dopamine : luke

carnival

FIFTH HOUR
9PM

"walk faster!" luke says, practically pulling clio.

"i'm walking the fastest i can!" she pants, trying her best not to trip as she tries to keep up with luke's big steps.

they're rushing because it's currently 8:57pm. according to luke's to-do list, they have to be at the carnival by 9pm.

they've been brisk-walking for about fifteen minutes now, but the walk mostly consisted of luke pleading for clio to walk faster as clio whined the whole time.

"this schedule of yours is impossible," she pants, allowing luke to drag her away, "a new activity every hour? it's unreal. it's impossible! when's the break time? when's the hour where we just sit down and relax? when can we-"

"get on my back." luke says, cutting clio off.

before clio could protest, luke bent down, waiting for clio to hop on his back.

"c'mon now," he says, waiting for her, "we have a rollercoaster to ride!"

clio groans, and holds the top of luke's back. she jumps slightly, and luke immediately catches the backs of her thighs.

clio wraps her arms around luke, as luke holds her in a more secure position so she won't fall.

luke starts to walk, and clio can't help but smile to herself.

luke's smiling, too.

both of them are thankful that they can't see each other's faces. when in reality, they both have the same, goofy grin painted on their mouths.

luke walks for a few minutes more, and instantly feels his tiredness go away once he spots numerous bright lights not so far away.

–

"nu-uh," clio says, shaking her head side to side, "nope. i can't. i'm not gonna do it."

she speaks with her arms crossed as she eyes the rollercoaster luke wants to ride so badly. she is, of course, scared of rollercoasters.

"why not?" luke whines, his shoulders slumping, "there's no one in line! c'mon, peach, you agreed to do the to-do list. and riding a rollercoaster is on the to-do list."

"no," clio says, "going to a carnival is on the to-do list, not riding a rollercoaster."

"well, what do you expect we do in a carnival, then?" he groans again.

"i don't know," she says, fidgeting with the hem of her sweater, "eat cotton candy?"

"no," luke says, "we're here to get our dopamine running! c'mon, you'll love it, i promise."

clio eyes the rollercoaster again, gulping as she does so. the people on it are screaming their heads off with their arms raised, and the thought of her being one of those people terrifies her.

"what if i don't wear my seatbelt correctly? then i'll go flying through the air? then fall on the ground?" she asks, looking up at luke. fear has made it's way to her head again.