My fist clenched as I tried to control the urge to punch Caleb right here, right now. If it weren't for the crowd around the amusement park, this guy would've been dead by now. I clicked my tongue in annoyance, ignored Caleb, and walked into the amusement park first.
"A-Ah, wait for me, Gab..!" Aviel rushed to my side.
"I have nothing to do with this, alright..? Even I was shocked when I got here..." she quickly explained, which I found very confusing.
"What the heck are you talking about?" I asked.
"I mean, your hatred towards Lucas has been obvious since day one, and now Caleb went and invited not just him, but his friends too. I thought you would've punched him in the face already." She said it with a hint of disappointment.
Did this girl actually want to see me punch Caleb in the face..? I stared at Aviel in disbelief and sighed.
She was wearing a cream-colored mini dress from Chanel that hugged her just right, paired with white Gucci loafers and a matching cream headband that complimented her soft hairstyle and side bangs.
To think my emotions had been that obvious... I really had strayed from my usual self. I had no intentions of hiding it, but still maybe that's what piqued Caleb's interest and led to all of this.
Good grief. What troublesome friends I have.
The amusement park was bigger than most. It was colorful and vibrant, filled with an unmistakably cheerful atmosphere. There were rides and entertainment for all ages. We still had a few hours before the performance started, so we didn't need to worry about being late or caught in a stampede of fans, we'd be entering through a separate area to avoid the crowd. It was only 7:34 PM, and yet, people were already lining up at the entrance to the stage.
Suddenly, Aviel grabbed my arm and pointed at something.
"There's still time before they start performing, right..?" she said, her eyes sparkling as she pointed to the roller coaster.
Ah crap.
"Let's go ride that one!!" she shouted, dragging me toward it.
I totally forgot! it has been so long since we last visited an amusement park, and she's a huge sucker for these rides. Meanwhile, I hate them.
Caleb, Sevastyan, Yelizaveta, Lucas, and Isaac were also headed toward the roller coaster. I wasn't sure if it was because they were interested or just following us.
There was a line in front of the ride, but Aviel didn't care and boldly walked past everyone.
"Excuse me, miss, the line starts at the back," the staff member said, trying to stop her. But she was stubborn.
"Why would I wait in line when I can just go first?" she said arrogantly, then turned to the murmuring crowd.
"To everyone waiting in line! I'll give each of you $5,000 if you let us ride first. Sounds like a good deal, right? You just have to wait 30 more minutes and you'll be a thousand bucks richer." She flashed her money with pride.
The staff looked baffled and was about to intervene when, unsurprisingly, people agreed, their greed winning out, and the staff had no choice but to let us go ahead. Lucas and his friends were visibly shocked by her behavior, but we were already used to it. I mean, neither Caleb nor I wanted to wait in a line that long either.
"Do you even have that much cash on you?" I asked as I took my seat on the ride.
"I was going to give them $10,000 each, but Daddy only gave me $500,000 today, and I have so many things I want to buy here, so I settled on $5,000." She smiled innocently.
Spoiled brats really are crazy. She even paid for all of our tickets.
The lap bars clicked down, locking us in place, and the coaster began its slow ascent. My whole body buzzed with adrenaline as that sinking feeling gripped my stomach during the sudden drop. I clung to the bar, overwhelmed by all kinds of emotions, but I wouldn't say I didn't enjoy it.
When the ride was over, I felt like I was going to puke. My legs were jelly. Aviel and the others on the other hand, were still full of energy, ready to try more rides around the amusement park.
"That was fun!" Aviel squealed.
"Why don't we try that next?" Caleb pointed toward the haunted escape room.
"Hey!" I tried to stop him, but it was too late, they were already running in that direction.
I sighed. I really didn't want to go in there. I'm not good at handling this kind of stuff… I gulped, staring at the exaggerated signage at the entrance. Normally, I'd just wait outside, but I couldn't do that now not with Lucas around. I didn't want him to think I had a weakness for scary things.
My fist clenched with determination. No way I'd let him find out.
Step. Creak.
My body stayed on high alert with every passing second as Aviel clung to my arm, way too excited.
"You scared?" she teased, giggling as we passed through a rusted iron gate, flashlight beams dancing across ivy-covered walls.
"No, not at all," I lied, keeping my composure even though I was already shaking.
We stepped into a long hallway. The wallpaper peeled off the walls like dead skin, and the dim light cast unsettling shadows. I was just starting to calm myself, reminding myself this was just a decorated set, when I suddenly felt a puff of cold air on the back of my neck. I flinched and spun around.
Almost gasped.
Caleb stood behind me, laughing under his breath with that stupid fake-innocent face, avoiding my gaze.
"Fuck off, Caleb," I snapped, flipping him off.
"Do that again and I'll shove you down the stairs," I muttered, pinching his arm.
We moved on. The floorboards groaned beneath us like they might give out at any moment. I glanced at a cracked mirror on the wall just a quick look when I heard it.
Bang! A loud slam echoed from somewhere ahead.
I groaned in frustration. "What the hell did I just say, Caleb—" I turned to glare at him, only to find him just as startled as I was. We all looked toward the noise, then saw something. Something rushing toward us at full speed. Everyone screamed. We bolted.
I spotted a closet nearby, just barely big enough. I grabbed Aviel's hand and dragged her in, shutting the door and covering her mouth with my hand.
My breathing was shaky, and my hands trembled as I watched through the crack in the door. The creature roamed past us, slow and heavy-footed. Once it was gone, I sighed in relief and looked at Aviel.
My eyes widened. Almost gasped again. It was Lucas was right there in the closet with me not Aviel, a faint smirk on his face as he gently covered my mouth now.
Now what the actual fuck is Lucas doing here!?