CARMEN GOES TO DISNEYLAND

My phone rings.

"Did you have fun on Splash Mountain in your little green shirt?"
"Who is this?"
"Look behind you."
I spin around, and there he is. Zack Powers. My heart skips a few beats as it slips back down from my throat. He walks out from behind the gift shop- no, strides, and he comes over to me. To me.

"You've been stalking me? That's creepy."
"Actually, it's flattering."

"Are you crazy?"
"My school psychologist says I'm only a threat to myself and hot girls." He eyes me up and down, makes me blush.

"My mom's gonna see you."
"I got you something." He reaches into his pocket.

"Look, my Dad told me all about you. So I don't want anything to do with you or-"

He hands over the necklace.

"Oh my God, it's the necklace I wanted."

"I saw you trying it on." You were in the gift shop? How long have you been following me?
He slips around behind me before I can say a word. His hands graze across my neck, surprisingly gentle as he closes the clasp of the necklace. I reach my fingers up to feel the chain, cold around my neck in contrast to the heat of the day.

"Carmen!" Mom's voice breaks through the moment.

"I've gotta go."

"I'll be right behind you." I start to leave, and he catches me with his hand. "You better hide this." He gently pulls my braids out from under my necklace, tucks my necklace into my shirt with the same softness as before. He evens out my collar and rubs my shoulder as I run back over to my Mom.

I see Ricky and Max waiting for me. "What?" I may have snapped at them, I was so anxious, so unaware, out of this atmosphere and into a new world, a world with Zack.

"Mom said we have to take a picture with Goofy."

"So? Take it without me."

"We can't!" Ricky yells. "You're Goofy!" Max finishes. I take a big stride towards them and the pair runs away, up to where Mom and Ernie stand. I see Mom calling me over with a wave of the arm, and as I slowly walk that way, I take a glance behind me. Zack is standing at the corner of the gift shop, watching me back as I watch him. I reach up and feel my necklace again, like pinching myself after a dream, reminding myself that this was all real.