Chapter 6 Ripley
Ripley
‘I don’t know why I need to be there all the time.’ I’m lounging on my sister’s couch watching Molly dance to The Muppet Christmas Carol.
‘Because you’re a part of the production,’ Anna says from the dining table as she inputs receipts on the computer. ‘You told me you would use it on your college apps.’
‘I did, and I am. But I’m only doing it because it was the compromise Mom made me agree to so I don’t have to star.’ I thought it was going to be harder to change her mind. But I guess she also saw the benefit of getting the extra boost from Fairytale Gardens fans.
Of which I am not one.
This is why I’m on Anna’s couch, willing the hours to go slower before I have to head to Fairytale Gardens to spend the next four weeks living in their stupid apartments with Mom instead of in my own room.
She wanted to be closer to production, and apparently leaving me alone at home around Christmas would be cruel.
Yeah, because our sad, undecorated tree screams ‘holiday spirit’ every year.
‘Don’t you need me to stay and put up your tree?’ I sit up to look at her.
‘Tree, tree, tree,’ Molly chants from the ground where she’s sprawled.
‘Mike will be back Sunday. We’re doing it then.’
I turn around so she doesn’t see my eye roll.
That’s just another reason I’m glad I’m not ‘in love’.
Relying on someone else seems tedious and unhelpful.
I tried to have a boyfriend once. It lasted all of three weeks before I caught him kissing another girl at a pool party.
I was more relieved than upset when we broke up.
I’m an evidence girl – I like facts. And all the facts and evidence I’ve gathered lead to the same conclusion: Love = Misery.
I look at my phone and see a text from Nathan.
‘Ugh. I have to go, I guess.’ I convinced Mom that Nathan and Melika also needed to be part of the production and she agreed to classify us all as interns. They were both game since it gets us out of class two weeks before winter break starts.
My production duties actually started a few weeks ago.
I hadn’t seen Garrick more than a dozen times in the last several years, yet now I’ve been around him almost every day – barring weekends.
For a start, I was only supposed to see him at our twice-weekly mandatory production meetings and outings.
Like the time I had to go shopping with Garrick, Brett the intern and two other production members.
Garrick insisted he needed to do a try-on montage like in the movies and even picked out his own music to play while he did it.
But then, as if the universe didn’t think I was getting enough Garrick, the Monday after he agreed to be in the show my gym teacher went on medical leave and they combined our classes.
Which meant Garrick and I were now together five days a week participating in team sports, proving that both of us have a competitive streak.
That did win our team a volleyball game, allowing us a brief moment of celebration together among the never-ending Beeloved prep.
App development or television production aren’t careers I’m going to pursue, but it will still look good on my college application.
I want to be a lawyer. Not because I like the showboating aspect, but because I like the idea of fighting for the little guy.
Also, I’ve been told I’m good at swaying people to my side.
Which feels like a nice way of saying I’m pushy until I get what I want.
I hug Anna and promise Molly I’ll sneak back to watch Elf with her before Christmas.
Fairytale Gardens isn’t any more appealing than it was last month. After convincing Garrick to do the show, I immediately peaced out, to Nathan and Melika’s horror. They were hoping to get me on a roller coaster.
Absolutely. Not. Happening.
I plan on being so busy these next four weeks that no one will be fast enough to catch me and force me on to a ride.
‘I am so hyped to see the park after hours,’ Nathan says, once again in full Christmas attire with his vintage bell-and-holly sweater Melika gifted him last year.
‘Me too. Do you think we can go ghost hunting?’ Melika asks. Her hair is braided partway down on the side. The remaining curls cascade over her shoulder.
I’m in the back seat of Nathan’s car, working on my stats homework. ‘I’m sorry, what?’ My eyes flick between them. This won’t come as a shock, but I don’t believe in ghosts. I’m not opposed to the idea of them existing; I’ve just never seen any evidence.
Nathan turns to look at me, the car swerving slightly. Melika grabs the wheel with practiced ease. ‘I heard a story that there are ghosts on the pirate ride.’
I scoff, raising an eyebrow. ‘Was someone murdered there?’
‘Maybe a grieving person dumped their loved one’s ashes in the water. I hear it happens a lot.’ Melika gives the wheel back to Nathan.
Shuttering, I focus on my schoolwork. ‘Another reason you won’t catch me on those death traps. Both for the living and the dead, apparently.’
‘Come on, Ripley. You can’t live at a theme park for a month and not go on at least one ride.’ Nathan catches my eye in the rearview mirror.
