"Why in the world am I doing this right now?!" That was Blake's exact thought, the silent scream echoing in his head, as he stood in line for the fastest, most terrifying ride at the carnival: The Teeth Clincher roller coaster, with Emma grinning brightly by his side. Sure, he went to carnivals and fairs a lot growing up, but he never, ever rode the roller coasters. To him, they were like a death wish waiting to happen, metal contraptions designed to hurl you to your doom. He still didn't understand how he'd let Emma convince him to get on this thing.
"This is gonna be so awesome, Lake!" Emma exclaimed, her smile wide and infectious, making his already tight frown deepen further. They finally reached the front of the line, and a bored-looking attendant helped them into their seats, pulling the heavy metal safety bar down and clicking it firmly over their laps. Blake white-knuckled the bar, his knuckles stark white, biting his lip as Emma looked over at him, her eyes dancing with amusement. "Are you afraid, Lake?" she teased, a giggle escaping her lips as she covered her mouth with a hand. "There's still time to back out," she whispered, tilting her head to the side.
He leaned back into the seat, trying desperately to look unaffected, but his fear was almost palpable. "I'm not scared, Emma... I'm excited, that's all. I'm not afraid of anything." All of that was a monumental lie. Which was immediately and spectacularly made apparent as the roller coaster suddenly lurched forward, then shot down the tracks with a bone-jarring acceleration.
Both their screams ripped through the air, merging with the shriek of the wind and the roar of the machinery. Emma threw her head back, laughing wildly, looking over at Blake whose hair was whipping around his head like a tornado, his eyes wide and slightly watering. Their bodies were thrown from side to side, repeatedly bumping into each other with jarring force. "It feels like I'm flying!" Emma shrieked, raising her arms high above her head, her face a mask of pure exhilaration.
"It feels like I'm literally going to die! You're crazy!" Blake yelled back, his voice strained, casting her a terrified glance from the corner of his eye.
As the ride finally shuddered to a halt, both of them looked like they'd just walked through a hurricane. Blake, disheveled and pale, let out a shaky breath and slowly unlatched the bar.
He climbed out, his legs wobbling precariously. He felt like he could just melt into a puddle on the ground right there. Emma, by contrast, jumped out of her side, vibrating with energy. "Wow, that was amazing! Right, Blake?"
He rolled his eyes at her comment. Amazing? How could anyone find roller coasters fun when he literally felt his soul leave his body and then grudgingly return?
She looked around for him, finding him leaning against a nearby wall, trying to catch his breath, his hands on his hips, his head down. She walked over to him, patting him on the back, a soft laugh escaping her. "You okay?" she asked, barely holding back her smile. He gave her an exhausted nod. "Yeah, I'm cool. How about we get some food now, huh?"
She nodded in agreement, rubbing her empty stomach. They left the carnival, the bright lights and loud sounds fading behind them.
A few minutes later, they were comfortably seated inside an Olive Garden, the warm, inviting aroma of garlic and pasta filling the air. Emma still had his leather jacket wrapped around her, making it appear to any casual observer that they were on a date. She ordered the cheese ravioli, and he got the shrimp scampi.
A moment later, Emma excused herself to go to the restroom. While she was gone, Blake's eyes landed on a "Happy Birthday" banner hanging discreetly in a corner, and an idea sparked. He subtly signaled their waiter, a friendly young man with an easy smile. Blake leaned in, whispering something conspiratorial in his ear. The waiter's smile widened, giving Blake a thumbs-up and a quick, knowing nod of confirmation before walking away.
Emma returned from the bathroom, and after they finished their meal, she was slowly sipping on her soda when suddenly, the unmistakable strains of "Happy Birthday" music began to play from the restaurant's speakers, a little louder than necessary. Her eyebrows scrunched together in confusion as the waiters and waitresses started clapping their hands, singing "Happy Birthday" directly at their table.
A vanilla cake, surprisingly festive, was dramatically placed in front of her. "Your boyfriend here told us it was your birthday!" the waitress announced, grinning, her gaze shifting playfully to Blake. He shrugged, feigning innocence, a wide grin spreading across his face. "How thoughtful of him," Emma said, her voice dripping with mock sincerity, looking over at Blake. The waitstaff chuckled, nodded, and then dispersed, getting back to their work.
"It's not my birthday, Blake," she whispered, shaking her head, her eyes wide with amusement and a touch of disbelief. He picked up his fork, casually taking a corner piece of the cake. "I knew it was a one-in-365 chance it was your birthday today, but hey, free cake! You're welcome." He popped the piece of cake into his mouth, his mischievous look making her laugh out loud.
She picked up her own spoon, digging it into the side of the fluffy yellow cake, taking a bite. Her eyes widened in genuine delight. Delicious. It had been a long time since she had cake, especially since she had to watch her figure for dance, but damn, that was good. "It's even more tasty because it's free," Blake winked at her, leaning against his palm, watching her with a satisfied expression.
She scratched the top of her head, thinking for a moment, her brow furrowed in mock seriousness. "Are we bad people for lying about it being my birthday to get free cake?" she whispered, playfully questioning both their morals.
Blake picked up another piece of cake, pretending to think over her question for a few dramatic seconds. "Umm, oh, most definitely. We are the worst type of people," he said sarcastically, making her laugh again. He held out his fork to her, offering her a bite. She shyly leaned forward, eating the cake off the end of his fork, their fingers brushing.
"Yup, just the worst type of people," she said, sitting back down, a wide, conspiratorial grin on her face.
YOU ARE READING
It Started With Hello
Romance***** Emma Pear knew she wasn't the most popular girl in high school. Her nose was usually buried in a textbook, and her grades were as spotless as her reputation for always following the rules. "Nerd" was a label she'd long since embraced. Her pare...
