Thrill Ride

by Rachel Hawthorne

  “I’m sure.”

  “His roomie is twenty-one. There will be booze.”

  “I’m not twenty-one.”

  “So? He doesn’t card, you know.”

  “I have to be at costume at eight in the morning.”

  “So?”

  “Thanks so much, Jordan, but I just can’t.”

  “All right. Don’t wait up.”

  She slung her purse over her shoulder and was gone.

  I sat on my bed. Another exciting night.

  It actually turned out not to be too bad. Zoe, our floor monitor, knocked on my door about eight.

  “You the only one left on the floor?” she asked.

  “I guess so. I haven’t seen my suitemates, and my roomie went to a party.”

  “Brilliant! Come on down and join me, then. I just called for a pizza, and they delivered a large instead of a small.”

  Her room was awesome. Painted pink instead of white like ours. She had posters of England on the walls: Stonehenge, a guard standing outside Buckingham Palace.

  “How did you end up here?” I asked, just before I bit into the mushroom pizza.

  “Came on holiday with my parents a couple of years ago. Loved it! So I came back the next summer. Worked the rides. The summer after that I worked tickets. This year I’m bossing people around.”

  “You mean on the floor.”

  “No, luvie. I oversee some of the ride crews. I’m the hall monitor, so they don’t take anything out of my paycheck for staying in the dorm. And I might as well be, I’m here anyway. So how are you liking your position?”

  “You mean as Gretel?”

  “Oh, God.” She looked like she might hurl her pizza. “You’re a Gretel?”

  I nodded.

  “So sorry, Megan.”

  I smiled. “It’s not that bad.”

  “It’s bloody awful is what it is. Little ones crying ’cuz they can’t have a toy. It’s my least favorite place.”

  “Thanks a lot. At least it’s air-conditioned.”

  “It is that.”

  She’d left her door open, so as girls returned for the night, they stopped by. She had lots of warnings for everyone—don’t look for a summer love, keep cool with the guys, don’t end the summer with a broken heart.

  By the time I left her room, I didn’t know if I was glad or not that I’d come here for the summer.

  The phone woke me. Not the soft ring of my cell, but the clanging of the dorm phone. I groaned, buried my head under the pillow, then decided that since it was after one it could be Jordan calling with an emergency.

  Groggily, I scrambled for the phone. “Hello?”

  “Hey, Roomie!”

  She sounded totally wasted.

  “Jordan?”

  “Listen, I missed curfew so I’m going to sleep in Parker’s bed tonight.”

  More information than I needed to know.

  “Whatever.”

  “I just didn’t want you worrying.”

  But I was worried a little. I mean what if he’d deliberately gotten her drunk to take advantage of her?

  “Jordan, be careful, okay?”

  “Always.” She giggled. “I’ll see…oh, wait. Parker wants to talk to you.”

  “Why me? Jordan, no—”

  “Hey.”

  Okay, I so did not like the way that his voice sent pleasant chills through me, and I was a little angry that he had flirted with me last night. Angry for Jordan, not about me. I had a boyfriend, and I wasn’t interested in Parker, but he needed to treat my roomie better.

  “Did you get her drunk?” I asked pointedly.

  “No, she did that all on her own. She said she invited you to come to the party. So why didn’t you come?”

  His voice was lazy, sultry, and quiet. I could hear people and music in the background. Why hadn’t I wanted to go to a party? Why had I chosen to spend the night eating pizza in the dorm? Because just this guy’s voice had me thinking things that I shouldn’t be thinking. I thought about his stupid voice more than I thought about Nick.

  “I’m not into the party scene.” What a lie. As a rule, I loved parties, but how could I have fun at a party when my boyfriend was hundreds of miles away? It seemed like cheating or something.

  “It’s not a wild party—”

  “Jordan sounded pretty wild.”

  “Jordan is always wild. She’s all about having fun.”

  “So I gathered.”

  “What about you, Megan? You like to have fun?”

  “Well, duh? Yeah!”

