Chapter 75: Chapter Fourteen

Demetri

I was still so stoked she was holding my hand that I nearly tripped on my own feet as I led her out of the alleyway.

Classy. I had officially made out with the hottest girl on the planet in the middle of an alleyway in Seaside, Oregon. The old Demetri would have given me a high five.

Which is why it was important that she have fun right then.

“Hurry.” I tugged her arm toward the opposite end of the street. When we reached the destination I triumphantly threw my hands in the air and yelled, “Bumper cars.”

“I've never done this before.” She laughed breathlessly.

“You live here! How could you just pass it by?”

She shrugged. “I know it's strange. I was always too scared when I was little and then after the accident, the whole car thing…” Her crystal blue eyes met mine.

I wanted to punch myself for being so insensitive. She had survived a car crash, and I was taking her to bumper cars. Really? How stupid could I be?

“It's fine. I want to do it.” She put her hands on her hips and exhaled. “I can do it.”

“Are you sure?”

“Totally.” She nodded once and walked further into the outdoor carnival area. It was like a garage on the street.

They had the bumper cars and Tilt-A-Whirl covered just in case it rained, which it usually did nearly every day during the winter and spring.

It wasn't helpful for those who were fighting depression — or drug addictions for that matter. I swear I still couldn't figure out how half the population wasn't addicted to something or other.

I paid the man and ran to the red car. Little kids shuffled around us. Being competitive, I felt the need to trash talk a bit. The kids ate it up. And one tiny nerdy kid stole the red car.

Alyssa chose the pink car, naturally.

I chose the black one, because I'm bad ass. At least that's what I announced in front of a few first graders, much to their parents' horrified stares.

I mouthed sorry and looked over at Alyssa, who was trying to keep herself from laughing.

The alarm went off and I went straight for her.

She threw her head back and laughed, then moved her car forward toward the little kid in front of her.

“Watch it!” he yelled. He was missing several of his teeth and wore a shirt that said “Darth Vader Lives.”

She hit him again.

Good girl.

“Mom!” the kid yelled and rammed his car back into Alyssa. She didn't even flinch, just waved at the little guy and took off after another one.

I seriously needed to take her to laser tag.

“Gotcha.” I hit her car softly, because she's a girl. She whipped her little bumper car around so fast I didn't have time to get away. I quickly realized my error, but it was too late.

She rammed me with her car so hard mine went backward.

Girl-shmirl. It. Was. On.

With a war cry straight out of the movie 300, at least that's how I envisioned it, I drove after her.

Tunnel vision took over as I steered my car toward hers. I had five feet and then. Crash.

A little car rammed me from the right.

Darth Vader kid was nodding his head and blowing smoke from his pudgy little hands. I tried to get out of my car, you know, to teach him a lesson, but it was so small that I was stuck.

The cars stopped. And all the little kids hopped out.

I was still stuck.

“Need help?” Alyssa asked, leaning over my shoulder. My right knee was caught underneath the car.

“I got it.” I didn't mean to snap, but my manhood was at stake.

“Do you?” She walked around the car and stood in front of me, arms crossed. “Prove it.”

“Fine.” I bit out, then tried to push out of the car. Seriously, I fit in it, how could I not get out of it?

“Need help yet?”

I looked down and shook my head. “No, I can do this.”

She gave me a patronizing smile as I tried to move my foot to the side and get my knee out from underneath the metal car.

Great, my hell was right here surrounded by little kids in a tiny car forever going nowhere.

“Stop panicking.” Alyssa stepped toward me and reached into the car. Okay, so I wasn't panicking, per se.

Her eyes met mine as she slowly pulled back.

Holy hell. I was going to be showing a lot more than a smile, if I had to get out of this car now. And there were children present. Great, I'm sure somewhere that meant a ticket, or at least prison.

I swallowed and took a few deep breaths before quickly jumping from the car and grabbing her hand. Together, we ran out of there into the cool night air, which helped me alleviate the situation.

Well, that and the cold rain then pelting my face.

