The Optimist

five

Chresanto nods. "Like, if you were actually a virgin, but I said you had sex before even before knowing you didn't, that's prejudice. Right?" A giddy smile lines his face when I nod. It's easy to tell that sex and prank terms are all he knows. That's his mindset.

"You've got it!" I compliment and he pumps his fist in the air triumphantly, making me giggle a bit. "And discombobulate means to confuse or become unable to read or understand something." He nods slowly, disgesting the words. "Like," He says. He says like a lot, and I mentally take note in case I meet him again.

I highly doubt that will happen, though, with his infamous reputation, and well, my unknown reputation.

A slow song comes on, and all of the lights change a from rotating red and yellow to dark, wispy blue with white streaks. "If I say that you discombolulate me, you confuse me?" He questions. The look on his face is pricelss when I shake my head.

"I'm kidding. That's exactly right." I giggle, smiling a bit. I turn my head to a beaming Jacob. He plasters a playful frown as I plaster a real one.

"Where have you been?" We say in unison. Silence emerges from both of us as we take in the twin moment. Jacob laughs at it as I stare at my lap. Chresanto stands up and daps Jacob before nodding off.

"I'm not worried about anything, but um, I'm kind of having a sucky night." He mumbles. That's the forst frown I've ever seen from him. I pat the empty bleachers spot next to me, and he sits.

"Spill it." I say.

"Since you're willing to listen, um, here it goes. So, I saw my ex, Xena, and she looked really beautiful tonight. I-I just couldn't resist being drawn to her beaut-"

"It's okay if you don't like me." I say. "Hey, I'm friendless anyway." I smile a little, but it's a sad smile. Being frinedless finally hits me. "I did enjoy walking in the heels though. Oh, and taking that embarrasing prom photo and being laughed at at the entrance. I'm completely fine with it." I encourage him. Lies, of course.

"I'm sorry, Nadia. C-Can I just have this one dance with her? Please?" I put on a fake smile and nod.

'Thank you, Xe- I mean, Nadia! I promise I'll be back, oh and I'm still going to eat with you tomo-" He doesn't finish as the song starts and he runs up to meet a waiting Xena Coleman.

It's not like I liked him, anyway. It's not like I was comfortable enough to let him eavesdrop on my bra size. It's not like tagging his siter along ever made him like me. Maybe he just wanted to help me. After all I am a hilariously pitiful loser. I laugh at myslef under my breath as I watch him dance from a distance.

He stares at Xena, the gorgeous student council co-leader, and spins her around. She laughs and everyone dances gracefully around them. Like the prom revolves around them. I get up, kick off the heels and enjoy the glazed, cool feeling of wood on my feet as I exit the gym. The concrete is comfortably hard as I past the ticket booth.

"Where you going there?" I hear someone say from behind me. It's Jaxton. I put on a fake smile and shrug, walking away. "Anywhere I can get away from here." I mumble to myself.

"But the prom has just started! I thought Jacob was your date?" He yells behind me.

"He's Xena's, too!" I yell back. Then I run. I don't know where I'm going. I just run and run and run. I don't stop until I almost collide with a sign.

Peak Hill Amusement Park. Home of the Famous Diver Slide.

I gaze at the sign and breath out memories. My mother used to always take Nathan and I here when we were young. The funny part, though, was how she would drag Dad along before he had diabetes. He'd gobble down funnel cake after funnel cake, and we'd joke to him, saying "Daddy's a big boy!"

Then, he'd always respond to Nathan, saying "You'll be one too, someday, son." Then he'd turn around to me and say "And you, darling, will be Daddy's big little princess forvever." Mom would snap pictures of our expressions on rides, but mostly Nathan's because be took on all the daring rides that I was too shy, okay scared, to go on.

"Wait!"

My thoughts are interrupted and I don't realize I'm staring at the ride thoughtlessly and that I missed two rounds of the ride, Spin-A-Log. The ride that takes you hundreds of feet in the air as you sit in one of the plastic logs for seats. I smile at the attraction and this time, I don't turn around. Instead, throwing a ten dollar bill from my tiny handbag, I dash toward the ride.

"Nadia! Come back!"

I keep running the couple hundred feet between the entrance and the ride and pull out the band holding my hair in place. The curls flow restlessly and everywhere and so do I. Who knew living a life the way a book character does can be so fun? My feet aren't blistered, but they probably have minor bruises from the soft, evenly platformed concrete of the park.

As I wait in line, eagerly, and it's short. I wait and wait for the newest round of the ride to be over, which only takes two minutes, but feels like two hours.

"Nadia." A breathless voice greets me as I climb steps. I halt and turn around, earning groans from the visitors behind me. A red-cheeked Jacob takes over my view.

"Can I ride with you?"