Chapter 2
CHAPTER TWO
Travis
8 YEARS AGO - A FAIRY NIGHT
If I had a penny for every time the boys have put me in a messed-up situation, I’d be rich by now. A billionaire even. Sometimes, I blame myself for walking into our school six months ago and making the decision to befriend this one punk. Billy Shepherd, also known as just Billy. Back then, I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. I was new in town, and he was the first guy I saw, sitting alone against the only tall tree in the schoolyard.
But then again, I should’ve gotten the idea with the feeling he was trying to convey by that tree. He sat there with his eyes closed as if he was thinking of a long-lost kid he had a decade ago. His tattoos along his arms were on display for everyone to admire, and honestly, looking back now, I really believed he was a loner. Worst assumption ever. Later, I found out he was just dozing off, waiting for the bell to ring.
Billy is one of those guys who thinks waiting for good fortune to knock on their door is better than going out and making things happen. All that to hide the fact that he’s just flat-out lazy. And it doesn’t help that Tyrone and Dan whisper the same lies to his ears, encouraging him.
Sometimes, it’s better to listen to our own voice than others, even if it spits out things we want to hear and not what is best for us. Those are words I wish they listened to.
Among all their laziness, they are good people. Better than those I had back in England if I could even consider them as such. Tyrone, Billy, and Dan have always been supportive and by my side since day one, and that has never been a problem until tonight at this fair.
I look as the boys walk away, basically hand-in-hand and leaving me astray. They disappear among the crowd, and I just know I’m about to live the longest night of my life. I know what they’re doing, but I’m so not cut out for it. For all this. For her.
Isabella. Her name rings perfectly in my head as I take a deep breath. She stares at me with those bubbly eyes, standing straight with her hands in her jean pockets, making my mind go wild. They are below her waist without a belt and accentuating the silver jewel on her belly button. Mind-blowing. Her eyelashes flutter, and I feel like I have no way out of this.
“Still wanna play?” I stutter, trying to find my way to those eyes.
Her face lights up as soon as the question escapes my mouth. I can’t possibly be standing in front of THE Isabella Kirby. The girl everyone talks about in school—the actual loner with everyone by her side. I remember the day I first saw her like it was yesterday, shadowed by her dim light.
“Always,” she answers.
She was the fair lady, buried in her vast thoughts, working her hardest to hide them from others. I won’t lie and say I can see through her because I can’t. Until a while ago, I never could. She was a mystery. One I admired from afar.
My lips try to go against my brain as they slightly lift into a smile. I quickly hide my expression as I turn towards the balloon stand. Isabella follows and stands next to me, sending chills down my entire body.
“Are you nervous?” she asks out of nowhere.
I quickly turn to my right to look at her, and a grin lies on her face. If I didn’t already know she was in love with the school jock, I’d think she was flirting with me. Maybe she is.
“No. I’m good at this.” I pick up a pin dart from the table.
“I’m not talking about the game.”
I pause. Am I that obvious?
She closes the distance between us as she slides her body through my arm to pick up a pin dart. There are a few in front of her, but she chooses to reach for the ones in front of me. As she slowly slides back, she lifts her head and looks at me. My arm wraps around her waist, and in all greatness, I’m shitting my pants.
For a moment, I stop breathing. Her lips stretch in a fond smile and my heart thumps as if it’s found its powerful source. No matter what this girl does, I lose it, and it’s scary.
“What are you doing?” I ask.
“Playing.”
A dry cough from an unknown person snaps us out of our circle and she slips out from underneath my arm.
“Why don’t we bet on this?” she asks as she prepares herself for the throw. Her arm is up in a V-shape, holding on to the pin dart.
“How well do you take a loss?”
“I never lose, Travis.” In a quick motion, she throws the dart and hits a red balloon. The popping sound stuns the owner, as it is unexpected and on a whim. “If I get three in a beat, you take me on a date,” she continues.
My mind goes blank. No, I think I’m losing it. There’s no way those exact words came out of her mouth. No way. I stare at her like a stupid fucker, waiting for her to snap me out of it. And she does just that as she continues. “Tonight.”
“What?” I slowly come back to my senses.
“I get three, and you take me on a date tonight.”
“Deal,” I slip out.
Deal? Did I say deal? It’s a definitely , dammit. I would love to take Isabella Kirby on a date. I would love to take her anywhere in this lifetime.
