BEAU • [10:17 a.m.]
I clicked my phone shut and started to tap my feet impatiently. We weren't even entering the carnival yet and I wanted to go home already. Or be elsewhere. I just want to be anywhere but here, with anyone but her.
Sure, last night was a fun—well, the latter part that is, because number one: I enjoyed the game that Piper thought of, and number two: because Pascal interrupted, and that gave me the signal for me to leave their house.
The first half of the night last night was totally awkward. Piper's dad was trying to play matchmaker with me and Piper, and these two carnival tickets that I was holding right now were for sure a part of his plan. What pissed me more was that I hated carnivals.
Why me, Griffin family? Why me? Couldn't they see that Piper and I being together won't work out?
I whipped my head left and right, scanning the crowd if I can spot some familiar faces from school. So far, I didn't see one, and that was a good thing. I didn't want anyone from school to see me in the carnival with Piper. It'll be an embarrassment.
"Hi," I heard a soft voice said behind me, and I turned around to see Piper holding her knees, panting. "Sorry, there were lots of people in the line and I had to—"
I cut her off, not really in the mood to hear excuses. "It's okay. Let's just go inside." She nodded and followed me to the entrance.
Ah, Alcovix theme park. What a time to be alive. I nodded disapprovingly to myself right after I thought of that. How about no? The theme park was packed with families and couples and people, in general, and it just made me want to puke. I can see from my side that Piper's smile was from ear to ear, like she was a child who was about to be given her first doll. She seemed excited about all of this.
"I haven't been here in ages. Oh wow, everything's still the same," Piper chimed. She turned to me and asked, "So where do we start?"
I shrugged in return. "It's up to you." I can sense she can feel the disinterest in my voice.
"You haven't been here yet, have you?" she asked me.
"You're right about that," I answered back, idly scanning the theme park. I haven't been here for the past twelve years of my stay here in Massachusetts.
I felt Piper tugging the sleeve of my sweatshirt. "C'mon, I'll show you around."
It was quite cold but a trickle of sweat slid down my forehead. I was surprised when Piper held my sleeve.
"Um..."
We were walking briskly, her hand still on my sleeve. Tiny beads of sweat began to multiply. I wasn't used to her holding any part of me. What the hell was happening?
"Let's start here?" I looked up and saw the sign Rocket Fury. It was a roller coaster ride.
I raised a brow. "You're into this? I was expecting you'd prefer riding a carousel."
Piper let out a soft laugh. "I prefer roller coasters than going around in circles riding a horse on a stick."
I laughed out loud. "Ha! What? You're kidding me, right?" She started to let go of my sleeve and frowned a little. "It doesn't show, I know."
I bit my lip, trying to stop from laughing. I just nodded in return and raised my hands in mock surrender. "Okay, whatever you say, daredevil."
She gave me a smile and we started to wait in line. Good thing the line was short and about ten minutes later, we had our turn.
Eight pairs of vacant coaster seats awaited us, and we sat together on the very first one. She fastened her seat belts but I was kind of struggling because it wasn't the kind of seat belts you use in cars.
"Um, fasten your seat belts, Beau." Piper reminded me.
"The seat belt's so complicated!" I complained. I craned my neck to the back, hollering at the employee who was busy fixing someone else's seat belt at the end of the coaster. "Can you please—"
I quickly turned around when I felt someone fidgeting my seat belt.
"There you go," Piper said as she tugged my seat belt until it clicked shut.
I'm breaking a sweat again. My eyes widened as I looked at Piper, whose eyes were just as wide as mine.
"I um..." she turned her head away from me, and began mumbling at herself. The ride hasn't started yet and I was beginning to feel a little bit woozy about all this.
Before I even got to say thank you, a crew member came beside us and swiftly yanked our seat belts.
"Yup, all strapped in. You're good to go," he said, smiling to the both of us, as I glare at him in return. He didn't even react.
The crew member gave his fellow crew member inside a booth a two-thumbs up, blaring an "Enjoy the ride!" at the speakers.
As our ride began to move upwards, I felt like the blood inside my body began to pump a hundred fold. The tension heightened, and I was beginning to shout like I was a mental patient strapped into a chair violently trying to break free.
