LA to The Bay

Chapter 29: Grand Canyon to Las Vegas

Tour bus, Grand Canyon to Las Vegas

'I'm so sorry too.' I shudder at the memory of the words I had uttered, relieved to be once more on the coach and moving on to another destination, escaping the horrors of last night.

'But what about the beer?' I can't believe Jayden still wanted to get the beer. Never mind the beer, I needed a whiskey; I still do, even now, the morning after.

We had just walked in on Lottie and Harry together. Of course they were, like I didn't see that one coming. Oh wait, I didn't. But there they were, laid out on the bed, he on his back and she on top of him, his hands crawling up her back as she lent down kissing him heavily.

I hold my hand to my mouth desperate to hold it together and not to be sick on the bus. I will not be the first person to be sick on the bus, but God damn it they are testing me.

Just the sight of them together, it's so grotesque, not just the physical act of it, but the way Lottie looked so pleased about it, at being caught, like she always does. But most of all I'm just so confused as to what they were doing together, since I thought Harry was in to Marty and Lottie still pined for Louis despite the bad smell of Juno's competition. They're just gross, the whole incestuous lot of them.

'Are you okay Niamh?' Duncan asks me as I let out another sigh.

'I think I might have drunk too much beer last night.' I lie.

'Well you do look pretty pasty.' I'm sure I hear him tut judgmentally.

I close my eyes and push my face up to the glass of the window, it's coldness offering relief to my burning skin.

'So are you looking forward to Las Vegas?' Duncan persists in making conversation with me despite my best efforts to appear asleep even though I'm splattered against the window.

'I was.' I mumble. And I really was. It was one of the things I was excited for most of all; the opportunity to really ham it up with full on glitz and glamour, instead of looking awkward because I'm the only one not wearing hiking boots. But that excitement has been ruined after what I saw in that bedroom, and the idea that they might be together again, all of them, using the decadence and low morals of Las Vegas as an excuse to finally get their orgy going at full swing, an idea which is only being encouraged by the fact I'm watching Vince Vaughan and his lurid cronies pick up girls on the Strip since Leah has put "Swingers" on the video.

'Way hey.' Everyone is cheering as the guys and girls on the screen start to make out, and I suddenly feel like I'm starring in a debauched sex show. My skin is crawling. I can see Louis laughing, and I'm shocked; he can't genuinely be finding this vile film funny? I'm equally shocked that Harry isn't sat next to him cheering too. Where is he? Surely not with Lottie, because that would be too much trauma to cope with in a 24 hour period. I look up and down the bus a number of times before finally locating sitting him on his own, on a seat near the back, sleeping.

'I can't wait to go see a show.' Duncan is still talking but I am struggling to listen as I'm too perplexed with Harry. Why is he sitting on his own and sleeping when the rest of his friends are up front and being rowdy like normal? '

'What are you excited for Niamh?'

'Erm, I'm not sure.' I feel guilty for not engaging him, since he is obviously excited at the prospect of Las Vegas, but I'm just too distracted. What is so wrong with me that I persist with this obsession with these totally vile people whilst ignoring a genuinely nice person like Duncan?

'So it's only about ten minutes and we'll be there.' Leah announces over the microphone.

I look out the window straining my neck. Is she sure there's only ten minutes left, because I can't see a hint of anything that might resemble the anticipated bling of Las Vegas. All I can see is a giant concrete wall running along the side of the motorway with no indication of an end. Oh goody, more concrete.

'By the way, for those of you trying to catch a glimpse of Vegas, you can't. They built this wall on purpose; so you don't get distracted by the sights and crash your car.' Great, so they've ruined this moment for me too, thanks a bunch America.

'Okay, so here we are.' Leah stands up from her seat, indicating the we have arrived, but I'm not so sure.

'Is she for real?' I hear other people whispering my thoughts. 'I thought the hotels in Las Vegas were supposed to be amazing, the best in the world?'

'I know it doesn't look the best.' Leah acknowledges what we are all thinking, that the two story motel standing in front of us, with its rotting pastel pink doors and smashed windows is not what we were expecting to greet us here in Las Vegas, the epicentre of opulence.

'But it's a good thing we are going to be out and about enjoying ourselves all the time.' God I hate it here already, 'so it would be a waste of money to stay in a fancy hotel when you can use that money for gambling. Woo!'

'Are those bars on the windows?' I hear Lottie whisper.

'I think you might be able rent rooms by the hour here.' Marty chuckles. Well she should know.

For the first time Leah has not received her customary 'woo' back from the group, their usual signal of affection and agreement. Instead there is silence and I look around still unsure that we are in Las Vegas since I can't see anything that might resemble a casino or a fountain or a Celine Dion stage show, all I can see is more concrete and a lone plastic bag whisping its way through the car park in the desert breeze.

Authors note: So what do you think will happen in Vegas? Will Harry and Lottie hook up again? Or maybe Niamh will eventually find her way back in to Louis' arms?