Old Orchard

Annabelle

Luke is changed into new clothes and standing out of the amusement park gates waiting for us. He is waiting for me. I gawk at myself, knowing that he waits for me almost every morning on the beach before our morning jogs. Carla insists we go on her favorite ride first, which will make me feel nauseous, but I like that she is having fun without doing anything stupid, so I agree, and we all head toward it.

Climbing into the ride, I hear some scruffing on the ride's metal behind me. I look up and find Craig sitting next to me and then Luke sitting next to him. I had followed Carla in, so I am happy that she is not next to Luke, but I was hoping I would sit next to him on this one. The scrambler was a ride where four to six people could sit in the cart. To get the lift to go faster, you had to lean into one another to get it really going.

The ride starts, and I grip my hand over Carla's, and she laughs, knowing that I am already nervous about getting sick on this one. We are flying going faster than I ever remember it going when I was in middle school. I keep telling myself I will not throw up even if I want to. Please do not throw up is all I can think with both Carla's boney hip and Craig's elbow on each side of me. The ride is over a minute or so later, and I feel very light. Before the metal bar keeping us strapped down is unlocked, I turn and hurl up all over Craig's lap.

"Not again!" He yells much louder than I would have liked him to.

I somehow mutter out I am sorry while the bar clicks unlock and both sides of people scramble out faster than the ride was going. I take my time trying to focus on where my feet are going. I will not trip, or so I hope I will not trip. I am already embarrassed that I up-chucked in front of Luke. His hand is in mine while I walk down the ramp, and he is pulling me toward the exit. Craig is walking off toward the nearest restroom, and Carla is not trying at all not to laugh at me.

"Thanks," I mutter.

Being my twin, she just says, "You are welcome." I knew I should have said no to this ride and needed to sit this one out, but I wanted to go on it. I had never thrown upon it before; I had just always felt dizzy after getting off of it with my sister. It has been four years since I have gone on one. I want to brush my teeth, but I am happy that Luke is still hanging onto my hand instead of dropping it like he had earlier this morning. Walking me over to the nearest food booth, he asks for a bottle of water, and he hands it to me, letting me know to drink.

"Not your favorite ride?" He asks after I take a few sips of the water.

"You could say that," I say.

"If you knew you threw up on it, why did you go on it?" He asks amused.

"I have never thrown up because of it before," I say, and I remember Craig yelling not again in my ear. "I had thrown up on Craig at my first high school party. I had a little bit too much to drink being a newbie, and I turned and threw up all over him for some reason. It was horrible" I shudder remembering the memory.

"It is horrible being on the receiving end," Craig says, appearing next to me and nudging me. His eyes sweep down to my hand entwine into Luke's. I wrap my fingers around his urging him not to let go. "Maybe we should head back to the cottage," Craig says, glancing down at his shorts that have a big water stain all over the front.

"I can drive you guys there," Luke says, starting to walk toward the exit of the park. Passing through the gates, I hear a guy yelling at Luke, letting him know that we could come back in later or tomorrow for free since we had been only on one ride.

"Must be nice being a local," I mumble at him while we climb into his truck, and he chuckles, finding me amusing.

We hung out at the cottage with mom and dad, playing rook since grandma's favorite game. Craig, around seven, asks if we would like to go into the drive-in theater. My parents decline, saying they will stay in and enjoy the beach as much as they can. Luke and I agree, and I look at Carla, who seems to be hesitating like she has anything better to do. Last week, she told me of her first date with Logan, and I know she recalls that memory. I had to give Logan props for the first date he had planned for them.