  “So why didn’t you come to the party?”

  “I already answered that.”

  “Except that you lied.”

  I stuck out my tongue, even though no one could see.

  “Look, I need to go,” I said.

  “Why do I get the impression you don’t like me?”

  “I don’t know you well enough not to like you,” I said. “But shouldn’t you be spending time with the people who are there?”

  “Yeah, probably. The next time I have a party, you should come, okay?”

  “I’ll think about it.”

  “But you won’t come, will you?”

  “Probably not.”

  “Why?”

  Because his voice intrigued me and that was oh so dangerous.

  “Because I have a boyfriend.”

  “So? We could be just friends.”

  “Yeah, right. That’s why you keep calling to talk to me. Because you want to be friends. How do you think Jordan would feel about that?”

  He released a low groan. “Yeah, that could get awkward.”

  “That’s what I thought. ’Night, Parker.”

  I hung up before he could say anything else. I was rooming with the good-time gal.

  It took me a long time to go back to sleep. And when I did, I dreamed about Nick. Only whenever he talked, he sounded like Parker.

  Only 53 Nick-less days to go, and counting….

  Chapter 7

  “Okay, so tomorrow is the big day, right?” Patti asked after we’d changed out of our costumes and were heading out of the building.

  “That’s what they say.”

  We stepped out into the bright sunshine.

  “You sure wouldn’t know it by our boring day. I hope we have more customers tomorrow.”

  All during our shift at H & G’s, we’d stood within the circle of the counter with four cash registers, only one being used. She’d rung people up, I’d bagged the items. Totally boring.

  “You should watch what you wish for,” I told her.

  “I’m wishing for something to make the time go faster. Don’t suppose you’ve overcome your roller coaster phobia.”

  “It’s not a phobia.”

  “So today you’ll ride with me?”

  “No, today I’m going to sit out by the pool, enjoy the sunshine.”

  “All right, then, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  She walked off, and I headed toward the entrance. It was actually starting to get a little more crowded along the midway. It was Friday and people were coming in early for the weekend. The park would actually stay open until ten o’clock tonight, midnight tomorrow. Tomorrow I would start working the late shift, so I could sleep in, which was great because I am not a morning person.

  I edged around a little kid who was running to get somewhere, his mother chasing after him, and knocked up against a guy.

  “Oh, sorry,” I said, embarrassed but continuing on.

  Someone grabbed my arm and spun me around. I found myself staring into gorgeous green eyes, sparkling eyes, amused eyes.

  “Megan?”

  I swallowed hard, almost shook my head no, mostly because I couldn’t believe who I might be staring at. “Parker?”

  He slowly grinned. “Yeah. I recognized your voice.”

  “I recognized yours, too.”

  He had black hair, cut pretty short. I imagined that working on the roller coasters, he’d want to be as c
ool as possible. He was wearing jeans, a black T-shirt, and a yellow Livestrong bracelet.

  “I got your hair wrong,” he said.

  I found myself self-consciously touching it. After I’d changed out of my costume, I’d unraveled my braids, brushed my hair, pulled it back, and used a clip to hold it in place off my shoulders. No way was I going to walk around off-duty looking like Gretel.

  “I pegged you for a brunette,” he continued. “But it’s a golden brown. It suits you. The eyes, though, brown and mysterious, I got those right. So are you done with your shift?”

  I nodded. “Yeah, heading back to the dorm.”

  “Me, too.” He shook his head, his grin growing. “Finished with my shift, not heading to the dorm. Want to go get some Dippin’ Dots?”

  “Look—”

  “I know you’ve got a boyfriend, but I don’t know that many people around here—”

  “Hey, Parker!” a guy called out as he strode by.

  “Hey, Matt!” Parker cleared his throat. “Okay, I know a few people, but I believe people are experiences that we need to experience. So come on, what’s ten minutes of your time?”

  What was ten minutes of my time when I thought my roommate had slept with him, and he seemed to be flirting with me?

  Decisions…decisions.

