treat you better ☔︎ s.m

Chapter Eleven

Treat You Better
Chapter Eleven
⌂

"What time do you get off?" I lean against the counter as Mia makes my coffee.

"Around three," she replies and hands me the cup. "And then I have therapy afterwards until four thirty."

"You're free afterwards?" I take a sip of the beverage as she nods her head. "Good, I came by to ask if you wanted to go to the amusement park with Sam, Josh and I?"

She takes another order before returning back to me. "Sure. Pick me up at my house."

I give her a smile before grabbing the cup of coffee and exiting the coffee shop. I look around my surroundings before pulling my sunglasses down to cover my eyes. Several girls stare as I walk by, trying to find my car.

I'm stopped a few feet from my car by a teenager who asks, "Are you Shawn Mendes?"

I push my sunglasses up a bit before turning away and getting into the car. A few other girls rush up and start to put their faces on the window to get, what I assume is, a better view. I calmly ask them to get back from the car, but that doesn't do anything. I take a deep breath before putting the car in reverse and backing out of the parking spot.

❆

"You have to go on it, Mia." She shakes her head. "Come on!"

"I am most definitely not going on that."

She looks at the rollercoaster in terror. I grab her hand and immediately feel the shaking that her body's producing. I rub the back of her hand as she continues to look at the rollercoaster.

"Mia," I say softly and she looks up at me. "I'll be next to you the whole time."

Those words make her less tense as she nods her head after thirty seconds. She lets me guide her to the line as Sam celebrates. Josh starts to swing his and Sam's arms as they walk and I have the urge to do it with Mia. It's like Mia can read my mind, because the next thing I know she's swinging our arms as well.

When it's finally our turn to get on, Mia is stuck in place. I try to pull her towards it but she wouldn't budge. I bend down a little to where I'm face to face with her. "Mia, you've got this. Face your fear and go on the rollercoaster with me."

She closes her eyes for a few seconds before nodding her head. She holds a tight grip on my hand as we step into the, as she says, death trap. The ride starts to move forward and I watch Mia's eyes grow wider every foot the ride takes. But when the ride slows and suddenly we're going down the huge hill, Mia hides her head on my shoulder and I hold onto her.

When the ride ends, and we get back onto land, I help Mia out. With a quick glance at her, I can see happiness appear on her face.

"Was that so bad?" She shakes her head and starts to swing our arms again. "Does that mean you want to ride it again?"

"Yeah, no, I'd rather not do that again." I laugh at her comment before pulling her close to me while we walk towards Sam and Josh, who have cotton candy in their hands. They hand us ours before we all find another few rides.

Mia leans in and whispers, "Thank you for today, Shawn. You're the best."

I lay my head on top of hers and smile. Oh, how how these are the best people in my life.

[Made June 30, 2016 - Rewritten June 12, 2018]