Alice's POV:
"Oh, yes, hello."
"We got your response, and we are excited to see you during your break to begin the interviewing process."
"Yes, I'm excited too."
"Fantastic, now we are going to send you some paperwork and assignments you have to complete before our meeting. We will mail it to you. Since you are underage, we will need your guardian signature."
"Yes, I understand."
"Princeton is looking forward to meeting you, Alice Lee."
I stared at myself in the mirror and smiled. "I look forward to meeting everyone at Princeton," I replied before ending the call.
Inhaling a deep breath, I walk out of the bathroom to see the waitress standing there, giggling. Neilson sat there, saying some words with a smile on his face, and she laughed again.
Hesitantly, I walked back to the table and sat down. "Well, I hope you have a good meal." She brushes her hand on his biceps and practically skips away.
"What were you guys talking about?"
He shrugs, taking a sip of his wine. "Just adult stuff."
I nod.
Right, adult stuff.
Stuff I can't know because I'm just a little girl, your little sister.
He scoots closer to me. "What's wrong, Alice?" I watch as his hand moves up towards mine, and I shake my head, placing my hand under the table, seeing his smile drop.
"Nothing, I'm just sort of feeling like I don't belong here," I shrug. "It's so classy." I place my hands in the air doing a little dance and giggle.
Damn Alice, can your giggling be any faker?
The waitress brought out the food.
I wanted to stand up and show her that Neilson belongs to me, but that's not true. He doesn't belong to me.
When we finished eating, Neilson went up to pay. The waitress practically ran to the cashier. He stands there, talking and smiling at her. I bit my lips and stared down at my lap.
I saw it a ton of times. This isn't the first time Neilson took me out. I know exactly what will happen. She will flirt with him; then, he will flirt back. After some time, she will scribble her number on the back of the receipt, and he will take it. He will call her, and they will spend a night together.
Because she is a woman.
"Alice."
I look up to see Neilson staring at me. I clear my throat. "Yes?"
"You've been staring at your lap nearly the whole day. Are you okay?"
I nod, "Of course! Where are we going next?" I gave him one of my mischievous smiles. The smile that I've been practicing for hours in the mirror to perfect.
Neilson returned my smile, and I knew he fell for my act. "Let's go," I can see him lifting his hand, but instantly I stood up. I tuck my hair back and grab my coat before he can.
"Let's go," I sang, passing by him and avoiding the eyes of that damn waitress.
When I hear the car alarm, I grab the car handle before he can and jump in. I can't handle Neilson treating me so friendly anymore.
Today, I will end it.
End this non-existing relationship.
"Okay, close your eyes," he sang.
I pout, "You aren't going to kick me out of the car, right?"
He smirks, "Maybe."
I cover my eyes, humming the background melody to myself, waiting for our next destination.
"Okay, we are here," I threw my hands out, seeing the carnival.
"A carnival?"
He nods, and I look down to see my heels.
Oh fuck.
"Come on," he waves, and I walk outside, hearing him popping the trunk.
"What are you doing?!" I shout, covering my eyes but peeking through my fingers to see Neilson undressing.
"I can't walk into a carnival wearing a suit," he chuckles, and I instantly turned when I saw him unbutton his pants.
"What? Feeling shy?" He teases.
"No! Just not in the mood to see a naked person today."
"I'm not naked."
"You aren't?"
"No, take a look."
I tilt my head back to see him in his boxer, holding a shirt as he grinned at me. "Neilson! Have some decency! We are in a public parking lot! This is public indecency."
I can hear him snorting. "No one seems to mind."
My eyes lurk around, seeing people passing by us. A girl saw Neilson and smiled, then physically faint into her friend's arms.
Feeling two hands around my waist, my heart almost leaped out of my chest when he lifted me onto the back hood. I chewed on my lips as he got down on one knee. I realized this is probably the closest thing to a proposal I can get from him.
One by one, he took off my heels, put on some brand new pink socks, and a light pair of pink shoes. "Those aren't mine."
He looks up; his brown eyes shine wonderfully. "I know, but they are yours now."
"Birthday present?"
"Kind of."
My eyes lurk down, seeing him wearing the same pair but black. It's kind of like couple shoes, and snap out of it, Alice!
I hopped off the trunk and tried to push the overactive images away as he threw my heels inside the car. "Come on, let's go," he said.
It was still quite warm, a summer day. The sky was dotted with a few dotted clouds, not too much but enough to block out the sun. The entrance could be seen in the distance, and I glanced up to see Neilson smiling at me as he held our hands tighter. Soft music could be heard with a happy scream, suddenly piercing the air. My eyes brighten, witnessing a rollercoaster, a big wheel, a helter-skelter.
Neilson bought the tickets, and we started riding. I threw my arms up and screamed with every ride. "There is us!" I shout, seeing our photo on TV, as Neilson purchased it. I stood there, staring at the picture, seeing Neilson's arms in the air, smiling with me, as our eyes stared at each other.
"Which photo do you want?" he asks, and I point at the one where we went downhill, our hair wrapped all over our face. He asks for the pair of scissors and cuts the photo, slipping the other photo into his wallet.
Little sister.
Little sister.
I chanted inside my head to push back the heartache.
Sitting on the bench, I dangled my legs back and forth as he brought us two cones of ice cream. The younger children stood watching the rides, eating their sweets and snacks. He came back and handed me the cone.
He grabs a napkin, "Here, I got it."
It feels nice.
Hearing a bell, I retracted my hand and cleared my throat. "Farm?" I ask, and he takes one last bite from his ice cream as we went to see the animals. We saw everything from the piglets to the sheep. I sat there, feeding the chicklets, hearing a click; I looked up to see Neilson taking a photo. "What are you doing?"
He shrugs, "Making memories."
"Would you like me to take a photo of you two?" a worker asks.
"Yes, please," Neilson gave him his phone.
Neilson hurries over, and my eyes widen, feeling his arms around me. "Act normal," he whispers, and I stare down at chicklets eating the food.
We walked around, and I couldn't stop peeking at our hands tangling together. I held Neilson's hand before, but today it feels more special. There I go again, making up ridiculous ordeals.
My eyes landed on a giant wolf. "Do you want that?" he whispered, scaring the crap out of me again. I wished he would stop sneaking up on me.
"Kind of?" I reply, not knowing if I want it or not. I do, but I understand that all carnival games are a scam.
He grabs my other hand, tilting me back and forth. "If you want it, I'll get it for you."
"Really?"
He smiles, nose inching closer to mind. "Yeah."
"I want it."