What They Say ~ O2L Fan Fiction ~

What They Say Chapter 19

Connor’s POV

You know those days where you just feel like you’re forever alive and nothing at the moment could ruin what you’re feeling? That was this kind of day. After Tessa’s little breakdown in the car, I finally pulled back onto the road and drove us to the California Fun Zone. We got there and immediately Tessa got out of the car, staring up at the rides visible from the parking lot.

“Holy crap.” She was astonished. Her face was still splotchy and her eyes were red and raw and puffy, but being here brought their unique little spark back.

“I know, right?” I said as I walked up next to her. I put my hand on the small of her back hesitantly and watched as she jumped the slightest bit. Her gaze never lifted from the roller coasters and ferris wheel until we got to the main gates that I had guided her towards.

“Two adult tickets, please.” I smiled at the man behind the glass of his park ticket booth.

“Sure. That’ll be twenty dollars.” The man spoke in a monotone voice that didn’t portray that he wanted to die but still didn’t say that he had a friendly disposition and I handed him and twenty dollar bill in exchange for two ticket stubs and a stamp on each of our hands.

“There you go.” He looked at Tessa as if she were a piece of meat and he was a hungry dog and I stiffened. He held on to her hand a little too long for my liking and she finally pulled back, obviously uncomfortable. My body tensed next to hers and I pulled her closer to me in a protective manner.

“Thanks. And if you look at her like that again, you’ll be met with a very nice fist in your not so pleasant looking face.” I threatened—no, promised—him through gritted teeth and stalked away, taking Tessa with me. That forever alive feeling was suddenly fading away and I needed a good roller coaster to get it back.

“What ride is best here?” Tessa asked me. She seemed like she just wanted to ignore what had just happened and I was definitely up for that.

“Well, they’re all pretty great but I’m totally in love with this one right here.” I pointed to the giant coaster next to us and smiled as her eyes widened to make two enormous black orbs.

“Thi-thi-this o-one?” She asked, stammering and stumbling over her own words. I could tell she was nervous I remembered just then that she was terrified of heights when we were kids. The only thing she would go on was the ferris wheel we had in our home town carnival every year.

“Oh, Tessa I was just joking. You don’t really have to go on this if you don’t want.” I said looking down at her still in my grasp and pulled her even closer to me. “C’mon we can go over to the ferris wheel if you want to start out there.” I lifted my hand from where it was glued to the small of her back and attached it to her arm, tugging at it for her to follow me to the large circle all the way across the park.

She began to sing softly and shook her head to the beat, first left to right and then slowly up and down. The song she was singing was an older one by 311 called Sunset in July.

“Sunset in July. Rockets by my side and time is flying by. Ba da dot dot da dee da. Watching you dancing and having the time of your life and it’s gettin’ me high. Whoa oh oh oh.” Her voice was soft and almost inaudible and she kept going. “January, February, March into May, and it’s June with a tune just to brighten my day.” The words slipped out of her mouth like she wasn’t even thinking about it. “Sun setting in July I’m gonna fade ‘em away. Time is sliding, time is sliding on, hear what I say, yeah. If you believe that, believe that.  Back up, back up, we need that, we need that. Space and time and time and space is my way. I’m forever in existence, I’m forever okay.” She half rapped, half sang the verse just the way it’s supposed to be and then stopped abruptly once she realized what she was doing. Tessa was rocking on the balls of her feet due to nerves and once she stopped singing, she wiped off her forehead and started towards the roller coaster.