Myles (Carter Brother#3)

by Lisa Helen Gray

  “Yeah, sounds ace. Plus, don’t we need to do that ride in order to get the graveyard trip tonight?’’ Myles pipes in. His arm goes around my waist, sliding me along the bench closer to him.

  “We’re doing Dead End, the graveyard maze?’’ I squeak. That is definitely something I didn’t want to do. Walking around in a maze, with no way out, with dead people chasing you, is my worst nightmare come to life. I can see it now. I’ll be running around in circles screaming for my life and one of the characters will jump out at me and I’ll end up going berserk, or worse, have a panic attack.

  God, I’m ruining this weekend.

  Stop being a party pooper, Kayla, and have some fun, I hear Charlie telling me in my head. She’s always telling me to let go, to have fun and to hell with the consequences. I turn, looking up to Myles and see him giving Maverick a look, his face full of amusement and excitement and I know then if I don’t want to do it, he’ll stay back with me and miss out on all the fun.

  He looks down at me, sees my expression, and his face turns serious, but soft, relaxed even.

  “We don’t have to do the maze if you don’t want. We can sit in a concession stand and get something to drink.’’

  “No… I… Just don’t leave me in there, please,’’ I plead, not realising just how much being trapped with no way out bothers me. With Myles, though, I know he won’t leave me, he makes me feel safe, safe enough to go into a graveyard maze in the dark with dead people chasing you.

  “I won’t, babe. I promise,’’ he smiles softly.

  “I’ll be there too. If it gets too much we can run around to the exit, ask whoever is monitoring the exit to let us in so we can play tricks on everyone else,’’ Maverick whispers and I giggle.

  Max walks back to the table with more colour to his face and it makes me wonder if he just spent the last ten minutes in the loos throwing up. I’m about to ask when Denny grabs my attention, and I turn away from Max.

  “Are you free in a few weeks to look at some bridesmaids dresses?’’

  “I should be; depends on what time. I’m at school, remember,’’ I smile, still excited about being a bridesmaid. I’ve always wanted to wear a bridesmaid dress, or even a wedding gown. When I walk past a wedding store in town I have to stop and stare, admiring all the beautiful dresses.

  “Oh, I’ve booked it for a Saturday. I got us an appointment at that Flora’s Boutique, near London. I know it’s a long drive an’ all, but…’’

  She doesn’t need to finish. Even I, who knows nothing about fashion, knows how big Flora’s dresses are. She’s one of the top wedding gown designers in the UK. It takes celebrities months to even get a consultation with her, let alone a fitting. So for Denny to get a consultation at one of her new stores says something, big.

  “Will she be there?’’ I breathe out, my body giddy with excitement. I’ve never met anyone famous. The closest I got was when I went to the big shopping centre where they had some meet and greet with a cast of some TV programme called TOWNIE, or TWOOIE, shit, no, it was TOWIE…I think. It doesn’t matter, what does matter is that I might get to meet the famous Flora.

  Denny gives me a big toothy grin and starts squealing ‘yes’. “My Nan, if you can believe it, knew her. I mean knew her. When we informed her about us getting engaged she called her and told her about me, about my mom and what happened. I know it’s wrong to use what happened to me to get an appointment, but Flora understood why my Nan wanted the best for me. Flora has even offered to pay for all the bridesmaid dresses. I couldn’t believe it.’’

  “Wow! How? I mean, I know your Nan is one tough cookie to say ‘no’ to, but this, this is huge. I heard Flora turned down an actress who just wanted an appointment. She even offered to pay millions to get her to change her mind and make time to see her. I forgot her name now, I was too busy staring at the dresses they had on the page,’’ I gush happily, and notice everyone around the table apart from us girls have gone quiet. “What?’’ I ask looking to Myles who is grinning widely at me.

  “Cute,’’ is all he says before Denny grabs my attention again.