“Did you drive down here?” I pulled her into a nearby store so we wouldn't get soaked.

“Yeah, my car's down C Street.”

“Mine's down that way too. I'll walk you to your car.”

Her face scrunched up into a frown. “Is our date over?”

I grinned like a fool. “Lyss, this wasn't a date.”

Her face fell.

I pulled her into a hug even though she fought me. “My dates are way cooler than this. I can promise you that.”

“Oh yeah?” she challenged.

I chuckled and kissed her hair. “Yeah, this was just for cheering up.”

“Who says I'm sufficiently cheered?” She pulled away and put her hands on her little hips.

“Fine.” I licked my lips and leaned in. “What else will cheer you up?”

“My turn.” She grabbed my hand and dragged me outside. We ran down the street until we reached the old carousel mall. With a giant grin she tugged me inside.

“No.” I crossed my arms. “I've gotta put my foot down. No riding with little kids.

Alyssa rolled her eyes. “You aren't going to be riding the horse or the bunny, so stop complaining. I promise it will be really fun, okay?”

I exhaled. “Fine. So what are we doing?”

My eyes kept focusing on the animals as they went in circles. The music only made it worse. How does this cheer a person up?

And then I saw it.

Alyssa jumped onto the carousel.

She was riding the seal.

Like a little kid.

She even put the seatbelt around her.

Her laugh was like a punch to the gut. So clear and pretty. She threw her head back and laughed as the carousel continued going in circles. I pulled out my phone and took pictures.

I had to be by her.

It was like she was giving me a glimpse of the girl she could be. Happy, carefree. God, I'd never seen her smile so big in the whole time I'd known her. She was beautiful.

I jumped onto the moving carousel and quickly made my way to the seal. The little sign in the middle of the carousel said Only one rider per animal. To her right was a frog. I shrugged.

I could ride a frog. I made my way toward the frog, and that same little Darth Vader kid cut me off and stole my animal!

I gritted my teeth and looked to her other side.

A freaking unicorn.

I lifted my eyes heavenward and moved to the pink unicorn, praying that the parents and kids didn't shoot a video of this and send it to TMZ.

Muffling curses, I jumped on the unicorn and looked at Alyssa. She was dying laughing. I soon joined in, but the little Darth Vader kid, AKA Satan, started yelling.

“He's not wearing his seatbelt!”

“Fine.” I gave him a tight smile and wrapped the seatbelt around me. I still couldn't figure out why carousels had seatbelts. I mean, if you were going to fall off of it, you'd still fall.

That's all I needed. A picture of me humping the unicorn.

That would go over really well with concert sales.

“See.” Alyssa leaned over and touched my knee. I was suddenly very thankful for the seatbelt, because her touch jolted me so much I nearly fell off the damn horse. “This is fun, isn't it?”

I laughed. “It's fun, because you're fun. Don't for one second think I like riding a unicorn.”

“You kind of do,” she argued.

I looked down. Okay, so it was kind of fun. “No, I don't.”

“Then why are you smiling?”

“For the kids.” I nodded. “I want to be a good sport.”

“You're a god among men,” she agreed.

I felt myself blush. Crap, I hadn't blushed for a girl. Ever. “Thanks, Lyss. You're right, this is fun.”

“I'm sorry, what?” She cupped her ear.

I threw my head back and laughed, then shouted. “This is the best day of my life!”

Much to the amusement of several little kids who joined in and began clapping.

Alyssa laughed, her shoulders shaking with amusement. As we got off the carousel, she reached for my hand.

I held it the entire way to her car.

“So will I see you tomorrow?” I asked, feeling like a complete and total fool for wanting her as much as I did.

“I have to work.”

“Me too.” I shrugged. “I also gotta talk to Mrs. Murray. She said something about doing group twice a week if we survive our first meeting without killing one another.”

Alyssa tensed.

“It would be healthy for you, Alyssa.” The rain was coming down lightly now, a few drops landed on her cheek before she could wipe them away. She sniffed and looked away from me.

“Okay.” She leaned up and kissed my cheek.