Strip

Bonus Chapter 1 (Aka the cheesiest day ever)

"Oh god," I muttered as Toby's car came to a stop.

"We're HEEEERE!" Janice sang from the front seat, throwing her door open.

"I cannot believe this," I said, turning to Max, who was shoved between me and Drew.

"It can't be that bad, Molly," Max said, unbuckling. 

"I beg to differ."

"That response doesn't totally make sense in this situation-"

"Shut up," I said, elbowing him in the ribs.

"Come on, slow pokes!" Janice said, opening my door. 

I glared at her. "Really?"

"It'll be fun!"

"Unlike some people, I don't want to spend the last weekend of freedom I have in the set of a rom com," I said, stepping out of the car.

Janice waved her manicured nails in my face. "Keep an open mind.

I rolled my eyes, and turned to face the entrance to the 3 county fair. It was so full people were almost bursting out of the chain link fence surrounding the area, and the smell of deep-fried candy bars was strong enough to make my stomach clench. The distant screams of people on roller coasters was mixed with the bells on rigged games blaring. 

It was enough to give me an instant head ache.

"It looks fun to me," Max said, his arm wrapping around my waist. It was a gesture he had just started doing recently, and so far it had never failed to make my face break out in the stupidest grin imaginable.

"This looks like your personal version of hell," I said.

"But I am being positive about it. Besides, I haven't been to a fair since I was ten."

"Did you enjoy it back then?"

"No, I threw up on the hang glider ride and hid behind a hot dog stand with my library book for the rest of it."

"Sounds enjoyable."

"Hurry up!" Janice groaned, already in line for tickets.

I groaned. "I wanted to spend today with James. I'm not gonna see him at all once school starts."

"You share a room," Max said.

"Yeah, but I'm going to have homework, and he's gonna spend all his free time with Isabelle-"

"Molly, you're going to see more than enough of your brother. I promise."

We reached the ticket line, and took our place behind Janice. She looked ready to explode, bouncing up and down on her toes and craning her neck to see every inch of the fair.

"Holy fuck, they still have The Hurricane!" Janice squealed. She turned to me. "You have to go on that with me."

"Why do I have to do it?"

"Drew and Toby are gonna be to busy being all lovey dovey."

"It's true," Toby said, pecking Drew on the cheek. 

"And we aren't?" Max asked.

"We aren't," I said. "Just being here is more than enough romance for me. But still, that doesn't mean I want to puke my guts out on a 12 year old."

"Pleeeeeease!" Janice begged, practically falling to her knees before me.

I rolled my eyes. "We'll see."

Janice took this for a yes, and jumped back up and turned to the ticket lady.

I looked to Max. "Think we'll make it out alive?"