The Simple Things

The Simple Things: Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Carnival Ride

            We ended up at Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville. Mr. Schott dragged me straight past the restaurants and shops. We went to the carnival area.

            Mr. Schott’s idea of stopping and getting something to eat was to stop at a shady stand on the boardwalk and buy a funnel cake. I’m not exactly complaining because it tasted really good, but it wasn’t what I was expecting. The powdered sugar and oil coated cake were a good combination.

            We wandered along the section of the boardwalk, briefly stopping at the aquarium. We looked at some different fish, sea horses, and I gained a newfound love for sharks.

            “They’re actually kind of cute,” I told Mr. Schott.

            “How so?”

            “Well, they don’t look that threatening and they have those big black eyes. Plus, they swim so low and slow.”

            He considered this for a moment. “I’m still voting their evil.”

            I frowned. “You’re just being judgmental.”

            “No I’m not.”

            I grinned playfully and narrowed my eyes. “Did you judge me, Evan? Before you got to know me, that is.” He hesitated. My jaw dropped and I smack his arm. “You did!”

            Mr. Schott chuckled. “I was just joking.” His left eyes twitched though.

            “You’re lying!” I announced. “You’re so mean.”

            “In my defense,” he started, hold his hands out to try to keep me from hitting him again, “you never did work in class and were always surrounded by other students. It was kind of hard not to pin you as the perfect popular girl.”

            I rolled my eyes. “You are just like everyone else.”

            “Nuh uh,” he argued, wrapping an arm around my shoulder. “I saw through it eventually.” He winked and let me go to look back at the sharks. “I’m still voting they aren’t at all cute. They’re predators, built to instill fear in people.”

            “They’re adorable!” I declared, walking away.

            In the next room they have a tank full of puffer fish that you could crawl into and stand inside. Mr. Schott took a picture of me inside it. I set it as my newest Facebook profile picture. I began to regret it though when people started commenting on it. “Where are you?” “I thought you were staying home this year?” When I answered that I was at Myrtle Beach, I got, “Oh! I’m there too! Maybe we could meet up!” from four different people. I declined, saying that I was leaving at the end of the weekend.

            I was way too polite for my own good sometimes. That conversation took place in the other half hour we were at the aquarium.

            We went back out on the boardwalk and walked around for a few. I ended up buying another funnel cake. “I’m still hungry,” I complained after Mr. Schott finished off the funnel cake. “Can’t we just go into one of those restaurants and eat?”

            He shook his head. “No way. That’d be a waste of money. We’re going to McDonalds.”

            I laughed. “Can we go now?”