  “See, that’s where it gets weirder. When I told Nan I couldn’t afford that kind of money for a wedding gown, she told me Flora has opened up a discounted store that is open to the public. You still need to be put on a waiting list. I couldn’t believe it. Nan showed me a few of the gowns before telling me about it, asking my opinion, because the dresses are different from Flora’s other designs. But when I looked at this one, my God, it stole my breath away,’’ she breathes, her eyes shining. I flick my eyes to her left to see Mason watching her with an amused, loving expression on his face. He really does love her, I can see it in the way he looks at her; it’s the same way she looks at him. I swear the two couldn’t be better made for each other. I just wish the beginning of their relationship wasn’t as rocky as it was. Denny and Harlow filled me in on everything that happened, but I’m glad everything turned out okay in the end.

  “I’m so happy for you. I can’t wait to see the dress,’’ I smile, starting to feel uncomfortable with the silence around the table.

  “We also need to talk about bachelorette-” Harlow starts.

  “Can we please go? As much as I love you as a sister, I don’t want to hear about Flora dresses and shit. Can we go on Turn now?’’ Max whines.

  “We’re going on-” I start, but I’m cut off by Myles, his hand gripping my leg and interrupting me.

  “Let’s go.’’

  I look at him confused, wondering what that was about, but shrug it off when he just grins at me. The way he grins at me has me forgetting my own name, and I end up forgetting what I was about to say anyway.

  We walk over to the Swamp and Myles takes my hand, not for the first time today either. I like it. It’s soft, and warm. My is cast to the floor, looking at my scuffed vans with a smile on my face.

  “What the fuck!’’ is boomed in front of us and I snap my head up to see Max turning and glaring at all of us. “Is this some sort of sick joke?’’

  “What is he going on about?’’ I whisper to Myles.

  “No idea, Babe,’’ he chuckles. Max hears his brother’s chuckle and snaps his head in our direction.

  “You!’’ he points to Myles walking over to us. The expression on his face has me stepping back. He notices and he stops advancing on us, and instead, gives his brother a glare.

  “Why would you bring us here?’’

  “It was my idea,’’ I blurt out, not wanting him to shout at Myles. I find courage inside me and step in front of Myles, blocking what I can of him with my tiny body, from Max. Max’s eyes widen for a second, his eyes flicking between me and Myles before he grins at me.

  “You sticking up for Myles, Kayla?’’ he teases, amusement in his eyes.

  “Why are you mad?’’ I ask confused, and when I look around, Denny, Harlow, and the boys are all grinning at Max, or me, I don’t know, all I know is it’s making me feel uncomfortable.

  “Mad? I just don’t want to go on this ride,’’ he snaps.

  “Are you scared?’’ I ask and sigh when I feel Myles step up behind me, his arm going around my waist. Other people walk by, their curious glances making me blush. I hate being given any sort of attention and with the way we’re all standing it looks like we’re in a standoff, especially with the angry expression now on Max’s face.

  “No. I’m not scared. Why would I be scared? It’s a ride. It’s not real, Kayla.’’

  “So why are you getting so worked up?’’ I snap back, feeling frustrated. I never get like this ever. I never snap. At all. At anyone.

  “I’m not, I would have just liked to be informed is all.’’

  “Well now you know, so pull on your big girl pants and move it. The line says it’s half an hour wait.’’

  With that I walk off, leaving everyone’s laughter behind me as I start queuing up in the line. They all follow, and when Myles walks up behind me, bending down to give my neck a light k
iss, I begin to relax. I thought he might be funny with me telling his brother off like that, but he seems to be fine. I know my face is bright red, but I don’t care.

  When the ride is over I know why Maverick gave Myles that mischievous look and why Max got so worked up over going on.

  We all walk off the ride, everyone in a fit of laughter, but me. Why? Because I had no choice but to sit next to Max on the ride, even after we tried to tell the ride operator that I wanted to be next to Myles. He said he needed to keep the line moving and to not argue, and because I heard people moaning about us holding them up, I stopped complaining and got on next to Max. Why I didn’t complain further is a mistake I won’t be making twice.

  I have nail marks imprinted into my hands and arms, my left ear is ringing and it’s all from the death grip Max had on me, and the screams that escaped his mouth.

  “You sounded like you were being murdered,’’ I glare when we finally reach a secluded area. I stop making sure I get my point across, feeling brave. It could be to do with the fact he seriously fucking hurt my hand.

