“Don’teverask me to do that again.” Eli lets out a huff.
It was almost comical seeing him like this. I’d never seen him so frazzled. His hair, although short, somehow in a disarray. Shirt untucked, and scuff marks lining the tops of his shoes.
“You can’t blame me for how I reacted. You show up to my house without warning,” she snits, still squeezing me. “My mother thought you were my boyfriend,” she accuses.
Finn’s eyes flare at the comment. Shooting in his friend’s direction.
“You’re the one who wants to bang her, you do it next time,” Eli says boldly. Touching his forehead and flinching. A bright red line that, looks like a scratch mark sitting there.
He shoots him a look and Eli matches it fearlessly.
Twisting his face, Finn claps his hands together, gaining our small group’s attention.
“Alright, everyone’s here.” A smile that reaches his eyebrows, plasters his face. “Time to get this party started.” Saying this to everyone but looking at me.
I gulp.
I wassogoing to regret this.
I regret this.
“Did you have to choose the largest one first?” I mumble, climbing up the loading track. “Couldn’t we have worked our way up to this?”
I may have been intentionally taking my time climbing to the top. Cole staying behind me the entire time. Even Hailey, the traitor that she was denying my request to try a smaller coaster first.
“No better way to face your fear than head on,” Finn says, sprinting past.
Cole’s hand finding the small of my back, reassuring me when I stall at the top. The small touch calming me more than he’d know, guiding me to the front where everyone else eagerly, waited.
The gesture so unlike him, but also what I needed right now.
An empty chill runs along my skin when his hand is abruptly removed from its spot. The confidence from his touch shriveling away my own.
Finn shoving his way between us. Scowling. “Sorry, my idea. I get dibs.”
Brazenly ignoring Cole’s disapproving glare. Separating us farther and taking the only other spot in the car with me. Forcing Iceman to another.
I want to bolt. The belt strapping me into my seat making me claustrophobic. My heart felt like it was jackhammering faster than a hummingbird’s wings.
Looking over to Finn, I silently plead with him to let me out. I couldn’t do this. A thick ball of saliva stuck in my throat.
His expression stays calm, ignoring my panic. “Breathe, you’re going to be okay, lil sis.”
I blink unconvinced. I couldn’t speak.
“I wouldn’t have brought you here if I didn’t think it was safe.” Voice calm, reassuring. So different than the boy I’d known when I first arrived. “Trust me.”
I swallow that saliva. It goes down like thick corn syrup. That’s the same thing I’d asked him to do at the diner, and he had.
That meant I owed him the same gratitude, even if I am scared.
Surprising me further, he does something authentic, when I’m still reluctant. Reaching out his hand. Nodding for me to take hold.
I grab it without hesitating. He squeezes and I tighten my grip when the tracks click, locking in place. Breathing through my nose.
I could do this. I was doing this.Wewere doing this.
The car takes off.