m i c a h

"Yeah, sometimes the schedule can be annoying. Honestly, now that I have a little more seniority as a tour guide, my schedule is a bit more consistent. I even get one weekend day off a week and one full weekend a month." Not that the summer ended up being very long for that to matter a ton, it was still a step up from the years before. "Oh, yeah, I think everyone ends up spending double but there's something about the thrill of winning it with tickets." A scam, she was sure of it, but one that even she had fallen into the trap of before. "Yeah," she nodded her head, "It probably is cheaper to find online." Though there was a part of her that was slightly disappointed the two wouldn't be playing games to win it, but she hid it by taking a bite of her pizza. "Have anything else planned for the summer?" @micaheverhart

"Hey that's something. We've been begging for you to have the opportunity to have weekends off since - " Micah paused. "Probably since we were old enough to even start working." Though, when Micah had started at the arcade the day after his sixteenth birthday, he'd been the one person that was scheduled to work most weekends until he started college. He'd been happy to have a normal weekday job now. "Those tickets are a hit." he nodded. "I think it's my favorite part. Watching the little kids' eyes light up when they win the most tickets." he paused. "It's great." He shifted, taking a bite of his own pizza and looked over at her only once she asked if he had more plans for the summer. "Not yet, but, I'm hoping to stay as busy as I can." he admitted, not including the part where he was thinking with Frankie. He was a boy after all with raging hormones and despite the fact that Micah wasn't experienced in the slightest, something in his gut told him that was about to change. "I really want to spend as much time as I can at the beach this summer. I'm getting pale." @felicityxcowan

Who: @micaheverhart

"Howdy partner." Cemre said with the best southern accent she could put on, which wasn't very good. "Are you ready to ride the bull?" Referring to the mechanical bull in front of them with a laugh. "You know back in the day I could go a full two minutes." She was totally lying, but it wasn't like he knew the truth. "Think you can beat that?"

"Two minutes?" Micah questioned, brow raised. He'd pulled out his best rodeo inspired outfit, which, in the end hadn't been anything fancy. Some jeans, boots he dug out of Percy Cowan's closet, a white tank with a flannel over top and a plastic cowboy hat he'd bought at the party store for half price. It had been something he was quite proud to say he threw together with little effort. "I'll believe it when I see it; I've never seen anyone last for more than a few seconds on these things." he stated, though he shook his head. "Not a chance. And I don't know if I even plan to try to make it any length of time." he stated. "My hips can't take that much jostling around, truthfully." @cemrexdeniz

As the other countered Micah's request - something he wasn't used to; people didn't often tell him no - he nodded. "I can do a coffee." he admitted with a smile. Making a mental note to reach out once he was in less of an emergency situation with his clothing. "Please don't take this shawl back." he begged, nodding more enthusiastically as if to plead with her. He wasn't above walking around with a hole in his pants but he didn't want to. He'd worn the wrong underwear for that today; he was sure that no one would want to see his obnoxious American flag boxers he'd pulled out of the bottom of his drawer. At her question, Micah exhaled, letting his gaze meet hers as his smile widened. "It's been alright, honestly." he stated. "I can't really complain about much aside from the rip in my pants." he paused. "What about you? Have you had a good day? I'd love to hear about it. I can promise it's more exciting than mines been, even with the fiasco I have going on right now."

Felicity didn't get to finish what she was saying, listening to what Micah was saying about Percy. "Yeah, I wonder where he is." She twisted her lips in thought, turning her attention back to her father at his question. "Just iced tea for me." She told him, immediately turning her head at a knock on the door. "I will go get that." Felicity offered, sticking out her tongue at Micah for fun as she bounded off to the door. She hadn't thought they were expecting anyone, at least not that her father mentioned. Opening up the door, Felicity stood with widened eyes. "Dad!?" She turned, a crease forming between her two brows. "Can you come here?" @micaheverhart

