Chapter Ten

Madeline’s POV

The fresh ocean air mixed with the scent of aromatic treats starts to flow into my senses. A smooth voice floods my ears, “Are you ready for the date of your life?”

At the sound of Andrew’s voice, I sit upright and take in my surroundings. From inside his car, I can see the countless amount of tents and rides. Delighted screeches of pleasure can be heard just inside the carnival.

“I was born ready!” I chant with a determined smile.

I need to make this right for him, I can only imagine how much he’s going through to try and make this comfortable for me. And especially after what went on earlier, I need to prove to him that I’m alright.

Andrew opens the car door for me and offers his hand to which I place my own on. The ground beneath us is a mural of light-colored sand and dusty brown dirt. Together we walk into the carnival, chatting about what activities to accomplish first.

“In order to make the most of our date, we should probably eat later on- unless you’re hungry of course,” Andrew suggests to me.

Still, I really don’t know why he’s so nervous… I mean, he’s been on other dates with “past me” before so…

“Sure! How about we play some games at the arcade after we eat and then see where the night takes us?”

He nods and we walk inside of the carnival grounds to pay for admission.

There are many people inside the facility, but not as many at the ticket booth. I suppose everyone decided to arrive during the morning… and by “everyone” I mean at least a hundred people. It’s certainly not what I’m used to since, aside from my doctors, psychotherapist, mother, and Andrew, I have never met other people, let alone a crowd.

Even so, I steel myself for Andrew’s sake.

He knows “me” better than I know myself so I’m sure he thought long and hard about the location of our date. Plus, if this is what he wants, I have to commit.

We grab a nearby map and dive deeper into the huge amusement park. With each activity, we start to warm up to each other.

We ride rollercoaster after rollercoaster and swing before slides until our streak comes to a halt during an extremely slow and long line. A line for one insanely loopy rollercoaster.

“A-are you sure this is safe?” I look up at Andrew who has been going on about some supposedly extraterrestrial creature spotted in the city.

“Hm? Oh, yes, 95% confident.” He smiles cheekily as I sigh.

“That- yea. That makes me feel sooo much more confident for that 5% chance.” I joke, sarcastically dragging out the “o” which earns a chuckle from Andrew.

“I should know Madeline, I’m a mechanical engineer who specializes in designing rollercoasters.”

What.

“Really?! Wh- are you joking?!!” His witty response has me completely baffled.

“Nope, not joking! I can tell you all the basics of physics and manufacturing of that invention.” He winks.

“That’s incredible but you sound like such a nerd!” I laugh and lean forward to poke at him before catching myself.

Nerd. Nerd nerd nerd. Who have I called “nerd” in the past? It sounds familiar, it sounds like home. Who-?!

*Flashback*

It smells of smoke and alcohol, intoxicating and suffocating my lungs which cry out in despair.

But I ignore the smell, I ignore the neglect, I ignore the loss which none of my friends face, but I have to bear. Because none of that matters when I’m with him.

“You’re going to break it! Give it back-!” I whine and claw at his sweater paws.

“Hold on Maddie, I’m trying to fix it-” He squints at the magic eight ball and readjusts his glasses to fit on the bridge of his nose. Intelligent sky blue eyes peering into his spectacles like windows on a clear summer’s day.

“Gimmie!” I jump, my short legs stomping at the carpeted ground in frustration.

“Almost- there. Fixed!” He holds the toy up triumphantly for less than a second before I tackle him onto the couch.

“Finally! Thank you thank you thank you!” I fall into a fit of giggles as soon as he starts squirming in my reach.

“Maddie- I need to put the eight ball down before you hug me, it might break again!” He warns with caution but the strict warning is drowned out with his melodic laughter.

Laughter that could lull me to sleep or wake me up in the morning. Laughter that I swear I’ll never forget.

*End of Flashback*

---

Andrew’s POV

“That’s incredible but you sound like such a nerd!” Madeline’s laughter slices through the ocean breeze and I feel my heart stop.

It’s as if the entire city paused to hear her, everything drowning out but the bubbly giggles that arise from her chest.

I haven’t heard her laugh like that in years.

I smile and silently make it my mission to encourage more giggles in the future.

Wait, what did I say and do to make her laugh? I just talked about my work and-

I freeze, warmth crawling up my cheeks.

-and behaved like me.

A sense of pride overcomes the warmth as I realize that by expressing my true nature, I made Madeline laugh.

But those rush of emotions come to a screeching halt as I realize her giggles have ceased. I turn to see her blanking out, not hyperventilating, but definitely lost.

And if by Murphy’s law, we are next up on the rollercoaster.

“Maddie- Madeline, we’re up-” I stammer, frantically shaking her awake.

She folds her legs into the rollercoaster car void of any emotion whatsoever. The doors close behind us and the machines whirr awake. Awake.

Madeline shakes her head lightly and blinks a few times before looking around curiously.

“Oh cool, we’re on!” She smiles and grips the metallic bar securing us inside the vehicle.

What? Is she just going to pretend that didn’t happen?

Other visitors and tourists pack the seats behind us.

What even was that?

A worker explains the safety precautions regarding life accountability.

Does it have anything to do with her medical conditions?

Our car starts to move up slowly.

Her previous panic attack?

Our car reaches the top of a steep hill-like loop.

ME?!

Before my overthinking can continue any further, I feel our car drop straight down. Without thinking, I look down to see the entire park and crowds gathered by the boardwalk. Each cluster looking smaller than an ant with one massive body of water that surrounds the entire carnival.

Suddenly, the car drops and sweeps my breath away like a tiny insignificant leaf blowing on a chilly autumn day.

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” I scream as gravity’s pressure on the friction of the wheels makes my stomach drop.

I’m so glad we agreed to ride before eating.