Roller Coasters
by lostwords
Betty looked up from her sandwich and found Gio's teasing eyes smiling back at her.
"Stop it." she said, exasperated. She popped a potato chip into her mouth, and fixed him her best glare.
"It's just too funny!" he said, shaking his head and throwing extra lettuce onto a sandwich for Daniel.
"Ish not punny!"
"You're right--its hilarious!"
"How on earth is nearly dying and getting covered in Tommy Telusa's puke hilarious?" Betty demanded, handing him the mustard bottle.
"Did you seriously just ask me that?" Gio asked, placing two tomato slices delicately atop the lettuce.
When Betty didn't answer, he switched tactics.
"Okay…I'll let that slide…but come on', you're still afraid of roller coasters…eleven years later?"
"I'm not afraid!" she said defensively, "I have no problem with roller coasters, I just prefer merry-go-rounds."
"Why?" he asked, sounding almost offended.
"Because…" she started, "Merry go-rounds are safe and grounded. Roller coasters are all high energy and thrills but once they stop, you feel sick…dizzy…and just plain horrible. Merry-go-rounds are sensible. Roller-coasters have no point."
Gio gave her such a scandalized look that she almost laughed.
"You…have missed the point of roller coasters all together," he said in an outraged tone, "It is my duty to correct this…horror… as soon as possible."
Betty regarded him nervously, "Gio…it's really not that big of a dea-"
"Shhh!" he commanded, holding up his hand, "We have to go now."
And with that, he shoved Daniel's half-made sandwich into a paper bag with a smiling pickle and grabbed his keys from behind the counter. Before she could say another word, she found herself being dragged out of Gio's Deli and onto the street.
"This is ridiculous…I have work!" she exclaimed, trying to break out of Gio grasp.
He turned around to face her.
"You give Daniel his sandwich and tell him you're taking the rest of the day off or else I'm coming in there and showing Marc and Amanda pictures of you as a baby," he said calmly.
Betty gasped, "You wouldn't!"
"I would."
"I told Dad to hide those when you came over!"
"He did. Justin found them for me."
Speechless, Betty turned around and started walking towards Mode's entrance.
"Ooohh look--cotton candy!"
Gio threw Betty a pointed look.
"If you stall anymore-"
"I not stalling," Betty squeaked, "I just really love cotton candy!"
"Yeah," Gio said sarcastically, "Just as much as you love popcorn, corn dogs, ice cream, giant pretzels and Icee's?"
"Okay, I'm stalling." Betty admitted, readjusting her glasses nervously.
"Betty.." Gio sighed, "If you really don't want to go willingly then--"
"Yeah?" Betty prompted, hopefully.
"—it's all the more reason for me to drag you there."
"Betty! Betty…Geez, open your eyes!"
"Nope."
"The ride's not even started yet."
"These eyes are staying shut until the ride stops." She said with note of finality in her voice.
Betty felt Gio lean in, closer until his lips brushed her earlobe. She shuddered involuntarily.
"Merry-go-rounds may be safe but they're predictable…there's no thrill in them. Roller coasters, on the other hand leave you breathless and always wanting more. Roller coasters make you feel alive," he whispered softly.
Her eyes flew open in surprise just as the ride jerked forward.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
"Owwwwww….you're crushing my hand!"
"So….how'd you like it?" Gio asked, few seconds after they got off the ride.
"Can we go on it again?!" Betty asked, excitedly.
Gio rubbed his hands, "I don't think my hands can take another ride."
Betty stuck her tongue out, "Wimp."
"Maybe so, but I'm a wimp with a throbbing hand."
"Fine," Betty laughed.
They walked for a few moments in silence.
"Thank you," she said, offering him a smile.
He looked into her eyes and simply said, "You're welcome."
The funny thing about roller coasters and Betty was that the only person she would ever get on one with was Gio. Somehow, the intense panic seemed to evaporate into calm whenever she was around him.
Contrary to popular belief, she wasn't all that oblivious. She knew what it meant when she looked forward to seeing him everyday. She knew what it meant when his hand brushed hers and her hairs stood on end.
She knew she'd fallen for him, even though everyone seemed to know before.
She loved him because he pushed her. With him, it was always a plan, movement—going forward into the exciting possibility of the future.
It was scary. Intimidating. But Gio was always beside her, and that made her believe everything would be okay in the end.
--Fin.