Chapter 1 Alexandra

This was my first time in the bustling city of Las Vegas. The radiant colored lights shone and illuminated every path on the streets such that it was a blend of streets with variant colors. Sitting on the window side of the train was worth it. From watching the tall grasses of the countryside to reaching the low grasses and then the cheerful light of the city. I traced the pace of the train with my hand as we rode through the city of Las Vegas.

Party clothes, business clothes, night street clothes, people of different skin colors, backgrounds, and personalities walked through the streets, all minding their business, oblivious to the moving train. Back home, everyone would stop and stare at the train for a while before moving on with their lives.

A blast of music filled the air and ahead we could see a group of ballet dancers spinning through the streets on their toes. Some people stopped to watch them, while the rest moved on like nothing was happening. As we rode past them, I turned my neck and watched till they disappeared out of sight.

I’ve always loved ballet dancing. I had practiced a few times back at home with the steps drawn in magazines. I could make a few introductory steps but that was it. I wasn't good enough and opportunities are limited where I come from.

“Come out of your thoughts Alexa! This night is ours to explore!!!”

Ava screamed at the top of her lungs as she shook me vigorously.

Everyone in our train compartment turned their eyes to us. We looked like five country girls, coming into Las Vegas for the first time. But no, it was just four of us though, Hazel has been here before, she once told us her man works in Las Vegas.

Emma, Hazel, Sophia, Ava, and I. The five best girls in their country home Idaho. We had taken a morning train from Idaho Fall to Las Vegas, a 10-hour journey to celebrate my birthday in arrears.

I was the youngest of them all and as I finally turned legal our girl culture demanded that we celebrate in style.

I stared wildly at Ava. She wasn't one to shout. She was naïve and quiet, except when she was hyper. Though I expect her to be hyper. Who wouldn't be in Las Vegas?

“Ava, don’t shout, please. People are staring.” I whispered to her.

“They can stare. We are beautiful and then there’s you with fire-colored hair! You’re so beautiful that you’re a billionaire kind of girl!” Hazel exclaimed and winked at me.

We burst into hearty laughter.

“Billionaires love blonde skinny girls, the kind in Victoria’s magazine. And we ain’t no blondes here.” Emma rolled her eyes at Hazel.

Sophia popped a sweet and put it in Hazel’s mouth.

“Don’t argue girl, we know you and Emma can increase the speed of the train with the energy of your arguments” Sophia said.

I laughed, Sophia was the brake lever inclined to stop Emma and Hazel from starting their argument engines.

Today was going to be fun. At least that’s what my Mama had said when she did her tarot reading for me this morning. Today was set to be the beginning of my life. At the end of the day, we would see the new world awaiting me.

The train came to a stop at Sants' train station.

We alighted looking like the five musketeers, strong, bold, and beautiful. We had invested a lot to make our dresses and I was in a flowery black dress with red boots matching the color of my hair.

“We are going to Inégalé. It’s like a 20-minute drive from here. So, we enter the cab.” Hazel announced behind me.

“Hope it’s somewhere we can afford?” Emma said giving Hazel a side eye

“Yes, I booked there. I’ll take care of the bills” Hazel said and turned towards me with a smile,

“Anything for my favorite girl”

I gave her a broad smile back.

“We would also lodge there for the night when we’re done dancing and taking shots with Alexa. So, after clubbing, we get some shut-eye and get back to Idaho by nightfall tomorrow” she finalized.

“That’s a good plan. You had everything arranged for us. You’re the sweetest girl” I said and went closer to her to rub her shoulders slightly.

“Don’t praise her, we are all sweet, aren’t we Ava?” Sophia asked.

“We are!” Ava replied with enthusiasm.

I laughed.

Hazel was the most exposed of us all and she did a good job taking us to places for exploration. Although we were in the same age grade, she was more experienced and therefore like an older sister to us.

“We have been saving a year for this! And here we are!” Ava exclaimed as she turned round and round taking in the environment.

“Yes, the trickling euro we put in our savings daily paid off. And now we have our feet on the soil of Las Vegas.” I said while beaming from ear to ear.

The bright colors filled everywhere with life and although it was way past 10p.m everywhere was bustling with activities like it was just morning.

In our home, Papa would always say, "Las Vegas is a city for all and a home for none.” How wrong he was. Everyone I saw looked at peace. Busy, but at peace.

“You don’t want to look like you’re a first-timer here” Hazel dragged Ava into our horizontal walking line to stop her from walking around wide-eyed.

“Uh huh, nothing wrong with being a first timer ya know? We haven’t been here like you. Let her feel her environment” Emma mumbled sipping the apple juice we’d shared as snacks during the journey here.

Sophia ran towards Hazel and hugged her tightly, saying,

“You don’t have to reply.”

She turned to Emma, ‘This night is not about you and Hazel. It’s about Alexa, please. Let’s focus”

I and Ava laughed, our voices mixing with the bustling noise of the city.

Emma and Hazel had a thing for disagreeing with each other, but either way, we always knew we were friends for life.

As we got further away from the station and into the streets, Hazel stopped a Cab and we entered.

The cab took us to the Inégalé. It was owned by a French man according to Hazel, hence the name.

The cab stopped us and we alighted to see a monumental alluring glass building with different colors of the spectrum dazzling from all edges, such that they all seemed to meet at a point above the building to form a twinkling shiny star displaying the name INÉGALÉ.

There were countless floors but just one floor was emitting the color combination found in club rooms. The wild moving color brightened the mood.

“Hazel… are you sure of our savings… can it pay for this hotel? It looks costlier than what we have.” I stuttered while staring at the dazzling sight in front.

The cars parked in front of the hotel weren’t a play. Ranging from the gothic Mercedes to the shiniest 2017 BMW, men and women of class were exiting and entering the hotel.

We didn’t exactly look like frogs in a fish pond but alighting from a cab seemed inappropriate for this kind of hotel.

“Girl, Alexa, this night is for you. Relax and enjoy. Our savings did this for us with little effort from me. But I did it for us. Your kind heart is the soul of our clique. You deserve the best of them all” Hazel said, rubbing my shoulders with her two hands.

“Yes, Hazel is for once right, yeah, you Alexa my lover merits the beautiful things there are in life. This is for you.” Emma chipped in.

Tears got into my eyes and I couldn’t help but feel the overwhelming love we had for ourselves.

“No tears” Sophia whispered to me as Hazel led the way and we entered into the biggest classic club room I’ve ever seen.

“Let’s sit at that corner!” Ava exclaimed happily over the noise.

“No! That side looks a bit hidden, we can watch everyone from there!”. Sophia said, dragging my hand to the left side of the club.

“Guys!” Hazel exclaimed and we all turned to look at her.

“I brought us here, follow me”

She said and turned and walked to the right side of the club where there was less noise and we followed suit like chicks following a mother hen.

We settled at a table of five like it was made for us.

“How do I order?” Emma asked

“What do we start with?” Sophia chipped in quietly

“Food, of course, I’m famished,” Ava said, rubbing her stomach.

“This isn’t about you girl, Alexa what should we start with?” Hazel asked me.

“Food is okay, we’re hungry. Then we can take some shots, I’ll take my first shot and we’ll dance," I said and slowly moved my waist and laughter erupted from our crowd.