It was Friday afternoon. I got home after school, ready to chill. I asked my roomie Myles what he was up to that night. He casually informed me that they were to depart for Las Vegas in an hour. My heart stopped. I turned back to Myles. “Vegas?! Dude, I’ve been trying for months to figure out how I’m going to get down there to visit my best friend, and you just didn’t even tell me?!” “You should come, dude.” So within an hour, I called and got my shift covered, packed, and called Megan. We ran and got the rental car and an insufficient amount of Twizzlers, started on our SnapStory, and set off!

The occasion was the wedding of Myles’s sister. She’s 21 and now married to a fifty-something year old dude. The family wasn’t even invited to the wedding until the week before when some of the siblings got to prying. In the three years they’ve dated, no one has ever seen a picture of the guy, and they moved to Oregon to get away from her family. Super strange situation. To top it off, he took her last name. A dude with a maiden name…? So yeah. Really awkward and uncomfortable, but I love those situations. It’s my roomie’s sister, though, so that was just to fill you in, not to be judgmental. I wish them the best and hope it works out.

We drove down to Myles’s brother’s house in Utah, spent the night, and set out in the morning. Sleeping on the couch/hardwood floor doesn’t set you up for success when it comes to long road trips, but we managed.

Saturday, we grabbed In-N-Out Burger (double-double, animal style, protein style) and stopped by Myles’s sister’s house to grab her husband’s forgotten sleep apnea machine. We showered, stole their cool Nerf guns (all Myles), and forgot the machine…So we added an hour to our trip going back to get it (we were only out 30 mins, but still).

As soon as Vegas was in sight, we blasted Elvis’s “Viva Las Vegas” on repeat until reaching the hotel.  We met Myles’s family real quick, then went to Chili’s on the Strip to meet the lucky groom. First of all, we went to the wrong Chili’s, so that was weird. Second of all, when in Vegas, eat at Chili’s? False. So I got outta there! Megan came and got me. It was so good to see each other again. She looked so grown up! When I knew her, she was just a junior in high school. Now she’s a college sophomore!

So not only had I not seen my best girl friend (“amiga” from here on out) in 3 years, but, on a whim, I make it to freakin’ Las Vegas on her 21st birthday! As you can imagine, however, she wasn’t in the best state of mind upon our reunion 🙂 She had gone out the night before and hit the clubs as soon as the clock struck midnight. She was hung over hardcore, so we went home, I got to meet her mom (super exciting), we ate some Japanese ramen, then went to bed.

Sunday morning, we woke up, got ready, and I went to work with her. She works at the Ciel Spa in the SLS Hotel and Casino on the Strip. They have security guards in their elevators! I just sat there in the lobby working on my laptop, submitting résumés to a few different employers and internship opportunities. Everyone was like, “Uh, why didn’t you go walk around…? You were in Las Vegas!” But to me, I was just complacent just being around her. It was like the routine JJ and I had when I got home from Germany: gym, Xbox, then read comics in silence sitting in his room. Occasionally, we’d chuckle and share what we just read, but it was “fun” just sitting there in the same room. Nothing had to be said. Myles and Corden came and got me, we went to the wedding, ate cake, then headed out. Coolest pastor ever.

It was one long drive home. 9 hours straight through Nevada. And how much you wanna bet I had service? Here’s a hint: I have Tmobile. But it was good. Aside from seeing Megan, the coolest part of this trip was the bonding with Myles and Corden. One of the hardest parts of being out here in Boise is not having a best friend. I don’t have my “Bdubs group” out here yet. My group of friends I can call on a moments notice and say, “Hey, let’s do something.” So I’m working on building those stronger relationships still, and it’s been tough. That trip was just what I needed!

One of the highlights of the road trip was our playlist. Here’s just a sample:

• Elvis – Viva Las Vegas (#2 Vegas song)
• The Chainsmokers – Kanye (feat. SirenXX) (We played this every time we got in the car)
• Skrillex – Kill Everybody
• Katy Perry – Waking Up in Vegas (#3 Vegas song! That’s my girl! Many more of Katy’s songs played, but this is an abbreviated list)
• Pitbull – Fireball (feat. John Ryan)