Part-Time Pegacorn

Coastal

"Wake up, Felicity. Today's the day."
Felicity rolls over and groans complainingly. After a few seconds, she realizes something and jumps up like a rabbit. Her tired expression instantaneously morphs into an excited 'ready-to-go' grin.
If you haven't already guessed, today is the day we travel down to Florida. I have our route planned out perfectly. The schedule I have prepared for us tells us when we should leave the house, when we should take rest stops, and when we should get there exactly. Of course, slow traffic and rainy weather could effect the outcome of when we will arrive in Florida. So my calculations may be incorrect.
Felicity and I eat breakfast so fast that we barely chew the food. Then we hurriedly change out of our pajamas and grab all of our bags. Felicity has at least three while I have two large bags. We're girls. We have to have our travel necessities.
My parents are getting ready to go to work around this time. We hug them and say our goodbyes. They of course tell us to behave and not get into any trouble. We promise to not to do anything outrageous.
At six I'm backing out of the driveway. All of our luggage is either in the spacious trunk or the backseat. Yes, it's very early in the morning, but considering how long the drive will be it is essential that we leave at such a time.
Felicity sets up the navigation on my phone as I head toward the nearest interstate. When my sister hands me my phone back I double check to make sure she put in the right destination. She typed it in right.
This doesn't go unnoticed by her and she starts ranting about how I should trust her more. Then she goes on about how she has 'matured'
since she became a pumagriff.
Eleven hours of this to go.
Hopefully, my sister won't let this trip go to her head since our parents are giving us a huge privilege by letting us go all the way to Florida.
I've seen the ocean twice before in my sixteen year lifespan. The last time was four years ago when I was twelve.
About three hours into the trip, I call Diesel who is also currently traveling. I keep my phone on speaker so that I don't have to hold the thing up to my head.
"It sounds like we're close to each other. We just passed mile marker 23." Diesel says.
Felicity, who is staring out the window, chirps, "Look! Mile marker 23."
"We're really close. I'm surprised." I say.
The next voice I hear from my phone shocks me.
"Yeah, you would think Diesel's Camero would be far ahead of you two."
I roll my eyes. It's not Diesel. Neither is it Garret.
"Ash, what are you doing?" I growl.Nobody told me Ash was coming along on this trip.
Garret answers, "Well, someone couldn't stand to think that he wasn't coming along. So he at the last moment joined in on the expedition."
"Hey, I'm paying for myself. Don't make it sound like I'm sponging off you." Ash retorts sharply.
This is going to be an interesting trip...
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Eight hours, three arguments, two traffic jams, and about seven in-car-concerts later Felicity and I arrive at our wondrous destination. Pensicola, Florida!
It's currently around seven o'clock. I've been driving for so long that I feel like I'm part of the steering wheel. The sky is turning a bright orange. The sun should be setting in an hour.
We meet Diesel, Garret, and Ash at what I hope to be a nice hotel. I don't even know that the hotel is beach front until I step out of the car and see a vast blue ribbon nearby. The sounds of distant crashing waves and laughing gulls float in the air. The distinct undeniable smell of sea water, salt, and the very slight smell of fish drifts all around us. All of these scents are magnified by our ability to smell better than normal humans. Except for Ash over there who wouldn't even pay attention to the scents even if he had an explicit sense of smell.
We all walk into the lobby of this hotel. A quaint lounge area sits near the sliding glass doors. T-shirts advertising the hotel and beach are folded inside nearby cubby holes along the wall. The atmosphere is filled with a beach-like feel. Sea shells, thick sailor rope, and pictures of sailboats decorate the lobby. A straw mat lies below our feet as we approach the counter.
Garret and his brother had already reserved a room for the week. I had done the same as well. I let them check in first. Ash and Felicity were off exploring the lobby and the stack of countless brochures. While I waited, a friendly woman waved me over to the other section of the counter so she could check me in. I give her all the information I need to check in. Then I pay for the room.
"So where have you traveled from?" She asks me friendly as she prints out a receipt for my room.
I smile, "Mellark, Missouri."
"Sounds like you've come a long way. Hope you enjoy your stay."
I have no idea if she meant to rhyme that.
She goes on, "There's a pool out back as well as a jacuzzi. Both inside and outside. We also have a restaurant. All the information is in the pamphlet. Cleaning services check by every day. If you have any questions, you can come here to the lobby or call the 'help' number in the pamphlet. And last but not least, here are your keys."
"Thank you." I smile at her cheerfulness as I take the keys.
This is going to be a great trip.
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"Ooh, we should totally go to that place." Felicity points out another tourist trap in one of the brochures she took from the lobby.
I laugh, "Don't get your hopes up. Remember why we came down here in the first place. We'll have our beach time and vacationing time, but we have important matters to deal with too."
The chrome elevator doors slide open at that moment. We then exit the small room and travel down the hall till we find our room, #385.
I pull the key out of the pocket of my jean shorts. I just call it a key for short, but it's actually a keycard.
Swiping the card near the black device on the handle, the door lock clicks as a tiny green light blinks on, and I push open the door.
Felicity slides by me so she can be the first inside. I pick up the bags she's left on the hallway floor and tote them inside. That's when I let myself stare at the room before me.
Two queen beds make up most of the space. A flatscreen television is mounted on the wall directly in front of the two beds. From where I stand in the doorway, I can see a balcony overlooking the sparkling ocean.
On my left is the bathroom which is fairly nice. Tiny bottles of shampoo and conditioner stand on the sink's edge as a wrapped piece of soap labeled with 'Ocean Scent' lays in a minute soap dish.
"There's even a Keurig, Olivia." I hear my sister shout joyously.
Closing the hallway door behind me, I go over to a table where Felicity is fiddling with an actual Keurig. A simple microwave also sits atop of the table and a small four foot fridge hides under the table.
I was hoping that there would be a kitchenette in the room, but I'm not going to complain. It's a nice room.
My bags end up finding a home between the side of the bed and the wall. Felicity throws her luggage on a two seater couch which I had not noticed till now. There goes my hopes of using the comfy couch.
"This is so cool." Felicity exclaims.
It's the exact words that keep replaying in my head repeatedly. Just being here is great, but having a room all to ourselves for an entire week is even better.
We go out on the balcony and take in the ocean for the first time. A salty breeze blows back our hair as we look down at the surf. Earlier, when the sun had been higher in the sky, dozens of sunbathers and beach umbrellas probably littered the beach with their bright color.
"Let's go check on the boys."
I then text Diesel to ask him what number his room is. He replies with #334. We're lucky that we got our rooms on the same floor.
Felicity and I head over to their room to see what's up. To my surprise they're already settled in.
Garret starts a conversation before anyone else can, "I know it's pretty late. Eight o'clock actually. But anyway, we haven't ate dinner and I asked my professor when we could meet him. He said we could visit him tonight. He invited us over for dinner."
This is great. Now we don't have to wait until tomorrow to meet the man we've come all this way to meet.
But I have to be honest, I had been hoping to go out on the beach for at least ten minutes.
Then again, I'm griffin who needs only three hours of sleep. If we don't go out on the beach at some point then I will find time.