By Friday night, my muscles were sore, painful and were impossible to move without letting out a groan. And the Winter Carnival was tonight . . .
“Ice pack?” Mum trilled from the kitchen after a heated discussion with my dad. “Audrey?”
“Yes please!” I called back and lay sprawled across the top of one of the couches.
I hated Aimee for the hard out training she put me through; how on earth was I supposed to hit the ball even once if my muscles were be aching by then?
“All right; we’re running out seeing as they’re not freezing fast enough from your last injuries,” she teased. “What are you wearing to the Carnival? It’s winter so it’s gonna be cold . . .”
“A thick jacket, warm jeans, shoes, you know,” I told her with a wry smile. Mum never seemed to stop making sure I ‘dressed properly’.
“Good,” she said in approval. “Now, go get ready. The Carnival starts soon – and didn’t you say you promised to help Aimee with one of her stalls?”
“Ugh yes!” I groaned. “All right, I’m going, I’m going.”
Stupid Aimee and her extracurricular commitments.
The crazy lights illuminating the Ferris wheel had started to hurt my eyes, especially because Aimee’s stall was right by the fried food stalls and the wheel itself.
“Count up the money; we’re closing up!” Aimee called with a grin and winked at me. “Some good stuff there, Audrey!”
I shrugged, collecting the money box and started rifling through the paper notes and numerous coins. I counted them quickly, doing the maths in my head and beamed at Aimee while she started packing away all the water balloons and buckets of water. “Almost three hundred dollars! I can’t believe what a hit we had!”
The whole back flap of the tent was drenched while the wooden targets that had been previously put up for kids to aim at were officially able to be called driftwood. On the other hand, the large plastic hula-hoops seemed practically untouched. Nobody managed to get the final prize until one of the cricket players from our school came and claimed the big plush toy at the last minute.
“Yep,” she said with a grin. “You’ve done too much for me – well I’ve made you do too much. I’ll finish up and you go have fun with the remaining hour and a half.”
I sighed with relief and gave her a grateful look. “Thanks, Aimes.”
“No problem,” she replied with an apologetic expression. “I’m sorry for turning your hands into prunes.”
“It’s fine; they’ve dried off,” I reassured her and jumped over the counter. “Call me if you have any trouble.”
“All right!” she replied and continued taking down the sopping wet wooden targets.
I grinned, immediately making a beeline for the candyfloss and fried food. Grabbing some fries and two bags of candyfloss, I started eating away and smiled at the delicious sugary and salty taste mixed together.
Sitting down by the nearest bench, I watched little kids race around, jumping at the gaming stalls, stuffing their face away at the candyfloss and crunch on the food. I smiled at them. Oh they must be having a blast at the Carnival and there would be some blue fireworks for the coming of winter.
“So we meet again.”
I looked up, my mouth filled with candyfloss and I had to keep my lips clamped on the soft sugary treat to prevent the food from falling from my mouth. “Mmm!”
“It’s me,” he said with a grin and plopped down beside me. “So how you doing, Volleyball girl?”
I chewed and chewed until it finally disappeared down my throat. “U-Uh good thanks. Tim right?”
“Yep,” he said, popping his ‘p’. “Audrey right? The girl absolutely horrible at Volleyball and seeming to have retarded reflexes?”
“Hey!” I protested with a frown. “Don’t diss me. It’s not nice.”
He snorted and shook his head like he couldn’t believe anything he was hearing – well anything that came out of my mouth, that is. “Are you really serious, Audrey?”
“Yes I am,” I snapped and quickly wolfed down my carnival food. At least they’d serve our town’s annual traditional winter food later on, before the fireworks. “Will you quit being so mean to me?”
“What? I’ve only insulted you twice,” he said with a laugh and shook his blonde head once more. “I still can’t believe it’s come down to this after all this time.”
“Come down to what?” I asked suspiciously. “What do you mean?”
“Nothing,” he replied innocently and grinned. “So how have you been for the past two days?”
“Fine,” I said though immediately my muscles started searing with pain again. Stupid Aimee and her stupid training . . . I say ‘stupid’ way too much. “Why are you here?”
He feigned a shocked expression. “I believe it’s a free country. I’m allowed to be here you know.”
“Well I’ve never seen you around before,” I said with a shrug and tossed the stick into the bin. “You’ve just suddenly appeared, taking the last half hour of our volleyball session and –”
“I saved you from further torture from that Aimee girl of yours,” he pointed out and smirked. “I think I did you a favour.”
