Story of My Life

Chapter 4

The next morning, Erin wakes up at 8 A.M. She sees a note on the bedside table; when she picks it up, she sees that it's in her dad's handwriting.

Today, you'll be taking part in a scavenger hunt. Each of us has a clue that will lead you to your next destination and one step closer to the end. Go to the hotel lobby for your first clue.

Erin immediately jumps out of bed and gets dressed. Tucking the keycard in her pocket, she rushes to the hotel lobby. When she sees her dad, she runs over to him. Smiling, he tells her to slow her jets. He then hands her a note and tells her to read it when she's outside. She walks out of the hotel and begins reading the note.

Go to the place where surfboards are commonplace.

Erin immediately thinks the beach. She begins walking there when a limo comes up and stops. The driver gets out and approaches Erin.

"Are you going somewhere?" he asks.

"I was walking to the beach," she replies. The driver smiles.

"That's funny. I was heading there myself. Mind if I give you a lift?"

"Not at all! Thank you!" The driver and Erin walk back to the limo; he opens the door for her, and she slips in. Waiting for her inside is Sophia. Once the limo's moving again, she tells Erin that they're meeting Liam at the beach and that she has Erin's swimsuit. Erin nods her head, and the two of them talk until the limo stops once more. They get out and walk to Liam, who has three surfboards with him. He explains once the girls are with him that he's going to teach them how to surf. He shows them what to do, then he lets them try. At first, Erin keeps falling in the water. As the next couple hours go by, though, she starts to get the hang of it. Once they're done, Liam hands Erin a note and tells her to read it when she loses sight of him and Sophia. So, Erin walks to the boardwalk, sits down on a nearby bench, and reads the note.

A flag is more than it appears. It goes hand-in-hand with marching band. This activity is done during a game that people make a big deal out of. Throwback to high school and head to the place where the game is played.

Erin thinks really hard about the clue. After a few minutes, she begins making connections. Color guard requires tossing a flag in the air, and it's paired with marching band. Both are usually done during a football game, which means Erin has to go to her high school stadium for this clue. She gets up and looks out at the road near the boardwalk. She sees the limo, and she starts running to it. When she gets to it, she knocks on the door. The driver gets out and asks her where she needs to go. She tells him she needs to go to Mt. Carmel High School. They get in the limo, and he drives her there. When he stops, she gets out of the limo and jogs to the football stadium. Standing in the middle of the field is Niall with a flag. He hands the flag to Erin once she reaches him.

"What are you wanting me to do, Niall?" she asks.

"I want you to spin the flag for me," he replies.

"Are you serious?! It's been years since I spun!"

"I'm sure you remember some of it. It's just locked away somewhere in your head. Just spin the flag, and see how it goes." Niall runs over to the bleachers and pulls out a boombox. He hits a button, and "Act My Age" begins playing. Erin tosses the flag in the air, and flashbacks occur to high school. She remembers most of the routines, and it goes quite well. Niall joins in with an Irish jig. When the song's over, they both catch their breath. Then, Niall hands her a note and tells her that he's enjoyed her performance. Erin smiles as he gives her a hug. She walks off the field and checks the time. It's getting close to noon. As she walks, she reads the note, which contains the next clue.