Page 233 of Collided

“I don’t have a passport.”

I cough to hide my laugh. “We’ll get it. Now do you want it?”

“I want it.”

My eyes drop to her lips and all I want to do is kiss her. Kiss her over the folklore music playing in the background. Kiss her over the noisy boisterous throng of people. Kiss her over the psychedelic dance of colors in her eyes. Kiss her over the roaring beats of my heart echoing in my ears.

I just want to fucking kiss her. Again.

“I’ll pay.” She takes out money from her satchel and hands it to the man who eyes her oddly.

I make my feelings known by glaring at him when he hands me an air gun.

“Good luck.” He might as well be cursing me for failure.

Hope looks at me with encouragement—it’s all I need.

With a deep breath, I aim and land a clear shot. Marie and Sebastian chant in excitement but I’m only focused onhersmile that I can see from my periphery.

I land clear shots without a miss. I would be lying if I say I have never picked a gun, because I have. Last year, I spent quitesome time at a shooting range. I thought it’d help, but it didn’t. Nothing did.

Then I met the pretty nerd who loves books more than anything, and all the chaos whirring in me quietened into whispers.

Now I’m not angry all the time. I’m not annoyed with everyone—well that’s a lie—except for her. When I’m with her, I’m just with her. I’m not phasing out or wanting to get to my room so I can have a mental breakdown. If anything, I smile, talk and laugh with her. I also fight the urge to not kiss her every five seconds.

I shouldn’t feel this way. But for fuck’s sake I can’t stop myself.

I’m moving head-first toward her, and I don’t fucking care anymore.

When I burst the last balloon, my friends jump with a hurray, but I only look at the person beside me.

We stare at each other.

She’s smiling.Fucking worth it.

“So, what’s it gonna be?” the man asks.

He scowls at me which I ignore. I point to the keychain, and he retrieves it.

I take it from him and hang it in front of Hope. “It’s yours with the promise that I’ll take you to Paris someday.”

She takes it from me. “Someday.”

I glance at Marie and Sebastian grinning from ear to ear like two golden retrievers. I roll my eyes at their enthusiasm.

Once Sebastian wins Marie a unicorn stuffed animal, we move along to the other stalls. We play many games and also get into a photo booth to get polaroids of us four together, all because of Marie. Just like last year, she manages to push me inside, how she does that with her little strength is astonishing.

“Oh, I need to buy something for my parents. Gotta go!” Marie drags Sebastian out of the booth leaving Hope and me alone.

We sit on the stools cramped in the tiny room. My legs can barely fit and so does my frame which makes me bump into Hope.

“Do you want to take a photo?” Her fingers are fidgeting with each other nervously.

“Of us?”

Her cheeks redden. “Yes.”

I gulp hard as if I’ve swallowed a rock.

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