  Say no and remain mysterious, have him keep calling and trying to get to know me better.

  Say yes and be as dull as possible so he leaves me alone.

  “Sure, why not?” I said.

  I didn’t think it was possible, but his smile grew even broader. “Great! Come on, it’s this way.”

  I wrinkled my brow. “Are you sure, because I thought it was that way,” I said, pointing in the opposite direction.

  “This is my third year here. Believe me, I know where the Dippin’ Dots cart is. I’m addicted to them.”

  I considered arguing, but the park was huge. He must know where the cart was and I was just confused.

  “Okay, lead the way.”

  “So, what job did you get?” he asked, glancing over at me.

  “What would be the worst job imaginable?”

  “Hansel and Gretel gift shop.”

  I arched my brow.

  He looked like he was in pain. “Oh, man! Bummer. So what, you have experience working a cash register?”

  I hadn’t even considered that. I had put on my application that I’d worked in a clothing store my junior year. So yeah, maybe it was my experience working in a store or maybe it was as Patti and I surmised….

  “I was thinking it was my hair.”

  “I can’t tell with it clipped back. How long is it?”

  “Past my shoulders.” I glanced over at him impatiently. “Shouldn’t we have reached Dippin’ Dots by now?”

  He shook his head. “Nah, it’s just up here.”

  Only I didn’t see it, and I was beginning to suspect that we were taking the long route and that I’d been right to begin with.

  “Hey, Parker,” another guy said in passing.

  “John.”

  “You sure know a lot of people,” I said.

  “They’re just my crew.”

  “Your crew?”

  “Yeah, I oversee Magnum Force.”

  I remembered Jordan mentioning that he had to ride the roller coaster every morning.

  “You been on it?” he asked.

  “Nope.”

  “Want to ride it after we have our Dippin’ Dots? I have a cut-to-the-front-of-the-line pass.”

  “No, thanks.”

  “Why not? It’s a tight ride.”

  “I’m just not into roller coasters.”

  “What’s not to be into? The thrill of the speed, the plummets, the loops—”

  “It just doesn’t appeal to me, okay?”

  “Are you afraid?”

  “I’m not afraid.”

  “There’s a guy—”

  “Who comes on Wednesday. I know. My friend Patti told me. But it’s not a phobia. It’s just something I have no interest in.”

  “How can you not be interested?”

  Why couldn’t people just accept my decision and let it go?

  “Do you ride the carousel?” I asked.

  “Not since I was about eight.”

  “Okay, that’s your choice. My choice is to ride the carousel, not the roller coaster.”

  “It’s not the same. If you asked, I’d ride the carousel. As a matter of fact, after we eat our ice cream, we’ll ride the carousel.”

  I stopped walking, put my hands on my hips, and glared at him. “I agreed to the Dippin’ Dots, but not a ride. And speaking of the Dippin’ Dots, I don’t think you know where the cart is.”

  “I know where it is. We’re about halfway there.”

  I stared at him, unable to believe it. “If we’d gone the other direction, we’d already be there, wouldn’t we?”

  “Yeah, but then we wouldn’t have had as much time to talk.”

  I scoffed. “I can’t believe you did that.”

  “Why? Your voice fascinates me. It’s so smoky sounding.”

  “It sounds like I’m a smoker.”

  “No, it doesn’t. My Uncle Joe is a smoker, hacking cough and everything. You don’t sound like him. You sound like”—he shrugged—“I just like the way it sounds, wanted to learn if there are other things about you that I might like.”

  I laughed lightly. “But it doesn’t matter. I have a boyfriend.”

  Holding out his arms, he looked around. “Where? I don’t see him.”

  “You’re too much, you know that?” Turning, I started to walk away. He grabbed my arm again. I jerked free. “Look—”

  “Okay, I’m sorry. I know a shortcut.”

  “Right. I thought this was supposed to be a shortcut.”

  “It was a shortcut to my getting to know you.”

  At least he was honest.

