Page 71 of The Amazing Date

I turn and race toward Rylee, who is waiting at the scope. I hand her a handful of coins. We have to continue this charade, hoping to buy enough time for Ronnie and Thelma.

“She’s in the store getting change,” I whisper to Rylee, who gives me a quick peck on the cheek.

“Okay, let’s not get too cocky just yet. Kelly is still around, and she can spot an evil plot just about as well as she can build one,” Rylee says. She then raises her voice. “I’ll look south. Can you look to the west? Give it five minutes, and then we’ll switch to the other sides. Just concentrate on spotting the race colors from this height.”

She provides the instructions with such conviction and detail, I almost believe her. I salute her and race around the corner to another scope.

A minute later, I hear movement next to me and turn.

Kelly.

She slips a coin into the scope next to mine. “I have 20-10 vision. You’ll never be able to spot it before I do.”

“I think you are missing the point on how a telescope operates,” I counter. “Are you always this competitive?”

“You mean, am I competitive in a competition? Do you even hear yourself? I haven’t gotten to where I am in life by being nice,” Kelly spits back with venom.

“Wow, and I have. And yet we’re in the exact same place.”

She twists her scope and peers in. A few beats of quiet follow as she concentrates. “We’ll never be in the same place. Because for me there is no second place, just first loser. You and your partner seem content to give it away to whomever. Why are you still here?”

I shake my head, barely looking through the scope. “Why are you here?” I repeat the question, not expecting an answer.

“Because we deserve to be here.” Kelly’s response catches me by surprise. “Caitlin and I are tired of everyone taking one look at us and making assumptions. Here come the spoiled, entitled, blonde bimbos. Maybe they have one brain between the two of them.”

Her response causes me to halt. I’ve been guilty of that assumption. I should know better. How many times have people looked at me with prejudice and jumped to conclusions?

“Can’t we enjoy going to the club and studying hard at the same time? When my brother and I came home with B’s in middle school, why did my dad pat me on the head and let me get a treat from the kitchen while he berated my brother, telling him he expected better?

“We’re here to prove blondes do have more fun, but they are also smart badasses who can kick anyone’s ass.” Her hand twists the knob, in, out, the scope spinning left and right. She’s focused on the entire west side of Manhattan while I stand there shocked. Stunned at being guilty of something I would have never suspected doing.

My elbow rests on the scope as I turn to her. “I’m sorry, Kelly. I had no…”

She twists in my direction. I expect a look of understanding, sympathy, or even anger, but what I see tells me I’ve screwed up again.

“Wait… What are you doing?” I lower my hand to my sides. “I thought we were talking.”

She steps back from the scope. “Cat!” she calls to her partner. “Something’s not right. We should have found the mat by now.”

“Wait…” I start as she glances over her shoulder.

Without saying a word to me, she races toward the south side of the deck. I follow close enough to witness her rip Caitlin away from the scope by her arm.

“What the hell?” Caitlin shouts.

“We’re going. Something doesn’t smell right.” Kelly pulls her partner toward the door leading back into the building.

Rylee is already one step ahead of them, Kelly’s scream alerting her. Rylee races toward the elevator, pressing it, and waves her arms at me as if she is directing a plane on the tarmac.

Caitlin follows me toward the elevators as Kelly approaches the security guard outside the gift shop. Ten seconds later, a pair of stained sneakers squeak next to us, a clearly flustered Kelly stopping next to us. “A second observation deck. Who does that?” Kelly spits in our direction, pointing back to the security guard.

“You guys knew all along there is another one on the 102nd floor, didn’t you?” Kelly shouts while shaking her head, fire in her eyes. “I guess you aren’t as nice as you believe, Roberto,” Kelly spits at me, and for some reason, the words sting. “Let’s go,” Kelly barks, pulling the arm of her partner and heading toward the stairwell.

I slip my hand into Rylee’s and wait. She paints a smile on her face and bounces on her tiptoes as we wait for the elevator. We don’t turn, forcing our focus to remain on the closed elevator doors.

It’s the longest ten seconds of my life.

“Why are you taking the elevators?” Caitlin’s voice reappears, and I bite down on my lip to keep from reacting. “The clue says race up the stairway.”

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