head back and laughing. Vivian joined her.

After a moment's hesitation, Ebony laughed also. Butterflies flit in her stomach, and she wondered if she made a mistake by coming on the Vegas trip. She really wanted to save her money and go to Hawaii. Avery and Vivian worked on her until she agreed to accompany them to Nevada.

The young women entered the casino as a team. They purchased chips and headed toward the roulette tables. Ebony started slowly with a $5 chip. Her friends piled up theirs in the amount of $20. The wheel spun, and all three lost their bets. Ebony increased her bet and began to feel more confident. She continued to play, betting more heavily as time passed. They each won and lost and encouraged each other to bet on their winnings. Finally, Ebony's original $500 ran out. She excused herself to use the restroom.

"500 dollars already," Ebony thought to herself. Her expression in the mirror looked worried. She tried to smile but couldn't. Three days remained of their vacation, and she had already lost the money she intended to gamble during the entire time. Perhaps she should have set a daily limit instead of a whole chunk to cover all the days.

Ebony took her phone from her purse and transferred more money into her spending account. It would cover her for the following day, at least. Until then, she would tell Avery and Vivian she was returning to their room for the night. With a plan well in hand, Ebony stepped into the bright casino. She walked past the flashing slot machines and headed toward the roulette tables. Stopping short, she panned the area.