“Oh, hey! “There you are,” Vala called out to Nico. He turned directly toward where her voice was coming from and greeted his classmate, who invited him to shop in a local plaza. “I thought you would not show up,” said Vala. “I made you a promise,” he reminded her. ” Of course you did it! You were never the type to want to be in crowded places.” Nico and Vala were always there for each other, proving their friendship was genuine. She took him by the hand and smiled. “Let’s have fun! There are several shops in the plaza.” “No matter what you choose, it will be fine,” he assured her. “Oh, it will,” Vala grinned, gripping his hand.…

The Spelunker’s Cave had been one of my favorite rides since I was a kid. I wasn’t a kid anymore. I was almost fourteen. But, I still loved it. My friends did too. Toni, Andra, Caroline, and I piled into the boat, ready for the darkness. Five other boats were lined in front of us. Ours was the sixth and final boat. A long, long line of amusement park thrill seekers awaited their turns. We jerked forward; whooping and hollering. Toni clapped and whistled. Andra waved her hands through the cool, pumped-in air, and Caroline crooned in deep, ominous tones. “Don’t scare me, y’all,” I laughed. “Oh, poor Lilah,” Toni teased, “boogedy, boogedy.” She pulled my hair from the back…

The Spelunker’s Cave had been one of my favorite rides since I was a kid. I wasn’t a kid anymore. I was almost fourteen. But, I still loved it. My friends did too. Toni, Andra, Caroline, and I piled into the boat, ready for the darkness. Five other boats were lined in front of us. Ours was the sixth and final boat. A long, long line of amusement park thrill seekers awaited their turns. We jerked forward; whooping and hollering. Toni clapped and whistled. Andra waved her hands through the cool, pumped-in air, and Caroline crooned in deep, ominous tones. “Don’t scare me, y’all,” I laughed. “Oh, poor Lilah,” Toni teased, “boogedy, boogedy.” She pulled my hair from the back…

The Spelunker’s Cave had been one of my favorite rides since I was a kid. I wasn’t a kid anymore. I was almost fourteen. But, I still loved it. My friends did too. Toni, Andra, Caroline, and I piled into the boat, ready for the darkness. Five other boats were lined in front of us. Ours was the sixth and final boat. A long, long line of amusement park thrill seekers awaited their turns. We jerked forward; whooping and hollering. Toni clapped and whistled. Andra waved her hands through the cool, pumped-in air, and Caroline crooned in deep, ominous tones. “Don’t scare me, y’all,” I laughed. “Oh, poor Lilah,” Toni teased, “boogedy, boogedy.” She pulled my hair from the back…

“Oh, hey! “There you are,” Vala called out to Nico. He turned directly toward where her voice was coming from and greeted his classmate, who invited him to shop in a local plaza. “I thought you would not show up,” said Vala. “I made you a promise,” he reminded her. ” Of course you did it! You were never the type to want to be in crowded places.” Nico and Vala were always there for each other, proving their friendship was genuine. She took him by the hand and smiled. “Let’s have fun! There are several shops in the plaza.” “No matter what you choose, it will be fine,” he assured her. “Oh, it will,” Vala grinned, gripping his hand.…