As I crossed the border of Nevada, an undeniable excitement was rolling inside my guts. Las Vegas was the most adult experience one could have. It was known as Sin City for several reasons but what appealed the most to me was freedom. It felt as though when we stepped foot in that place, we were magically going to be separated from our identities.

"I can't decide what to do in Vegas," Abby suddenly said, her legs spread over my lap and her back against the passenger door. "There are just lots of things."

"We can extend the trip if you want."

"I have a flight in three days," she replied. "I should spend some time with my father before I fly."

"Right," I said, exhaling a breath. "But we'll be there soon. We've got plenty of time."

Absentmindedly, she nodded and looked down at her phone. Her mention of the last three days put me in turmoil that I managed to ignore for a while. When we were together, I was trying to focus solely on us but it was getting harder and harder as the time passed and so did the end. Calling it an end was depressing, but I didn't know what she had in store for us.

We hadn't spoken much until the famous sign of Las Vegas came into sight. Knowing how much she'd loved it, I pulled over and we took our place in the long line of people waiting to take a selfie or group photo. "Apparently we aren't early enough."

"Aren't you grumpy today?" I said laughingly. "Or is it a symptom of your period?"

"Well, considering it's over now, I don't think so." She'd said she was on her period just yesterday. "I know what you're thinking and I don't expect you to understand but that's it." Women and their complexity.

Shrugging the topic once again, we waited for our shot in the line. People were already taking selfies and videos around the place. There was a guy who helped take photos and it sort of quickened the process. After ten minutes, it was our turn and Abby first couldn't decide how to pose.

"Should I look down or up or at you?"

"Why not try all?" I asked. Instead of contemplating her pose, she found it logical to go with my solution after all. I'd taken quick shots of her poses, trying to find the right angle with the sign in the background. When the guy offered to take a photo of both of us, I took my place next to her, throwing my arm around her.

"A bit closer," he ordered. Then, Abby wrapped her arm around my waist and leaned her head against my shoulder. "Perfect," the photographer guy said, handing the machine back. When I took a glance at the latest photo, I confirmed his comment. It was indeed perfect.

As we were walking back to the car, Abby looked behind in awe, then turned at me with a new glint in her eyes. "We are in Vegas." I knew what she meant, and we fucking were.

We soon arrived on Strip and found a local car parking lot since she insisted on exploring the whole of Las Vegas on foot. She held my hand and walked us toward a bar once we started wandering on the Strip. I didn't understand what she was on until I saw the sign of Yard Drinks sign on the top of the bar. Inside, it was dimly lighted and dull since it was just morning. "We can't come to Vegas and not try this," she said.

The guy served us the non-alcoholic cocktails in long colorful plastic tubes and it really looked strange to hold them while walking in the street. However, when I looked around, it wasn't as intimidating as I thought it would be, for almost everyone was taking their part in this hype.

The huge buildings were leading the city, signs all around creating that sin theme in the finest. It was all lively and colorful that it wasn't hard to imagine the night. Putting my sunglasses on, I held Abby's hand and followed her lead. "What do you drink?"

Instead of telling me, she extended out her drink. I took a sip—it was too sweet for my liking. In return, I offered her mine. Our stomachs were full of liquid, and we continued walking further on Strip, taking in the elegance and beauty of Vegas.

Next, we entered a shopping center and bought ourselves some Las Vegas-themed stuff including mugs, t-shirts, and soft pillows. "George, look at this," Abby suddenly called, showing me a pair of bracelets. When I drew closer, I noticed what was written on them: Best Friends. It was a fucking best friend's bracelets.

"Seriously?" I said solemnly.

"Yes," she said and put the bracelet around my wrist. Then, she took another pair and showed me again. This time, it was: Lovers Forever. With this combination, I was wearing Best Lovers and hers was Friends Forever.

"This sucks," I commented, looking at our bracelets. "I'm not wearing these."

When she looked down at her own combination, her face suddenly lit up with recognition and she looked at me apologetically. "I didn't mean this."

"Whatever." Removing the bracelets, I put them back in their place and walked away from that section. Abby soon followed, calling after me but I was still pissed off at what she was implying.

"George," she said, catching my arm at last. "I didn't mean it. I was just trying to show that you are both my best friend and the guy I love. Damn, I was trying to make something cute for us, silly. Don't get so offended." The sudden lift in my mood also seemed to relax her.

"The guy you love, huh?" I said, only paying that part of the conversation. She could say that she loved me for countless times and I'd still not get over it. I slung my arm around her neck and pulled her against me.

"It's what I said, isn't it?" She replied smilingly, looking up at me. I pecked her lips and guided her out of the store. "What's up next?"

"I'm tired," I said. "Should we head off somewhere to have lunch?"

"I can't feel my legs," she replied. "How many miles did we walk, anyway?" I shrugged, but she really looked exhausted. I took her bags first, then came up with a better solution to let her rest for a while.

Kneeling up in front of her with my back facing her, I said, "Get on."

"What? No. I can walk."

"Abby, get on."

After a defeated sigh, she straddled me, putting her legs on the top of my shoulders. I stood up carefully, holding her legs with my hands until she stabilized herself on the top of me. "You good?" I asked, looking up.

"Yeah, but are you?"

"You're much heavier than I've thought but I'll be fine."

"Shaw beware of your words because I can strangle you right now. Your life is lying between my legs."