  I kick him in the shin and he howls in pain while everyone else bursts out laughing.

  “Don’t you laugh, you… You mean boy,’’ I stutter, snapping at Myles.

  He holds his hands up in surrender. “What did I do?’’

  “You knew. You all knew. I’m going to be hearing his screams for months. Months! Why would you do that to me?’’ I whisper-yell defensively.

  “We did try to get him next to Maverick or Malik if you remember, but that jerk operator wouldn’t keep his eyes off your, um, chest long enough to listen to anyone,’’ Myles says sheepishly.

  He was staring at my chest? Ew. Really could have done with not knowing that, at all. Myles gives me a sheepish grin and shrugs his shoulders.

  “He screamed in my ear,’’ I whine quietly, my eyes looking around for the person in question. He still hasn’t come out of the bathroom that he ran off to when we walked out. Well, we walked, he ran like a big baby.

  “I’m sorry, Baby. I promise not to let him near you for the rest of the trip.’’

  “He dug his nails in my hands and arm, and did you know he tried getting in my lap at one point? In my lap. In the middle of a ride, Myles, it was horrible. I swear to God, I didn’t even get to see anything going on because he was all over me like a rash,’’ I growl, kind of thankful in a way that I didn’t see anything. If Max’s screams were anything to go by then it must have been scary. I even heard Denny and Harlow squealing at one time, but I couldn’t be too sure over the screaming in my ear. I rub my ear again trying to get rid of the buzzing noise, but it doesn’t work.

  “Now can we go on Ride?’’ Max says from behind me, making me jump. I squeal loudly jumping into Myles’ arms and Max laughs.

  “Jesus, Kayla, don’t be such a baby, it’s not like I snuck up on you,’’ he laughs and I turn from Myles to look at Max and growl. He gives me a wide expression but I know what that fucker can do his those nails and God. God, his screams. I shudder just remembering it.

  “Okay, wild cat, let’s go on Ride,’’ Myles laughs, pulling me with him as we walk across the park.

  *** *** **** **** *** ***

  The last of the sun has gone down and the moon and stars are finally out. I’ve wanted to go to the Enchanted Forest all day, but from what Malik said, we have to do the graveyard stint first. Which is probably best, it will give me time to calm my beating heart.

  We’ve been queuing for an hour and a half. In that time we’ve watched the sun go down, the stars and moon come out, and Max and Malik eat their own body weight in junk food. I swear the Carter Brothers can eat.

  We’re getting closer to the start. We’re the next group to go through and I begin to fidget when Myles nudges me.

  “You going to be okay doing this?’’ He whispers so the others can’t hear him. I look up at him with soft eyes, loving how attentive he’s been to my nervousness all day. Whenever I’ve become uncomfortable he’s picked up on it and has put me at ease. After we went on Ride my side became really sore, so I took a few painkillers. Then I saw what the next ride was and Myles picked up on the same predicament. There was no way I could go on that ride. The name said it all.

  Twist.

  And that’s what the ride did; it twisted, and turned, twisted and turned and spun so fast I noticed people still spinning walking off the ride. I would have done more damage to my already bruised side going on that ride, so Myles told the others he wanted to sit this one out and actually asked me if I would keep him company, like I was doing him a favour.

  The only person other than Myles who knows about the bruises is Max, so the others had no idea that Myles was only doing it for me. He got teased the rest of the day before going on rides.

  “Kayla,’’ he calls in a teasing voice, and I shake away my thoughts.

  “Sorry, yeah, I’ll be good,’’ I smile, trying to relax my nerves. “Just don’t run off and leave me.’’

  “My name is Myles, not Max.’’

  “We’re moving.’’

  I look to Malik who spoke to find him looking at Mason with a devilish smirk on his face. The girls are none the wiser, they’re too busy squealing with excitement and I smile at their antics.

  “Come on, Kayla, we’re next,’’ Harlow giggles, and I shake my head no.

  “I’ll take my chances with Myles, thank you,’’ I tell her softly, not wanting to tell her I have a feeling Malik and Mason are planning on playing their own tricks on the girls.

