Time to Change

Previously on Real World: Arissa said that coming to Las Vegas was her ticket out of the projects. She's going to make like George and Weezie and move on up to the East Side. Irulan and Gabe have an open relationship, which Frank and Steven thought was awful. Irulan made out with Alton in bed. Alton said he didn't want to mess with a girl that had a boyfriend. Irulan said she would answer any question Gabe asked, but notice she didn't say that she would answer it truthfully. Irulan told Gabe that there was nothing going on with her and Alton.

Arissa calls her boyfriend, Dario. In an interview, Arissa says she hasn't seen Dario in two months, and now he's coming to visit. Arissa tells Dario that her "hair is gorgeous" because her "Farrah is back," and in fact, Arissa does look much better, and her hair does look like Farrah. In an interview, Arissa says that the first time she met Dario, he was fifteen but told her he was seventeen, and she called him "golden boy" because he had such a presence about him.

Irulan and Alton set up a tent in the living room like Claudia on Party of Five. In an interview, Irulan explains that she set up the tent so that Arissa and Dario could have some privacy, and she didn't want to sleep in the boys' room because "they smell and Frank farts and Trishelle and Steven have sex." So why can't she sleep in Trishelle's bed, if Trishelle is in with Steven? Oh, because then she wouldn't get all of the attention of having a tent in the living room? I see.

Arissa tells Dario that she had to go hunt down her check because she didn't have any money. She hunted it down? They don't just get paid on a regular basis? In an interview, Arissa says that she can't seem to hold onto money because someone always needs her money. Or she could just tell them they can't have it. Unless it's, like, a bill collector. You kind of have to pay them. Arissa adds that Dario needs her to send him $100. On the phone, Arissa agrees to send it. That seems like a lot of money to just give anyone, even if he is your boyfriend. I mean, $20, okay. But $100? I wouldn't even ask my parents to just give me $100. I'm just going to pretend there's some back story to why Dario needs the money and leave it at that. Arissa tells Dario that she's going to go downstairs and gamble. And then she wonders why she can't hold onto her money. I guess the slot machines keep telling her that they need it.

Arissa heads downstairs and puts $20 into an I Dream of Jeannie slot machine. She banters with the slot machine (no, really) while she plays. Irulan appears out of nowhere. Arissa explains that she was up two hundred (and I think it's a quarter slot, so that's actually $50) and she was going to stop, but then she realized that if she hit the jackpot, Dario would be really psyched. Look, I just got back from Vegas myself, and I'm not going to pretend like I didn't lose more money on the slots than I originally intended. But I did set a limit for myself, and I stopped when I lost that amount, because I know that otherwise I would just keep playing and playing. Which is what the casinos count on, and it's how they make their money. Irulan urges Arissa to quit playing, but Arissa says that she needs to win for Dario. Maybe Dario needs to get a J-O-B.

Irulan and Arissa sit in a booth. Irulan tells Arissa that if she needs money for various reasons, she shouldn't have gone to the casino and blown $100. Irulan adds that even though Arissa has been lucky with gambling, luck runs out, which is how the casinos stay in business. Hey, I just said that! Arissa says that maybe Irulan was taught to pay bills and manage her money, but that's not something Arissa was taught, and it's something she has to learn, but it's hard. It's really not that hard. You make a certain amount. You spend less than that. You save the rest. Or even better, you make a certain amount, you save part of that and you spend the rest. I'm not saying I'm the perfect money manager, but I do know what I should be doing, and I do that most of the time. Because I grew up in America. I don't buy the whole, "Well, my parents never saved money so I don't know how to do that." If you are aware that there is another way to be, then be that way. In an interview, Irulan says that it's hard for Arissa to step away from her background, but if she wants to change, Irulan thinks she's capable of it.

Arissa waits for Dario in front of the hotel. Irulan waits with her. I have to say that if I had not seen my boyfriend for two months, I would've at least showered and maybe tried to wear something nice. Arissa apparently didn't feel the need to make that much effort. In fact, it apparently would have been too much effort to put on shoes, so she's wearing leopard-print slippers. Maybe Dario digs that, though. Irulan thinks that once Dario arrives, Arissa will be able to relax. Arissa says that she knows the first thing she'll ask him is, "What took you so long?" Irulan points out that Dario has been traveling for a long time and his plane was probably delayed, so Arissa shouldn't start off on the wrong foot. In an interview, Arissa says that a normal person would assume that Dario's plane was delayed, but she wonders why Dario is doing this to her. Because she's self-absorbed and can't see past how the whole thing affects her. Dario's cab finally pulls up. Arissa jumps in and hops on his lap, giving him kisses. ["She's so excited to see him that she even chucks her lit cigarette! Oh, wait -- she totally doesn't. You're going to burn his hair, woman. Ditch the butt. Jeez." -- Sars] They snuggle and hold hands in the elevator. In an interview, Trishelle says that Dario is "a big, cuddly teddy bear" and she can see why Arissa likes him so much. Arissa straddles Dario and gives him a big hug. In an interview, Arissa says that Dario could not have come at a better time, because she needs to have him hold her right now. Again, it's all about her.

Irulan and Alton go to the Paris casino and pose for pictures. In an interview, Irulan says that Alton is an amazing person and whatever he wants to do is cool. Alton compliments the way that Irulan and Gabe chill out together. That is the weirdest relationship compliment I've ever heard. In an interview, Alton says that Gabe deserves Irulan, because she's "an awesome woman," and he's had a crush on her since day one. Haven't we been through this already?

Dario and Arissa go out to a club with the roommates. Irulan says that she and Alton were "the two odd men out," so she made him be her "pretend date." But she's not leading him on or anything. I just think it's kind of cruel, since she knows how he feels about her. In an interview, Arissa says that she thinks Irulan might like Alton, and she knows Alton has a crush on Irulan. In an interview, Alton talks about how great Irulan is. Wow, that was a fascinating scene.

Alton and Dario eat chicken wings in the kitchen and laugh about the tent in the middle of the living room. Arissa eats a salad. Dario begs for a bite of it; Arissa says no. Alton goes into the bathroom and splashes cold water on his face. In an interview, Alton says that while Irulan might be attracted to him a little bit, her situation doesn't allow him to make himself that vulnerable. You know, I thought I understood what he was saying, and then when I typed it out, I realized that I have no clue. In an interview, Irulan says that Alton invited himself to sleep in her tent by knocking on the door and asking if he could sleep there. Well, that's not really inviting himself. She could've said no. Alton crawls into the tent. Arissa crawls into bed with Dario. In a confessional, Alton talks about how much he likes Irulan, especially giving her massages. Or maybe that should be "giving her massages." Alton cuddles with Irulan and rubs her back. In an interview, Irulan says that it all happened because of timing and opportunity, and that she felt lonely because Dario was in town and stuff. I really don't get her. Gabe was just there, probably less than a month earlier. Like, if she doesn't want to hook up with Alton, don't. And if she does, do it. But don't pretend like it was all a big accident and she didn't really want it, but she was in the situation and decided to just go with the flow or something. Take some fucking responsibility.