Page 60 of First Impressions of You

“Maybe,” I agree. “I wonder who.”

“Wasn’t it you?” he asks, pretending to be surprised. “If I’m not mistaken, you’re the only one who wouldn’t drink the coffee here. And I think I recall you telling me it was because they didn’t have milk, even though I still suspect it’s because you are a coffee snob.”

“You remember an awful lot for someone who doesn’t even drink coffee.”

“Who says I don’t?” he asks.

“The only time I ever saw you with a cup of coffee in your hands was in San Diego, and only because it was the middle of the night and you needed to stay awake.”

“Have you been paying attention to me, Sunshine?”

“No,” I quickly say, realizing how that sounded. “I…”

I’m saved by Emily calling us back onto the stage.

“Sure, sure,” he teases behind my back. “Don’t worry. I feel flattered.”

I turn to roll my eyes at him, but he just smiles at me. I stomp away, making sure he can’t see when my own lips curl in a smile without my permission.

Chapter 18

The most anticipated day for every Movieland employee arrives at the end of September, and there’s a part of me that is sad to not experience it with my former front gate teammates.

I’m happy where I am, of course. Being in the cast, a part of the theater department, was the whole reason I even applied for a job at the park. But now that the Nights of Terror preview night has arrived, I realize that for months I thought I’d still be working the front gate when this day came.

I feel awful for feeling sad about it when I should be happy for having my dream job.

“Just because you miss it there, it doesn’t mean you don’t love where you are now,” Julia says when I tell her about my conflicting feelings. “You guys talked a lot about this employee-only night, so it’s normal that you’re feeling nostalgic now that it’s here.”

“I feel ungrateful,” I confess.

“You shouldn’t.” She squeezes my shoulder as she finishes up with my hair. She’s braided it in a French braid that looks just on the acceptable side of messy. “There, all done.”

“Thank you.”

Olivia runs to the couch to take the spot in front of me.

“My turn,” she says, untying her hair and shaking it loose. “You do it, Luli.” She looks at Julia who’s faking offense. “Sorry, Ju. You’re terrible at it.”

Cece arrives not long after, and as soon as she sees mine and Olivia’s hair, she grunts.

“Damn, I was gonna ask you to braid my hair.”

“Do I look like a hair stylist by any chance?” I ask, giving the three of them a glare. They all shrug at the same time. I roll my eyes. “I can do boxer braids for you. Come here.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever been happier that you got a job at Movieland back in January,” she squeals, shaking her entire body as she does it. Cece’s sitting on the floor between my legs as I work on her blue hair.

“You’ll make me ruin this,” I warn her.

“Sorry.” She lowers her head with her apology, as if her squeal wasn’t enough. I tug slightly at her hair. “Ouch. Sorry. I’ll sit still. But hurry up. I wanna go already.”

Tonight, the park’s only open for employees and their friends, so when we get there, the energy is noticeably different. There’s less helplessly roaming around and more intentional walking. Everyone knows where they’re going. Everyone knows what’s waiting for them. And everyone is excited about it. It’s certainly a different feeling than coming to the park as a guest.

Before the gates are open, the park’s manager steps onto a makeshift podium and starts to address us. The loud noise slowly fades out, a low murmur of excitement persevering among the crowd.

I quickly tune her voice out, letting it serve as background noise as my mind wanders to questions it has no business asking. Is Winter coming? Will I see him tonight?

As if my thoughts have conjured him, I feel a presence behind me, and my heart trips inside my chest. I don’t have to turn to know who’s there. My body knows. It is so painfully aware of his presence that goosebumps break out all over me.

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