Chapter 10
Once they got to the fairgrounds, Jake opened the side door and the Ely boys started to pile out. Several people stopped to watch as a never ending stream of dark, black haired boys got out. Then tiny, auburn haired Sam got out and they got puzzled looks on their faces.
"Jake, you stick close to Samantha," Mrs. Ely told him.
"Ha!" Bryan crowed. "Jakey gets the girl."
Jake looked like he wanted to pound his brother.
"Knock it off," Mr. Ely told his sons. "Try to stay out of trouble. Meet back here at seven."
"Yes sir," all six boys chorused.
"Make sure you all eat something besides junk food," Mrs. Ely warned her boys.
"Yes ma'am," all six boys chorused.
Sam snorted. It sounded liked the six of them had rehearsed this. The boys glanced at Sam with grins on their faces.
Then they all headed away from their parents. Kit and Adam went together. Nate, Bryan and Quinn seemed to group up.
"Samantha do you need some spending money?" Mr. Ely asked.
Sam shook her head and showed him the ten dollar bill that Gram had given her. He nodded at her.
Jake trailed after Nate, Bryan and Quinn and Sam ran to catch up to him.
"Tagalong," Jake teased over his shoulder.
"Am not," Sam stuck out her tongue at him.
"Do you like rides?" Jake asked.
"I don't know," Sam answered.
"You've never been on a ride?" Jake was surprised.
Sam shook her head.
"I bet you're a puker," he laughed.
"What's that?" Sam inquired.
"Someone who pukes on rides," Jake informed her. "Come on, let's find out."
He started walking quickly towards a ride that made Sam feel dizzy just watching it.
"Wanna go?" his voice was a challenge.
Sam didn't, but wasn't going to let him know that. She nodded and then followed Jake to where they had to pay for a ticket for the ride.
"Sorry kids," the woman behind the booth told them. "She's too small for the ride."
"Well, that sucks," Jake grumbled, as he bought a ticket. "I bet you would have puked all over."
"I would not," Sam challenged.
"Guess we're not going to find out," Jake said. "You stay here and I'll be back in a minute."
Sam nodded and watched as he gave the attendant his ticket and got on the ride. It started to spin a few minutes later and Sam was glad she was too small to ride it. She heard a cowboy yell and bet that it was Jake. She had to smile.
"Hey, Sammy," she looked up to see Quinn, Bryan and Nate. "Where's Jake?"
Sam pointed to the ride as it continued to spin.
"Why aren't you riding it?" Bryan asked. "You too scared?"
"No," Sam stamped her foot. The three guys laughed. "They said I'm too small."
"Excuses, excuses," Quinn teased.
"She is pretty small," Nate said. Sam barely reached Nate's waist.
"Shrimp," Quinn continued to tease her.
"Haven't you learned your lesson not to tease her, Quinn?" Bryan joked with his twin. "She hit you pretty good."
"Yeah, she's got quite a punch for a little girl," Quinn grinned at her. Sam stomped her foot as hard as she could on his foot.
"Ow!" Quinn yelped, dancing on one foot while his two brothers laughed at him. "Jakey needs to control his girlfriend."
"I'm not his girlfriend," Sam kicked the opposite shin of Quinn's.
"Ouch!" Quinn looked as if he almost fell.
"What happened?" Jake strode up. The ride had ended without any of them realizing it.
"Sammy attacked Quinn," Nate laughed.
"He deserved it," Sam crossed her arms over her chest.
"I don't doubt it, Brat," Jake grinned.
"I am not a brat," Sam gave him a glare.
The four brothers glanced at each other and burst out laughing.
"So, how was the ride?" Bryan pointed at the ride Jake had just gotten off of.
"Pretty cool," Jake answered. "I wanted to take Sam on it to see if she'd puke, but she's too small."
"She can prolly only go on the merry-go-round," Nate looked down at Sam.
"What's that?" Sam wondered.
Nate looked at Jake who shrugged. Obviously Sam didn't know anything about the rides.
"It's a thing with horses that goes around in a circle," Nate explained.
"Boring," Quinn muttered.
"I bet she could do the Ferris wheel," Bryan suggested. When Sam looked up at him, he pointed towards a huge wheel looking thing that went way up into the sky. She gulped.
"Are you afraid?" Quinn asked.
"No," Sam said with a lot of bravado.
"Uh huh, let's see," Quinn took her arm and started going towards the Ferris wheel. The other three trailed along behind them.
"I'll even buy your ticket," Quinn dug a couple of dollars out of the front of his jeans pocket.
Sam looked up at the huge wheel as he paid for the tickets.
"It's not a big deal," Jake murmured next to her.
Sam swung her head around to look at him.
"It's less dangerous than riding your pony," Jake said.
"Really?" Sam questioned, looking up at the big wheel.
"Yeah," Jake nodded. "Just don't look down."
"Come on, Sammy," Quinn put his hand on her shoulder and pushed her towards the line to get on the ride.
Sam looked back at Jake and he gave her an encouraging look. She gave him a waned smile as she went with Quinn.
"Think she'll puke?" Bryan asked Jake.
"Nah," Jake shook his head.
"If she does, I hope it's all over Quinn," Nate commented and the three of them laughed.