The Bucket List [#Wattys2018]

Chapter Nineteen: An Emotional Roller Coaster

"A year ago, I would have never pictured my life the way it is now."
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It takes twelve minutes to get from Hollywood to Los Angeles. And those twelve minutes started now.

"I cannot believe that you haven't rode a roller coaster before!" Amy exclaimed, she almost slammed on the breaks when I told her.

I shrugged my shoulders and smiled nervously. I had butterflies in my stomach.

Cut it out Amanda, you're 34 now.

I can ride a roller coaster.

I've got this.

"Have you ever kissed anyone before?" Paul asked me. I've had a crush on him for a while now but was too shy to ask him out and he probably didn't like me anyways. "Well it's kind of like riding a roller coaster." He told me.

Well if a roller coaster is anything like the way Paul kissed me, then I was in for a ride.
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"Ahhhh!!! I love Amusement Parks!!!" Amy squealed and started waving her hands around. I laughed with her.

Kids were tugging on their parents hands and you could hear people screaming as the roller coasters roared above our heads.

We had lined up for a water roller coaster called 'Aquatic speed', where you could get totally soaked in water as you dipped down.

This was going to be awesome.

The guy stopped us before letting us go in like he did with everyone else.

"You can't ride if you have an injury, or are pregnant."

Amy furrowed her brows.

"We good?" He asked both of us.

We both nodded.

As we got in, Amy bit her lip, then shook her head and looked at me in excitement. "You ready for this!?"

"No." My butterflies were dancing in my stomach, and I took a gulp of air.

But it was too late.

We were moving.

The coaster slowly dragged up the tracks. It was taking a while.

Wait are we going to drop down when we get to the...

My thoughts were cut off as it sped faster up the track.

I screamed and Amy grabbed my hand.

Then we dropped.

Amy's hand must have turned white from how hard I was holding it, but she didn't seem to care.

"WOOOO HOOOOO!!!" Amy screamed, throwing one hand up in the air as we dropped down and water soaked us.

Then I saw the loop we were headed for. I closed my eyes tightly and screamed.

Amy was laughing at me.

I open one eye and see that we're upside down and Amy's blonde hair is flowing in the wind.

"you're laughing through this!?" I scream. Amy giggles again and we head through another loop with water spraying down on us.

I open my other eye and relax a little bit, but not too much. And I look over at Amy.

I've never seen her smile this wide before. And there was this light in her blue eyes. Her perfect blonde wavy curls were frizzy now, but the windblown look just made her look even more beautiful.

And you could just tell that she lived for adventure, for all the thrills in life.

You could tell that she loved life and it loved her.

"WOOHOOOOOO!!!" Amy screamed louder this time.
••••••••
After the ride was over, we were soaked. Amy's makeup was now smudged around her eyes. Mine probably made me look like a raccoon, but no, not Amy, she rocks the messed up makeup look.

"LETS DO THAT AGAIN!!!" I say, overly excited. Amy smiles but it's not wide enough. "Are you okay?" I ask her. She clutches her stomach. "I think I'm gonna sit out for a sec, I feel kinda sick."

The only time I ever saw Amy get sick was in the seventh grade.

"Amy!? Where are you going!?" I drop my lunch into the trash and rush after her. She heads into the bathroom. "Amy?" I ask. "Amanda, Go please, I don't want to give you anything." I heard her voice from behind the biggest stall door. Without even telling her, I step back and run up, grabbing the top of the stall door, and swinging my leg over, dropping into the stall. A total Amy move, not something I would normally do, but I'd do anything for my best friend. Amy was leaning over with her head above the toilet, she didn't look so good. "Amanda..." she started. I didn't say a word but held her hair up as she threw up into the toilet. After she was finished throwing up, I got a paper towel and ran it under the sink, and cleaned her up. "Better?" I asked, she nodded.

I sat down on the bench and held her hand, rubbing my thumb back and forth against the top of her hand.

I remember the first time she did this to me so I could feel better.

I was crying, I couldn't stop. Amy didn't even ask what it was but held her hand out. I knew what she meant, and I grabbed her hand. And then I started crying harder. But something started to calm me down, like Amy's soul was calming mine. I stopped sobbing, but single tears ran down my cheek. Amy moved her thumb across the top of my hand, and soon enough, I had stopped crying. And I realized that this is what a real friend is.

"Are you doing okay?" I ask Amy. Amy looks up at me and smiles. "Yeah, but just in case, I'll sit out while you go on the rides."

I started to protest.

"Amanda...listen to me, you've got this one life right now, and God's the only one who knows how much time you have left, you don't know how much, and I don't know either. You don't need me to complete this bucket list, I'm just helping you and jumping in along. This is YOUR life, so go start living it, make every moment like it's your last. I'll be fine and I'll be here, waiting for you when you're done. I'll always be here for you Amanda, I promise."