It All Began With A Letter

Chapter 24: Counting Stars

He looked at me and smiled. "What can I do for you?"

"I have a question."

"Yes?"

"Am I still the most interesting person you know?" I asked with a smirk.

He gave a questioning glance to Daisy. Then, something clicked in his head because he turned back towards me as a smile grew on his face.

"I can't believe it!" he said as he began to walk out from behind the counter.

"I can't believe Daisy doesn't remember me," I told him.

"Eh, I have to say, you do look different," he told me as he looked me over.

"Um, who are you?" Daisy asked, still unsure. Sometimes she could be really slow.

"Well according to my birth certificate, I'm Riley," I told her.

Next thing I knew, I was choking. Her grasp on me was unbelievable.

"Choking" I managed to get out.

She released me and gave me a sly smile. "Sorry."

I chuckled, "It's fine. Anyways, I got some people for you guys to meet. And I seriously do want my usual."

Daisy laughed before yelling my order out to the chef in the back, just like in the good old days.

***

When we found the table where everyone was sitting at, I walked up to them and began introducing everyone to each other.

"Guys, this is Chris. The manager of this awesome place. Chris, this is Ashley, Logan, Asher, and Claire," I told him as I pointed out my friends to him.

"And this," I said motioning to my other side, "is Daisy."

"I'm Asher," Asher said, extending his hand out with a wink.

"And I'm taken," she said with a smirk as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Yep, definitely Riley's friend," Logan said.

We all laughed at that, except Asher, who's plan had obviously failed.

***

After we had finished eating, and Chris told us not to pay, it was on the house, we continued to explore Malibu.

Then, as it began to get late and we were all tired, we headed back to the hotel where we were staying.

We were all sharing one huge room. And when I say huge, I mean huge. It literally had three queen size beds, two couches, a Foosball table, two mini fridges, a 60' plasma screen TV, and 2 full bathrooms.

We had decided that Claire would get her own bed, Ashley and Logan would share a bed, and I'd get my own as well. Asher had decided that'd he'd be nice and just take the couch.

Everyone was fast asleep but I couldn't fall asleep. Instead, I replayed every single moment of my life that I could simply remember. Doing that, I let out a few tears but quickly wiped them away.

Knowing that I wouldn't be able to fall asleep, I decided to take out my phone and text Mason.

Hey. How's everything back at home?

He replied almost instantly.

Good but not the same without you :) How's things in Malibu?

So then proceeded to tell him everything that happened since I woke up this morning all the way to what I was doing right now.

Hang in there. And if you ever need me, call me. I don't care what time it is.