Tonight on The Real World: I hate when they do "Tonight on..." instead of "Previously on..." because, hello? We're already watching the episode. Also, it seems to be admitting that just now, in the nineteenth episode, they are introducing an important storyline that might explain Arissa's bitchy behavior in the past.

Anyway, then they show us a scene that doesn't actually occur again in the episode, so I don't really understand why they pretended it was going to be a preview. Arissa calls her mother, who I'm going to call Ma-rissa. Ma-rissa bitches that she needs the money for Arissa's bed. Arissa tells her to just "let them take it." Are they repo-ing her bed? She must have bought it on a rent-to-own basis, which is such a rip-off. My former boss used to be a repo man for a rent-to-own place, and he said it was heartbreaking because he would have to go in and take people's bedroom sets and the kids would be screaming, "Mommy, don't let the man take my bed! My dresser!" Anyway. Ma-rissa wants $123 and Arissa says it might take her a while to get that money. Ma-rissa says, "Okay, goodbye," and just hangs up. Arissa stares at the phone in disbelief and then hangs up, too. She puts her head in her hands and cries. As she's walking out, Steven asks her what's wrong, and Arissa collapses into his arms, sobbing.

Arissa cries and talks to Irulan in the Smokers' Lounge. In an interview, Irulan says that whenever Arissa talks to her mother, she gets upset. Arissa dabs her eyes with a tissue and says that her mother hangs up on her every time. In an interview, Arissa cries and dabs at her eyes and says, "God forgive me if I don't love my mother, but...right now...in order for me...to get...through...this process...I cannot deal...with...my mother." What's with the pauses and the overenunciation? I guess she's trying not to break down, but it was weird. Irulan asks if it's always been like this, and Arissa nods. In an interview, Arissa says, "My mother...tells me that I cannot survive without her." Irulan hugs Arissa.

Arissa tells Alton and Steven that no one understands that her mother is "the most ill-matic drama queen." Well, if that isn't the queen calling the other queen "dramatic." Steven says he refers to such people as "toxic friends," and he makes finger quotes like he just made up the phrase "toxic friends" on the spot. Whatever, Tony Knobbins. Steven says it sucks when your family members are your toxic friends. In an interview, Steven says that if someone is continually bringing you down, you don't need that person. Steven tells Arissa that it sucks to have to keep your family at arm's length, and that he wishes he had a family that was loving and supportive. Wait, wasn't this conversation supposed to be about Arissa's situation? In an interview, Steven says that you can't pick your family members, but you can cut them off. Arissa says that if she came to Vegas with baggage, it's because her mother packed her bags. What is she, Dr. Phil all of a sudden? Alton pipes up to say that you're always going to desire family, and then repeats Steven's "toxic friends" theory, complete with finger quotes, and then tells Arissa she's a beautiful person. Does Alton ever make any sense of any kind? Seriously. Is he speaking another language? Arissa says that she always thought she didn't care what people think of her, but she's starting to discover that she does. Wow, bad idea to come on this show if you care what people think about you. Arissa says that her birthday is approaching, and she's worried that no one will remember it. If that happens, it's your friends and family that suck, not you. Alton promises that she won't be cardless, and then says that she might not get a card from the house. What? Again, no idea.