Page 232 of Collided

A knock sounds on the window. I see Marie grinning at Hope.

The four of us enter shortly after we get our tickets and pass the security checkpoint.

Hope walks ahead with Marie, who’s explaining everything to her, and she watches it with awe. The look is so innocent and pure that I want to pack it in a box and keep it safe from the fucking world.

“Instead of staring, take a picture. It’ll last forever.” Sebastian elbows me with a teasing smile.

“Get a hobby instead of observing me,” I retort.

“Why would I? This is fun.”

I roll my eyes.

Sebastian turns serious. Tipping the coke bottle toward Hope he says, “Ask her out tonight.”

I look at Hope who’s laughing as Marie fails at throwing the rings around the hoop.

“What if she says no?” I voice my worst fear.

“Then you ask again,” Sebastian assures me.

I give him a puzzled look.

“Youpatheticallylike her. You can’t give up until she says yes.”

“That’s how you got Marie?”

“You bet your ass I did,” he replies with an arrogant smirk.

“Get a life, Bash.”

“Get your girl, James.”

We follow Hope and Marie from stall to stall. They play games and buy stupid stuff—that’s Marie.

Occasionally Hope and I make eye contact, and she always looks away with a smile that makes my stomach fill with strange insects. I’m half-convinced that something is wrong with me the number of times I feel everything move inside me.

Everyone from our school is here and I can sense their gazes on our group. Girls eye me openly as I pass them, a few even make the effort to talk to me, but I ignore all of them. They should get the hint that I’m not fucking interested. If they approach me it’s straight-up rejection for every single one of them.

The one I want is walking ahead of me. I only want that one.

“We need to win something,” Marie exclaims as we stop at a stall.

On the wall, there’s an array of balloons tied in many colors and sizes. Inside the glass counter various stuffed animals, keychains, and other items are organized according to winning points.

“What do you want? I’ll win it for you.” Sebastian slings his arm around his girlfriend’s shoulders and pulls her to him.Pressing his lips to her ear he speaks something that has her smiling hard.

I look down at Hope who’s busy staring at an Eiffel Tower keychain.

Putting a hand on the glass beside her, I lean down to her ear, “You like it?”

She meets my gaze. “I love it.” A shy smile hangs on her lips. “I’ve always wanted to visit Paris. I’ve heard it’s beautiful there.”

“I’ll take you there someday.”

She gasps. “You’re joking.”

I gaze at her with zero hint of amusement. “You know me enough to know I don’t joke when it comes to you.”

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