== Be the other guy again.

You are now the other guy. Shit. Shit. You don't want to be the other guy. The other guy is flipping his shit on the inside. The other guy feels like shaking in panic. But that sucks, because you are now the other guy. You run your hands through your hair, mumbling to yourself. It's so uncool to do that, you know subconsciously, but you do it anyway because hearing your own voice, consistent and predictable to you, can calm you down.

"This is so cool," Jade squeals. John nods animatedly. You sigh through your nose and keep your lips pursed. John does everything animatedly. You find yourself waiting in line on particularly steep stairs while John and Jade play that game where you try to slap one another's hands. And they're doing it completely unironically.

You catch Rose looking sideways at you and you blink. Goddammit, Lalonde. You know that she knows something. You don't quite know what exactly, but you have a vague idea, and goddammit, why is she so freaking observant. It's infuriating.

The line gets shorter and shorter, and you find yourself wondering before you get into the train if this whole trip was a horrible, horrible idea. You could do something to get out of other rides, right? You could suggest some really lame, tame-looking attractions and pull it off as ironic? Water rides? You could definitely handle water rides, and you might not even have to throw those out there ironically; it's fucking hot out. Everyone else liked water too though, right? Rose lived over a river: check. Jade lived in the middle of the ocean: check. John lived by a lake: check. You're in the clear. You're the only one without a body of water near your residence, but you live in Houston. There are a shitload of pools everywhere.

"Shall we proceed with the same pair-up as on the last ride?" Lalonde asks, and you see that sideways glance at you again. The kind of minute detail that Harley and Egderp won't pick up, but which is obvious to you.

"Sounds good," you agree, trying not to sound too anxious, leaning against the railing as another group of people load onto the train and it takes off. Except you aren't anxious. No. What would give anyone that impression? Lalonde is making shit up in her head. You are cool as a motherfucking cucumber.

…You continue to tell yourself that. Another group of people get on. You're getting on after the next group. Fuck. Fuuuuuck. You hadn't counted how many loops were on the ride, but you think you're glad you didn't. It's pretty likely that having the information would only make this worse. Harley and Egbert are still playing that dumb game, and they're laughing, but all sounds seem underwater to you. Lalonde starts rummaging through her pockets, and you shift your shaded gaze from the ground to the ceiling. John asks something but you're still not listening and Rose replies but you don't give a shit and Jade sounds concerned but holy crap that was a lot of loops and Rose says some more stuff but the loops—

"Strider!"

"Huh, what." You snap your gaze down to the goth and blink, not that she can see that.

"I seem to have misplaced my mobile phone. Are you terribly attached to the prospect of this ride, or would you mind helping me to search for it?"

You shrug, trying to look nonchalant, but sweet-jesus-yes-oh-my-fucking-god-get-me-away-from-here. "Yeah sure, I'll go."

"Are you sure you don't want us to come too, Rose?" Jade asks.

"No no, that's quite alright. Just text Strider when you've finished the ride, in case we haven't located my own cellular device yet."

"Oh… Okay… Do you want to go on again after? I don't mind waiting again…"

"Neither do I," John says.

"Nah," you interrupt, following Rose away from the line, "You kids have fun. Let us know when to meet up again. And for god's sake, don't lose your own phones."

You move back through the empty flash pass line and come out into the sunlight.

"Where to first, Lalonde? Where do you think we'll find it? Look deep into your psyche, Rose, this is of utmost importance."

"I never lost it."

"…What?"

"I've had it all along; it's right here." She pulls out a professional-looking thing from her pocket and shows it to you curtly before putting it back. "I was wondering if I could speak to you—or vice versa—on a more personal level than perhaps we usually delve into."

"Goddammit, Lalonde," you snap, half on accident. That is a response that is pretty much reserved for your own brain. "Is nothing sacred. What are you, a lego? You're like a lego on the floor of a dark room when you get up in the middle of the night to piss, and then you come back, ready to go to bed, but this lego was sent from hell just so you could step on it and then you have to stop yourself from yelling because everyone else is asleep and you don't wanna wake the whole damn building up. And then you're just there, wondering as you try to ignore the pain, why you got this lego in the first place. Why did you decide to put up with this lego when all it did was cause you pain? And then you keep the lego for years anyway, until it starts to psychoanalyze you and you end up going to a theme park with it when you're sixteen."

You don't really understand half of what you just said, but you don't care too much. Rose got the gist.

"Are you finished, Strider?"

You sigh roughly. "Yeah."

"Small building toys are not designed to be left on the floor of dark rooms. They are to be used in adequate lighting in order to better visualize structure, to make matters more clear."

God-fucking-DAMMIT, Lalonde. She just took your entire extended metaphor and twisted it into something completely different from what it was supposed to be! You were trying to tell her she was annoying you, not consent her prying! "Everything is crystal, Lalonde."

"Your hesitance tells me otherwise."

"I'm fine."

There is a sense of finality in your voice, and she falls silent, lavender eyes regarding you patiently for a moment before speaking again.

"Must I really talk you into confiding in me?"

"There's nothing to confide."

"If you're going to lie to me, at least be a little more inconspicuous. You're beginning to vex me somewhat."

"God, shut up, I'm not lying."

She gives you an exasperated look and sighs, turning to walk off toward the tables across the road-ish path thing. You follow her and feel your phone buzz in your pocket. When you pull it out, surprise surprise…

-tentacleTherapist [TT] began pestering turntechGodhead [TG] at 10:27-

TG: really

TG: youre really gonna pester me about this

TG: really

TT: You told me to, as it were, shut up. I'm not speaking. I am typing.

You sit down across from one another as you receive her message.

TG: this is bullshit

TT: Is it any easier for you to convey your blatant fear of the park attractions through instant message form?

TG: what blatant fear

TG: there is no blatant fear

TG: i am a motherfucking strider

TG: we don't know the meaning of fear

TG: thats what you get with someone as awesome as my bro raising you

She looks up at you pointedly and you look back, but it doesn't matter. She can't see through your shades any better than anyone else.

TT: Is that so?

TT: I take it that joining me in my search for a misplaced cell phone was completely out of the goodness of your heart then?

TG: well you know

TG: cant resist an opportunity to be charitable

TG: where would i be if i did that

TG: i would only have my good looks and badass moves

TG: and whats a pretty face without a personality really

TT: If you could spare me the theatrics and simply tell me how I can be of assistance, that would be positively lovely.

TG: how you can be of assistance

TT: Yes, that is in fact what I said.

TG: …

TG: you could do some creepy goth voodoo shit and break all the coasters if its not too much trouble thanks

TT: At long last, the ambiguous Strider speaks!

TG: shut up

TG: i can deal with it

TT: Clearly. I presume you wish to keep this a secret from our companions.

TG: yeah kinda

TT: Now that, I can help you with.

-ectoBiologist [EB] began pestering turntechGodhead [TG] at 10:34-

"Fuck."

"Hmm?"

EB: hey! we just got off the ride! :B

EB: did you find rose's phone?

TG: yeah be right there man hold on

"John and Jade. We gotta go."