Last July

Chapter nineteen

"Where are we going? I thought you were taking me back home"

I didn't know why I was doing this either but I'd been a pain in the ass the entire time we were at the lake, that's because it was rather easy to annoy her. I parked the car in the designated spot and opened my door getting out. It was late but I wasn't sleepy hopefully I'd sleep through the time of the dirt race tomorrow and I'd have more than enough excuse for not making it. The barbecue however, I'd have to figure out what to do about that further on during the day.

Ziploc walked on dragging her feet next to me. I had watched her a few times while she searched assiduously for her friend last night and I noticed every time she paused, her eyes made contact with the Ferris wheel. Tonight was the last night they'll have it and since she was complaining I wasn't supportive of her attempt to revive her writing fire this would be my first and only act of support.

"Two tickets for the Ferris wheel"

" Wait" said Ziploc grabbing into my hand. "What are you doing?"

"You want to get on or not? I'm not wasting my money"

"I didn't ask you to pay for it either way" she mumbled walking past my person and climbed into the seat.

Her body tensed as the wheel started its accession and I felt her fingers wrap around mine between us. Everything in my body told me to unravel my fingers from her but I didn't. Slowly I felt the heat seep into my hand from hers and the higher we climbed the tighter her long fingers meshed with mine squeezing the blood from the area causing it to retreat. When I felt like I almost couldn't feel them I pulled my hand away grimacing at how scared she was. Sighing I leaned over taking her by the arm.

"The trick is not to look down" I whispered. "Just enjoy the ride"

"I've never been this high before" she confessed.

"They always go this high"

She shook her head. "I've never been in one before"

At her last words Ziploc buried her head against my chest holding onto me. I tried not to utter every curse that swam around in my head at our unorthodox situation. She didn't let go even when the ride came to a halt, her talons gripped my shirt so tightly I half expected to see puncture wounds in my clothes when she finally found the strength to let go. It didn't make any damn sense. How can someone this grown be afraid of a Ferris wheel? It wasn't the superman ride at the huge amusement parks or bongie jumping. Was she afraid of heights or something? Her entire freakish ways were mind boggling and I gave up trying to understand her walking back to my car. That was it, my one and only act of support.

"Don't ever do that again" I said stopping at the front of the rover

"Do what?" She asked looking confused.

"Hold on to me like that"

"Oh" she dipped her eyes to the ground and swallowed. "Sorry"

"How could you be scared of a Ferris wheel? Are you're afraid of heights or something? The way you were staring at it I'd never expect this"

" I just didn't know what to expect okay. I've never been to an amusement park and Philly would never join me cause she says the ride is too romantic" she explained climbing into her seat. "Just in case you've forgotten most of those rides require two people. So I played the piano instead. I didn't need company for that"

Her ex couldn't have been the only guy she was with over the last years, what about them? She could have gone with them? I didn't even bother considering expanding the conversation firstly out of fear that things would only get more ridiculous here on out. I got into the rover and started the engine.