Bittersweet (13 page)

She stood there, arguing with a boy who had an ankle brace. I opened the chain next to the control booth because I knew in thirty seconds or so that boy was going to come storming past me. The Fast Lane was the quickest way out of the station. As the chain clinked back against the control booth, the boy turned around.

Spitter.

The ankle brace was new. He probably did something stupid. I shrank back and hoped he didn’t see me. If he was pissed he’d take it out on me, for sure.

He stomped straight for me. He’d spent so much time arguing with Angelica that the station had nearly cleared out.

His face twisted into an angry sneer. It was the exact same look he gave me when I spit in his face. I could hear him calling Angelica colorful names where every other word was the f-word. Just before heading down the stairs he stopped and grabbed my height stick.

Haunted Valley took their height sticks seriously. Without one, we would have to shut down the ride until the stick could be replaced.

Against my better judgment, I took a small step toward him.

“Corbin, can I please have that?”

He turned and growled at me.

Whoa.

I wondered what on earth he was thinking. He paused, then lifted up the stick and threw it straight at my head. I ducked and the stick crashed against the control booth. Deanna, who was working controls, jumped and let off the buttons. A train was halfway out of the station when it stopped abruptly.

“What the hell,” mouthed Deanna.

Corbin stormed off down the stairs and Deanna released the train to continue its climb. She motioned for me to come into the booth. Before I could open the door laughter erupted behind me.

I turned and saw the purple shirts. That’s what we called the coaster maintenance guys. They showed up once a day and did inspections.

“He almost got you.”

I nodded, my heart racing.

Deanna grinned like mad because she had a crush on all of them. She was still the only girl on my crew who was actually nice to me. Boy crazy though. She had a crush on everyone, including Dallas.

As soon as the train came back into the station, maintenance shut down the ride for an inspection and most people left the line, except for a few diehards who would wait for the ride to open back up.

Deanna flirted shamelessly with the poor guy who had to take care of things in the control booth. That was when Dallas showed up with his iPad. My poor butterflies. Fluttering like that when nothing was going to happen.

“Hey, brother,” Paris yelled. Dallas returned the greeting and then smiled at me. I opened my mouth to say something, but Paris was not to be deterred. “Hey, Dallas, I’ll bet you a drink tonight I can make you say blue.”

Dallas shrugged. “Okay, I’ll bite. You’re gonna lose.”

“What color is that cloud?” Paris pointed to a monstrous cloud in the sky.

“White,” Dallas replied, rolling his eyes.

“What about the bathing suit on the hot lifeguard over there?”

Dallas didn’t have to look, everybody knew the color of the lifeguard bathing suits, but he looked anyway.

“Purple.”

“See, I told you I could make you say purple.”

“Dude, you said blue, not purple.”

Paris howled with laughter.

“Told you I could make you say blue.”

Dallas grinned. “Good one. I’ll have to remember that.”

The maintenance guys came back to the fence to talk to Angelica. Paris pounced on them and Dallas walked over to me. He grabbed my hand and stood super close to me. Completely in my space. I could feel the heat radiating from his body. The butterflies fought to erupt from my stomach.

He leaned close. For a second I thought he was going to kiss me, but instead he put his lips against my ear and spoke in a low voice. “Don’t tell Paris, but I’ll not pay up tonight since I have a date with a hot chick who I imagine would look loads better in that purple bathing suit than the lifeguard.” He leaned a little closer so his entire body was pressed against mine. I tried not to hyperventilate. After two weeks of nothing but friendly stuff, he pulled this. What gives? He continued. “Though, I think I’d rather see you in a purple bikini.”

He let go of my hand, disappeared into the crowd of diehard riders, and I just stood there, my heart racing and my breathing hitched.

What just happened?

After I cleared my head, I walked over to Angelica and the purple shirts. Angelica was arguing with them.

“You can’t pull a train. I have an hour-long line.”

“It’s not safe, I’ll need to pull it. And don’t expect to get it back today. Maybe tomorrow.”

She huffed and stalked back to entrance position.

One train for the rest of the day. Maybe I’d be able to run the ride. That air- conditioned booth looked heavenly.

But I was not so lucky. I rotated through both loaders again and was sent over to Cyclops for a while. I hated that ride.

At 8:30 p.m., I was sick and tired of the big boat and Paris came to relieve me. “Lucky you,” he said and handed me the little paper.

“Controls? Yes!” I practically ran over to the Demon Drop.

“Hey,” Paris yelled as I skipped down the exit ramp. “Don’t I get a kiss or something for bringing you good news?”

I turned and grinned at him. “In your dreams, lover boy.”

Controls was fun and easy that night.

I was closing with all the girls on my crew and they pretty much ignored me. But even that couldn’t dampen my good mood. The line died at about 9:45 p.m. and we were able to close right after the fireworks, which was excellent because I was itching to go out with Dallas.

Angelica came into the booth with the height sticks.

“Don’t forget you have locks tonight.”

Damn. I’d forgotten.

“Will you come with me?” I asked. I’d never done locks at night by myself. Neither had anyone else for that matter. It was scary in the dark.

“No, I can’t, I’ve got to get out of here.” Oh.

Becca and Deanna poked their heads in the booth.

“You ready Gelica? We gotta go.”

