I've never stopped in Buttonwillow but I have driven that I-5 corridor and most of it from Northern LA County past Santa Clarita through Kern County feels unsafe or at least sketchy... meaning in none of those areas would I want to find myself stranded at night. These are very secluded, desolate, quiet and dark towns at night. I definitely wouldn't drive that stretch alone and I definitely would not stop, though I am a chicken. These are mainly transient towns like tourist stops to get gas etc. much like Mojave, Barstow, and the little towns along US-395 towards Mammoth. They are similar to some of our high desert towns -- typically country folk, blue collar, lower to middle class with higher than average drug activity (like meth).
From Google Maps it looks like Buttonwillow is mainly a trucker stop (lots of motels, fast food, gas stations, travel centers like TA etc). Incidentally, Castaic is as well, though Castaic has more regular traffic and is more of an actual town.
It's true what they say. Nothing good happens after 1am.
Bryce is hiding something. Getting evicted from a college dorm is very difficult -- more difficult than an apartment; would have to be something like excessive alcohol or drug use that was negatively affecting others, destruction of property, violence, threats of self harm or doing dangerous that put others or property at risk (like setting fires) etc but that would typically involve the police. Of course, not paying rent is an easy way to get thrown out, but Laguna Niguel is upper-middle to upper class. I wonder where the money went if it was not paying rent.