  “So sue me,” he added, not looking at all sheepish, but somehow managing to defuse my anger. “Come on, I’m paying for the Dippin’ Dots. You can’t beat that.”

  “The ice cream, that’s all,” I said.

  “Scout’s honor.”

  I narrowed my eyes at him. “And you know a real shortcut.”

  “Yep, follow me.”

  I fell into step beside him. I couldn’t help but be a little flattered that he’d gone to so much trouble. Or that he liked my voice. And he did know a shortcut. We slipped into a gate marked EMPLOYEES ONLY, walked along what looked like an alley between some of the rides, and when we came out on the other side, there was the cart we’d been looking for.

  I ordered strawberry, he ordered chocolate. I didn’t argue when he paid. I figured he owed me.

  He pointed with the hand holding the cup of Dippin’ Dots, the other holding a spoon, toward a bench. “Wanna sit?”

  “Sure.”

  I sat on the bench, and he sat beside me.

  A couple of people called out to him as they walked by.

  “You know a lot of people,” I said.

  “I’m a likable guy.”

  “So, Jordan said you live in a house on the lake.”

  “Yep, a buddy and I are house-sitting over the summer. A guy we met last year needed someone to look after his place this summer, so he made us a great deal. Couldn’t afford a house on the lake otherwise.”

  “That’s a lot of responsibility.”

  “I live for responsibility.”

  He leaned forward, planting his elbows on his thighs, dipping into his cup of tiny frozen ice cream balls. I thought about asking him exactly what his relationship was with Jordan. I mean, it seemed odd to me that she’d slept with him, but here he was spending time with me. I certainly didn’t want to be the reason that they broke up. That would make for a very awkward roommate situation. Worse even than being around Mom and Sarah while they fought about the wedding.

  “You like watching movies?” he asked.

  “Who doesn’t?”

  “So
me people don’t. What’s your favorite?”

  I smiled. “Are you playing twenty questions?”

  “Just trying to get to know you a little better. So what’s your favorite movie?”

  Seemed like a harmless question. “Titanic.”

  He cringed.

  “What’s wrong with Titanic?”

  “Don’t get me wrong. Loved the special effects, but it was just a little too mushy.”

  “Well, I loved it. Your favorite is probably Night of the Living Dead.”

  “Blade Runner.”

  I shook my head. “I thought that one was strange.”

  “It’s kind of a tech-noir movie, and I appreciate film noir more after I sat through a class on the subject.”

  I shook my head again, feeling a little dense. “I have no clue what film noir is.”

  He grinned. “It’s a style of black-and-white movies that became popular after World War II. Detective movies where the filming style seemed really dark. That semester we watched all the old classics during class.”

  “A class where you watch movies. Sounds tough.”

  “Yeah, it’s a rough life. I’m majoring in film. The danger there is that you stop watching movies for the enjoyment factor, but for the critique factor. What worked, what didn’t? But I discovered that if I go to a movie with a girl, I’m less likely to go into critique mode.”

  I was shaking my head and grinning.

  “What?” he asked.

  “I see where this is leading.”

  “Maybe we could catch a movie sometime.”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “Why not?”

  “Boyfriend factor.”

  “It wouldn’t have to be a date.”

  “Jordan factor?”

  “As much as I love Jordan she is so not a factor.”

  What a jerk! But for some reason I didn’t say it to his face. Maybe because I was disappointed that someone as good looking as he was, someone who seemed so nice, could turn out to be a total creep.

  “Sorry. But I’m not interested. At all.” I tapped the bottom of my empty cup. “Gotta go.”

  I stood up and tossed my cup in the trash.

  “Thanks,” he said.

  I looked over at him. He was still sitting there, elbows on his knees, his ice cream melting. He didn’t look like a guy who was trying to cheat on his girlfriend. I guess it was true what they said: Looks can be deceiving.

  Of course, Jordan had Parker and Ross. Plus some guy named Cole who claimed to love her. Maybe they were just all into love without commitment. I wasn’t.