"What's that?"

I glance down, following Tiffany's stare. "Oh, this? I don't know. A clown-or whoever-threw it at me."

She grasps the monkey in her hands, staring at it with a puzzled face. "It's creepy."

"Eh…"

She tosses it back. "Bury it. Burn it. Get rid of it."

I clutch it to my side. I don't know what I plan on doing with this thing.

Just keep it.

I sigh. I probably will. It looks maniacal with its obtuse eyes, yellow vest, and puffy red pants. I take its arms and slap the tambourines together, a delicate clink is released.

"Hey!" Lee cries out. "Let's buy tickets so we can go on some rides." She skips ahead before any of us could protest. A stream of curses run fluently from Sam's mouth. She's not trying to be discreet about her displeasure either, considering I can hear her above the noise. Impressive.

We follow Lee to the booth, who has already paid her bid and is holding her tickets. "What should we ride first?"

We all keep mellow at first, looking around for a ride that may interest us all. Except me. I can't handle rides. Heights make my knees turn to jelly and alarm my sweat glands into overdrive. I rub a hand against my pant leg.

"Ooh," gasps Tiffany. She smacks Sam's arm and points.

Sam tsks. "Wha-oh! Yeah! Now there's something I can get drunk on! What do you think, Lee? Crystal?"

Lee found it spectacular. Me? I found it to be less than invigorating.

"Hmm. You guys can go...I'll stay here. On the ground. Where the sane people are."

"Where the boring people are," bites back Sam. "Let's go and leave Crystal to her monkey."

Lee giggles without a second thought and dashes to the ride, standing in line behind a big bear of a man. Sam sashays behind her. Tiffany lingers for a moment.

"You sure?" she asks.

"Yeah. I'll be fine."

"Okay...and may I just apologize ahead of time…" she sprints off.

Apologize for what? I shrug it off, thinking nothing of it. I hold the monkey to my chest, and, serendipitously, the song "Masquerade" from The Phantom of the Opera pops into my head. I hum it while I wait. Thankfully the line was short and the three characters were on the ride in less than two minutes.

"Cotton candy! Come grab your cotton candy here!"

That grabs me from my stupor. I turn toward the loud voice. Spotting a man on stilts waving around colorful bags of cotton candy, I smile and rush towards him.

Sweets are a weakness of mine.

"Cotton candy! Co-Well hello there, young lady," he grins big and wide. "See anything that tickles your fancy? Tell me what will be your pleasure tonight?" He opens up his long, red coat, spreading it wide like the wings of a proud bat. "Luscious lollipops? Bubbly-licious gum? Sour, sour gumballs? Twizzlers galore? Or…?"

"...cotton candy?" I gently intervene.

His face lights up. "Ah! The little redhead speaks."

I smile, blushing. "May I have-?"

"Wait!" He holds up a hand. "Let me guess your color. I'm good at guessing…it's a specialty of mine." He waves his hands majestically, swirling his fingers around over and over until they look blurred together. His eyes close.

I'm mildly amused...I'm also mildly weirded out.

All at once his body jolts, eyes snapping open. He pulls out a pink cotton candy from behind his back. He presents it to me, "Ta-da."

I smile, grasping the stick of the cotton candy.

"Well?" drawls the man.

I hold it up to salute him. "You guessed correctly. How?"

"Your personality. It's as shy and sweet as a pink rose; pure as a diamond."

I blush.

"Have a good rest of your night." He cackles crazily before walking in the opposite direction. "Cotton candy! Come and get your cotton candy!"

Goosebumps rise. Stunned, I turn around and bite off a chunk of cotton candy. I return to my original post. The girls stumble to me, laughing. Their hair all mussed, except Sam's thanks to some hardcore gel.

"That. Was. Insane!" Tiffany grabs her brush and swipes it through her hair.

"Right? Bile rose in my throat at least three time!"

Sam shrugs. "Eh. It was mundane at best. What'cha got there?"

I swallow a mouthful of fluff. "Cotton candy."

Sam lets out a puff of air. "We could've been having Margaritas or Bloody Marys or even the classic Sex on the Beach about now."

"Oh, shut up about that." Tiffany throws her brush into her bag. "While this is not what we were expecting to do tonight, I think we've all been having a fun time so far. Including you, admit it, Sam."

Sam rolls her eyes. "Fine. Fine! It made me scream, which is something no other man has been able to achieve so far."

"Gross," I mutter.

