Even Through the Storm

27. Willow Tip

It's the next day, and I wake up to the doorbell ringing. I roll over and look at my clock. It's six o'clock sharp. "Ugh," I groan, get out of bed, walk downstairs, and open the door. It's Asher. "Are you crazy?" I say. "It's six in the morning, and I have three brothers who are still asleep!"

"Yes, but I have these." He pulls two tickets to my favorite amusement park, Willow Tip, out of his pocket.

"Ash, baby, I can't think right now. What are those?"

"Two tickets to Willow Tip. We leave in an hour. Go get ready!"

"What? Ash, that's three hours away. And out of state. And you have work today, And it's six in the morning!" He walks into the house.

"The route has no tolls, and if we leave in an hour then at most, we will have four hours to go on rides, leaving at two so I can get to work on time. And I woke up at five. You're lucky."

"Ugh, okay. Sit down. I'll go get ready."

***

An hour later, Ash and I are in the car, heading to Willow Point, on the rules that I must call my Dad every hour, and that we must leave the park by two so Asher isn't late to work. "So, what's the gameplan?" Ash asks, a little over two hours in.

"Um, well, obviously the Scrambler, the bumper cars, some roller coasters. Ooh, and the swings!"

"That's a deal." Another hour passes and we enter the park. We're one of the first people to enter. "Let's go on the Gondola." We go up the stairs and enter the box that travels through the whole park. We start to move, and I start to scream.

"What?"

"Hights. Tall heights. And ahhhhh! Bugs!" A swarm of gnats flies into the box, and a few enter my mouth. I spit onto the floor. "Ewwww! Ash, help bugs. Lots of bugs. I don't like bugs." Ash just sits there next to me laughing. Most of the bugs are gone now. I smack his arm. "Ash!" He hugs me.

"It's okay. And hilarious. Mostly hilarious."

"Hey!" I rest my head on his shoulder and enjoy the rest of the ride. When we're back on the ground, the excitement rushes over me. "Ooh! I see the Scrambler! Race ya'!" I yell. I run into the line, but Ash still beats me.

"I win."

"Be quiet." An employe opens the gate, and we take a seat, me on the inside.

"Ready?" Asher asks.

"Yes. This ride is my favorite!"

"Please keep all hands and feet inside the ride at all times, and thank you for riding with us today," the employe says, starting the ride after half the cars are full, and everyone is strapped in.

"Woooo!" I scream. "Faster!"

"Yeah! Ready, ready, ahhhhh!" Ash screams. He jams into me as the ride makes a sharp turn.

"Ash!" I laugh.

"Sorry not sorry!" The ride comes to a stop as we kiss.

"C'mon, I see the bumper cars!" I say, yanking his arm. "Ooh! And the Himalaya! Which one should we go on first?"

"Lo, slow down!" I stop running and let Asher catch his breath. "And Himalaya!" He grabs my arm and runs. We sit down in the car, and I'm on the inside again. Ash chimes along with the warning, and the employe starts the ride. "Lo, put your hands up!"

"Why?"

"Just do it!"

"Woooo!" I scream, doing as Ash says. After we get off, we go on the bumper cars, and two roller coasters before stopping to eat lunch. "Ugh, there's too many flies, and gnats, and mosquitos. And every other type of bug, ever."

"It's okay, Lo. They won't kill you. They'll just severely injure you. "

"Ash!"

"I'm kidding! Now eat your sub."

***

After lunch, Ash and I go on the swings. Five times. Then eight more. Until we only have an hour left to spare, and it has taken the place of my new favorite ride. We decide to go on a water ride, the Lizard Brook Drop, while we still have time for our clothes to dry. We have the front row to ourselves, while there are other people behind us. Asher has his arm around me but still is holding on with both hands, as am I. "Ready?" He asks.

"Not even close." We have both been on this ride before and know what is coming to us. "The only thing I like about this ride is the bridge." After you get off the ride, you can stand on this bridge that overlooks the splash zone. If you only got a drop of water on you during the ride, then be ready for a tsunami to come on the bridge. The employe says the warning, then starts the ride.

"Hold on," Ash says. As the car goes around a turn.

"I... ahhhhhhhhhhh!" I scream as we drop eighty feet down, plunging into the water, and getting soaked. The car turns to a stop, and Ash and I are both too traumatized to speak.

"You almost fell out!" Ash says, after a minute, as we walk over to the bridge.

"I know. I wasn't ready."

"I know." We stop in the center and go to the ledge.

"Asher, I forgot, I haven't called my dad all day!"

"Lola, it's fine. I realized that earlier, so I texted him."

"What? When was that?"

"When you were about to throw up in the bathroom after the swings. You gave me your phone, remember?"

"Oh yeah. Wait!" I searched my pockets for it. "I don't have it!" Asher pulls out a plastic back with both our phones in it, along with his wallet and the tickets. "You're the best."

"I know." We kiss while the tsunami comes along, drenching us.