No Matter What

Chapter Five

Misty:

In the summer between fifth and sixth grade, their parents decided they should all take a trip to Disneyland. For most of the summer, Evan made a point to be around as little as possible for family outings. When he found out they were going to Disneyland, he begged to bring a friend. Of course he got his way, but because he brought his best friend, Derek, Misty was the only girl. Evan and Derek ended up having to share a bed in the room with Jason and his parents.

“No wetting the bed,” Evan joked.

“I’m not five,” Jason said through clenched teeth.

Evan and Derek exchanged knowing looks while Misty felt herself seething. Evan could be such a dumb ass sometimes. Just because he was fifteen and they were only eleven, he thought he knew everything. The only thing Evan knew was how to be a dumb ass.

Jason:

Saturday morning they rose early, eager to get to Disneyland. After a quick breakfast at the hotel buffet, they walked across the street and waited for the gates of the park to open. Once they finally made it inside, Evan and Derek started begging to be allowed to go off on their own. Thankfully, Misty’s parents agreed to let them go.

 Knowing their parents would say no, Misty and Jason didn’t even ask if they could take off too. Their parents did give them a little bit of freedom though. They got to go on the big coasters by themselves while their parents went on the baby rides that were close by. They started with the Matterhorn. While they stood in line, Jason watched the coaster soaring by. Up close, it seemed faster than he expected.

“Are you okay, Jase?” Misty asked.

Jason eyed her for a moment before he answered. “It looks like it goes pretty fast.”

“Are you scared?” she teased.

“No, I was just wondering if you were gonna be okay.”

Misty looked up at the bobsleds careening by. “I’ll be fine.”  

“Do you wanna ride together?”

“Definitely,” Misty said and smiled at him.

It took more than an hour for them to get through the line. The closer they got, the more nervous Jason grew. He was glad Misty agreed to sit with him. When they finally got to the line to wait for the sled, he hoped he wasn’t showing his fear too much. There was no reason for him to be so worried. He knew it, but he couldn’t help it. When their sled arrived, Jason got in first and Misty climbed in after him. It was the closest she’d ever been to him, and he was immediately aware of how her hair smelled like flowers.

Right after they clicked their seatbelts shut, Misty reached for his hands and wrapped them around her waist.  “Hang on to me, and you won’t be as scared.”

He started to tell her that he wasn’t scared, but the sled lurched forward and then stopped just as suddenly. When the sled took off, he tightened his hold on her. After they got going, he was fine. Since he’d never been on a roller coaster before, he figured that’s what probably had him so worried. In spite of this realization, he didn’t let go of Misty. Though he didn’t really understand why, it made him feel good to hold on to her. 

“Wasn’t that fun?” Misty asked as they ambled out of the sleds.

“Yeah,” Jason agreed, feeling suddenly shy. “Thanks for not laughing at me.”

Misty gave him that same smile she’d given him just moments ago. “I’d never do that, Jase.”

For the rest of the day, Misty and Jason trailed after their parents, going on one ride after the other and seeing shows and parades in between. Even though he wasn’t nervous anymore, he still held her when they sat together on the rides. He’d gotten an unexpected thrill the first time they went through the HauntedMansion. When the lights suddenly went out not long after they’d stepped inside, Misty jumped and grabbed his hand.

“Sorry about that,” she whispered in his ear when the lights came on and the door to the ride opened. “I forgot about that part.”

“It’s okay.”

The combination of her breath in his ear and the warmth of her skin had given him butterflies in his stomach, making him wonder what was wrong with himself. Jason did his best to push those feeling aside and focus on having fun instead. Soon enough, they’d be back home and back to school where things would be back to normal with them. The sooner the better. All these new feelings about Misty were something he didn’t understand and something he wasn’t ready to face.