Close Your Eyes

The kink in the carnival

I climbed down to the beach shore and paused for a minute to take in the scenery. Washington. We lived on a small island in Washington called Camano Island, home to only about 13,358. Not all that big.

I walked along the shore, waves attempting to lap at my feet, and climbed up to our hideout.

This has been our place since we were kids. Most of us grew up together, Zayn, Dylan and I, sticking together since we met in our third year of elementary school.

It was a small dug out, almost like a cave even, that concaved in the side of a hidden hill, the entryway concealed by trees and bushes. Only the people who knew it existed or the most adventurous knew how to get inside of our little hideout.

I climbed inside of our decked out little place and walked over to Zayn and Dylan.

Immediately when they saw me, Dylan pulled a plastic bag full of what looked like marijuana out of his pocket, while Zayn got the papers to roll them.

This was us. This is what we did. Mostly them. I'd only ever smoked their shit twice, still too nervous of being caught or ruining my health.

They proceeded to roll blunts while I stood there and patiently watched. Cautiously looking over my shoulder every now and then to make sure no one had wandered into our hideout to find us getting high.

Zayn pulled out his lighter and handed me a joint. I looked down at it, unsure of what to do.

He sighed and pulled me down onto his lap. "Close your eyes"

I shook my head. I didn't want too. What about Maximus? I couldn't. And I shouldn't.

He repeated himself. "Close. Your. Eyes." He rubbed at my back soothingly while running his other hand up and down the inside of my thigh.

I closed them.

I could hear the flick of his lighter and the flame catching on. I smelled the recognizable smell off weed. "Open your mouth babe"

I sighed and did as I was told. Not wanting to get yelled at in front of Dylan. I felt the slightly familiar feeling of the joint between my lips as I took a drag from it. Immediately feeling more relaxed.

I opened my eyes and looked at him while taking the drug from his hands. He lit himself one while I took another puff of mine.

I put my head on his shoulder and stared up at the roof of our place. My head swirling with great feelings. He nipped at my ear and started to run his hands over my slightly tanned body. Knowing Dylan was watching I moved his hands away. Causing Zayn to pout.

He was cute when he was high, minus how horny he sometimes got. He was like a little kid, needing to be protected. Like Maximus.

I laid down on the cot we had brought up here a few years ago. Moments later I was being squished in between the cot and Zayns body on mine.

I kissed him. I kissed him slowly as his hands found their way to my cheeks. "I love you.." I whispered quietly, almost to myself, but audible enough for Zayn.

He pulled away and looked at me. "And I love you" he said while brushing pieces of my hair away from my face.

We stayed like that for what felt like minutes, but what was probably hours due to the drugs in our bodies.

~~~~<<<>>>~~~<<<>>>~~~~~~~

We found ourselves at the boating dock, where they were holding their usual carnival to kick off the beggining of the school year. My hand grasped tightly in Zayns as he dragged me along with him and Dylan. No longer high, we paraded around the carnival.

Public. Zayn sometimes displayed his affection for me in public. It was rare though. Usually only to show others that I was his. His personalities with the ability to change so fast from the dick version of him to him when we were alone together.

"Cotton candy or popcorn Ari?" I stared at him blanky. "What?"

"Do you want cotton candy or popcorn?" He said with slight amusement as I processed what he was asking me.

"Oh, popcorn." I responded. He pouted a little. "Damnit. I was hoping you'd say cotton candy"

I laughed. "Then get cotton candy"

His face lit up as he payed for our cotton candy.

Hand in hand we walked around the carnival, going on a few rides here and there.

"Arizona! Arizona!" I snapped my head around to figure out who was calling my name. I laid eyes on Preston. Shit! I thought to myself.

I felt Zayns hand tense up in mine and I could feel the cold radiating off his icy glare as Preston made his way over to us.

Zayn released my hand and took a step forward. "What do you want?" He spat. Preston held his hands up in surrender. "I just wanted to talk to Ari..about the project for class we're doing together."

I cringed a little when Zayns glare turned to me. "What Project?"

I averted my eyes. "You were gone that day, and I needed a partner.."

I silently cursed Preston for bringing up that bloody stupid assignment.

"I..I'll just go then.." Preston said as he started walking away. "Why are you working with him? We're partners on every assignment what the hell Ari?" Zayn said, snapping me back into reality.

I sighed, frustrated that he was getting upset over a stupid assignment. "You weren't at school and I needed a partner to do the project with!"

He crossed his arms. "What, so your 'project' can consist of what's in his pants?"

I looked at him shocked, was he really that jealous of Preston? "Don't be like that. It's just a stupid project on the study of human interactions."

His hands clenched into fists. "I don't want you alone with him and that's final."

"I have to be to do the damn project Zayn!" I started to protest before he shook his head and started walking away.

I growled in annoyance and stalked after him. "You're a dick you know that? All you think about is yourself, and it's just a fucking project it's not like I'm sleeping with him!"

He stopped walking, making me bump into him, before slowly backing up. He turned around and swiftly grabbed my wrists. "Are you sleeping with him?" His stare penetrating deeply into my eyes. "No. No I'm not. And you know that."

His grip relaxed as he calmed himself down. I took his hands in mine and kissed each one of his fingers.

Suddenly there was a blood curdling scream. My head snapped around to see a girl from my school, Abby, I think was her name. She was in tears and covered in red.

A few of the carnival officers ran over to her and tried to calm her down. "There." She pointed a shaking finger at me. I stared at her confused.

I turned around slowly and looked behind me. She stuttered. "B-behind you. I-in that st-stand" Abby shook as I walked slowly over to the carnival stand she was suggesting.

I opened the curtain and let out a blood curdling scream of my own. There, staring straight back at me,

Was a bloody dismantled corpse.