Karma glanced at the time on her cellphone. Where was Liam?
He had called her a half hour earlier and she'd told him that she was in Fort Worth, a 3-hour-drive from Austin. He hadn't questioned her on the reason for her whereabouts, but that if she could afford the time, he'd pick her up at The T transit station. She learned in their brief conversation that he had driven to Six Flags that morning with Shane and Amy in tow, which she had a difficult time believing, considering Amy's reservations on him. Karma, however, didn't bring this up. He stated very calmly on the phone that it wasn't a dire emergency but Amy needed her, and so Karma agreed to the arrangement.
Liam had not forgotten his wallet in his car, but he had needed an excuse to validate his absence for the next hour or so. Shane would be preoccupied with his lover boy and Amy would not go looking for him in that time frame.
When he'd told Karma he'd fallen for her, he had meant that whole-heartedly. He understood how important Amy and Karma were to one another, and so it was his duty to ensure that his girl was happy on all fronts. In his head, the 26-minute drive from Arlington to Fort Worth was a simple fix to this mess of a story.
Karma spotted Liam's dark blue Mercedes on the street that paralleled the station, and she immediately slid into the shotgun seat.
"Sorry I'm a little late, got a little lost with the GPS on my iPhone," Liam explained.
"It's okay," Karma smiled and kissed him lightly on the lips. "I missed you."
"I missed you too," Liam repeated back. "But right now, let's focus on you and Amy."
Amy and Brandy sat at one of the outdoor patio tables, looking down the menu items. Brandy was absent-mindedly humming that Ariana Grande song, the one overplayed on every major radio station in the country. Amy knew, from the way she leered at Brandy when she thought she wasn't looking, that Karma wasn't the only girl she'd ever be attracted to. Not that she wanted to particularly be involved with Brandy, but she wouldn't mind a kiss or two. As if on cue, Brandy's hand reached over the table and rested over Amy's. The two girls looked at each other, and Amy sensed her cheeks were flushed.
They had a nice little lunch together in the middle of the afternoon, and Amy found herself enjoying the company.
Karma bought an entrance pass and followed Liam through the park gates. During their short drive to Six Flags, all Karma had been able to gather was that Amy seemed miserable without her. She found it adorable that Liam cared that much about her friendship with Amy, and she only wished Amy could be more understanding. But she needed Amy more at the end of the day.
Liam and Karma walked past various booths, including the usual one that guessed your age, weight and birth month. The carny at that booth, a gorgeous man in his mid–twenties, attempted to seduce Karma into playing with his charm. However, Liam was quick to usher her away, frowning at the carny.
As Karma veered away from the booth, she caught notice of the patio scene at the All-American Café. She'd recognize Amy's blonde locks and lithe figure from anywhere. She was sitting at a table, with an assumed friend. Karma was about to approach them, when she saw the friend lean over and peck Amy on the lips. Liam similarly witnessed every detail.
"I guess she doesn't need me," Karma noted softly, and walked away from Liam.
That kiss had caught Amy by surprise.
"Let's ride the Titan?" Brandy suggested, to which Amy had adopted a positive attitude and agreed.
They waited a half hour, and in those 30 minutes, Amy felt herself learning about a girl other than Karma for the first time. She found Brandy shared her sense of humour, and was an entertaining storyteller, being three years her senior. Sure, Brandy didn't share a history with her that Karma did, and she could not replace Karma, but she was a new face. Perhaps her happiness wasn't dependent upon Amy. She had many more years to experience all outlets of life. She mentally noted to thank Shane later for introducing them.
Soon enough, Amy and Brandy found themselves in the second row of the first rollercoaster car. Amy closed her eyes as the ride started. The drop came quickly, and for a brief moment it felt like she was shooting towards the damn sky. Fear pulsed through her veins as the orange tracks swerved in different directions. She opened her eyes again and felt herself being heaved upwards, against the velocity of gravity. Brandy sat beside her, laughing beautifully to the wind, and they raised their hands in unison.
Up there in the sky, Amy felt invincible.
Karma who?