From the moment I saw her chuckling to some words one of her guy friends had said to her in the hallway— I’ll circle back to that in a minute —I was fucking going to take her anywhere. From the day she walked past me in that same hallway, unaware of my existence, I was in awe of her. There was no way I was saying no to a date with her.
Her lips twitch as she tries to contain a smile. I avoid her eyes once again and turn my head to my side, ready to bury myself underneath my sheets when I get home. Maybe vanish from the face of the earth while I’m at it.
Her hands move at the speed of light as she gets the first two, leaving me no room to blink.
“Look at me, Travis. Watch me win.” She holds the last pin dart as she demands my stare.
“I’m looking at you,” I murmur, doing exactly that.
She gets the last one, and it’s a pink balloon. Somehow, my mind can’t wrap around what’s happening. One moment, I’m with my boys, and in another, I’m with the girl I’ve had a crush on for the past four months. It just makes no sense.
“Shall we?” Her soothing voice makes it the more surreal.
“I—I haven’t played yet?”
“You owe me a date, remember?”
“And you, a game.”
“There was never a game for you to play.” She smirks. The man behind the stand hands her a stuffed bear as a prize, an uncanny smile on his face. “I figured it wouldn’t be easy to just ask you on a date, so I chose this method instead.”
“So, your method was to force me into one?”
“Well, not exactly. I didn’t hold a knife at your throat or anything, so…” She caresses the bear while saying those words. It’s almost psychotic, but her smile balances it out. “And besides, you could have said no.”
“Yes, I could’ve,” I say underneath my breath.
I know damn well I wasn’t going to say no to anything she was to say, but somehow, I feel like if those words were to reach her, she’d freak out.
“But you didn’t. Because you want to.”
A few months ago, I would’ve never thought I’d be here, in this moment, with the prettiest girl in town. Or even talking to her. But I am, and unless I want to be stupid and pass on this opportunity, I’ll have to be honest with myself. With her.
“I do,” I say. “I want to go on a date with you.” A sudden heat cramps my heart, and I feel the tinge of confidence in me slowly fading.
She takes the lead as she distances herself, and I follow. My body tenses as I walk with her. We’re inches away from one another, but our hearts couldn’t be further away. I don’t know what to do with myself. We’re at the perfect place for a date, and I don’t know where to take her or what to do with her.
“So, pretty boy, how come I’ve never seen you around town? Or at school, actually?” she breaks the ice.
“I’ve seen you.” I finally find her pace. “A few times at school, mostly at the principal’s office, and one time at the lake.”
“Okay… stalker.” Her index finger points at me as she continues to walk. “Also, what were you doing at the principal’s office? I wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt when I saw you with Billy and the pack, but now I don’t know. Are you like them? All full of himself and basically dangerous to society?” she rushes to say, every word sprinting from her lips.
“Slow down, Isabella. I’m not like that. I just had to sort out some documents since I had just moved into town,” I explain.
“Oh.”
“I just happen to see you—most of the time.”
“Wait a minute.” She halts. “You saw me at the lake?”
“Yes,” I shyly answer.
“I always go there at night. Naked.”
“I know,” I blurt out without a thought. “Wait, no, that’s not what I meant. I mean, I saw.” Someone shut me up now. “No, I mean?—”
“Did you like it?”
I’d think by now, I’d be having a fist coming my way. Instead, I’m being questioned about what I had a glimpse of.
“Did you like what you saw?”
“Isabella!” I strongly play the fifth.
“Okay, fine.”
Thank Goodness.
“But next time you do see me at the lake, join me.” She winks. Oh my God.
I avoid her gaze as I look up at the sky, and with every luck I have with me, I spot the Ferris Wheel, again. Without hesitation, I reach for her wrist and drag her along with me. My body slowly thaws up as we get there. It might be the adrenaline or what she said, but whatever it is, I don’t want to find out. I’m holding onto her right now. That’s what matters.
“First stop.” I put us to a halt in front of the giant, intimidating orbit.
“Hell, no. I’m not going on that thing.” She looks up at the giant circle a few feet up. Her eyes squint as she stares, and I realize how little I know about her. And that just tells me how lucky I am to find out more.
“Why? Are you afraid?”