I turned to Deanna. “Will you do locks with me?”

She frowned. “Oh, I wish I could but we really have to go. You’ll be fine. Don’t forget to wear your vest.”

Before I could grab anyone else they were all gone.

Damn. Damn. Damn.

I took my phone out and texted Dallas that I would be late.

The first two locks were in the queue line. I unlocked the pad lock, looped the chain through the fence, not around the gate, and relocked it. The next three locks were easy as well.

I crossed the road and fear crept into my stomach. Strange. Fear was something else I hadn’t felt in a very long time.

I made my way to the back of the ride. I had to cross a huge field to get to the last two locks. No one ever thinks about how long the rides actually are. I finished the lock in the middle of the ride and headed to the far lock. The last one. The one out back by the trees. The lock where I would get raped and murdered and then dragged into the woods where no one would ever find my body. At least then I’d get to see my dad. First thing I’d do is punch him in the face for leaving me. Then I would hug him and apologize for not saving him when I had the chance.

I heard what I thought was a cough and froze. No, that had to be my overactive imagination. And my crappy hearing. It was probably just a bird flapping its wings or something. There was no one there. There couldn’t be, I had a date tonight.

I arrived at the last lock when it happened.

The flashlight died. Went out completely. I couldn’t see anything.

I thought I heard shuffling behind me. I turned and stared at the trees. Were those eyes I saw?

Never again. I would never do locks again.

I set the flashlight down. No point holding a dead light. I fumbled with the stupid lock and finally got it. I watched the ground as I made quick steps across the field. I didn’t want to trip and sprain my ankle. Because then I’d be stranded out in the middle of the dark field and no one would find me until morning. I ran right into someone and stumbled backward.

“Boo,” he said.

I screamed and ran. But then I noticed a group of people surrounding me. If I had any semblance of situational awareness I would’ve seen them all coming. My heart raced and my hands felt cold. I clenched my fists, ready to fight if it came to it.

The field lit up with ten flashlights, and before I could process what was going on I was covered with silly string. Angelica shrieked with laughter and Deanna emptied her can on my head.

Paris put his arm around me. “You should’ve seen your face. That was priceless. I should’ve had my phone out.”

Even Becca smiled at me.

Angelica was having kittens in front of me, jumping up and down and clapping her hands.

“You’re almost officially part of the Demon Drop crew now. Come on, we’re all going to Perkin’s and we are going to get you a Tremendous Twelve. You have to eat all of it. That’s the second part of your initiation. Then you’ll be one of us.”

Covered in silly string, I was nearly in tears. The emotional roller coaster was exhilarating and frightening at the same time. They were so loud I’d almost forgotten what it was like to feel nothing.

I helped them carry back all the silly string bottles. Paris took pictures of the whole crew with me.

Dallas sat on one of the picnic tables. In all the craziness I’d completely forgotten about him. Despite my newfound acceptance with the group, I’d still rather go out with Dallas. Especially after his act this afternoon. I pulled Angelica off to the side while the rest of the gang headed to the lockers.

“Angelica, I forgot. I already had plans with Dallas, I can’t go out with you guys.”

“Don’t be silly.” She flicked her hair and put her hand on her hip. “You have to come with us. Dallas can come too. Becca’s got a crush on him anyway, she’ll be thrilled he’s with us.”

“Okay.” I tried to absorb that. Becca wanted Dallas. Dallas wanted me, maybe. I wanted Dallas. This was a recipe for disaster, kind of like putting chocolate with cayenne peppers and mint. Chocolate with either one was fine, but you don’t throw them all together into one truffle. I wondered if Angelica even registered the fact that I planned on going out with Dallas alone.

He laughed as I approached him.

“What happened to you?” He pulled a piece of purple silly string from my hair. I shivered when his finger brushed my temple.

“The Demon Drop initiation. They pounced on me while I was doing locks. Apparently it’s not over yet. I have to eat something called a Tremendous Twelve at Perkin’s. I told Angelica that I already had plans with you, but she said you would just have to come with us. Is that okay?”

He shrugged. “Sure, but I want you to ride with me.”

I nodded and left to change. It took me forever to get all the silly string off me. Pretty sure I still had some in my hair. Oh well. It was worth it.

Angelica, Becca and Deanna came careening around the lockers in lavender and blue tanks and denim shorts.

“How come you’re not ready yet?” Angelica put her hands on her hips and mock-scowled at me.

“I had to explain the change in plans to Dallas. I’m almost done.”

“We’ll wait. You’re riding with us, right?”

“No, go ahead, I’ll meet you there.”

Deanna and Angelica left but Becca stayed behind. She didn’t look happy.

“How’d you manage to get Dallas to go out with us? We’ve been after him for weeks but he always claims he has other plans.”
I decided to be as honest as possible without revealing too much. That was a trick I learned from my dad; he was always upfront about the curse, but he managed to leave out the important details.

“I met Dallas my first day and I think he could tell I was having a hard time fitting in. We’re friends and we go out for ice cream or something quick after work sometimes.”

She seemed satisfied with that response, but I was sure I’d still be the topic of conversation in their car on the way over. Probably something to the tune of
that bitch stole my man
. My stomach clenched. That thought bothered me more than it should have.