Stick to the Plan

Ch.3: All Night Long🔥

We swam for a good hour before deciding we were hungry. Morgan conferred with Josie and Parker to see if they wanted to go up to the boardwalk and eat. They agreed wholeheartedly.

Morgan knew just the place, she said. We walked to the boardwalk to a place called Pier Burger. It already smelled delicious, and we weren't even inside yet.

I grew eager at the prospect of food after all that swimming. I watched as everyone got their wallets out. I flipped mine back and forth in my hand, but Morgan stopped this, putting her hand over mine. A chill took over my body as our skin met once again. You'd think I'd be used to it by now, but no.

"Oh no, you won't be needing that. You won the game for me. I'll take care of it," Morgan said, winking at me. Her hand was still over mine, and I don't even think she noticed the effect she had on me. She was being so nice to me, too.

Did she want me to be smitten?

Morgan bought me a burger my favorite way; with lettuce, tomato and mayo. We all ate at a table in the covered, partially outside portion of the restaurant. Morgan also bought me a chocolate shake that I drank happily. I of course thanked her profusely.

"So what do you like to do for fun, Emery?" Josie asked me, leaning her head on Parker. They seemed really close and comfortable with each other. I envied that.

"I love to read, write and draw. Sometimes I journal. I wanna be a kid's author someday. That's my passion," I revealed, and Morgan's face brightened.

"That's beautiful, Emery. Give these kids a story, one they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. You're gonna have such an impact on them. I remember most of the books I read as a kid. Well, the good ones at least," Morgan reminisced. I chuckled.

"Thank you for the motivation," I said, kind of flirtatiously. Hey, I was taking a chance here, and I wasn't gonna run from these budding sensations Morgan was continuing to give me by doing nothing at all but existing.

We finished eating and decided to walk around the pier to Pacific Park; the amusement park built into the boardwalk. There were so many things to do, like rides and games with prizes to win. The gang wanted to ride some rides, so we got on the Ferris wheel first. I got in a car with Morgan, heart pounding inside my chest.

Anything could happen up here.

"What's your passion?" I asked Morgan as she dangled her feet over the edge of the seat.

"I've got a few," she said, aiming those brown eyes in my direction.

"Such as?" I asked, laughing softly.

"Guitar, surfing, marine biology. I guess that's it. And journaling, like you said, but that's more of a hobby," Morgan told me. It was nice to know the girl behind that kind smile.

"What's your favorite out of all of them?" I asked curiously.

"I don't know. I guess guitar. It's really fun to play, and I've been playing for quite a bit. My dad taught me at a young age. He's a musician just like me," Morgan revealed proudly.

I didn't know much about the guitar, but I knew that I would love to hear her play sometime, and I told her so. She smirked.

"You will."

I was disappointed when the ride was over, but we just got on another one. And another one. It wasn't wise of us right after eating but we were fine. Morgan wanted to play this balloon dart game. I said it looked impossible, but she was just dying to prove me wrong. I found this admirable. She threw the darts, and each and every one popped a balloon. I was shocked, aghast, and confused. After Morgan selected a prize, a medium-sized stuffed dolphin, she took it, and immediately handed it to me.