“No. I just don’t like Ferris wheels, okay? You don’t have to know why. I just don’t.”
1. She’s defensive.
“Okay, but you’re going on it, anyway.”
“Travis! I said no.”
I ignore her sort of plea as I drag her to get tickets. “Two, please.”
“I’m serious. I don’t want to get on.” She holds my hand on her wrist and tries to pull herself out of my grip. The people standing behind us stare as she continues to force her way out of this adventure. Now that I know she’s ready to ridicule herself, I must get her on this Ferris wheel.
2. She’s childish and absolutely hates Ferris wheels.
“I know you’re serious.” I pull her closer to me. “But as you said, I owe you a date.”
She exhales and rolls her eyes to the back of her head. The man hands me the tickets, and we hop on. Only eight minutes of just us in this tiny gondola. Eight. I must make it worthwhile.
“Just sit and enjoy the ride. You can close your eyes until we get to the top. I’ll look after you.”
“But—”
“Trust me. You won’t regret it.”
She takes a deep breath before following my lead. Every move she makes only reminds me I’m not in a dream. Everything is real. This date is real.
As she tightly closes her eyes, her lips purse. We drift to the top in total silence. I’d think by now she’d be screaming at the top of her lungs to get back down, but she isn’t. It doesn’t look like she’s scared of Ferris wheels. It’s more like she’s uncomfortable being in one.
Every second counts as I make my way to sketch up this figure of loneliness. I’ve always seen her as such, but now I’m not so sure. So far, she’s been the one to say the first word and make the first move. She’s bold.
Her squinted eyes slowly relax as time passes, and so does her body as she leans back. I lock my eyes on her left cheek, noticing a beauty mark dotted on it, which makes it even more fun to stare at her. Then I move to her eyes, and though I can only see her lashes, I can bet they’re the finest shade of green. Ready to see what’s ahead but shielded by dread.
Naturally, I get to her lips. Filtered by the most obscure red I can imagine, they align in a horizontal line. And her hair. They’re the greatest representation of a Renaissance painting. Titian and Foxy. This is the closest I’ll ever get to admire all her features, now more than ever. She’s indeed incredible. She’s one of a kind in my world.
My hand still holds onto her wrist, adherent to not let go of this moment. It’s not that I don’t want to… I can’t.
“You can open them, now,” I say.
She does so, and our eyes meet the one thing I’ve always found peace in looking at. We’re at the top with nothing but the most illuminating view one can ever dream of. The stars shower us in darkness while below, electric lights expose us to joy. It’s magical and peaceful. The view differs from what I’m used to back home. In all London’s splendor, a tour on a Ferris Wheel gifts us nothing but the River Thames and a minuscule appreciation of Big Ben, which are both worth the pay, but they’re a torch next to this fiery place.
“Wow! It’s?—”
“Scary?” I interject. Her head quickly turns to me, and a piercing glare comes along with it. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding.” I chuckle.
She turns back to admire what’s ahead of her, still offended. Her eyes widened as if it was her first time seeing her town in such light, which was questionable.
“Do you know why people love being on this ride?” I ask.
“It’s not my first time being on a Ferris wheel, you know? It’s a splendid view, and I’ve seen it enough.” I doubt that.
“Have you seen it from my perspective?”
“What?”
“They say the purpose of a Ferris wheel is to strengthen love from its base because love has its ups and downs, and all the roundabouts people take to reach it.”
“And?”
I release her wrist from my grip and slowly slide my hand towards hers. “When you get to the top, you see everything, right?” Gently. “You reach some limit that not everyone gets to reach. It’s fascinating.” My hand lies on hers, searching for a way to link them together. I feel her heat as I move along her skin.
“I look down at the lights and the people, and immediately, my heart grows fond of the world I’m living in. To say I’m up here, while my friends, your friends, their friends, and families are down there, living a different kind of happiness is beyond my imagination. So, what I see is life. Love. Joy. A past among futures.” My fingers caress hers, and they move together in harmony.
“What are you doing?”
I’m seizing it.
“And the people who get to be on one of these gondolas are just as full of all those things. Don’t you agree?” I lock it.
I look at her as I ask the question. Our hands are in one another, my heart is racing to my action, and I can barely breathe. But all I could think about was if I got to her. If my touch made her stomach twirl like mine is doing right now.