As Andrew volunteered Micah to say grace, the male exhaled, though, nodded. Saying grace at the dinner table wasn't something he was a stranger to, however, he hadn't expected to dig himself into a corner to do so today. "Make that two iced teas." he spoke, eyes only shifting to Felicity as the knock on the door sounded and she insisted on getting it. "Oh." he nodded, taking back the step he'd just taken. "Yeah go ahead, I'll help Andrew get drinks." he nodded, moving towards the kitchen, preparing to get ice from the freezer for the iced tea when he heard Felicity's voice sound, attention turning to Andrew as she asked if he could come there. "Go see." he nodded, though he knew Andrew didn't need his permission. "I'll take over unless you guys need me to assist." @drewxcowan

Micah laughed, nodding as the other said that it happened to the best of them. "I'd lost my head if it wasn't attached." he shrugged, knowing that he wasn't the most careful person. Which was interesting when he thought about it. He'd always been organized growing up, even helped his mom keep up with all the medications he was required to take. He wasn't sure what had changed; maybe the chemo had fried his brain, made him unable to function without some sort of list or calendar and even then he clearly wasn't great at it. "I hope you enjoy it." Micah stated, knowing that he'd likely see the man again the next day if he was working with Felicity. Not that he cared if the other didn't; Micah wasn't the one that made the food, so if there was a problem all he could do was apologize to the male. "You have a point, and you do have to be careful." he admitted. "But not with me. Honorary PK; pastor's kid. I barely even know what alcohol tastes like." a stretch as Micah was no stranger to a beer or two, but, he wasn't wild or even someone that drank a lot." @tylerxday

Felicity and Micah were setting the table, chatting mindlessly about their day. When it came to talking to him, it was easy. Never mind the bout of jealousy she felt a few weeks ago, she told herself. Micah was her best friend and she didn't want to lose him, she just wanted him to be happy. "I have to -" she stopped, hearing her father's question about the meatballs. Felicity looked to Micah for a beat, "Definitely on top of everything." She kept her gaze on her best friend for confirmation of what he thought next. @micaheverhart

"There's no other way but to do it but on top." Micah echoed, eyes focusing on Felicity a second later. They'd been deep in conversation - Micah wasn't even sure what now - but he had to say, he was eager to enjoy this dinner the same way they'd done when they were children. "You were saying?" he questioned, clearly focusing on Felicity as if to encourage her to continue. "You were just getting to the good part." he laughed, teasing slightly as she'd been enthusiastic about whatever it was since she'd started talking a few moments ago. It was only then that he stood up a little straighter. "Hang on a second; how did Percy get out of helping set the table? Where even is he? Don't tell me he bailed I'll kick his as- butt." he corrected, eyes shifting to Andrew as if he were waiting to be scolded for nearly slipping up. Not that he would, nor had he ever been, but, old habits did not die hard. @drewxcowan

Frankie smiled with Micah's words. "I'm glad to have her, too." Gia would always be someone important to Frankie. They'd been through so much together already. She couldn't imagine anything tearing the two of them apart. Her gaze shifted, landing on the space that was ceasing to exist between the two of them. She shifted, eyes meeting his as he spoke quietly. As his lips met hers, she smiled into the kiss. It was soft, gentle. Frankie lifted a hand, placing it on the side of his cheek as she pressed her lips a little more firmly to his. @micaheverhart

Micah knew that having people in your life that was important - a sibling, a best friend - and he was happy that through it all, they both had found people that were important to them. Something not everyone could say. As the space closed between them and Micah's lips were pressed against hers, he felt her hand against his cheek, her lips pressing harder against his, which he mimicked. Hands resting against her sides as he deepened the kiss. @frankiexcalloway

"Cheers to that." Micah nodded. His own life wasn't one that he could complain about. Sure, there was the fact that he'd spent more of his childhood in and out of hospitals than he had in his own bedroom. Add in that his parents had split, his oncologist father being the one to leave when the news of an affair that resulted in another child came into the picture, but, growing up right here in Kismet Harbor and being around the people he chose to be an active part of his life - the Cowans - made everything feel easier. Less heavy. His own version of a 'home base' if you'd call it that. Hell, he'd been living with them consistently for the last several years and the amount of times he'd slept over before that was more than he could ever even imagine to count. He sipped the drink that had been placed in front of him as the other asked if he was going to tell him who and Micah opened his mouth to speak as the next question came. Pastor's daughter. "The pasto-" he paused, raising an eyebrow. "Oh. Felicity?" he questioned, voice a little higher with the sound of his best friend's name. "No. We're just friends." he admitted. "This girl's the polar opposite of Felicity. Blonde, in a band. Older." he stated, though he knew that age was in fact just a number. "Her name is Frankie. And from what I know her childhood was more of a shit show than mine was." @devonxgoodwin

