Disasterpiece

I was perched awkwardly on the edge of the backseat of Josie’s car; Sid and Josie conversing happily with each other in the front. Every time the conversation died though both of them would spend the silence sneaking side glances at each other – it was quite strange, though kind of entertaining; but it created an unsettling feeling in my stomach that I was trying not to put my finger on out of fear.

Pulling into the oversized car park I scrambled out of the car as quickly as I could, power walking to the entrance and trying to keep my distance from them. I couldn’t really explain it but on top of the unsettling feeling a part of me was telling me to keep away from them unless I wanted to find out something I really didn’t want to know, or realise. As I got closer to the colourful entrance and screams of exhilaration I spotted Corey, Griffin and Joey standing casually together – even from this distance I couldn’t mistake a slightly sour look on Corey’s face.

Griffin saw me first – with a loud yell he ran towards me in what looked like an accelerated drunken skip. When he reached me I bent down, wrapping my arms tightly around him and picking him up.

“How’s my favourite nephew?” I cooed, blowing raspberries into his neck causing him to giggle and squirm in my arms.

“Stop, stop,” he breathed out between laughs. I stopped and continued on towards Corey and Joey, still holding Griffin who rested his head on my shoulder. “Dad said Joey and I won’t be able to go on some rides cause we are too short,” Griffin said, I snorted picturing Joey and Griffin’s sullen faces to that statement.

“And what did Joey say?” I asked, looking over at Joey who was searching through his jeans pockets for something.

“He put his bad finger up and pointed to his jumper, but I punched Dad in stomach and he said it hurt a lot,” Griffin replied proudly.

“Oh I bet it did, look at those muscles,” I laughed, grabbing onto the top of Griffin’s arm playfully. He slapped my hand away and jumped out of my grasp; running back to Josie and Sid to probably tell them of his heroic punch. Corey pulled me into a quick squishy hug when I reached them; Joey gave me a small wave and smile to which I returned, then proceeded to look at the gum ridden concrete beneath my feet; but not before I caught what his shirt said. ‘Little people kill people’ – ha!

“So are you ready to barf up breakfast?” Corey asked with a stupid grin, hanging his arm loosely over my shoulders, I looked up at him scrunching my face up.

“I don’t eat breakfast…what mutilated chunks am I going to see come out of your mouth then?” I replied, Corey feigned momentary shock, flicking me lightly over the head with his hand.

“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day VJ tut tut…and something along the lines of colourful lumps in brown goo,” he said dopily; my face scrunched up further – if I saw that I would probably puke, even on an empty stomach.

“Oh god, what did you eat?” I asked, slightly disgusted with the visuals in my head.

“Hey it was Griffin’s choice!” Corey replied, lifting his arms into the air like he had nothing to do with it; you know he doesn’t control of what’s in his pantry or anything. I ducked out of his grip, stepping next to Joey quickly.

“Oh that’s it then, no way in hell am I pairing up with either of you,” I told him firmly just as the other’s joined us, Griffin letting go of Josie and Sid’s hands and attaching himself around Corey’s waist. Corey pouted, looking around at the group sourly.

“Hey wait…why do I get paired with the kid?!” he exclaimed, I glanced around; my face heated up when I realised I had managed to pair myself with Joey unintentionally – well consciously unintentionally.

“Well the pairs are kind of by maturity level if you think about it,” Joey pointed out; I tried my best not to smile too big; Sid laughed loudly, reaching over to high five Joey. Corey huffed, rolling his eyes.

“You’re just trying to get me back for that short joke,” he grumbled, Joey chuckled and shrugged, tapping the text on his hoodie with a wink.

“Can we go in already?!” whined Griffin loudly, grabbing onto Corey and my hands he began to pull us towards the ticket booth; the other’s following in tow.

After three times on The Dragon, an upside down double looping rollercoaster; the Tornado, a wooden rollercoaster, that didn’t go upside down but dipped enough to make up for it; the Sidewinder, a swinging, spinning and generally nauseating experience; the Inverter, another twisting upside ride; and the Splash Over “a human washing machine” that left us all drenched – I was quite ready to call it a day and collapse in my bed – Griffin on the other hand had other plans as he pulled on Corey’s hand, edging towards another rollercoaster called ‘Outlaw’.

“Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad,” he repeated excitedly.

“Griffin, Griffin, Griffin, Griffin,” Corey mocked in exhaustion, he stopped pulling Griffin back with him who was still trying to push forward. “How about a break?” he suggested; Griffin sulked – he didn’t like not getting his own way – just like a certain Father of his.