Isabella tilts her head as she faintly smiles. “I do.” She moves in and answers with understanding. Her lips land on mine, and for a second, I lose control. I let go of her hand and reach for her neck.
I feel her hair twisted through my fingers, her heartbeat through her neck, and her skin burning at the sensation.
“Hi,” she whispers as she gets away from the kiss, her lips tracing mine.
“Hi.” I smile, holding onto her neck.
I can’t let us get out of this box without sealing this open idea. So, I lean in again, and this time, with control.
Eight minutes, and it was all worthwhile.
— CHAPTER EPILOGUE ?—
After two months in this town, I applaud myself. I think I’m keeping up. All our belongings have touched down and have their respective places in the new home, and my mother is slowly adjusting to the changes. I think we’ve got this.
The only thing I’d say keeps me awake at night is school. Everything is different here. The school hands us freedom on a silver platter, and the teachers care for our successes and failures, which obviously were never engraved in my system. But I like it. Though the classes are majorly different, they still concord with difficulties and demand a lot from us. Another thing I like.
Like every other morning on a weekday, I walk down the hall with one of my boys. Today, it’s Daniel. He has his usual dirt-white cardigan on and glasses, making him look like a golf enthusiast. If I’m being honest, when I first met him side by side with Billy and Tyrone, he looked out of place, but then I got to see the dynamic the three of them had. Suddenly, it felt right. They all have their own styles and mannerisms that nitpicked away from each other. I would’ve never guessed they were friends, but that’s what I like about them. They’re themselves and meshed so perfectly that I didn’t feel the need to change myself to fit in. I naturally did.
“So, are we doing this or what?” Dan says as soon as we enter the main door of the school.
The hallway is pretty narrow, but not in a way anyone could suffocate among a large crowd, but intimate. We still have five minutes to spare before the bell rings, but a lot of students still stand in front of their lockers, chatting and amusing themselves.
“I told you I wasn’t allowed to go. My mother?—”
“Your mother this, your mother that. When are you finally going to decide on something without constantly seeking her approval? You’re an adult,” he interjects.
It’s true that I’ve always asked my mother whether I could do something extracurricular. It’s what I was taught to do and what we’ve always done. Especially when it involved horny, irresponsible teenagers wanting to light a fire at the lake on a school night, and popping a few bear cans, for the sake of having fun.
“I make my decision, Dan. And there’s a reason she doesn’t want me to go to that party?”
“Name it.”
I search for my words, but none of them sound better with ‘ irresponsible’, ‘school night’, and ‘I don’t want to’. So, I go with what might make him back off.
“It doesn’t matter. Either way, I’m not going.”
“Whatever, mamma’s boy,” he mocks.
“Isa!” a voice loudly resonates in the hallway and catches my attention. Dan’s voice passes an ear and right out of the other.
“Say that again.” I spot where the noise is coming from.
Some girl holds a fury-headed boy in an arm lock as they walk towards us. Her light red hair falls down and hides her face, agitating back and forth the more she plays around with the boy.
He looks like he needs help.
“Why? What are you going to do?” he asks, raising his voice as if he wants to be heard.
“One more time, and you’ll find out,” she says. “Say it.” She lifts her head and faces me, pushing back her hair.
“What if I try to convince your mother?” Dan sneaks in, but my focus stays on her.
It’s as if she’s moving in slow-mo, pulling me in the longer I stare.
The boy leans in towards her right ear and whispers to her. I would do anything to be in his position right now, or at least closer to her, to hear whatever was said. Immediately after he moves back, she bursts out laughing. The sound of her laugh flows in me like a… and before I realize it, I’m smiling.
The bell rings and snaps me out of this long and mesmerizing moment. Everyone dashes to class, as well as Dan and the boy. I stay put.
“Come back here!” she yells after him. “Colin!”
Dan goes a distance, but then stops and looks back at me. “Are you coming?” he asks.
She runs past me, and her hair winds back like sunflowers on a breezy day. A smile still dresses her face, and it does something to me. I don’t know why or how it’s possible, but the moment her figure fades inside the classroom, I vow to myself to see her again. No matter where or how, I must see her again.
I finally get back to my senses as I notice that besides Dan and I, everyone is in their respective classes.
“Travis,” he calls for my attention again, and I follow.
School is about to get fun from now on.