Why Me?

Chapter Seven

Can't I Have A Break?

The music was floating around me, carnival type music. It would have been creepy if it weren't for the atmosphere. I twirled my giant lollipop in my hand as I turned, looking around at the scenery surrounding me with a peaceful smile on my face. The air was orange, brown, and red, and not only because of the trees raining down bright and crunchy leaves. Streamers hung like canopies over my head and down the long, twisting, winding path leading through the carnival. The colors of fall made me feel warm despite the chilly air whipping around me. People, traveling in crowds, weaved around me, laughing, talking, yelling, having fun. Rides were lit up with shining bright bulbs, riders waving down at loved ones and screaming in joy.

I grinned, turning back to the stand where I last saw Delilah. My smile fell as I realized she wasn't there. I wrinkled my brow, looking around the crowd in search of her bright red coat. It was hard to miss. I don't understand how I lost her, or where she could have gone.

"Lost?" someone asked me, capturing my attention.

It was a boy, his eyes like jewels. He matched his surroundings with his golden-brown hair and warm sweater. I wrinkled my brow slightly, twirling my lolly in my hand.

"Uh... no. I was just looking for my friend," I said, looking around again in search of the red coat.

"Maybe I could help you," he suggested, angling himself to try to catch my attention. I blinked at him, then remembered my manners. I laughed, tucking my hair behind my ear and shaking my head.

"I'm sorry... I'm Noelle," I introduced myself, offering him my hand. He smiled, scooping it up like I was a princess and kissing my fingers. I felt a blush slap me in the face, my eyes widening slightly. His smile grew, his other hand folding over the one of mine that he still held.

"Alister," he said, looking intensely into my eyes. He smiled as I blushed, looking away shyly. "Now, what does this friend of yours look like?"

I giggled, taking back my hand and wrapping it around the stick of my glowing red candy. I glanced around again before looking to him. He was watching me, his eyes slowly moving over my face, working their way down. I blushed harder.

"She has short blonde hair and she wears a red coat," I said. He froze, staring at my lips, then looked up at my eyes, a weird look slowly coming to his face.

"Is her name Delilah?" he asked. My eyes widened and I leaned away a bit, surprised and a bit creeped out. "Yes... how'd you know?" I asked, backing away a little. He sighed, sticking his hands in his pockets and glancing around. "She's my sister," he said like he was tired of saying it. I gasped, taking a step back towards him, leaning forward with interest. He sighed, grimacing a little. "Yeah... she said that she made a friend, but I didn't really pay much attention. You must be her. It's um... nice to meet you."

"Oh my god, you guys found each other!" Delilah yelled happily as she ran up, wearing a unicorn hat and holding a huge wand of candy floss. She then started to think a bit more about the situation, and slowly started glaring at her brother, who was continuing to stare into space. She snarled. "You hit on her, didn't you?"

"Listen-" he started, looking to her, but she cut him off, grabbing my hand. "I told you about her and described every detail of her face! You never listen!" she complained, pulling me away quickly. He hurried after us. "Delilah, I'm sorry. I really had no idea-"

"Of course you didn't because YOU. DON'T. LISTEN!" she yelled at him. I was blushing still, looking around as people started to stare. This was embarrassing.

"Screw that! I can flirt with anyone I want to flirt with!" Alister yelled over my shoulder. I winced.

"She's my friend! My friends are off-limits!" Delilah screamed back. I tried to take a deep breath, but Alister interrupted my attempts to keep calm.