"Yeah, I start working a lot more when school is out, too." Though, at the aquarium she really did enjoy it. It wasn't her passion job, by any means, not something she wanted to do for the rest of her life but it was a job that did bring her joy. Though between the both of their jobs, they had highly different degrees of children's personalities. She often felt like the arcade attracted the wilder kids and Felicity's job at the aquarium brought in the inquisitive natured ones. Even if that wasn't always the case for both. "Yeah, he's been doing it so long it feels like, you probably should be used to it by now." Felicity said with a playfulness threaded through her words. "Six months free would be cool, but I bet they realized they lost a lot of money on that." She said with a shake of her head. "VR would be neat, though I think I'd get too motion sick," she paused, "but I think I will beat everyone out for the four foot sloth." @micaheverhart

"Oh you do." Micah nodded. Not that this news was new; he'd just not let himself remember that his best friend was no longer in school for the summer and there for she would have a lot more free time on her hands. For work, to hang out with her family, or him. He'd make a mental note to be a better friend moving forward. "Do they already have you scheduled out for crazy hours?" he questioned. "I don't know if it's just me but I feel like last year they really made your schedule annoying." he commented, shaking his head. Yet, as they continued the conversation, talking about the arcade, Micah nodded. "Yeah, I think they did." he agreed. "In hindsight they spent probably double what they would've spent on those tickets but-" he shrugged. "You unfortunately can't tell them all." he added, exhaling. "I don't think I could handle a VR headset either." he shook his head. "There's a reason I drive anytime we go anywhere." That and Micah was older; he'd been driving a lot longer than Felicity had been. "If you want the four foot sloth it's yours." he nodded. "I'm sure we've got some tickets laying around here somewhere that you can bring in that is enough to get it." he shrugged. "Or honestly we can look online - I'm sure it's cheaper to find something as close to it without spending all that money on games." @felicityxcowan

She nodded along as he agreed with her statement about the universe dictating parts of our life that we never even expected. It was one of the few things she believed in wholeheartedly and so hearing the other agree just gave them another checkmark in the cool column for her. “Yeah of course,” she grinned before nodding, “but yes exactly you get it—the universe threw me in you path so my shawl could become your rescue.” | @micaheverhart

"If that's what we're calling fashion than sure." Micah stated, trying to hide a shutter of his body as he did. Not because he didn't believe it; or maybe it was because he didn't. He had never been one to comment on fashion statements, had no interest in it really, but he'd seen quite a few clothing choices created by things that had no business being clothing options to know that he wouldn't consider a trash bag anything besides that; a trash bag.

"The universe has a way of throwing just who we need in our paths." he nodded. "I've believed that most of my life, actually. So I am very thankful that you happened to be here to come to my rescue." he laughed. "I'll have to remind myself to treat you to lunch or something for that, by the way." @lailaxmir

"Yeah, I've never been the easiest person when it comes to remembering schedules." Micah shrugged. "You'd think living in the house with your best friend though, we'd hold each other more accountable in general, but." he shrugged. "That doesn't happen usually though." Micah laughed. "I mean if you don't want them I'll take them home." he shrugged. "Up to you though, it's free food." he added. "Most people don't say no to free food." @tylerxday

Frankie looked to him as he mentioned all the boys she might be kissing. "Well, if that's your way of asking," she kept her tone light, teasing him as she spoke, "I am not kissing anyone." Except you, the words she left unspoken but hinted at as her gaze lingered on him. Frankie never thought she'd be the type of girl to date someone this much younger than her, but age was just that. A number. Micah was more mature than many people she knew that were her own age.

