What If?

Chapter 6

The carnival was even better than the year before. The lights were brighter, the music louder, the rides bigger. Alice, FP, Fred and Mary walked through the crowds of people, many of which they recognised from school. Mary and Fred went off to get corn dogs as FP and Alice decided on which booth to stop off at first. FP kept on bragging that he was amazing at the ring toss so Alice let him have a go. She was eyeing a giant teddy bear as a prize.

Alice watched FP concentrate on his aim and eye line as he threw the first ring. It landed perfectly on a middle spike. Alice squeezed his arm excitedly. The next ring landed on a far left spike. FP picked up the final ring and turned to his girlfriend.

" Kiss for good luck?"

Alice smiled and kissed him lightly on the mouth. She lent up to him and bent close to his ear.

" More later."

Grinning, FP turned back to the game and threw the final ring. At first it looked as though it was going to go straight over but it just caught the final spike. Alice jumped and wrapped her arms around him. The man behind the booth offered prizes and Alice pointed straight at the giant bear. It was nearly the size of her when she held it. Moving away from the booth, they found Fred and Mary bearing corn dogs. Alice ate hers in seconds. Her pregnancy appetite was already starting to kick in. As the others finished eating, Alice eyes lost their light a little when she saw Hermione walking towards them. When she got to them, Fred completely blanked her and Mary gave him an irritated side glance. Hermione noticed them but chose to ignore it and addressed Alice.

" Can we talk?"

Alice looked at her vacantly.

" About what?"

Hermione stayed mute. Alice rolled her eyes.

" Fine."

She stood up. Hermione looked over Alice's shoulder longingly. Alice turned and realised what she was staring at. The Ferris Wheel.

Every year, since the carnival opened 7 years ago, they would go on the wheel together. This year, Alice thought that the tradition would be broken, because they had drifted apart. But maybe not.

Alice looked at Hermione and asked her the question she desperately wanted to hear.

" Do you want to go on the Ferris Wheel?"

Hermione gave a relieved smile.

" Yes."

Alice turned to FP and gave him the giant teddy. 

" Stay safe," FP said, his worried face making Alice laugh.

" It's a Ferris Wheel. I'll be fine!"

She gave him a quick kiss and headed off with Hermione.

***

They stood in the queue in an awkward silence, neither wanting to speak first. Eventually, Alice broke the awkwardness.

" So what was it you wanted to talk about?"

The man running the Wheel had let them onto the ride and pulled the bar down. Hermione took a deep breath.

" Hiram wants me to move to New York with him."

Alice eyes widened.

" What?"

" I know."

" You told him you can't, right? That you have your whole life ahead of you and you're going to college near to Riverdale?"

" I didn't give him an answer."

" Hermione, you can't stay with that controlling hypocrite!"

Hermione's eyes changed from stress to annoyance.

" Sorry, Alice, since when did this conversation become about my boyfriend?"

Alice shook her head.

" Hermione, we all hate him! Especially Fred. You know how much you broke Fred's heart when you left him for Hiram. Did you know that he didn't turn up for school for a week when you broke up with him. Mary nearly lost her mind trying to coax him out."

Hermione struggled for words.

" Why didn't you tell me that you didn't like him?"

Alice scoffed.

" I didn't have a chance! You were too busy being showered with expensive gifts from the bastard!"

They were right at the top of the Ferris Wheel now. It was a clear night and whole of Riverdale could be seen from up there, even the outskirts of Greendale. However, the girls didn't even stop to admire the view before Hermione turned to Alice.

" Oh, really? What about you, cheating on Hal, who the entire school thinks is a dickhead anyway, with your ex boyfriend, IN A TOILET STALL, and getting knocked up in the process."

Alice closed her eyes, desperately wanting to get off the ride.

" You know what. Why don't you just go. We'd be happy not to have to put up with a two- faced bitch anyway."

Alice didn't look at her but, out of the corner of her eye, saw a solitary tear slide down Hermione's cheek. As soon as the ride finished, Hermione pushed the bar up and ran off, not glancing back once. Alice held her head in her hand for a second, as FP walked towards her, the giant teddy bear on his shoulders.

" What happened?" he asked.

Alice sighed.

" I don't really want to talk about it."

FP understood and laced his hand into hers. Alice looked around.

" Where did Fred and Mary go?"

" Home. I think Fred ate too much fried food."

Alice smiled but wasn't truly happy. FP saw that but didn't press her for answers.

" Cotton candy then back to my place?"

" Sounds perfect."

The queue for cotton candy was surprisingly small so they were able to get it quickly. They walked slowly back to FP's trailer, the sky now dark with clouds. When they got into the trailer, FP straight away put the giant teddy bear on a chair in the living room.

" We're keeping that for Fetus Smith- Jones."

Alice laughed.

" Fetus Smith- Jones? That's a handful. Why can't we just call it baby bump."

FP put his arms around his girlfriend's waist.

" Because there's no bump yet. And saying Fetus Smith- Jones is so much more fun."

Alice closed her eyes and kissed him. When they broke apart, Alice kept her eyes shut. FP tilted his head.

" Al, what happened with Hermione?"

Alice's eyes slowly opened as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

" Hiram asked her to move to New York with him."

FP shook his head.

" What did she say to him?"

" Nothing. She hasn't given him an answer."

" So that's why you're upset?"

" I kind of went off on one and called Hiram a bastard at some point, and then Hermione fired some stuff back at me. So now we've fallen out and she'll go to New York thinking that I hate her when I obviously don't."

" Alice, she won't think you hate her. This is Hermione Gomez we're talking about. She'll come to her senses eventually and realise that what you're saying is true."

Alice sighed.

" I hope so. I just wish I hadn't been so horrible."

FP kissed her then, softly but passionately, and Alice forgot her troubles. She grabbed his neck and he lifted her up gently, being careful not to crush her stomach. Her legs wrapped around his waist as they staggered towards the bedroom and closed the door.