“I don’t want to have a break,” he whined, stomping his foot.

“But aren’t you hungry or something Grif?” Josie tried, she looked quite funny standing next to Sid with wet hair plastered down the sides of her face and bright rosy red cheeks. Griffin’s eyes lit up – see the way I figure it is until guys hit puberty they think with their stomach – after that, well you can guess what they think with.

“I want chocolate ice cream with chocolate topping and chocolate sprinkles on a chocolate cone,” Griffin informed us, spinning around he scanned the area for a food outlet.

“Your son has serious sugar issues,” I said sidewards to Corey.

“I would say it’s a healthy obsession – but it really isn’t,” he replied with a smirk. “So where do we get ice cream then?” he added to everyone.

“There’s that cone shop on the other side of the park you just take the Sky Ride,” Josie suggested.

“Sky ride!” Griffin yelled, pulling his hand from Corey’s he ran off in what I hoped as the direction of the sky ride.

“Fucking hell – GRIFFIN!” Corey yelled angrily, chasing after him into the thick crowd.

“Hey you two go find them I want to go on Bumper Cars before we leave?” Sid said to Joey and I, my heart leapt – Joey and I hadn’t been alone all day, even when we were seated next to each other in the carts (which made my leg burn when it touched his by the way) Sid and Josie were usually behind us and Corey and Griffin in front – plus there isn’t much time between screams to talk on a rollercoaster. I must’ve had a pained look on my face because Josie tilted her head in question; I shook it off quickly, shrugging nonchalantly.

“Ok then call us when you’re done,” I replied; Sid beamed, grabbing Josie’s hand he pulled her off the in the opposite direction Corey and Griffin went – Josie waved as she was pulled, blowing a kiss in our direction before they were engulfed by people. I turned to Joey nervously to find him watching me. “Shall we?” I proposed lightly, he nodded. I concentrated on my breathing as we walked, my head desperately wanted to stare at the ground but I had to keep it up and on the lookout for our lost counterparts. Joey shoved his hand’s into his pockets, every now and then I would hear a low whistle blow out between his lips – or maybe it was my imagination seeing as it was really loud in here.

“Hey look there’s the Sky Ride,” he said suddenly, I looked around to see the wires above us; couples sitting in dangling moving carts off it.

“You know that looks scarier than any of the other rides,” I admitted, Joey looked at me in interest.

“Really? Why?” he asked, I bit my lip.

“I don’t know it just seems less…secure…” I replied lamely, he chuckled, looking back up at the ride.

“You know what? It does, but at least it doesn’t try to be a hardcore ride and go really fast,” he said, I grinned.

“Poor loser ride…I suppose we should head up to it so it can bathe in our awesomeness and feel a bit better about itself,” I sighed, Joey smiled warmly then extended his hand out, in my imagination I swear I could see it shaking just slightly like he wasn’t sure of the gesture himself. Holding my breath I timidly took it; the moment my fingers wrapped around his our eyes connected – just for a split second – but in that split second I felt something I could never explain, something I had never felt before. It was so powerful I felt like screaming, shredding my skin to pieces; there was that sparkle that crossed his blue eyes from the sun; that one heart beat that thumped through us; I could’ve melted right there.

Joey managed to gather himself first, looking at the ground he pulled gently at our tangled fingers towards the ride. I followed numbly, taking in everything about this moment; predominately how it felt to have our bare skin connecting. I registered that his hands were rough from holding drumsticks all the time, but to me they were like silk – warm silk. Can silk be warm? Usually silk is cold right? Is silk really even that soft? …Look I’m going insane in my head and all we are doing is holding hands, imagine if…no wait don’t imagine!

We stopped together at the end of a long line, Joey turned to face me, still our hands stayed clasped. He looked down at them, his chest rising and falling slowly a few times.

“Want to know what I think?” he asked quietly; queue butterflies.

“What…” I started but was interrupted.

“- Oh my god,” his voice came. I felt like a grand canyon’s worth of ice was just poured over me. Going instantly stiff; Joey’s hand fell from mine. My eyes widened as I turned robotically around, praying inwardly that it wasn’t who I thought it was – but that same smug smirk hit me like a tonne of bricks. I wanted to run, I could feel my eyes stinging already – of course he would walk back into my life right at this point; of course karma would do that to me.

I wish I could put a squiggle over his real face.