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This open thread will be for the relationship between Cal and Megan.  We can assume that it covers an ambiguous period of time and can be as current as you like for story purposes.

Saturday Night Double date

The date begins like an atypical teenage date, dinner and a movie. Megan and Cal are joined by Lance and his girlfriend for this part of the date, but at the end of the movie, Lance decides to 'call it a night' so to speak and take his girlfriend home, but not before giving a rougish wink in Cal's direction as he walks off. Cal turns to Megan after this and says "Well d'ya wanna call it a night too, or d'ya wanna go on to Navy Pier?, I hear it's kinda nice at night" [time is around 9:00]

Megan waves goodbye to Lance and his girlfriend as they depart before turning back to Cal as he asks if she wanted to head home or go out to Navy Pier.  The presence of Lance and his girlfriend had made the earlier part of the date seem a lot easier and now that they were gone it was a bit more frightening and exciting to the blond girl.  But she gave Cal a smile, calling on cheerleading to help keep her outward appearance from not showing any of her nerves.  “I have a few more hours before my parents want me home, and Navy Pier is a really cool place.  Have to take the opportunity to enjoy it on a nice night like this, soon it will be way too cold.  I tell you what, you paid for the movie, I’ll pay for our admission in.”

(ooc to keep this moving along)

Taking the train to Gateway Park, located next to the entrance to Navy Pier on Lake Michigan, the long pier covered with promenades, shops, restaurants, gardens and parks shone against the dark waters of the lake from the massive amount of lights in the amusement park-like atmosphere.  In addition to several large pavilions, the Farris wheel was one of the attractions that most quickly caught ones eye.

As they made their way through the entrance to the pier and onto the boardwalk that ran along the Southside of the pier, Megan looked up at Cal as she asked.  “So, where too first?  Farris wheel or miniature golf?  Or something else?”

(OOC Sorry about that)

"Ferris Wheel sounds good to me" Cal says, and heads along to the large wheel, and gets in line, "I hope we  don't have to wait too long for this thing" he says, obviously making small talk

Megan paid for their tickets on the Farris wheel as the pair moved into the line, which thankfully didn’t seem to long.  “So last game I believe I was able to pick out your dad and mom at the game.”  The blond girl says with a grin.  “Your dad sure seems to get into it, I’m sure its great having him at things like that all the time.  So is the baby your mom had a younger brother or sister?  I was too far away to really tell.”

"Yeah it sure is great havin my dad around for this sorta thing, and the baby is my little sister Francesca, she's only 6 mothns old and she's still in the 'middle of the night screaming' phase " Cal replies, smiling, he obviously cares for his family very much from the looks of things.

“I wouldn’t know about dealing with that, my older sister and brother had to deal with me at that stage.”  Megan grins.  “Hopefully she isn’t to close to your room so you don’t get always woken up.” 

“My brother, Donald, is a junior and on the school’s swim team, was first in state last year.  Denise, my sister, just started her first year at Yale.”  Megan’s face has a bit of look as she talks about her sister being away at college that seems to hint at her missing her.  But she quickly recovers and is smiling again as she continues, “my dad has always been rather, sparsely, involved.  Being mayor of Oak Park really fills his time, and it actually used to be worse when he was a partner at a major firm here in Chicago.  In addition to working tons of hours there, he was on the board of directors of a few major companies over the years as well, he still is on one now as a matter of fact.”

Cal listens attentively, as if he's genuinely interested in what Megan has to say "My Dad always seems to be around, I mean, he does work and stuff, but he always tries to make time for us, which is kinda cool" he adds on afterwards "And we always both make time for Football" he says with a grin

Megan laughs slightly at Cal’s remark about him and his dad always finding time for football.  “My mom has been around a lot, though she does keep a bit busy with philanthropy and community stuff.  But I guess its okay in all, my dad has always talked about how his time away was the unfortunate sacrifice he made to provide for us.”  She shrugs and then has a thought come to mind as they move along slowly in the line as the Farris wheel starts refilling after the last group’s ride finished.

“You know, I have no idea if the Cowboys play the Bears,” Megan says, recalling Cal and his dad’s favorite team, “but I would figure you would know, and if they do, my dad knows a few people that have skyboxes in Soldier Field.  He could always try to get tickets for us and your folks to go and see the game.”

