"Jim Bob, nobody wants to go!"
And with that, James suddenly broke away from our loud little mob and started sprinting towards the arcade. I watched as Ashton hesitated, looking at all of us apologetically, and then ran after his cousin, swearing.
"Wait, Reese!"
"Luke!"
I spun back around just in time to see to blonde heads run off the other way, in the direction of the train tracks. Calum sighed. "Should we just split up or...?"
"Oooh!" Kayla squealed. "Boardwalk games! Do you guys wanna go?"
Before I could say yes, Michael cut me off. "Nah, we're fine. You guys go on ahead."
"Alright man. See you later." Calum said, clapping his hand on Michael's shoulder. Kayla waved to me before they ran off, their dark heads soon lost in the sea of people around us.
"Well, I feel like we've all really bonded as a group, don't you?" I laughed half-heartedly more at my weak attempt to make a joke, rather than the actual joke itself.
But Michael wasn't having it. "You were on a date?"
"Um, yes." I said, but it came out more like a question.
"What's his name?"
"Dylan. Michael, it's really not a big deal." I tried, but he kept going.
"And you met him this morning?" He raised his eyebrows at me.
"No, last night. We were in the same car on a ride."
"Is that why you didn't ans-"
"Yes, Michael." I sighed exasperatedly. "That's why I didn't respond to your text, because I figured it could wait. It's nothing too serious, I don't even know if it'll last beyond this week."
"Have you kissed?" He asked, which caught me off guard.
Before I could even consider denying it, the word slipped off my lips. "Yes."
"Lana-"
"It's not a big deal, Michael!" I threw my hands up. "So what? We kissed!"
"Lana, I just don't want you to get hurt, that's all. Okay? You just met the guy. He could be a total ass, for all you know."
"No." I shook my head. "Dylan's not like that. He wanted to kiss me again earlier but when I wouldn't let him, he told me we didn't have to do anything I didn't want."
"Okay." Michael stopped me. "Okay, Lana. I'll believe you. Just...be careful."
I sighed, feeling any annoyance I was feeling towards him fade. "Alright."
In response, Michael only nodded and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, setting the spots his fingers brushed on my cheeks ablaze, just like he had the day I met him.
"So," I cleared my throat. "Have you been here before?"
"Once, when I was younger. But I hardly remember anything."
I widened my eyes, feeling excitement bubbling up. "So it's safe to say it's like your first time here?"
He shrugged. "I guess so. Why?"
"Because now it's my job to make this trip a memorable one." I giggled, pulling him towards one of the boardwalk's biggest attractions.
***
I sat in a car for the Giant Dipper for the second time in the last twenty-four hours, except instead of being accompanied by Dylan, I was with Michael. Michael fidgeted around in the car, looking all around us. I could tell straight off the bat when Michael sat in the car that he wasn't as calm as Dylan was with rollercoasters.
