Page 34 of You Started It

“Ready?” he asks.

“Sorry, what?”

“To go on some rides.”

“But what about them?” I motion to the group of people under the rainbow. “Don’t you want to hang out with your groupies?”

“Nah.” He smiles. “You’re the only groupie I plan on hanging out with tonight.” Relief flows through me as Axel shoulders his backpack. I think about telling him that he doesn’t have to, that he’s free to do as he pleases. But I actually believe that he wants to hang out with me. We walk past the group and make our way into the kid’s section of the theme park—together.

After sharing a meal of chicken fingers and fries, Axel’s treat, he eases me in by riding the kiddie roller coaster three times. Once I’ve gotten used to the feeling of bars pressed down against my thighs, he suggests we try another lap-bar roller coaster—this time adult-sized. It’s kind of nice how he acknowledges my apprehensiveness about the chest bars because of my claustrophobia. I didn’t even have to say anything. He just gets it.

Aside from the chewed-up chicken fingers tumbling around my stomach, the two wooden roller coasters we ride are fun, if not a little frightening. He asks if I want to try any that loop and I suggest we play some games first—my treat. I win Axel a small Garfield stuffie that thankfully fits inside his backpack and we take a break with cherry ICEE’s while sitting on a grassy knoll, observing the people below us.

“You dance really well. I mean, I knew you could dance from your TikToks, but seeing it in person—the way you draw people in. It’s magical.”

Axel’s cheeks flush and he leans his shoulder into mine. “Aww shucks.”

“Maybe if your dad saw you perform in person, he’d get it. Your passion radiates, and it’s pretty contagious.”

He slurps his ICEE, then nods. “A passion that will get me nowhere in life, according to my dad.”

“What you have needs to be shared with others,” I say with a bit more gusto than I’d intended. “It’s special. You even managedto change my mind and I bet your dad isn’t nearly as tough a critic as I am.”

“Maybe one day,” he says, his brown eyes shimmering in the night. “It’s getting late and we still have to film the second dance. What do you say we try Dragon Fyre? It’s pretty tame but it has a couple loops.”

“Sure. But if I barf my ICEE all over you, I’m not buying you a new shirt. I’m already in the hole two hundred and twenty-five dollars for Betty White.”

“Ahh, sweet Betty. How many books did you buy this week on your book ban?” he asks with a grin.

“Only two. I’m getting better.” No need to mention one of them was a special edition with stenciled and sprayed edges and that the only reason I didn’t buy more was because I had to buy an outfit for this “date.”

Axel helps me up and because of the uneven ground, holds onto both my arms to steady me. It’s dark and there’s music playing in far-off speakers and riders screaming in the background. A cool, brisk wind passes between us, but all I can feel are Axel’s fingers gripping my arms. I wish I could freeze this moment. Study him a bit longer. Figure out why I sometimes feel so drawn to him while other times all I can think about is Ben.

I shiver as another cool breeze passes.

“Here,” he says. I watch his fingers move up my cardigan as he delicately secures each button. When he reaches the last one, he leaves it open and then rubs my arms up and down to warm me up. “Better?”

“Better.” I smile.

The lines so far tonight have moved quickly, but I guess since Dragon Fyre is close to the exit people are trying to squeeze one last ride in before departing. It’s finally almost our turn, and that’s when I notice Ben and Olivia two rows over.

“Ben and Olivia are synced up to ride the same time as us,” I say quietly.

“I see that,” Axel says, glancing over my shoulder.

“We haven’t done the best job at rubbing our relationship in his face tonight. I haven’t gotten a chance to speak to Ben yet or show off how great I look.”

Axel laughs. “You do look great. But you always look great,” he says with one of his signature flirtatious smiles I know he shells out easily. “I’ve got an idea.”

“What’s that?”

“Do you trust me?”

“Um, kind of?”

“Better than what I thought you’d say.” He chuckles.

When the metal gate squeals open, signaling our turn to get on the ride, Axel tosses his bag to the other side before cutting off Ben and slipping in beside Olivia.

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