Fall For You (ON HOLD)

(29)

As Alex and I walked around the amusement park, I let him take control. I want this to be a fun day for him. The way his face lights up, even after we've been on the same rollercoaster for the third time, is priceless. He's so happy, and I can't deny that I'm having a good time too. 

"Let's try this one," Alex tells me as he gently grabs my hands and steers me in the direction of the ride he's spotted. 

Oh no. A sinking feeling takes over in the pit of my stomach. "Can we try something else, Alex?" I ask nervously.

The ride Alex has led me to is the Pacific Plunge. It's a drop ride. You're taken up into the air before being dropped back down. 

Now, I love an adrenaline rush, but this one makes me sick. Genuinely. I get the feeling that my stomach will fall out of my body along with the contents of my stomach. I don't want to get sick in front of Alex. 

"What's wrong, Gemma?" Alex asks as he scans my face looking for a sign of what might be wrong. 

"I can't go on this ride," I tell him honestly. A weird feeling settles over me as though, by being honest, a weight has lifted off my shoulders. "The ride makes me sick," I add, hoping that it's enough of an explanation for Alex. 

"Okay," Alex says, and I know he's disappointed, but he's too polite to say so. "We can find something else to do," He tells me with a reassuring smile on his face. It doesn't make me feel better. I don't want him to miss out on something that he wants because of me. 

"No," I say quickly, a little too quickly. "You should go on the ride."

"Are you sure?" Alex asks. "I don't want to leave you," He says, a warm blush covering his face as we both take in the words he said. "I just mean, we came here together, and it doesn't feel right just to leave you here because I want to go on a ride that makes you sick," He clarifies.

I smile at his kindness but shake my head. "Seriously, Alex. It's okay. I'll be over here, hoping you don't puke when you get off the ride."

"I'll be back in a bit," Alex tells me, giving me one final smile before he walks away.

I stand back and watch as Alex takes his seat on the ride. My stomach turns as the ride soars into the sky. It's crazy that the ride can make me feel this way without me even being on it. The ride stays in the air for a few moments before it plunges back down to the ground. I hear the screams of exhilaration from all of the people on the ride. 

The passengers leave the ride, and Alex runs back over to me. His grin is wide and uncontainable. 

"So?" I ask. "How was it? You're not going to throw up, are you?"

Alex shakes his head. "Definitely not going to throw up," He confirms. "But are you sure you don't want to go on it? It's so much fun. The rush you get is insane."

Alex is expecting so much from me, and I don't want to disappoint him. I would do anything to keep his smile and him having a good time like he is now. But facing your fears isn't easy. At all. 

I take my eyes of Alex to look at the ride that stands behind him before my eyes settle back on him with a decision made.

"Let's do it," I rush the words before I have a chance to take them back.

"Really?" Alex asks, surprise on his face. "I don't want to force you into something that you don't want to do," He babbles. 

"I want to," I assure him. "You're not making me do anything." 

I can't believe I'm doing this right now. 

I follow Alex over to the ride. Fortunately for me, we need to stand in a short line before the ride conductor allows us on the ride. So it gives me time to take a few deep breaths as I prepare myself for what I'm about to do.

"Going again?" The ride conductor asks Alex before he notices me standing behind him. "I see you've bought your girl along this time."

"Oh," Alex says. "We're just friends, but yeah, I finally convinced her she'll have fun."

"Right, well. Take a seat anywhere you like." Obviously, the guy feels embarrassed about his assumption of my relationship with Alex, but he doesn't say anything more. 

I follow Alex into two seats, and we both settle into the ride. We buckle the seatbelts and put down the safety bar. Too late to back out now. The ride conductor comes around and checks that our bar is secured properly. 

My hands grip the safety bar so tightly that my knuckles turn white. A warm hand covers mine, and I turn my head to look at Alex. 

"You've got this," Alex tells me, but he doesn't let go of my hand. Instead, he holds it as the ride ascends into the air. He holds it when we stop at the highest point of the ride. I take in the view around me. The easy part is over. Now comes the hard part. 

"Close your eyes," Alex tells me, his hand squeezing mine tighter. I do what he says, hoping his advice makes the descent back to the ground easier. Alex loosens his grip on my hand but doesn't let me go completely. As he does, we fly back down to the ground.

"You can open your eyes now, Gem." 

Alex's voice beside me is a calm whisper. As I open my eyes, I realise that I did it. I went on the ride that I've been afraid to go on since I was a child, and I don't feel sick at all.

I can't wipe the smile off my face. Alex stands from the ride before me. He helps me lift my safety bar, seizing my hand once more and pulling me gently from the seat.

Alex and I walk until we're a decent distance away from the ride. Then, he stops walking and turns toward me.

"I'm proud of you," Alex says before I can ask why we stopped moving.

"What?" I ask stupidly.

"I'm proud of you," Alex repeats, and if I wasn't such a bad bitch, I might cry. It's been a long time since I've heard anyone say those words to me. I never make anyone proud. "You faced your fears, Gem. You didn't have to, but you did."

"I couldn't let you have all the fun," I attempt to joke, but Alex stares at me as though he's never met anyone like me before. But, of course, that's because he hasn't.

"Don't do that," Alex says, shaking his head. "Don't downplay what you just did. It was amazing, Gem."