(OOC looked up on yahoo sports, in the 06/07 season, Dallas and Chicago are not playing, but doesn’t mean they can’t for the 07/08 season which is in game :))

"Well it won't happen this season, but it don't mean it won't happen next season, thanks Megan that'd be great" Cal says greatfully "That'd sure be somethin"

The Ferris Wheel line had thinned sufficiently so that Megan and Cal could now get on "Well hey, that was pretty fast, looks like we're goin' up" Cal jokes

Megan giggles at Cal’s joke as the pair climb into the Farris wheel gondola and sit down.  The blond teen tried to not pay much attention to how close her and Cal were sitting at the moment, the closeness making her feel both excited and nervous.  The sudden movement as their gondola lifted up for the next people in line to get into another caused Megan to grab Cal’s arm. 

She gave him a smile as she relaxed again and then the Farris wheel was starting is slow trips around as the teens were able to look out to the empty darkness of Lake Michigan and back towards the bright lights of downtown Chicago.  Megan pointed out a few of the major sights they could make out as they went around the first time.  Then as the gondola passed around for its second time around, she settled back to look over at Cal as she asked.  “So, when your not playing football, or watching football, what else do you like to do?”

"Well that's a toughie" Cal says with a smile "I like to read alot, and not just about football either, y'know real books and stuff, but between studyin' and football practice, I really don't know where all my time goes y'know?"

“I know what you mean.”  Megan replies.  “Cheerleading practice and dance seem to eat a lot of time, then there is the studying,” though that is getting to be less of a time drain.  Megan thinks to herself with a secret smile, “and spending time with friends.  Its pretty crazy isn’t it?” 

She looks back out from the gondola they were in where they could see part of the dark lake and some of the lights of the city.  The sounds of the people at other parts of the pier could be heard below, but it seemed a bit distant.  “Though, as hectic as things can be, its times like this that everything can seem peaceful.”

"Yeah moments of peace are always...nice" during the pause in his sentence Cal's arm slowly creeps up and goes round Megan's shoulders, which makes Cal shift himself closer towards her.

As Cal put his arm up around her shoulders, Megan felt her heart beat quicken considerably, but she kept as calm an outward appearance as she could.  She did slide in a bit closer to Cal, just as he moved in a bit towards her, so her arm and shoulder were up against him.  Brushing a strand of hair back, she looked out at the lights of the city beyond as the Farris wheel made its way around again, trying to push aside the many thoughts that were racing through her mind and just relax as much as possible. 

Over all she managed to, but unfortunately, the ride did not last forever and eventually the Farris wheel stopped its slow motion around as it moved down to let out the passengers one gondola at a time.  As they waited for their gondola to come back around the bottom, Megan remained where she was as she looked over at Cal.  “So, any thoughts on what next?”

Megan and Cal continued around the various sights of Navy Pier, getting some cotton candy and playing a round of miniature golf.  As they finished, Megan checked the time and was surprised to see how late it was getting.  “Oh no, its getting late,” she said as she looked up at Cal, “we had better start heading back or I’m going to miss the curfew my parents gave me and then it could be a month before….we could have another chance to go out.”  She added the last part with a slight bit of nervousness, hoping she wasn’t being too premature in thinking Cal would ask her out again.

The two teens made their way out of Navy pier and back to the trains to return home to Oak Park.  The train was much less crowded on the trip back than it had been coming out to Chicago, and they talked some more during the ride.  As they were walking home from the train stop, they soon reached the street that lead up into Megan’s neighborhood.  Not wanting Cal to have to double all the way back and delay his return home, Megan stopped as turned to face him.  “I’m fine the rest of the way.”  She said with a smile.  “Its not to far and this is a really safe neighborhood.”  She then added, “I had a really good time tonight.” 

Hesitating a brief moment, she then stepped in closer and stood on her tip toes, her hands grabbing the upper part of Cal’s arms to balance herself as she kissed him softly on the lips.  Stepping back, her eyes stayed fixed on his as she had a wide smile.  She slowly raised her hand and gave him a wave.  “I’ll see you Monday.”  It took her a moment to fight the giddiness she felt and turn away and start towards her house.  She didn’t go very far before she looked back at him, the smile still on her face.  Giving him another wave, she turned back towards home. 

Monday September 24th

Cheerleading practice had been held in one of the rooms in the gym where they had worked on partner stunts some.  So far they had chairs down well enough to likely do some during the next game, and Megan figured Kel and Dallas were greatly enjoying having each of the girls on the squad sitting on their hands at one point or another during the practices.  Once practice was over, instead of heading straight towards the lockers to get her stuff to head home, Megan went out towards the football field. 

She arrived as the team was starting to head back towards the lockers.  Standing off to the side as they made their way back, she waived at some of the ones she knew as she waited for Cal.  When she spotted him, she stepped away from the wall she had been standing near and called out.  “Hey Cal.”