Melika pulls an FTG map from her bag, twists back in her seat to face me and spreads it over my homework. ‘I’ve marked down the rides I think you’ll like and numbered them in order of intensity. I thought you’d appreciate that.’
I do, actually. The organization makes my heart flutter in the best way possible. Who needs love when you can have an itemized list? ‘Your thoroughness is always appreciated. But I already memorized the map.’ I fold the paper up and hand it back to her. ‘And I’m still not doing it.’
When we arrive, a bubbly white girl around our age with red hair greets us.
She’s wearing a bright-blue sweatshirt with the Fairytale Gardens logo on the front in pink.
‘Hi! Welcome! I’m Imogen, and yes, before you ask, the apartments smell exactly how they look. ’ Her mega-watt smile doesn’t falter.
I glare at the brown, stucco buildings and imagine I’ve entered a nineties sitcom.
‘Lovely.’ I squeeze my fingers around my thumbs to keep myself from biting them.
We’re in the back lot of the park – it consists of the apartments, parking and an office building.
It looks exactly like any other business complex.
The fairytale magic and whimsy are reserved for the paying customers.
‘You get used to it. Which one of you is Juliet?’ Imogen glances between us.
I cringe. ‘It’s Ripley, actually. Only my mom calls me Juliet.’
Imogen gives a knowing smile. ‘Noted. Well, I’m here to show you to your rooms. Melika, I have you staying with me. I promise I don’t snore, and I make a stunning mocha with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. Ripley, you’re with your mom. And Nathan, I have you bunking with Garrick.’
‘Garrick’s staying here?’ Nathan perks up.
‘Sort of. I guess he wanted a place to crash if he doesn’t want to go home.
Which is literally just around the corner.
But that’s Garrick.’ Imogen shrugs, leading us up the stairs and down a creaky outdoor hallway.
‘Sorry about the noise. Honestly, you’ll barely notice it.
They just didn’t want to repair anything since these are getting torn down next year. ’
‘Do you go to our school?’ Melika asks.
‘No, but I worked here last summer. And then Tristian and I started dating.’ Her face softens at the mention of his name.
Nathan and Melika share a knowing look – Nathan mouths ‘scandal’ to me.
Imogen doesn’t notice and keeps going. ‘The rest of the crew arrived an hour ago and are settling in. We have a dinner planned for everyone at the Royal Fare tonight. I’ll see you there.’
‘If the food is free, count me in,’ I say as I take the key and open the door to an apartment that smells like day-old hot dogs and baked beans. Yum.
Dragging my stuff along the hall, I see Mom has already dropped her things in the bedroom on the left. I take the other, carefully sorting out my clothes into the drawers and closet.
After I finish, I head to the living room, checking Instagram on the way.
The moment I open the app, I’m greeted with a picture of my dad and his wife.
They’re smiling, with an older couple who I think must be her parents.
But how would I know? I’ve never even met her.
Swiping out of the app, I throw my phone on the couch and settle down to solve complex math equations – a much more enjoyable sight.
The sun has long since set when I hear knocking at the door. When I don’t immediately answer, Nathan presses his face against the window, causing it to fog. ‘Oh, Juuullieettt!’ He pulls out every syllable of my name.
I’ve been working on my homework at the dining table so I won’t fall behind in the classes I’m missing. I untangle my legs from the wooden chair, and let Melika and Nathan inside.
‘It’s freezing out there.’ Melika pulls her wool coat tighter. ‘You ready to go?’
‘Go?’ I frown, trying to shut the door, but Nathan stops me.
‘Yeah, free food at the Royal Fare. Everyone’s going.’
I sigh, remembering the alert on my phone thirty minutes ago. I hate being late. I quickly slip on my short boots and blue, puffy winter coat. ‘I’m ready.’
‘That’s what you’re wearing?’ Nathan gives my leggings and baggy sweater a once-over.
I pull at my ponytail to tighten it. ‘Why? What are you wearing?’ I thought this was just theme park food. ‘I didn’t realize there was a dress code.’
Nathan opens his plaid coat to reveal a striped candy cane button-down and red slacks. ‘You know, you always dress for a moment.’
I laugh. ‘You do, but that’s not really my thing.’ Nathan’s closet is like Willy Wonka meets Ken, with a dash of David Rose from Schitt’s Creek.
‘Seriously, Nathan. Ripley is fine. Let’s go, I’m starving.’ Melika takes my arm as we leave the apartment and go down the rickety stairs. Salt to melt the ice crunches under our shoes.