I clamped my mouth shut knowing that he had me there. I sighed and looked away, tucking my hands into my lap. “What do you want?”
“I’m merely sitting here, making conversation with a stranger.”
“I’m not a stranger if you know my name! Are you following me?” I blurted out without thinking.
He laughed and rolled his eyes. “Me? Follow you? Sorry Audrey but I have other girls to follow.” He winked at me but I could have sworn he looked a little guilty . . and sad? Of course that was just my imagination. Me and my imagination.
I huffed. “Fine. Then go away.”
“I told you, it’s a free country,” he said, enunciating each word.
“I’m not stupid.”
“I know.” Wow he actually agreed with me.
“All right then,” I said, getting to my feet and brushed myself off. “I think I’m going to go ride the Ferris wheel.” Now why on earth did I say that? I clamped my mouth shut and instantly regretted saying that just as the sly smile on his face caught my eye.
“I’ll ride with you,” he offered. “I’ll pay as well.”
“Look, I’ve been stuck in a stall filled with icy cold water balloons on the night of the winter solstice,” I snapped, massaging my temples. “I would like to spend some time to cool off and warm down if you don’t mind.”
“But I do mind so I will grace you with my presence,” he said, matter-of-fact.
“No, no –”
“Yes, yes,” he trilled, taking my elbow and dragged me to the wheel. “You’re not afraid of heights now, are you?”
I scoffed. “That’s Aimee, not me.” Though I did feel a slight lurch of my stomach at the thought of being that high with Tim in a compartment. I didn’t trust him fully; I recognised him very distinctly from somewhere and it was really irritating me because I couldn’t remember! “All right. You offered to pay though.”
He snorted with a nod and slapped a bill on the operator’s hand. “Typical, Ev – Audrey.”
“You’re confusing me with some other girl, mate,” I said with a grin.
“Perhaps,” he said with a cheesy grin and nudged me onto my seat. The metal bar clamped down on us and locked us into place. “So tell me about yourself.”
I raised an eyebrow and gave him a frown. “I don’t know you, Tim.”
“You know I’m Tim and you obviously feel comfortable enough to be around me alone on this Ferris wheel compartment,” he said with a shrug.
He had me pinned once again and it almost seemed like he read my mind. That wasn’t fair! I mean there was some sort of sense to his words; I really did feel comfortable around him but it was unexplainable.
Like I’ve known him before.
Okay the icepacks and Volleyball training have clearly gone to my head.
“And now you’re quiet which means you’re thinking about what I just said,” he suggested with a grin. “So tell me about yourself, Audrey.”
I sighed and looked away as the compartment slowly drifted upwards, people below turning into ants. “I’m adopted.” I don’t know why I said that first but I guess it’s a start. Good thing he didn’t interrupt otherwise I would have just stopped then and there and then he would have gotten extremely annoying. “My parents are more like best friends. Aimee is a good friend but she’s too competitive so my parents are all I’ve got.”
“You’ve told me only one thing about yourself,” he said in disapproval. “More about you, not about those around you.”
I frowned and made sure he was fully out of my line of vision so it felt like he wasn’t there. “I can’t remember my past. It’s just so hazy and he next thing I know, I’m at Volleyball training, falling on my ass, falling on my face and getting hit in the face.” This made me flush in embarrassment but I couldn’t stop now. I had the sudden urge to keep going which I did. “But without knowing what my past was, I can’t say that I’ve lived a happy childhood. I know it’s because I don’t know my birth parents. A classic line for an adopted child but it’s true! That’s the big missing hole inside of me.”
How could I have not seen this before? How could Tim, a mere strange Volleyball playing boy, reveal my inner thoughts and feelings which not even I had recognised yet?
“Tough,” he said with a sigh and wrapped an arm around my shoulder. “Come on, you know you wanna cry into Uncle Tim’s shoulder.”
I laughed though my voice was hoarse. Instead I leaned into his shoulder just like I did with Mum whenever Volleyball just became too much physical pain for me to bear. Really, I don’t know how I’m alive at all.
“I don’t need to cry,” I mumbled. “I’m a strong girl.”
“Who falls over a lot.”
“But I don’t cry.”
“But you fall over on your face. Surely girls like you cry when things like that happen?”
