28 Blind Dates: After the Costumes (Part 56)

Welcome to Young Adulthood (2)

Jalin and his friends Cale and Kory are moving to a cheap apartment in San Myshuno. Jay has decided to take his mother’s advice and turn his gaming channel dream into an entire gaming media company. He’ll be in charge of creating gaming videos and live streams. Kory will run their gaming blog and write articles, gaming guides, and reviews. And Cale will handle all the video editing and the more technical aspects of running their company.

Cale pulls up in a rented van to help transport all of their stuff.

Kory: Bruh, what’s the holdup?

Jalin: *searches one of his boxes* I feel like I’m forgetting something.

Kory: I’m sure you have everything you need! Let’s go!

Cale:  *To Kory* I’m the one driving. Why are you so impatient?

Kory: Because the sooner we get there, the sooner we can start throwing parties.

Cale: Good point – hurry up, Jay!

Jay finally finds what he’s looking for – the camera that his mom and dad gave him.

Jalin: Good, it’s here. Now we can go!

Kory and Cale help put all of Jay’s belongings in the back of the van and take off.

Melisa and Jamelia are also packing up their things and preparing to leave.

Melisa: Is it too late to change our plans and stay here forever?

Jamelia: Would you want that?

Melisa: No, I guess not. But I’m not used to being alone – no longer a trio.

Jamelia: Awww, but we’ll always be a trio, sis.

Melisa: I know – but in three different cities.

Jamelia: Stop it, or you’re gonna make me cry!

Me-Me and Lia manage to hold it together until it’s time for Lia to move into the small home that she’ll be renting in Brindleton Bay while she builds her cooking skills at the Skills Academy. Jalisa, Merlin, and Me-Me step out onto the porch to watch her go.

Lia doesn’t get very far away before Me-Me rushes down the stairs to give her sister one more hug.

Melisa: I’m going to miss you!

Jamelia: I’ll miss you, too.

Jalisa and Merlin stand on the porch where they first met way back when participating in the Blind Date Challenge. Now they’re there once again, watching their grown-up daughters say their goodbyes to one another. Soon, it’ll be just the two of them.

Me-Me is the last to leave. Her parents take her to the airport, and she arrives in Britechester a few hours later. She’s decided to pursue a Physics major in hopes of becoming a Mechanical  Engineer. She’s received a couple of scholarships that make the cost of her education very low. Merlin is pleased about that.

She meets her friend and roommate Shania in Tidal Tower at Foxbury.

Melisa: So this is it. Have you seen our room yet?

Shania: No. I was waiting for you.

Melisa: Let’s go check it out!

Me-Me steps into their shared dorm room first. She’s surprised at how big it is. She can’t wait until they decorate and make it their own.

Shania: We’re here! Can you believe it? This is what we worked so hard for.

Melisa: I know. Now it’s up to us to make it all worth it.

Me-Me and Shania pick out their beds. Then they sit down on Shania’s bed.

Shania: As I was leaving, my mom told me that this is the first day of the rest of my life.

Melisa: I kind of like that. It makes it feel like a new beginning.

Shania: It is a new beginning. This is where we’ll decide on our careers, make lifelong friends, and possibly meet our future husbands.

Melisa: That doesn’t always happen, though. My parents didn’t meet until after college.

Shania: True, but that’s why I said possibly. I want to be open and ready for anything.

Melisa: Yeah, me too. And I’m excited to have you here with me.

Shania: Same here. Let’s explore the campus.

Merlin and Jalisa eventually make their way to Sulani. They choose a clothing optional spa resort on the Sapphire Shore. Merlin immediately takes to the optional clothing part, but Jalisa is a bit more conservative and is not quite ready to bare it all.

They spend their days swimming, getting massages, relaxing, and woohooing. It’s like a second honeymoon. Of course, they miss the triplets, but they love spending this time together without all the pressures that come with raising a family.

After sharing an intimate moment, they finally come up for air.

Merlin: I love you so much, Jalisa. Sharing my life with you is a pleasure.

Jalisa: Aww, Merlin. I love you, too!

The End? 

This concludes the 28 Blind Dates and After the Costumes Challenges. Special thanks to all who participated and made this whole thing possible. An extra special thanks to wabadebadooblr  for creating Merlin – the winner of the challenge and Jalisa’s lifelong partner.