  “Come on, us girls have to stick together, don’t we, Max?’’ Denny teases.

  “Fuck off,’’ Max mutters, his feet shifting from one foot to the other.

  That’s when the line starts moving quickly and we make our way through the first set of gates. We follow the rest of the group in front of us. There in front of us is a man dressed in white overalls, blood splattered all over them standing in front of five sets of doors.

  “I need you to get into groups of six and stand in front of a door. If you’ve come today in a large group, split up,’’ he shouts to us as a female worker walks out and starts directing people where to stand. I cling to Myles when I notice Denny and Mason being separated. She looks to Mason with wide eyes, but he just grins sending her a wink.

  “Door number three, please,’’ the woman says, and I jump not having seen her approach us. Myles laughs and walks us over to door three, and I groan when I see we’ve been paired with Max, thankfully Denny is with us, but it still doesn’t make me feel any better. Another two girls are added to our door and then haunted music starts playing, a creepy deep voice booming from the speakers.

  “Enter at your own risk.’’

  Like I have a choice, I think to myself.

  We huddle through, the place pitched in darkness and I hear Max squeal which makes me squeal. The doors slam, one by one, and the sound of locking is overheard on the speakers around us.

  The lights start to flicker on and I look around, looking for that person who is bound to jump out at you, but I’m even more startled when all we find is mirrors. We hear Max and Denny scream and I giggle, love having Myles near me instead of Max.

  “Find your way out and you shall live,’’ the ghostly voice says.

  Max and Denny start touching the glass, making sure they’re not walking into any mirrors.

  “Oh my God, is that Maverick?’’ I laugh, when I look to my right. Maverick and a group of people are struggling the same as us, trying to find our way out.

  “Yeah,’’ Max laughs. He walks closer, noticing the glass, is just that, glass, this one isn’t a mirror, it’s just a divider separating each group. The lights dim more, so Max chooses that moment to shove his face closer to the glass, shouting Maverick’s name over the creepy music that’s still playing. The two other girls have taken the lead, both of them giggling and feeling their way to the exit. Just as they reach a moving door, the booming voice startles us, and the place goes pi
tch black, all of us freezing in place.

  “Do not move. Keep very, very still,’’ the ghostly voice says.

  “Is it bad I’m going to pee my pants I’m that freaking scared?’’ Denny whisper-yells and I silently agree with her, my body frozen and rooted to the spot.

  All of a sudden a crack of thunder fills the room and the room is bathed in light and we all scream loudly, Max the loudest. Up against the clear glass where Max was standing is now a scary looking dead woman. Her face is deformed, the makeup artist making her look like something from The Walking Dead T.V. programme. We all turn to run, Max smacking into a mirror, before we head towards the sounds of the girls screaming.

  “Time is running out,’’ the voice booms above the speakers and my heart rate speeds up when I hear the distinct sound of a chainsaw behind us.

  “Oh my God, we need to go,’’ I squeak, pulling on Myles’ arm to move forward. We catch up to the girls, and notice why they’ve stopped.

  “Are those real people?’’ Myles whispers to me, his hand clutching mine tightly. On the floor lying down are a bunch of dead bodies. Obviously not real, but you get my drift.

  “Maybe this is the wrong way?’’ one of the girls in our group says.

  “Nah, look, it says exit over there, babe,’’ Max speaks up. “Why don’t you go first?’’ he tells her, pushing her in front of him. She laughs pushing back, refusing.

  “What if they’re real people? I’m not stepping on them,’’ she laughs.

  Myles steps forward when we hear the chainsaw coming closer. He nudges the body with his foot and laughs.

  “It’s a dummy. Just don’t step on them,’’ he laughs as he steps over the first one. I follow having no choice in the matter. Denny follows clutching my spare hand. When we’re half way to the exit, the floor boards beneath us move and we all scream, then louder when sprays of water hit us from above. We all move faster and I can’t believe how fast my heart is going. The adrenaline is pumping through my veins and I can’t help but laugh as I hear everyone effin’ and blinding behind me.