When Alex and I pulled into the parking lot of Silverwood on Saturday, the sunset was already casting a gorgeous array of vivid oranges and pinks across the sky. We bundled up in our sweatshirts and made our way to the front gate to meet my sister and her friends.
Bri went up on her toes in excitement as soon as we got near. “Hey, guys!” She gestured to us and said to her friends, “Micah and Veronica, this is my brother’s boyfriend, Alex.”
Micah and Veronica had known me since high school, so they weren’t at all surprised to see me with a guy. But I felt Alex tense beside me. Was he worried about their reaction, or was it because he was uncomfortable being labeled as my boyfriend? I couldn’t be sure.
I’d used the discount code from Bri to purchase our tickets online, so while the others went to the ticket window to pay, I slipped my hand in Alex’s and pulled him to the side.
“Hey, you okay?” I asked.
Alex forced a smile and squeezed my hand. “I’m fine.”
I gave him a look that told him I didn’t believe him for shit, and Alex dipped his head thoughtfully. He hadn’t been himself the last couple of days, and I hated to think that it was because of what he’d heard me admit to Bri, but what else was I supposed to think? Even this morning, even while Alex and I were having sex, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.
Alex didn’t have time to say anything else before our friends caught up with us, and we all went inside.
Growing up in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, meant I’d been to the privately owned theme park several times, but I doubted I’d ever get tired of visiting during Halloween. It was my absolute favorite time to come, seeing it all decked out in fun—albeit creepy—décor. There were hidden ghosts and goblins at every turn, and many of the employees dressed up in costumes complete with masks and face paint. There were contests for the guests who showed up in costume too. But the thing I looked forward to the most was all the carved pumpkins. Hundreds of jack-o-lanterns lined the walkways, every one of them unique.
“Oh, look at that one,” I said, pointing at a werewolf.
Micah dipped his head back and howled, making all of us laugh.
“I wonder if they’re doing the carving contests this year,” Bri said.
“Carving contests?” Alex asked.
I nodded and pointed at another pumpkin, carved to look like the Grim Reaper. “Yeah. They used to do them every year, and the prizes were pretty awesome. Things like year passes for the park or a stay at the hotel across the street or even just food vouchers.”
“Oh, wow. That’s cool.”
“I think they stopped a few years ago,” Micah explained. “After that guy got careless in the timed event and cut off his finger.”
“Oh, I remember that!” I said, cringing at the memory.
“It’s too bad too. Those were fun to watch.”
I gestured to the roller coaster up ahead. “How about this one first?”
Alex eyed it warily, and I could tell he wasn’t sure about the old wooden support beams. Silverwood was known for its wooden roller coasters, and this particular one went about forty feet up in the air, then had an intense drop that always made my stomach feel like it was going to fly out of my throat.
When we got in line, I’d started to slip an arm around Alex’s waist but frowned when he casually stepped away and reached for my hand instead, trying to give me a small smile.
“So, Alex,” Bri asked, “are you a fan of roller coasters?”
He shrugged. “I think so?” he said reluctantly. “I’ve only been on a few.”
“Really? Oh, you’ll love these.”
He shot me a look. “That’s what Vaughn keeps telling me. It’s all he’s talked about since you brought the idea up.”
Was that what was bothering him? Was Alex nervous about the rides? If so, why didn’t he just say something?
Bri laughed. “That doesn’t surprise me. When we were kids, Mom and I wereconvincedVaughn would work here. He used to save his allowance money so he could get a year pass. His favorite thing was the water park section. He’d spendhoursthere if Mom let him.”
The corner of Alex’s mouth curved up in a sly grin as he looked at me. “It was the swimsuits, wasn’t it?” he teased, making me laugh.
“Oh, it wastotallythe swimsuits. All those bikinis and Speedos…” I waved a hand at my face as if suddenly hot. “What’s a horny thirteen-year-old to do!”
Everyone laughed.
