Chapter 2: Happy Easter!
The next day was Easter Sunday when I met Sarah, James, and Henri, as well some of my other friends Alex Russo, Justin Evans, and Max Greenwald at their house in Squirrel Hill. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Happy Easter!" "Hi, Angel!" Sarah greeted back. "Happy Easter to you, too!" "Our first stop is off to the Blue Slide Playground at Beechwood Boulevard and Nicholson Street," Alex happily announced. We walked down Darlington Road and Beechwood Boulevard to the first destination, where I handed out Easter baskets to everyone. Sarah paired up with Alex, James paired up with Justin, and Henri paired up with Max. I decided to accompany Sarah and Alex on their walk. "Don't worry, guys," Alex told me and Sarah. "I know where we're going. We should just start off taking the Riverview Trail and see where we go from here." Unfortunately, we ended up getting lost zigzagging through Frick Park, and eventually had to start over again since we ended up back at the Squirrel Hill baseball field, which was pretty much where we began the scavenger hunt. "No wonder I like Schenley Park more than Frick Park," Sarah admitted. "All the boys are way ahead of us now." "Well, both public parks have complicated hiking trails like these, Sarah," Alex reminded Sarah. "This also kinda reminds me of taking gym class back in middle school," Sarah told me and Alex. "You know, how I felt insecure about taking gym class and changing clothes in front of others, as well as doing standard exercises." "I felt that way back in middle school, too, Sarah," Alex agreed. "Maybe, you were just feeling a little bit nervous about making a mistake in front of others." "I bet you're feeling the same way right now, Alex," I pointed out. "Is that true?" "I guess since it's a competitive scavenger hunt, that's the case," Sarah assumed. "We need to try and catch up to the boys as soon as possible," Alex told us. We quickly followed all the trails from the Riverview Extension Trail to the Falls Ravine Trail and finally the Clayton Loop in order to get to the playground at Forbes and Braddock Avenues. We also found some Easter eggs and candy along the way, including a nightlight shaped like an Easter egg for Alex's room. We met James, Henri, Justin, and Max at the Forbes and Braddock playground, where they were playing games on the playground. We also found more Easter eggs and candy at the playground before we moved on to the final destination of our Easter hunt: Reynolds Street and Homewood Avenue. Despite James and Justin winning the hike halfway through the scavenger hunt, Henri and Max won at the end. The prize was a giant stuffed bunny. Sarah, James, and Henri ended up keeping the bunny, as Alex, Justin, and Max kept the nightlight shaped like an Easter egg. While Sarah, James, and Henri took an Uber back to Squirrel Hill to get ready for dinner, we stopped at Alex's parents' house in Regent Square to change clothes and go to the Edgewood Country Club for dinner. "So, is everybody having a good Easter so far?" I asked my friends. "We sure are, Angel," Sarah replied. "The menu is cobb salad, fried chicken, glazed ham with fresh pineapple, parsley potatoes, green beans almandine, and marble cake shaped like an Easter bunny," Alex announced. "Do you guys like all of those foods?" James asked. "Yes, we do," Justin replied. "It was a meal that we had back at Angel's music concert at the Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center many years ago." "Where is the Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center?" Henri asked. "Near Johnstown," Max replied. "I already know that since I went to college near there." After dinner, Sarah, James, and Henri drove me back to Mom's apartment in Highland Park. "Thanks for a great Easter, everyone!" I informed my friends. "You're welcome, Angel," Sarah replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"