Here's my first week! Why not start it off with a little adventure... a.k.a a rollercoaster :)
Prompt: "We're both seventh wheels in our friend groups.
———
I stared up at the Thunder Coaster, with its impossibly high drop and winding tracks. I turned to my best friend Amy, and tapped her shoulder.
"Um, are we really sure this is safe?" I asked. "Because structurally, I'm not sure if there's enough kinetic energy for the cart to—"
"Oh my God, just chill, Allie!" Reagan rolled her eyes. "It's obviously safe. Me and Damian have done it, like, a million times before. Right, Damian?"
Damian didn't look up from his phone, but mumbled a halfhearted affirmation. "Hmm."
Ever since he started dating Reagan, she'd gotten all mean and annoying. If it weren't for Amy, she probably wouldn't have invited me on this trip to Pinewood Theme Park.
"It'll be fine, Allie," Amy told me. Her honey-blonde hair now had pink streaks, courtesy of Reagan, and I had to remind myself not to stare. I couldn't have a crush on her anymore, no, not since she started dating Tyler. It was, like, the best friend code. "Come on, guys, before the line gets any longer."
"Hey, Amy, can I sit with—" I trailed off as Tyler draped his arms around her.
"Let's take the farthest back seat, babe," he whispered. "More private."
I turned away and pretended I didn't hear that. Reagan was obviously sitting with Damian, and the twins were linking arms. Great. I'm alone. Again.
"Singles line, over here!" yelled an employee with a blue vest. "Doubles, this way."
Amy looked over at me and pouted, but the twins and Reagan didn't even flinch. Sighing, I followed the straggling crowd of solo riders. Even though I wanted to sit on a bench and sulk until the park closed, I couldn't back out now. My hands gripped my shoulder bag as the line shuffled along. It was slow, but not slow enough for me. As I neared the gate, I still hadn't psyched myself up enough for the ride.
The singles line moved much quicker than the regular one, so I kept telling people to go in front of me. After an additional ten minutes of waiting, the rest of my group made it to the loading station. Their gate swung open first, and I watched Amy pull Tyler into the back seat, giggling. Six more artsy-looking kids paired up and filled the carts. Soon the only two spots left were in the front row.
"Group of two? Any groups of two?" the employee asked. The next group of teenagers, a goth-like group, shook their head. "Singles line, then."
The gate swung open, and I began to have second thoughts. "Um, actually, I don't think I'm going to..." I spun around to leave, and ran straight into a slender girl.
She had Asian features, and cropped hair streaked with blue. It looked way better than Amy's pink streaks, although I wasn't sure why I was comparing the two. She wore a denim vest and high-waisted shorts, with combat boots that could have easily been three inches high.
"I'll go with you," she said, bobbing her head. "Sweet. Front car."
The girl escorted me to the only two empty seats, and I had no choice but to get in with her. As I buckled the strap, I snuck a glance at her. "I—"
"Don't make excuses. You've never been on this ride before, have you?"
"No... but—"
"Then you have to do it. I saw your squad stomp all over you."
"I—They weren't stomping on me," I protested. "They just, they all have their partners, and their priorities, and I'm not exactly one of them."
She shook her head. "Girl, you can't let them beat you like that. I'm like you. I'm the odd one out too. The third, well, seventh wheel."
"You?" I couldn't really believe it. This chick seemed so confident and powerful, I was shocked that she wasn't the alpha in her group.
"Yep. But I own it. I'm not lonely, I'm just independent, you know?"
"Right," I said. I wasn't really thinking straight at that point. This cute girl comes up to me unprompted, forces me to ride with her, then preaches her life philosophy to me? What was going on?
"What's your—NAME?!" I began to shout as the car rolled forward. I clapped my hand over my mouth, realizing that it wasn't even a real hill yet. My partner giggled, and we began to chug up the first hill.
"Lizzie," she told me. "You're Allie, right?"
"Uh, yes?"
"You sure?"
"What?"
Lizzie tossed her head. "Oh, nothing. Just sounded like a question. Be more confident, Allie."
"Okay, but why are you—"
Cut off again. Story of my life. This time, however, it wasn't a toxic friend or mysterious ridemate interrupting, but the sheer drop of the Thunder Coaster. My stomach leapt and threatened to explode out of my mouth. I squinted my eyes, then decided I didn't want to die with them shut. Beside me, Lizzie screamed.
"WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" she yelped. Was she enjoying this? Just as soon as we'd dropped, the coaster shot up another hill. My eyes watered, and my stomach twisted. Lizzie threw her hands in the air.
I hung on for dear life as we sped around and around, up and down the slopes. There was no one in front of us, so I had no idea how Amy and Reagan and all the rest were faring behind us. I kind of hoped they were motion sick, to be entirely honest. I grinned at the thought of Reagan hunched over Damian, face as green as her crop top.
"See? You're enjoying it!" Lizzie shouted, words being warped by the wind. I tried to protest, but I found I couldn't. All in all, the coaster was exhilarating, and—I hated to admit it—kind of fun.
Just as I began to enjoy the ride, my eyes widened. I hadn't even seen the massive loop-the-loop while waiting in line. We were supposed to go upside down?
"I can't do it!" I shouted, feeling my stomach crumble once again. "I CAN'T!"
The last thing I saw before closing my eyes was Lizzie, staring at me with concern. The next thing I remember wasn't sight, but touch. As the coaster ascended into the loop, I let go of the safety bar and grabbed Lizzie's hand. Mine was sweaty and wet, but hers was soft and warm. She squeezed, and I squeezed back, really hard. Lizzie didn't pull away, and as our bodies swirled upside down in a blur of disorienting movement, her hand was the only thing keeping me from passing out.
Just as suddenly as the loop began, it ended, but I didn't pull away, and neither did Lizzie. The rest of the ride was simple: no more hills or loops. My heart pounded, and I wasn't really sure whether it was from the near-death experience or from Lizzie. I hoped she couldn't feel my pulse, because I knew it was probably going faster than the coaster itself.
The track levelled out and the brakes kicked in. Lizzie and I lurched forward. The coaster cars pulled into the station and we stopped for real. Lizzie let my hand drop.
"All passengers, please exit to the right," came the monotone voice of the employee. "Have a great day, and enjoy your time here at Pinewood Theme Park."
How could he act so normal? How was anyone ever normal again, after experiencing a rush like that? I took a moment to reorient myself, as Lizzie stood up and offered me her hand again. I took it gratefully, nearly crashing into her as a wave of dizziness came over me.
"How do you feel?" she asked me, smiling. Somehow, her tough shell seemed to be broken a little bit, like it was really her smiling, and not just for show.
"Um," I hesitated. "That was... great. Thanks so much for doing this. You didn't have to sit with me, you know."
"I know. I just wanted to." With that confusing remark, Lizzie spun off. I grabbed my bag, puzzled.
"Allie! OMG! You did it!" Amy squealed. "Honestly, I thought you were too chicken."
I paused for a minute, looking Amy over. "Nah," I said. "It wasn't too bad after all."
"Come on, guys, like, hurry up!" Reagan complained. "We get it, Allie didn't barf. Yay for her."
Reagan headed for the stairs, and the twins, Damian, Tyler, and Amy followed her. Just as I was about to trail behind, someone caught my arm.
"Hey," Lizzie said, holding out a coupon for half-priced funnel cakes. "Here."
"Uh, thanks?" I asked, taking it.
"It's expired," she told me. "But check the back!"
Lizzie dashed off down the stairs with her artsy friends. Flipping the card over, I saw that she'd written her phone number in curly letters. I traced the writing with my thumb, then grinned. Something told me that I wasn't going to be alone anymore.