Lee, oblivious to our conversation, drags our attention back to her. "Guys, let's go ride some more!" She grabs my hand, tugging me to her.

We peruse the circus. Lights flash in our eyes, horns and diabolical giggles cram our ears; there is not a moment of silence; there is no sense of peace anywhere in sight.

The girls went on a few more rollercoasters, two that went upside down, three that just spun them around. They got on one that lifted them high up into the air, stopped, then dropped straight down. My stomach lurched when I saw that. I didn't join them on any of those rides. I would've preferred to wander the tents, which beheld precious jewels and magic tricks. I remained as content as I could with my stuffed monkey and my cotton candy...but now...

"Can we wander the tents now? At least for a little while?"

Tiffany smirks. "Okay, but I need some food first. Anyone else?"

"Oh, yeah."

"Oh, food!"

I wasn't so hungry anymore, but since they are, what choice do I have?

We hunted for an appealing food vendor when I snuck up next to Tiffany while Sam and Lee bantered each other. In passing, it looked like Sam was ready to pummel Lee.

"Hey, Tif?"

"Mm?"

"What were you apologizing for earlier?"

"What?"

My face deadpans. I don't want to play this game. "You know…"

"Oh!" Lee gasps dramatically. "Oh, look! It's Rick!"

What? I frantically search the premises. My heart stops in my chest when I spot his chestnut hair. So it is.

"Let's go say 'hi'," Lee continues, running towards him. "Hi, Rick!"

Rick looks up, spots her and smiles. She hugs him tight, which he returns wholeheartedly. Then he spots the rest of us. His eyes, though, rest on mine.

How is this even possible?! My eyes narrow. Tiffany! That's what she wanted to apologize for! She freaking set this up.

"Yo, Rick!" Sam waves.

"We should greet him," Tiffany butts in.

And, against my better judgement, I follow them like a sheep following its shepherd. After finishing his hug with Sam, he hugs Tiffany.

"Hey, Tif," he mumbles in his smooth baritone.

He glances up at me, straightening. "Hi, Crystal."

Oh, that tone is so heartbreaking. "Hi, Rick." I clear my throat. "How are you?"
The only reason why I'm tolerating conversing with him right now is because it's what my friends would expect me to do.

He runs a hand through his hair. A sign I know only too well that represents his distress. "Fine. Could be better. You?"

"Could be better." Darn straight.

Lee interlocks her arm around his. "Well, I'm starved. Do you want a hamburger?" She tugs him away from us.

"What the hell were you thinking?" I hiss out, my teeth clenched so tight it hurt my jaw.

"I'm sorry! I'm really sorry!"

"Lighten up, Crystal." Sam examines her nails. "You can clearly see the boy is still heartbroken over your break-up." She scoffs and walks off.

"She's right. And you two were so cute together," says Tiffany.

"I broke up with him for a reason," I snarl.

"A crummy reason."

"Breaking up with someone because you're no longer in love with them is crummy?"

Tiffany sighs. "We believe that your obsession with The Phantom of the Opera might have...influenced your break-up."

"What?!"

"You're practically in love with that character...what's his name?"

"Erik?"

"Yes! We know that you and Rick were very much in love once upon a time, which is why we're bringing him back into your life, so, you know, you two can get acquainted again."

"You mean fall in love again. My God, Tif," I run a hand over my face. "Did you tell him your logic over our breakup?"

She blanches, and I fear I already know the answer. "Just-just half of it."

I'm dumbstruck. Oh, what he must think of me. "You had no right to do this. Any of this!"

Tif panics. "You've been so sad, so depressed lately, we had to do something! Look, being in love with someone that doesn't exist is unhealthy, but-"

"I am not in love with Eri-the Phantom!" My face flames. "I just love the story. Ugh! I can't believe you did this."

"Rick is a good guy, better than the majority. We all think so. We were so confused when you broke up with him!" She sighs. "He's handle all of this much better than we thought he would, but that's because he still loves and respects you."

Tiffany grabs hold of my elbow when I show sign of walking away. "Just give it a try. For all our sakes. If you don't, you may come to regret it." A moment of silence passes before she walks ahead of me, meeting up with the rest of the group and Rick, who are waiting in line for food.

Oh my God! I'm mortified. Not only what she said was true, but she had just opened my eyes to the fact. Sorrow punches my heart. I am in love with Erik, and thanks to him, I'm no longer in love with what's real.

Rick…