in which lula get drunk in vegas celebrating her friends birthday only to end up at the alter of the chapel across the street...what happens in vegas definitely doesn't stay in vegas.
i've had so many requests to write this one so i hope you enjoy! sorry it's taken me so long to get back on this, wedlock motivation hit an all time low but this one really brought it all back. i love you guys <3
word count: 5311
******
Lula
Vegas was not the place I intended to be tonight. I should be back in my New York apartment, cuddled up in bed, sound asleep in preparation for my eleven hour flight tomorrow morning and yet here I'm not. I'm here, in a large casino with yet another drink in hand watching my friends as they allow men to teach them the rules to Blackjack although I know they know how to play. They all watched many Youtube tutorials in our hotel room earlier tonight, they just love the attention they can get when they curl their hair around their finger and play dumb.
Today is Bonnie's twenty-first birthday and for weeks she had told me she wanted a 'chill' birthday. "Just a lovely dinner and a couple of drinks at our favourite bar then we call it a night, we don't need to do anything big." She had said to me over and over again and yet, a week ago she decided a birthday party in Vegas was what she actually wanted...a week ago.
I originally told her no because booking a week in advance is stressful to which she told me she'd book it all and we just send her the money. I wanted to tell her I couldn't afford it right now but she never believes me when I say that because who is the daughter of a big CEO to say she can't afford a trip across the country? Bonnie likes to think that because my dad has money, I do too when truthfully, I'm just like any other college student trying to make ends meet. Just because she likes to use her dad's money doesn't mean I do; however, I can't say that to her without upsetting her and I don't want to upset her.
I then told her no because I would have to change my flight home tomorrow morning and pay the difference. My seven hour flight would be bumped up to an eleven hour flight. I told her that I wouldn't make my mum's surprise birthday party if I did that and in response, she said "But what about my birthday, Ella? It's my twenty-first, I need you there."
I should've said no. I know I should've said no but I didn't want to let her down. I didn't want to be the person who didn't at least try to make an effort and I definitely didn't want to be the person Bonnie and her childhood friends all talk about at the dinner table, discussing how awful it was I didn't even try. I think a part of me also didn't want to miss out. I didn't want to see all the pictures and videos online and feel like I've been left out or regret not joining. I hate regretting things so I said yes but I don't think I would've missed a thing if I wasn't here. They're all acting like I'm invisible. I feel like a burden and as I watch them all have fun I realise the only regret I have is actually accepting the invitation.
I sip at the last of my cocktail until the ice is the only thing left in the glass before moving onto the next one I had ordered in advance. I move my straw from one drink to the next and begin to sip away, watching as Bonnie kisses the mystery man leaning over her on the cheek. I almost roll my eyes but stop myself when Bonnie's lifelong friend, Amber, catches my eye.
"Come here!" She shouts, waving me over.
Now to anyone else this would look like an invitation to actually join in but I know these people. What she actually means is that she wants another drink and because I'm sitting doing nothing, she wants me to get her another. She'll tell me she'll pay me back but she actually won't because she has no job and depends on her parents for the small amount of money that is in her bank account. They're all like this, Bonnie included.
