Page 87 of Sunsets & Other Dangerous Things

“Damn it!” Esther threw her gun onto the counter. The clang of plastic hitting wood startled her out of her red haze of frustration. “Oh my god.” She turned to Ashley, a terrible realization coming to her. “I’m a terrible sport.”

“You’re a bad loser.” Ashley wrapped her arms around Esther’s waist, a smile spreading across her face and warming the night. “I did not see this coming, but I love this about you.”

Esther pressed her face into Ashley’s shoulder, hiding her smile and the way her cheeks warmed when Ashley looked at her like that.

Tonight was what this week was supposed to be when Esther pictured a week away. The two of them out of the house, havingfun. It was Ashley’s limitless energy that had first drawn Esther, and tonight under the flashing lights and sounds of the carnival, Ashley was alive and glowing.

“All right, lucky winner.” The booth keeper gestured to the wall of hanging stuffed animals. “What will it be?”

“The goat.” Uther pointed to a floppy goat hanging from the ceiling, a flower fastened to its collar. The man pulled it down for him, and Uther hugged it close. “All right, what next?”

“I vote Gravitron.” Ashley pointed to the nearby spinning-and-flashing spaceship. Screams filled the night from the hidden interior.

“Sure.” Esther shrugged. “I haven’t been on one in forever.” She took Ashley’s hand and started to the metal corral to join the line for the next group.

“Actually.” August’s voice stopped her, heels shifting in the sand as she turned back. “Uther was saying he wanted a churro.” August’s eyes flicked between the flashing ride and Esther, his throat working. “So, we’ll…umm, we’ll just meet you two afterward.”

Uther tilted his head and squinted before August elbowed him. “Oh! Yeah, I definitely need a churro. Right now.”

He nodded firmly, threading his fingers through August’s.

Esther recognized the way Uther’s lips pinched at the corners to hide a smile. She shrugged. “More time with Ashley.”

She grabbed Ashley’s hand and dragged her to the corral, anxious to not miss the next ride.

“Did that feel fishy to you?” Ashley looked back to where August and Uther disappeared into the crowd. Yellow and red streaks flashed through Ashley’s hair as the ride slowed, and Esther realized she couldn’t care less if August was scared of roller coasters.

“Hey.” She took Ashley’s hand and wrapped it behind her, pulling Ashley close. “I don’t think I’ve seen you in a crowd before. I’m kind of enjoying the novelty.”

“Is that so?” Ashley’s free hand slid behind Esther’s neck, her thumb tracing Esther’s jawline. “Are you a fan of PDA, Esther Green?”

Esther bit her lip. She couldn’t recall being into public kissing, but at this moment, she wouldn’t say no to whatever put that spark in Ashley’s eye.

“All aboard! Step right up folks, tickets here. Come defy gravity in our Gravitron.”

Esther fumbled in her pockets for her stash of tickets. Why did her shorts have to be so tight? Her fingers touched crumpled paper as Ashley stepped up to the doorway. Esther passed the ticket taker two wilty tickets and slipped inside after her.

Ashley had laid claim to two adjacent panels on the far side and was flagging her over.

“Ready?” Ashley took her hand.

Before she responded, techno music blasted from the speakers, and the ticket taker hopped into the center console, instructing them to take their positions because they were blasting off. Esther leaned against the hard pleather, meeting Ashley’s eyes as the room started spinning. This evening, with the lights and the crowds and this ridiculous music, with the sticky sweet carnival smells and just being young with her friends, and now here in this tiny moment with Ashley. It all felt so horribly, beautifully normal in every way Esther could have possibly hoped for.

Esther gripped Ashley’s hand as they picked up speed. Gravity pressed her body against the hard plastic cushion until her panel flew up to the ceiling, shaking loose a startled scream.

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Ashley

Ashley’s panel shot up a second after Esther’s.

With Esther’s freckles darkened by the sun, the lights from the ride shining in her eyes, and her teeth flashing in full-bodied laughter, Esther was a galaxy, and Ashley couldn’t take her eyes off her. Fighting gravity, she slid her arm against the wall until their pinkies touched. Esther snatched her hand.

The force of emotion that one small action elicited was like a punch to the chest. This was what Ashley wanted, Esther’s warm hand tight in hers, always. Her imagination wandered to them walking along the lakeshore, to museum trips and restaurants, and laughing as Esther tried to convince her she only needed one carry-on as they packed for far-off places, to finishing school and sharing a home, a life she was proud of, together. Ashley would give anything—her life again if she had it—for that dream. But it was just a dream. She would take whatever she was offered and make the most of what she had.

The ride slowed, and Ashley landed on shaky feet.

“Come with me.” Esther took her hand and dragged Ashley off. Something about the possessive way Esther held on to her knocked butterflies loose in Ashley’s gut. Like Esther was fully aware that Ashley’s hand and the rest of her were all Esther’s.

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