It All Started in Vegas

Chapter 24

Charlotte POV

Once I stepped out of the shower, I started to get ready for dinner. It was our last night, so I wanted to make sure I looked good. Have to leave on a high note, right? Especially if I wouldn't see Jake at all after tomorrow. Honestly, the more I thought about it, the more upset I got. I've only known him two days, so I think I'll be fine with it, but for right now it just kind of hurt. 

Shaking those thoughts out of my head, I continued to curl my hair. I was swaying my hips and singing along to the One Direction throwbacks blaring in our hotel room. Once I was done, I went to ask Jenny to help with my makeup. I stopped once I got to the doorway watching all three of my friends jumping around dancing, and I smiled to myself. I was so thankful for this trip with my friends, and all of the memories we made. Especially the people we've met. 

Once Jenny had finished with my makeup, I put on my pastel green dress, and looked in the mirror. The pastel green really went well with my tanned skin, and I was so thankful I brought nude heels because they went with everything. We all got together to take some pictures, and we left the hotel at around 6:15pm. The entire walk through the lobby, I was looking around for Jake and the guys, but they were nowhere to be seen.

After we had ordered, we started trying to figure out what we could do tonight. I tried to be involved in the conversation, but I kept looking at my phone, hoping to see a text from Jake. "Hello? Earth to Char?" Sarah said, waving a hand in front of my face. 

"Sorry. What were you saying?" 

"We asked if you have any ideas as to what we could do tonight." 

"I honestly don't care what we do!" 

"Well...we could text those guys and see what they're doing? Maybe meet up with them?" Ashley said hopefully. 

"Oh please, you just want to see Kyle," I said smirking at her. 

"Oh, like you don't want to see Jake?" she asked, already knowing the answer. 

"Well, I never said that," I said as my phone went off. "Speak of the devil, he just texted me."

Jake: Hey what are you up to?

Charlotte: We're just eating dinner! What're you guys doing?

Jake: We just got done eating. We were wondering what you guys are doing tonight?

"They want to know what we're doing tonight. What do you guys want me to say?" 

"Just tell them that we don't have any plans, and that we'd be fine with hanging out with them," Sarah said while eating a French fry.

Charlotte: We don't have any plans. Our flights don't leave until 3:00pm tomorrow, so we could definitely hang out with you guys!

Jake: We were thinking about going back to the club we went to on Thursday night. What do you guys think?

"Jake said they were thinking about going back to the club we went to on Thursday night. You guys in?" I asked, wanting to make sure that everyone was okay with it before I gave him an answer. 

"Hell yeah, that place was so fun!" Jenny replied, while the other two excitedly nodded their heads.

Charlotte: That sounds good! We will head there after we finish eating. See you guys soon!

"Great! I told them we would meet them there after we finished eating!" The rest of dinner we all just talked, and laughed. I loved these times that I get to spend with my friends. Back at school, it seems like we're all so busy that we don't get to spend time just the four of us, so this was nice. Once we had finished eating, we paid our bills and left the restaurant, heading in the direction of the club.

The walk wasn't too long, but it was long enough for me to take in all of the lights in the city. They were beautiful, and I think that's what I would miss most about Vegas, all of the bright lights and the giant hotels. Everything here was so beautiful here, especially compared to the small southern Illinois town that I was from. Don't get me wrong, I love where I come from, but cornfields aren't always the most beautiful things to look at. Looking up at the lights, my eyes drifted to the dark night sky. 

I wonder what my dad would think of the lights, what he would think of me. I try my best to make him proud; to be the person he would want me to be, but sometimes it can just be so hard. I wish he could tell me what to do, and how to feel, but we can't always get what we want. My eyes welled up with tears, and I didn't even realize that I had stopped walking. Suddenly, I felt a pair of arms wrap around me and pull me into a hug, and I immediately hug them back. 

"I know it's hard, but he would be so proud of the person you are. I love you, Sarah and Jenny love you, your family loves you, hell even my family loves you. You are one of the best people I know, and you deserve all this world has to offer. So let's go have fun tonight, and you can see that boy you seem to like so much," Ashley said with a small laugh. 

She knows me better than I know myself. Ashley was the only one of my friends who was actually around when my dad died, so she's been there through it all. Sarah and Jenny have always been great at the comforting part, and I'm so grateful to them for that, but Ashley just kind of remembered and understood it better than anyone else. I wiped the tears that I didn't even realize fell from my eyes, and nodded my head, signaling that I was ready to keep going.