“No I don’t cry – and what do you mean girls like me?” I demanded, removing my head from the crook of his neck and punched his shoulder by pure instinct.
The cart started to rock back and forth, causing me to sit frigidly until all movement ceased. By now we had paused at the top of the wheel and were slowly descending backwards.
“Are you staying for the fireworks?” I questioned, feeling embarrassed that he knew how I felt about my strange adopted life when nobody else did. Not even Aimee knew though there wasn’t much of a surprise there.
“Ahh probably; to make sure you don’t fall face-first into a pot of hot soup,” he teased.
“I will not!” I said hotly and huffed.
We were silent for the rest of the ride, pondering in our thoughts until I noticed several stalls surrounding the Ferris wheel had started to turn off their luminescent lights and pack up everything. I spotted Aimee’s stall already being dismantled and caught her packing things away into her little mini car.
Crap. I forgot to get a ride from somebody else! Aimee had no space left in her car and it was already nine . . . damn it!
“Uh, I need to go,” I said, grateful our compartment had finally stopped at the bottom. I hauled the bar off and leapt off onto the platform, slightly relieved I wasn’t hanging in the air anymore.
“Wait, Audrey!” Tim called after me yet I didn’t listen.
I raced off, searching for a familiar face who I knew I trusted enough to take me home. Ahh damn it, Audrey, why do you leave it at the last minute to find a ride? Oh Aimee, why can’t you have rented a van to take all your stall stuff and take me home?
“Stupid, stupid, stupid,” I muttered, wandering around helplessly. I had lost Tim back at the wheel so there was no chance of asking him to give me a ride and frankly, I didn’t feel comfortable enough to get him to drop me off home.
But he was my only shot . . . for now at least.
It had taken me a while to wander around and ask for people to drive me home but everybody I knew was going off to the nearest club, get drunk, get wasted and walk back home in the morning without a trace of their car.
No trusted drivers there.
I groaned inwardly, my tummy grumbling because of the hot soup smell wafting through the air mixed with the scent of iced winter cookies. I had missed all the traditional treats and all there was left was the fireworks before the whole grounds would be emptied in half an hour. Not the best time to be around the town alone considering it was sketchy when everybody else was gathered someplace else.
I wandered aimlessly, stopping at a bench to rest for a bit before I impatiently waited for the fireworks. I’ll just see the first round, gaze at it in awe and then run off straight for home.
Or maybe I should start running home now.
No; I can’t miss the fireworks and maybe I can catch Aimee in the crowd and beg her to squeeze me into a little compartment into her car. That would be my best shot at getting home safely.
“Aimee?” I called out over the loud chatter of the townspeople. “Aimee?”
I spotted her red hair among the crowd yet it disappeared almost instantly as soon as I saw it. What? Did she just hook up with a guy at the last minute or something? I mean it does happen despite the amount of kids here.
“Audrey? Audrey, is that you?” I twisted around and found a familiar set of black eyes staring back at me with a beaming smile. “Hey! How are you enjoying it so far? The fireworks are supposed to come real soon.”
I recognised her as the town mayor’s daughter, Amelia Fiore. She was all-in-all a nice person and somebody I could probably trust. “Good thanks. Uh I’ve been looking for Aimee . . . I can’t wait for the fireworks by the way.” I forced a tight smile and shivered. “You wouldn’t happen to have come by car, would you?”
“Uh no sorry; I came with my Dad,” she told me apologetically. “You know, being Mayor and all he’s really . . . strict.”
I nodded understandingly. “So you wouldn’t possibly be able to drop me off now, would you?” I felt bad for asking but now I was desperate. I really needed a ride home and I was actually cared of the fact that I’d walk home alone if I didn’t.
“Ahh sorry; he’s taking all these fireworks stuff and loaded it in the back,” she apologised with a guilty look. “I can help you find Aimee – oh shoot, I’m supposed to light the fireworks, damn it!” She smacked her alabaster forehead and groaned. “I’m really, really sorry Audrey but I’ve got to go!”
Amelia ran off and disappeared into the crowd before I could say another word. I groaned internally and started to walk around really stupidly. I was alone, the fireworks would start and everything would be in total and utter chaos as everybody would try to get a better view of it!
Suddenly, a loud whistling noise burst through the air. I jumped in shock as blue flashes lit up the sky in intricate exploding fashions. Everybody around me had started to squish me in between people’s shoulders.
Damn it Aimee, where are you?