"It probably does," I replied, taking her words in the wrong way supposedly. She quickly figured out what I meant and covered my eyes with her hands. "Abby," I said laughingly. "If I trip, you know we'll fall together, right?"

"I don't care," she replied with an annoyed tone. "I hate you."

"You can't even lie."

Abby finally released my eyes. When we took a stroll with her on top of me, we finally arrived at the dining hall. I looked around and Hard Rock Cafe looked like the best choice of all. "Can we go to Hard Rock Cafe?" Abby said as if she'd read my mind. "I crave."

I didn't drop her when we arrived there, and the guy first looked at us in shock before it registered him to take our orders. My shoulders were slowly dying but Abby looked so happy up there that I tried my best to manage until we found a table after our meals arrived. Slowly kneeling down again, I waited until her weight disappeared off my shoulders.

Stuffing potato fries into her mouth, she said, "Gosh, I feel so good."

"Can we sit here for a while? I don't even know how we will walk back to the parking lot." It made her sigh, leaning back in her seat. "Or we can hit off a casino first."

"What will we do in a casino?"

"Come on, will we really leave without seeing a casino? No way."

"As long as we don't get kicked out," she said innocently.

"I wouldn't want that, either but as long as we don't look suspicious, it won't be a problem." She shrugged, and I was too hungry to mull over which answer it actually meant. I knew one way or another we would go to a casino because she couldn't resist me as well as I couldn't resist her.

We lingered a bit longer after finishing our meals, talking about our trip, how fast it passed and how much it added up to us. We weren't the people we were once we started, and it was amazeballs since it all happened within fifteen days. Fifteen days ago, all I had was my closet love and a mixtape. Now, I had the girl I love before me looking at me the same way I'd always dreamed of, with the same kind of love I'd had for her.

We were walking hand in hand afterward, walking out of the center with a vague plan I'd suggested earlier. Abby was silent, suspiciously silent, after lunch, looking around but me. At first, I thought it was due to her moodiness again, but silence followed silence and though she was holding my hand, she wasn't there.

"Abby?"

"Hmm," she said as if she suddenly jolted awake.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she brushed it off, but I wasn't taking it.

"You should tell me, you know." She held my gaze for a moment, as if she was trying to say it with her eyes but I didn't excel in that language nor was I a mind reader. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No," she sighed. "You're doing everything right."

"Why does this sound like a complaint, then?" I asked, suddenly halting to face her. She looked quite down. Gone was the girl from moments earlier and I couldn't even understand this change in her mood. It was so hard to follow—one moment she was the happiest, then she buried herself in misery next.

"I just..." she started but shook her head in dismiss. "Never mind." When she chanced a glance at me, I was trying to solve the puzzle she'd laid on me but had no clue where to start. I parted my mouth to ask her again because things unsolved always washed up ashore in the end, much stronger than last time. However, her lips caught mine, and in the wake of the kiss, words were long forgotten. I just held onto her as she held onto me, believing in the power of love to solve all the problems in her mind.

When we pulled away, I didn't push her to tell me what was running in her mind again. I guess I was too scared to learn her reason and I didn't want this trip to blow up at the end. There were things we needed to talk about but we both postponed them to a later date—probably when we were back home, and the reality would kick in.

Las Vegas was full of casinos. I'd spotted a couple of them during our walk and we decided to walk back to where our car was parked and enter the closest casino to the lot. By the time we walked the way back, it was afternoon and getting hot. "There," Abby suddenly said, pointing at the giant building before us. "Let's get into this one."

The building was rising from the crowd walking in and out, a neon sign that read CASINO alluring people in. It hurt to know that we weren't able to do anything but just walking around. The security on the front, as we drew closer, looked scary and ready to card us if we did something wrong. However, it would be still the dumbest thing to leave Las Vegas without visiting a casino.

They asked for our IDs on the front and though displaying my fake identity sounded so appealing, I didn't want to cause trouble and make something that would jeopardize the rest of our day, so I showed my identity card as Abby took out hers. "You're only allowed from section A to B. You can't use any slot machines and you can't watch." We both nodded in agreement as the security guard led us in along with the crowd.

"You heard him, right?" Abby said when we were inside. An enormous entrance welcomed us with a huge chandelier centered in the hall. The decoration was fitting, dominated by gold and red, and card tables were placed at the sides of the place with people playing and some crowding beside the tables.

"Yes," I muttered as Abby pulled me with a force to keep us moving. I could tell that she was terrified of being caught and carded but I wasn't keen on rebelling anyhow. "I heard him, and I won't do anything wrong. I'll obey the rules."

"Good," she said. "George here is so huge. I'd like to try this,"—she pointed at the slot machines—"for once. Such a shame that it's for people aged over 21. Aren't we supposed to be adults? We still can't do anything."

"Oh, look at that. You're scared I'll break the rules, but you dream of gambling. You're such a gambler at heart, Abby Whittaker." Laughing, I remembered how she rolled a joint like a pro. "You're seriously cut for being a bad girl. Such a waste of potential."

"I'm a badass girl," she replied, winking at me. "You don't even know."

"I'm intrigued."

As she flipped her hair at me, a guard warned us to keep forward and in the wake of the warning, we just walked faster, leaving the chit-chat for later. The casino, in general, was pretty different from what I expected but it wasn't hard to understand why Vegas was the Sin City after all.

***

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