The Vegas sun had barely risen, casting a soft golden hue over the city, but the group was already buzzing with energy. After a few days of pure madness—Cirque du Soleil, The Heart Attack Grill, and, of course, the eternal drama that was Michael Han—the gang was ready for one last adventure before their reunion came to an end. And what better way to spend their day than tackling one of Las Vegas' craziest attractions: the Big Apple Roller Coaster at the New York-New York Hotel & Casino?
Samantha Giddings, Mike Munroe, Jessica Riley, Emily Davis, Chris Hartley, Ashley Brown, Matt Taylor, Josh Washington, Laura Kearney, Max Brinly, Abigail Blyg, Kaitlyn Ka, Nick Furcillo, Emma Mountebank, Ryan Erzahler, Dylan Lenivy, and Jacob Custos all gathered in the hotel lobby, the excitement palpable as they made plans for the day.
"So, what's the plan?" Laura asked, sipping her coffee as the group huddled up.
"We're hitting the Big Apple Roller Coaster!" Ryan announced, a mischievous glint in his eye. "And there's a little twist."
"Uh-oh," Emma said, narrowing her eyes at Ryan. "What's the twist?"
Dylan grinned. "Ryan and I have a dare for Jacob and Chris—ride the coaster without Bonine, Dramamine, or any other motion sickness remedy."
"Are you serious?" Jacob said, half-laughing, half-dreading. "I mean, I'm down, but Chris is gonna—"
"I accept!" Chris interrupted, his competitive nature getting the best of him, even though he clearly looked a little nervous. "How bad can it be?"
"Oh, it's bad," Dylan teased. "It's, like, loops and drops galore. You'll be hurling by the time we hit the first dip."
Ashley, who was standing beside Chris, gave him a concerned look. "Maybe you shouldn't take this dare. We all know how you get with roller coasters."
"Too late!" Chris said, clapping his hands together. "I'm in. Let's do this."
Emma, sensing where this was going, turned to Jacob. "Please don't puke on the ride. I don't want to spend the rest of the day covered in your lunch."
Jacob grinned, giving her a playful nudge. "I'll try my best. No promises."
The Big Apple Roller Coaster: Dare Accepted
The Big Apple Roller Coaster loomed over them, its bright red tracks winding through the skyline of the New York-New York Hotel & Casino. The excitement built as the group strapped themselves into the coaster cars, the thrill of the ride hanging in the air.
Jacob and Chris sat near the front, their faces a mix of excitement and dread, while the rest of the group took their seats behind them.
"This is gonna be great," Dylan said, laughing as he buckled in next to Ryan.
Emma, sitting beside Jacob, shook her head. "You better not puke, Jacob."
"No promises," Jacob repeated with a grin.
The coaster started moving, the familiar click-click-click of the chain lift getting louder as they ascended to the first drop. The anticipation was thick, with everyone holding their breath as the car reached the top.
Then, without warning, they plunged.
Screams erupted from the group as the coaster raced down the track, wind whipping their hair as the first loop came into view. But while most of the group was having the time of their lives, things quickly went south for Chris.
As they hit the loop, Chris's face turned a shade of green that even the most hardened roller coaster enthusiasts would recognize. And before anyone could react, Chris suddenly turned to his right—and vomited. Directly onto Ashley.
"OH MY GOD!" Ashley screamed, flailing as the ride continued. "Chris! YOU JUST—"
"I'M SORRY!" Chris yelled back, his voice barely audible over the roar of the coaster. "I SHOULDN'T HAVE TAKEN THE DARE!"
The group, even amid the chaos of the ride, couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all.
"I told you!" Dylan shouted from behind, cracking up as the coaster careened through another drop.
Meanwhile, Jacob was hanging on, feeling the ride but managing to keep it together—until Emma's phone, which had been loosely tucked in her jacket pocket, suddenly flew out of the car and disappeared into the wind.
