Of the Trees(12)
“Just don’t move, okay,” he said, his muscles tight underneath her.
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Cassie said through gritted teeth, her fingers white as they tightened around the metal wheel.
The ride jerked into action, slowly this time, as people shouted encouragement, warning them not to let go. Ryan’s hand was slick and hot as it dug into her side, and her body felt frozen, locked into position as the ground loomed closer.
The terror from below was slowly changing to shouts of triumph; the young survivors closing in on success as the wheel spun them to the earth. Something low dug into the subconscious of Cassie’s mind, laughed in quiet, mocking tones. She heard it softly, like the breath after laughter, and she gritted her teeth in anger that any one of those spectators would find this even remotely funny.
Subversively, without her even consciously thinking of it, Cassie knew which of the spectators would be laughing.
The wheel jerked to a stop over the platform, and Cassie swung her feet down, her eyes closing in relief as her boots found the solid surface of the Ferris wheel landing. Ryan’s fingers trailed from her stomach, and he hopped down after her. The ride operator was already barking reassurances to the rest of the people still on the ride, jerking his head toward the exit without even an apology. The crowd swooped them up, patting them on the back. One person even thrust his phone in Cassie’s face, showing her the picture he snapped after she had climbed into Ryan’s lap. She felt her features contort in anger, her mouth flying open before the pull of Ryan’s fingers dragged her away.
“Did you see that?” Cassie asked, gesturing back at the guy with the phone.
“Yeah,” Ryan muttered. “I bet he’ll sell copies.”
“They didn’t even say sorry! We could have died!”
“Well, I’m sorry,” Ryan said, pulling her to a stop behind a row of games. “Are you okay?”
“I’m—” Cassie broke off, finally taking her angry gaze off the crowd and the unconcerned ride attendant and looking up at Ryan. He was staring down at her, his brow furrowed in concern, his gaze raking over her features, searching for some sign of hurt. “Yeah, I’m fine. You?”
“I’m good,” he said, offering a wry grin, trying to dismiss the fear. “Probably not going on it ever again, but other than that …”
Cassie gave his shoulder a push. “Your thing sucks.”
He laughed, shrugging. “Let’s go find the others.”
“She went this way, right?” Cassie asked, turning to Jon. He had come running back as soon as he saw the commotion at the base of the Ferris wheel, groaning because he wished he had gone on it, now that its breaking was the most exciting thing that had happened all night.
“I think so,” he answered, but shrugged. Cassie shook her head. They had waited for Laney by the Ferris wheel for twenty minutes. She hadn’t returned. Jon had offered to drive Cassie home, but that wasn’t really the point. Laney shouldn’t have just left her. Cassie had taken off in the direction she and Ryan had seen her heading, but the area seemed to be empty. The night was ending, and the crowd thinning. It should have made it easier to find Laney, but it only made it more frustrating when they couldn’t.
“Hey, Ryan, I can’t stay too much longer,” Jon said under his breath. Cassie knew Jon’s mother had a thing about curfew. It was one thing for Jon to sneak out, like he did last night, without his mother knowing. It was another thing altogether to come home late when she was expecting him.
“Couple more minutes,” Ryan whispered back. Cassie knew it was for her benefit, he didn’t want to leave her stranded.
“I can always call my dad,” Cassie said. She spun in a slow circle, scanning the perimeter of the carnival. Some of the booths were turning out their lights, the music was slowing, a giant wind-up toy winding down for the night. The vendors were finally starting to get loud, calling across to each other, one cursing when the door to his booth got stuck. Cassie was sure she heard the distinctive pop of a beer can opening. The bruises left on her arm from Ryan’s fingers were pulsating uncomfortably. Ticket stubs and gravel crunched underfoot when she moved, and the air smelled of fried food and sweat.
“We’re not gonna leave you,” Ryan argued, coming to stand beside her. She paused to smile at him, and when she looked back to the edge of the lights, a petite brunette popped into view out of nowhere.
“No need.” Cassie sighed. “There she is.”
“Finally,” Jon muttered. He tugged on Ryan’s arm, and after Cassie nodded at him to go, the boys turned toward the parking lot and left. She jogged over to where Laney was, laughing with someone out of sight.
“What the hell, Laney?” Cassie said as soon as she was in earshot. “You’re my ride, where did you—”
“Cass!” Laney exclaimed, turning from the darkness of the shadow behind an empty carnival booth to face her friend. Her eyes glowed in excitement, and she looked as though she could have started squealing. “Cassie, I’ve met someone.”
A boy … No, a man … stepped out from behind the carnival booth. He wasn’t tall, not much taller than Cassie even, but he was narrow, and the lines of him were deceiving so that it added height. The planes of his face were worn and tan, and yet there was something about his eyes that showed youthful brightness in the brown irises, some carefree smoothness of his brow that made Cassie double check that this man wasn’t closer to her own age. But no, something else, something in the way his mouth tightened and his gaze was all too knowing made her suddenly fearful.