She steadied her gaze on Micah as he spoke of his second family. She knew what it was like to have family struggles. A mother that drank more than she parented. A father, well, a father that really never existed in her life. "It sounds like the Cowan's are amazing people." She spoke to them, almost wishing she would have had a second family to call her own. It had always been her and Gia. Gia and her. "It can be hard. I don't talk to my mom much either, honestly. It was easier when we were in New Orleans, but since moving, I don't think we've even so much texted outside Merry Christmas?" Her shoulders lifted into a shrug, "But we both have people that care about us and that's what matters." She paused for a beat. "I'd love to meet the Cowans sometime." @micaheverhart

"It was." Micah laughed, glad she'd caught on that that had been exactly what he was doing. Yet, he wasn't going to act on it yet. He'd wait, move in when it was the appropriate time. Micah wasn't used to this; he'd never been someone that was familiar in the dating department, and for once he was riding on the thrill of being wanted. A feeling he could easily get use to. He also couldn't deny the idea of dating someone older than him wasn't thrilling in itself.

"They're amazing." Micah stated, nodding as if to reiterate his statement. "Their the biggest reason I'm still in this town." he shrugged, an admittance he hadn't quite said out loud before now. Yet, instead of commenting anymore he just listened, letting Frankie talk about anything she needed to. "I understand what you mean." he nodded. "It's funny how the people that are supposed to be there for you aren't and the people that have no relationship to you are the ones that seem to care the most." he shrugged. "I'm glad you have your sister, though." he paused. "You deserve to have someone important in your life." Micah exhaled, eyes shifting from Frankie for a second, the view in front of them sending him lost in thought.

A beat, maybe a few and Micah shifted, scooting closer to Frankie. Inhaling he turned, looking at Frankie. "About earlier." he spoke, not realizing that his voice was barely above a whisper before he leaned in, placing a gentle kiss to her lips, the sound of his heart thumping against his chest the only thing coursing through his brain right now. @frankiexcalloway

Felicity took smaller bites of her food, savoring the bites and mostly using them as a way to bide her time while she waited for Micah to respond. "Yeah, I think those deals are usually cheaper. The aquarium offers something like that, especially during the summer you can get a pass. There's a yearly one too, I think." She told Micah, "What's the best prize someone has ever won from there?" Felicity was sure she'd asked this before, but the answer might have changed from last time. "Has there been anything good lately that I should be trying to win?" @micaheverhart

"They are." he nodded, eyes shifting from the plate in front of him to his best friend. He'd almost swear there was a shift in the air, some tension after his confession of taking Frankie out, but, Micah wasn't going to dwell on it. "I just know I'm going to be picking up hours there this summer since school is out." he admitted. "Which I'm both dreading and also excited for. The Hanson kids come in once a week all summer and basically terrorize the entire place and I'm not looking forward to that." he admitted. "But, you know, what can I do?" There wasn't much, he'd tried and most people were just quick to say that he were being too harsh, even if it was notable that their sales for the day were always significantly lower. "The best prize?" he paused. "Uh, I think someone had so many tickets that they got this rare like free six months membership but that was before I started working there." he admitted. "Nothing else there has ever seemed to be too impressive." Not enough for Micah to consider it anything he'd want, anyways. "I think I heard a rumor we're getting VR headsets, but, people have been trying to get our giant four foot sloth for weeks and no one has had enough tickets for it yet." @felicityxcowan

"And for the record, I think your pants dying in public was probably the universe's way of intervening. If you were already debating throwing them out, clearly they decided to make the decision for you. Though I have to say, I'm glad I happened to be nearby. I'd hate for your afternoon to be remembered as the day you lost both your dignity and your favourite pair of pants." | @micaheverhart

"You have a point. I saw someone wearing a trash bag as a dress last week." he admitted. "I will say they accessorized well, but, it was much less reliable than these pants were when I put them on this morning." he added. He couldn't disagree with the other person's comment; he just knew that this wasn't exactly a fashion sense he particularly wanted to be involved in. At least it was temporary. It was only when the conversations shifted back to a responsible adult that he felt his cheeks flush, something they often did when he was embarrassed. "I am." he countered. "Just not with paper." he shook his head. "I'm much more likely to keep up with your contact if it's in my phone."

As the other said that his pants being ruined was the universes way of getting rid of his pants for him, he nodded. "It's funny how the universe has it's way of telling us these things." he added. "I'm happy that at least now I have an excuse but I would've liked to be home." he shrugged. "This really is helpful; thank you universe for aligning us." @lailaxmir