Paid to Catch

Roller Coaster Craze ||

Cerice's P.O.V.

'I believe in you.'

Did I just hear kiddo right? Or am I going deaf?

As I stand paralyzed on spot, I see that Jeremy, Ann and Trace already run off to do their parts. Jeremy and Ann attract a few customers by acting like their characers, which meant that Jeremy would have to put up with the girly, lovey-dovey Princess Anna act if he were to successfully persuade people. While Ann, surprisingly, was pretty easy-going, despite her nature of being a little bit shy. She casually coaxed people to go to the roller coaster, and they did, without fail. I guess that was because she had the advantage, with her being a daughter of a politician and all that.

On another side, Trace effortlessly catches the attention of teenage passers-by-- specifically girls, with just a grin and a wave of his hand. They squeal at the sight of him, and some gasp, "Jack Frost!" Soon he was flocked all around by them, and he had a little trouble telling them to ride the roller coaster, as they were too distracted by taking out their gadgets and trying in vain to take a selfie with him.

I look on, my heart beating a frantic rhythm in my chest. What am I going to do?

Jeremy told me to sing to draw attention, but how could I? With all these people around... will they be able to hear me? Will they be able to hear my singing-- my voice? I haven't exactly been up on stage performing as frequently as kiddo's cousin Miyufi-chi. I have given up on my singing career a long time ago, to be frank. And I'm not sure I would be able to start again without the possibility of breaking down and crying. Singing might just make me revisit the moments of my childhood, the days when my family was still whole.

'Where a parent doesn't die and the other doesn't leave for our sake,' this pessimistic thought makes me want to curl up into a ball and back up into a corner. I shiver, and I find myself getting the chill despite the hot day. Rubbing my arm up and down, I shake my head and get rid of the useless idea.

I can't let him down. Jeremy believed... believes in me. As his babysitter, it's my job to assure that he's happy, safe, and to be general, just become the kid he really is. He may be Fuente kid, but that does not change the fact that he is a kid.

My head finally clears from the fog of dread, and I fistpump the air, nodding to myself. A smile curls up my lips, "Right! I'm gonna do it!" I exclaim, but then I remember: am I seriously going to perform right here, at this location? By the exhilarating speed of the roller coaster, the winds will whistle loudly, and my voice will drown out if I do it here; not to mention that the riders will be screaming.

For a moment, I ponder on what to do when suddenly, Philip's voice startles me as he perches himself up a tree near the roller coaster. "Need a hand on your assignment?" He asks me, grinning. His green jumpsuit is darkened from all the machinery work, his boots splattered with oil. In his hand, he tosses a wrench up and down playfully.

I nod at him, "Y-Yeah, but--"

"Worry not! I have just the thing!" He carelessly throws the wrench away, and the metal tool hits someone's head, knocking them out unconscious. I gasp, but when I turned back to Philip, he didn't seem to care. He was too busy rummaging through his jumpsuit's pockets. He holds up one of his hands and points his index finger upwards, a gesture for me to wait. I do, and all of a sudden someone bumps into me the moment I turn away. I stumble backwards.

Squinting my eyes in an attempt to stop stars from circling across my vision, I make out the outline of a bear. Wait, what? That can't be right. I mutter an apology to the person, blinking a few times. When my vision steadies, I recognize that the person who I bumped into was a purple tarsier mascot holding a box that set off the aroma of something delicious.