Walking the boardwalk, we end up walking in and out of many shops wanting desperately to shop but remember that we still have more walking to do. Although we've had lunch the smell of the deep fried boardwalk fries and sweet funnel cakes entice us into picking up snacks along the way. I share my snacks with Mekhi and always get a small size so that I'm not over indulging and become full fast.
"So how did you manage to hook up with Mekhi," Melissa asks as we are walking ahead of the guys.
"Mekhi hooked her," Nova answers for me.
"Really," Jasmine asks.
"Yeah, he pulled me in. I didn't even know who he was when I met him," I admit.
"Wow, what were you living under a rock," Melissa asks astonished.
"Yeah, something like that. Anyway it's been good since I've met him," I say with a giggle.
"Other than that little drama," Rylie adds.
"Yeah, other than that. How do you deal with it being with Cameron? He's a member of the basketball team as well," I ask interested in hearing her strategy.
"Honestly, although my Cam is handsome and popular he doesn't attract the craziness that Mekhi does. I mean there are a few girls here and there. Usually I just put my foot down and they go away or Cam handles the situation if it gets to be too much. Mekhi has been unattainable for a long time and everyone has tried their hand but no one succeeded. Then it seems as if you came out of nowhere (no offense) and he's suddenly all about you," Melissa says and I consider her words carefully.
"Yeah, I guess I can understand that. It's not like I'm nobody though, I'm just someone people chose not to pay attention to. As far as Mekhi, it would be great if he weren't so popular amongst the ladies but what can I do besides what I have already been doing," I say.
"And you've doing beautifully at that! I'm just glad to see him happy with someone he adores," she says.
"You mean he loves," Rylie corrects her.
"He definitely loves her, there's no denying that," Susu adds.
"You guys don't know that for sure," I say as I blush looking back at him and he smiles when he catches me staring so I quickly look away.
'Is it that obvious? Has he really been holding himself back for me? Have I been willingly ignorant?' I think to myself.
'Of course not, you're just afraid because it seems as if things are moving too fast. Just let it happen, you'll be better for it no matter the outcome. It's better to lay everything out in the open versus keeping it to yourself.' The logic in me replies.
"And you obviously love him too," Susu says with a knowing look causing me to blush.
"Ugh, is it so obvious? Can you really tell," I ask as I continue to blush.
"It's not obvious, but we know you a little better than you probably know yourself so it's obvious to us," Nova says patting my back and I fan my face.
"Does he know," Naomi ask.
"I don't think so, I haven't said anything to him," I admit.
"Well why not," Jasmine asks.
"Because I feel like it's still too early for us to be making these kind of confessions to one another," I say shyly as another blush warms my face.
"To be newly in love," Naomi says in a sing song voice.
"I miss it," Nova says.
"So do I," Jasmine and Susu chime in together.
"You guys are embarrassing me," I say bashfully.
"Okay, okay, we'll stop teasing you," Nova says patting my back and Rylie holds my hand.
"Thank goodness," I say wanting the attention off of me.
"You should just tell him though, I don't think all of us could be wrong about the feelings we see in his eyes when he looks at you. This is the perfect time, we're on vacation without any distractions, the mood is right, and the setting is perfect. Don't let this time pass you by worrying about things that'll seem insignificant in the grand scheme of things," Nova says beautifully.
"You're right, I'll find the time to do so. I don't know why being with him makes me feel like a shy school girl," I say more to myself than anyone else.
"Good, now let's go to the arcade up ahead and kick our men's butts in some games," Rylie says changing the subject and lightening the mood.
"That's a great idea," I say looking at her gratefully.
"Let's go girls, let's conquer the boys," Rylie says loud enough for the guys to hear.
"YEAH," we shout in unison behind her thrusting our fists into the air as we follow her into the arcade.
We enter the arcade, purchase our tokens, and begin to challenge our men to every game in there besides the shooting game. The first game we challenge them to is a racing game. We take our positions each of us next to our significant other awaiting the countdown to begin the race. I look over at Mekhi and smile a mischievous smile.
"You're going down," he says with a determined look.
"I don't think so," I reply with a raised eye brow.
"We'll see," he says confidently.
Ten minutes and five races later, I can barely control the giddiness I feel of beating him in the racing game. Not one to be a sore loser he acquiesce to calling me Queen for the remainder of the day. The next game we go to play is skee-ball which requires a little more skill than I have so he wins flawlessly in the five rounds we play. We continue playing going from game to game until we have played everything besides the basketball shooting game. We both don a bag full of tickets that can be used to get a prize from the prize counter.
"You should just play it Kai, when some tickets for me so I can take the biggest stuffed animal they have back home," I say as we walk by the basketball shooting game for the umpteenth time.
"Are you sure," he asks looking at me with a shy smile.
"Yes, this one is off the record because naturally you will beat me," I say easily in a matter of fact way.
"Okay baby, watch your man work," he says confidently.
"Alright, alright," I say taking his bag of tickets from him and standing to the side.
The first game he plays is a warm up, but after that he breaks the game high score easily crushing it. Not ones to be left out after noticing the small crowd surrounding us, the rest of the guys come over to the other machines and begin their assault as well. The girls and I just stand back and watch our men as Mekhi put it until the machine runs out of tickets to give out.
"Are these enough tickets for you," Mekhi says with sweat forming at the top of his forehead, his arms full of tickets, and triumph in his eyes.
"Yes," I say nodding my head with a shy smile.
"Good now let's get you that prize," he says beckoning me to follow his lead.
"Okay," I readily agree giving the girls an apologetic look before I follow Mekhi to the prize counter.