"Why the hell are we still going up?!" I screamed, and I can see Piper who seemed to be amused by my overreactions.
"Just hold onto the hand grips and you'll be fine!" Piper shouted, as she giggled a little after.
Without even thinking about it, I grabbed her left hand instead and held it tightly.
Then my heart began to race a little bit faster than before.
— — —
PIPER • [10:43 a.m.]
"That was so fucking fun," Beau said, still not recovering from the ride. I was scared that he might hate me for taking him there, but it seemed that he had so much fun more than I did.
We just got off from the ride and we started looking for another attraction.
"Well, it wasn't called Rocket Fury for nothing. You were screaming the whole time!"
"Well, it's a first for me so you had to see that coming," Beau replied.
I turned my head away from him. "Well, I also didn't see it coming when you held my hand."
I was shocked when he held my hand, as in super shocked. But I was so absorbed by the racing adrenaline rush in me that I didn't even bother making a reaction. When he held my hand, I held it tighter; not knowing if that'll calm him down or not. His hand was a little bit clammy—probably from his escalating nerviness from the ride. But I wasn't complaining.
He held my hand and that was that.
I sneaked a peek at his reaction and I saw his face flinched at what I said. I guess he was just as confused as I was.
"Yeah um, sorry about that, I acted on impulse." He scratched the back of his head. Don't worry, you weren't the only who was surprised.
I blushed again on what seemed to be the fiftieth time today.
I was hanging out with the Beau Huntley, okay? I couldn't wait what was in store for the rest of our day.
— — —
BEAU • [10:57 a.m.]
Why did I hold her hand? Damn it Beau. That was a reckless move. Remember, you have Callista. Get a hold of yourself. I mean it wasn't even a move at all...it just happened. The ride was super crazy, but crazy good, but I didn't. Have. To. Hold. Her. Hand.
The strange thing was, as much as I was screaming the whole time, holding her hand was a sort of a relief. I didn't know anymore, I was confused. Now she'll think I liked her or something.
I distracted my thoughts by asking Piper where the restrooms were. I think I needed to splash my face some water.
"It's a little bit far from here. Um, go straight in this direction and turn super left. I can accompany you if you want—"
"Nah, I'm fine. You can wait for me here."
"Okay, then." She sat down by an empty bench and I began jogging to find the restroom. I checked my watch and it read 10:57 a.m.
Just 10:57 a.m.? We've only been inside the park for less than an hour? It was not even past noon yet and I was already hungry.
— — —
[11:09 a.m.]
After that refreshing wash, I walked back to where I last left Piper. While I was walking I think I heard someone yelled my name.
"Beau? Beau! Beau!"
I whipped my head around, and to my horror, it was Callista. I squinted my eyes and did a double check. It was her.
This was the worst timing ever. Now what do I say?
Callista walked towards me and raised a brow. "Beau, what are you doing here?"
Holy shit. I couldn't spill the beans. Not now. I decided to throw the question back at her.
"My dad's currently funding this new parade attraction here, and I'm tasked to accompany him in the ribbon cutting or whatever," she said, rolling her eyes as if she was forced to be here, like me.
"I actually hate it, this theme park is so old and clowns and roller coasters freak me out and—wait a minute, I was asking you! What are you doing here?"
Think of something. Think of something. Think of something.
"I'm with...Mei," I replied, careful not to tremble at my words. "I'm helping her take, you know, pictures for inspirations for her bakery. She wants a carnival-themed shop so...yeah."
"Alright, cool. Are you like, done taking pictures or something?"
"Not yet, so I have to go..."
"I'll help you guys. I'd rather go with you than some lame ribbon cutting."
I swear, when we were talking about Callista, you couldn't escape from her. She was like the intricate maze and I would be this hopeless runner from the Maze Runner.
Okay, I was stuck. Either I tell Callista I was with Piper, or I leave Piper and make up another lame excuse.
C'mon, Beau. Choose your poison.
"So? Can I go with you or not?" Callista asked, a little too impatient.
I looked up and heaved a sigh.
I'm sorry Piper.
"Hey, you know what, Callista? Let's just get out of here."