Complicated You; Sophisticated Me

The stupid CrazyCroc's theme song played for the nth time. Nova took both Mika's and Dylan's hand as they walked through the stalls and the water rides.

"I want to go there!" Nova exclaimed soon after she had spotted a water-themed roller coaster. She looked up at Mika, "Let's go?"

Mika looked at the roller coaster, her long-lashed blue eyes narrowing under the blistering sun. Roller coasters. Mika hated roller coasters to the core.

"Let's go!" Brad, Earl, and Lyndon hurried ahead.

"I'm not in the mood to ride," Dennis added before he went on his way to who-knows-where.

On Mika's left, Dylan was smiling.Unlike Mika, he loved roller coasters to the extent that it became a top priority when going in theme parks. He grinned widely at Mika, when all of a sudden he remembered his little confession back at the car. Mika averted her eyes the same time he did.

Crap, he thought. Now I'm never gonna be able to talk to her normally!

~

Nova tugged Mika and Dylan, "Are we going to go?"

Mika was about to protest, when she noticed that both Nova and Dylan's eyes sparked with excitement. She had no choice but to do it.

They walked towards the line and waited for a few minutes until they were next. The ride inspector eyed Nova with an incredulous look.

"Can she handle it?" he asked.

She can handle better than I could, Mika thought. "Yes."

"We're sorry, but we can't. We are held responsible for the safety of our park customers."

Dylan stepped in, "Can't you just let her? She's fine. This little kid loves coasters."

The ride inspector sighed and finally let them in. As soon as they were seated, Mika's palms began to sweat and her heart seemed to race in a nervous, I'm-going-to-die way.

"Please wear the vests properly. Clasp your seat belts, lock the metal bar and please refrain from unnecessary movement," the ride inspector announced.

It was good luck enough that the carts were three-seaters each: Mika sat on the left, Dylan on the right, and Nova on the middle.

The sounds of the engines roared into life, and the coaster began to move. Mika closed her eyes.

I'm scared, I'm scared, I'm scared, I'm scared...." she chanted mentally.

Then the carts started to go up. Mika turned purple. She hated coasters, hated its speed, hated heights.

She was afraid.

"Hey, Mika," Dylan called her attention.

Mika looked at him, tears forming around her eyes. "What?"

"Are you― "

Before he could even finish asking the question, the roller coaster went down full speed, curving and looping and making Mika's world spin like crazy. Water splashed here and there, drenching them completely. Mika screamed and yelled and cursed while Dylan and Nova screamed for joy.

When Mika opened her eyes again, the ride was over and her cheeks were drenched, not with the splashes of water, but with tears. Dylan leaned close to her.

"Hey, you should have told me you were scared," he said sadly. "I'm sorry."

Mika shook her head as she wiped her tears with the back of her hand. Dylan took out his handkerchief (like he usually did when Mika was crying) and wiped the tears from her face. It made her heart race faster, this time because she could feel him close.

"I'm sorry," Dylan apologized again. "I should've been more sensitive."

Nova tugged the hem of Mika's shirt with one hand. "I'm sorry, too."

Mika crouched to level herself with Nova and gave her a slight reassuring smile. She was still reluctant when it comes to smiling―still held back―but the smile was there, all right.

And Dylan knew it.

~

"Whoah, you guys are soaked," Brad laughed as he ate a gigantic, puffy blue cotton candy. He held it towards Nova before he looked up at Mika, "Whoah, little sis, you look like you've lost your youth."

"Thanks," Mika mumbled beside Dylan.

Dylan turned to Lyndon, who was now talking to random chicks. Geez. The guy already had a group of girls around him. Dennis was, as usual, playing with his video games while girls who passed by him giggled and thought he was cute. Mitch was nowhere to be found.

"There's a concert later," Earl put in and handed Dylan a brochure. "The band's familiar. Do you know them, Dylan? Some girls crazed over it."

Ember Speaks, Dylan read. "It's Mitch's former band."

~

Ember Speaks?

Mika grabbed the brochure from Dylan's hands. She had heard them say that the band's name was Ember Speaks―and there it was, written on a cursive golden font.

"Mika, are you okay?" Dylan rested a hand on her shoulder. "You look like all the blood drained from your face."

They needed to leave. Now―and fast.

~

Dylan covered his ears when crowds of people ran towards the center of the park. From here, he could hear the music starting.

He looked at Mika, "Want to watch?"

Mika didn't say anything.

"You're really acting weird―"

"I want to watch!" Nova jumped up and down.

Dylan sighed. "Nova, you don't even know the band."

He turned to face Mika again. "Mika?"

It took her a moment before she looked up at him. "We have to leave."

Brad and Earl looked at each other, as if asking each other the same question and not knowing the answer at all.

Mika looked so anxious that Dylan felt worried. Maybe she wasn't feeling well―maybe she's having an asthma attack again.

"Where's Mitch?" Brad asked Earl.

"Dunno. Maybe he knew Ember Speaks is here," Earl answered.

Mika clutched at Dylan's sleeve tightly. "Let's go, please."

Dylan nodded and wrapped his hand around hers reassuringly.