Inglorious Roomates

Chapter 14

"Oh no."

Theo went stiff in the passenger seat as they pulled onto campus. Catching sight of an absolute monstrosity of bright twinkling lights, big top tents and giant colorful rollercoasters, he was hit by the belated realization of just how irritatingly smooth Liam's innuendo about "riding" was.

He aimed a glare at the grinning idiot in the driver's seat, hard enough to pulverize Liam into a charred skeleton hanging onto the wheel. Theo wasn't sure if he was more annoyed at the rich BHU brats for having a full blown carnival, or at Liam for thinking the same place handing out cotton candy was perfect for handing out a can of whoop-ass too.

"Oh yeah," Liam snatched the keys from the ignition the second the truck was parked, and bounded out the driver's side door.

Theo scrambled to push the locks, suddenly hit with a wave of heart-pounding fear as a scarily excited Liam circled the truck like a predator stalking prey. In a flash, he was right outside the window with the key fob, clicking the latches open every time Theo pushed them down. Liam timed a jerk at the handle just when the locks clicked, and they resorted to having a brief tug-of-war match over the door.

When Liam finally pried it open with a gleefully feral look on his face, Theo would forever deny the panicked yelp he let out.

"Liam no!"

"Liam yes!"

In an image straight out of a horror movie, he pulled Theo by the legs like he was dragging him to the depths of the underworld.

After an absurd tussle in the tiny space, Theo finally shoved Liam back and climbed out of the truck on his own, "Fine, Dunbar. If this is what your twisted little mind wants, we'll kick his ass behind the damn carousel, but don't even think about asking me to ride it with you," he warned, tugging down his dumb butterfly sweater where it got hiked up in the scuffle.

"Don't tell me Hellboy Raeken is scared of a little merry-go-round," Liam poked fun, "Don't worry, I'll hold your hand."

"Gonna be hard to do when it's wrapped around your neck ."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Theo knew what a poor, poor choice of a comeback it was.

Liam hummed in a highly satisfied tone, "Sounds like you're threatening me with a good time."

Smooth, Raeken, walked right into that one.

"Sounds like this conversation is over," he rolled his eyes, kicking the truck door shut, right against one of the ridiculous Proud Lacrosse Dad stickers Liam covered the bullet holes with. He started toward the entrance, ignoring those damn butterflies swooshing low in his stomach again.

Thankfully, there weren't any annoying children buzzing around, so the headache Theo would assuredly have later could only be blamed on:

The college kids getting hammered on overpriced beer and junk food

A parade of painted faces and skimpy costumes like someone dropped a rave bomb

The screaming result of said raving, hammered college kids mixed with rollercoasters

A freak carnie clown wandering a bit too close for comfort

Fair warning, if he honked his obnoxious red nose at Theo, he was gonna honk it back with his fist.

No surprise, carnivals weren't really his scene, but next to him, Liam was just radiating in all the amusement. Eyes beaming at the twinkling glow of flashing lights and neon signs in the sunset. Soaking in the sickeningly sweet aromas of deep-fried Oreos and fresh kettle corn and funnel cakes. Taking in all the extravagant rides and booths and bells and whistles.