"My phone!" Emma screamed, her hands flying to her pocket. "My phone just flew out!"
Jacob glanced over, his eyes wide. "Oh, crap."
As the ride hit its final turn and slowed to a stop, Emma looked completely stressed out. Not only had her phone gone flying, but she couldn't find her wallet either.
"It's gone," she said, slumping in her seat as the lap bars lifted. "My phone's somewhere out there."
"And your wallet?" Kaitlyn asked, stepping out of the car.
Emma patted her pockets frantically, her face lighting up slightly when she felt a familiar rectangular shape in her back pocket. "Oh wait—found it!" She pulled out her wallet, relieved. "But my phone's still gone."
The Search for Emma's Phone
After the ride, the group split up, determined to find Emma's missing phone somewhere on the grounds of the New York-New York Hotel & Casino. Jacob, Ashley (still covered in vomit), Kaitlyn, and Sam volunteered to search for it while the others waited at the exit.
As they scoured the area, Jacob couldn't help but ask, "So, Ash... what happened back there? Why are you covered in... you know?"
Ashley shot him a deadpan look. "Chris happened. He puked on me mid-loop."
Jacob grimaced. "Yikes. You gonna need a shower?"
"Absolutely. A long, scalding one. Preferably one that erases all memories of this moment," Ashley replied, though her tone was more amused than angry.
Kaitlyn, who had been searching near one of the fences, called out. "No sign of it here. How far do you think it flew?"
"It's Emma's phone," Sam said with a smirk. "Knowing her, it probably flew all the way to California."
They continued searching the grounds, asking employees if they'd seen a lost phone. After what felt like an eternity of searching, Jacob spotted something shiny and familiar near a corner of the fenced area.
"Hey, I think I found it!" Jacob called out.
The others rushed over as Jacob knelt down and picked up a phone. To their surprise, it was in perfect condition—no cracks, no damage. It had landed on the grass and somehow survived the wild ride.
"How is this thing not destroyed?" Kaitlyn asked, shaking her head in disbelief.
"Is this phone made out of vibranium or something?" Ashley joked, looking at the screen as Jacob turned it on. "It's totally fine."
"Emma's gonna be so relieved," Sam said, smiling.
The Reunion: Emma's Phone is Found
The group reunited with Emma back at the entrance to the roller coaster, and Jacob proudly handed her the phone.
"Look what we found," he said, grinning.
Emma's eyes lit up as she took the phone. "Oh my god, you found it! And it's not broken?"
"Not even a scratch," Jacob replied.
Emma hugged him, practically bouncing with relief. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
"Hey, what can I say?" Jacob said with a wink. "I'm a phone-finding expert."
The group shared a laugh, finally able to relax after the chaotic roller coaster ride and the phone search.
Back at the Hotel: Decompressing After the Chaos
After the excitement of the day, the group headed back to their hotel for a little rest and relaxation. As they gathered in the lounge, Ashley—now fresh and clean after a much-needed shower—sat down beside Emily and Abigail, still shaking her head at the absurdity of the day.
"I can't believe Chris puked on me," Ashley said, laughing despite herself. "Of all the things that could have happened, I did not see that coming."
Emily grinned. "At least you handled it like a champ. I think I would've fainted."
Abigail nodded in agreement. "You deserve a medal."
Kaitlyn joined them, chuckling. "Hey, at least you weren't the one who lost their phone mid-ride. Emma was about to have a full-on meltdown."
Emma, overhearing from across the room, smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, I owe you guys for finding it. I seriously thought that was the end of my phone."
Jacob, lounging on a nearby couch, raised a hand. "Just doing my part."
The group laughed, finally able to wind down after what had been a whirlwind day. Vegas had thrown its last curveball at them, but once again, they'd come out on top—with memories (and plenty of vomit stories) to last a lifetime.
And as they settled into their evening, one thing was certain: this reunion had been wild, chaotic, and downright hilarious.
And they wouldn't have had it any other way.