𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐃𝐈𝐆𝐀𝐍² , 𝗧𝗦𝗜𝗧𝗣.

love game, 3

"you know, i'm kind of a natural introvert, so i can't tell if this place is horrifying or if it's just, like, my lizard brain in action." skye said as we walked up the stairs with ice cream cups in our hands.

i rolled my eyes and took a bite of my cookies and cream ice cream.

"aren't everyone just introverted or extroverted? what's the difference between normal introvert and natural introvert?" i asked, looking at jeremiah who shrugged.

"it's fun. i promise." belly said.

"fun? because i seem to remember the last time we were here, you were crying." jeremiah said, pointing at belly.

"oh, i remember that!" i laughed, gripping jeremiah's arm.

"and belle was 12. and conrad beat her at shoot your shot and her penalty was to ride the tower of terror." jeremiah said as my laughter stopped and i made an annoyed face.

"belle, you were so scared, you threw up." he laughed.

"yeah, okay, whatever." i said, taking a bite of my ice cream. "i was sick."

"sick with fear." conrad said. "my mom had to throw out your clothes and carry you home in a caftan." he said and i chuckled as steven laughed and i looked at the ground, my smile slowly falling.

"susannah used to force my mom to come here when they were kids. my mom always hated it, but susannah loved it so much, so-" skye said but got cut off by conrad who got annoyed when skye started speaking.

"you know what else my mom loved?" conrad asked. "the beach house." he said.

"my mom's not evil, conrad." skye said. "and your mom wasn't a saint."

she did not.

"skye, have you ever played shoot your shot?" belly asked, after noticing the glares on mine, jeremiah, and conrad's face.

"no, and i'm-i'm fine keeping it that way." skye said and we all went quiet.

"who wants to see me beat conrad's ass in shoot your shot?" i asked, biting my ice cream, and everyone laughed except conrad.

"no, you could not do that." conrad said as steven and jeremiah laughed.

"i wouldn't hate watching that." skye said.

"you think you still got it, conrad?" i smiled, looking at him as jeremiah chuckled from beside us.

"okay, no, please, not another great boardwalk showdown." steven said.

"why not?!" i chuckled.

"noo, what are you doing?" he laughed.

"why not?" i asked again.

"so, they used to do this big tournament on the boardwalk every year when they were kids. i would get a, um, a riveting play-by-play as soon as belly and belle got home." taylor said.

"oh, yeah, every year until belle and conrad got too competitive." steven said. "and then my mom banned us from ever playing again." steven laughed as we all did and conrad chuckled.

it felt nice to see him smiling.

"are you down, jere?" conrad asked.

"uh, hell yeah, let's do it." jeremiah said.

"woah, yes, yes." steven asked as they boys fist bumped each other.

"i should actually, um, head out." skye said.

"no, you should stay." conrad said, his smile dropping as he cleared his throat and everyone looked at him, shocked.

"it's fun." he said.