make you feel my love

Rollercoaster boy

I was laughing. I was surrounded by primary colors, sweet smells, and the heat of a late summer day. My friend was next to me. She held an overpriced soda and a stuffed bear the size of her head. We were recalling the look an older woman gave our short shorts and low cut tops.

"Come on, It's not the 1900s!!" my friend exclaimed. I giggled.

"For real!! You would think she would have seen spaghetti straps before!" 

"Hey!" someone called. We turned, still laughing a bit. 

"Either of you girls want to go on this rollercoaster? we have an odd number, and *he* needs a seat partner". It was a girl a couple of years above us. She was leading her group of about seven friends. Sure enough, they were all paired up except *him*. 

I glanced at my friend, who subtly raised her eyebrows. I glanced back at the girl.

"You know, I'm feeling a little sick from the heat, but you can go!". My friend nudged me.

"Come on then!!", The girl called with a smile. 

I frantically looked back at my friend as I was being pulled away. She just grinned and pointed to a bench where she would wait. 

We all got into line together. I ended up next to my seat partner. He was so cute. His pretty eyes looked around as if he was trying to take in everything around us. When another boy made a joke, he laughed, with his perfect laugh, his beautiful smile, imperfect teeth showing. 

After a couple of minutes, he noticed I wasn't saying much.  

"Have you had fun today?", He asked me as the rest of the group continued their conversation. 

"Yea! It's been great! Such nice weather too". I smiled, then added, "What about you?"

"Oh, yea, same! It's been fun. I haven't been somewhere like this in a long time". 

We were quiet for a minute, neither of us knowing what to say next.

" do you have a favorite part?" I asked finally. 

"Here?". I nodded.

"I mean..... hmmm..... Oh! Actually, we played some games, and I won like this huge stuffed dog! Seriously! It went like up to my waist."

"No way!" I laughed. "my friend won this tiny bear, nowhere near as cool... 

"Wait, what happened to the dog?"

"Ah see, I gave it to this kid who was crying about something."

"That's so sweet of you!" He looked bashfully at the ground when I said that, smiling slightly.  

We were being shuffled closer and closer to the ride. Eventually, we were right up at the gates. 

"Hey, can I tell you something?" He asked, turning to me suddenly.

"Yea...?"

He glanced at the pair nearest to us and then, half-whispering, said 

"I'm like, terrified of rollercoasters." I leaned back, my eyes wide.

"We don't have to go. Look, I can call this attendant over to let us out-" I started to raise my hand, but he pulled it back down. 

"no, I want to overcome this fear. Plus, It's embarrassing."

"It's not embarrassing, and everyone has fears, if you're going to be too uncomfortable-"

"No. It's fine. And, I have you by my side, Right?" I had no idea how to help him, but I nodded anyway. I could support him, I guess. He nodded back, once, just as the rollercoaster returned. Our gates swung open. I kept glancing at him nervously, as we buckled ourselves in. 

"Are you sure?" I asked once more, just to be safe, and he nodded again. He gripped the handlebar tightly as we took off. 

The cart whipped around a few small corners and then began to climb. The hill in front of us seemed massive. The ride up seemed painfully slow. I glanced over, and his face was white. When he noticed me looking at him, he reached over and grabbed my hand. He clung to it. 

"It's gonna be ok, I promise" I adjusted his hand so I could hold it back, and so his grip didn't hurt as much. 

"Just breathe" I looked back up the hill. We were near the top now. 

"It's gonna be ok," I said one more time. 

We reached the top. 

There was a pause. 

"Hey...", He said, "I like yo-" He was cut off as we fell down the slope. We went around fast turns and I screamed and laughed. He screamed as well. Flashing colors and blurry scenery surrounded us as we clung to eachother. 

The ride seemed to end quickly after that first hill. 

He still clung to my hand as the rails lifted. His face was white but he had a small smile. 

"See, That wasn't so bad!"

"I hated every second"