Redamancy | Elena Gilbert

Chapter 2

Carnivals were nice.

Rosalind got herself a giant funnel cake and ate as she followed Tyler and her father to the school, where the Wrestling Club had set up their contest. They had a marked ring in the center with a table to balance their arms.

Around the ring, different athletes were holding jars with tickets, conducting a raffle for some gear and also collecting the two dollar entry fee for the contest. It seemed they were actually going to make a lot of money off of it, because Rosalind noticed a long line of boys waiting to compete, as well as many spectators holding tickets.

"Come on, Rosie, just compete," said Tyler. "No other girl is doing it."

"Look," she said, "I'd do it if I wasn't more interested in this funnel cake. I haven't had one of these in years!"

"Five bucks says you can't beat the winner of this round."

"Oh, for fuck's sake," said Rosalind, handing him the plate of funnel cake and slapping two dollars into the palm of Tyler's classmate. "Fine. I've got the next guy. But mind you, my arm strength cannot compare to the strength of my legs. If you eat part of my funnel cake, I will punch you."

Tyler pretended to get a piece, and Rosalind glared at him in a warning.

She climbed into the ring to challenge the next boy, who seemed to be confident he could beat her. She gave him a cheeky smile, holding out her arm. He took it, and made a big show of kissing the back of it, as if to console her.

Rosalind let out a dry laugh and yanked him closer to her. "Do that again," she sneered, "and I'll knock out three teeth. But I won't tell you which three."

He sat back, and the judge motioned for them to start.

It was a bit of a struggle at the beginning, but Rosalind managed to slam his hand down. "Next," she called, smiling as everyone around her cheered. But her smile fell when Tyler climbed into the ring. "Oh, come on, you dick, you can't skip the line just to humiliate me."

"You need to get back to your funnel cake," he said teasingly. "Come on. Beat me, and I'll buy you another one."

Rosalind did not win. But Tyler still gave her money for a second funnel cake.

"Don't overdo it with the sugar," warned her father.

She shrugged. "I won't overdo it."

"Ro," said Mason sternly. "Come on."

She sighed. "Fine, I'll use the money to buy something else."

Tyler was on a winning streak. Rosalind continued to tear off pieces of the funnel cake while she watched him struggle against each opponent, but ultimately manage to knock all their arms down.

"I bet I can take you," said Mason.

"Bring it on, superboy," said Tyler, taking his hand.

"Come on, Tyler," said Rosalind teasingly as they started to wrestle. "You know you can't beat him."

"Yes, the hell I can," said Tyler, though he was straining. Mason managed to knock his arm onto the table, and Tyler hissed, rubbing his elbow.

"Is that it?" said Mason.

Tyler sighed. "Okay, he's the champ. Who wants to go next?"

"Stefan wants to go," said a dark haired man behind them. Rosalind watched as the man beside him, presumably his brother, walked up and agreed, "Yeah, sure, I'll give it a shot."

She tiptoed over to her father. "Tell you what, if anyone beats you tonight, then I get to have more funnel cake."

"Deal," he said, taking Stefan's hand.