Hey There,
Welcome Quinn-quoters and Logan-loyalists! It's another Thursday, it's party time! And this chapter will be picking up right where the last chapter left off. But from Quinn's perspective. I hope this reaches you with plenty of sunshine on this last day of August. Fall is now kicking into full gear and this little authoress is never MORE inspired than she is in Authum. Even when the things I'm writing are still so summer. LoL! Let's get to it.
Special thanks to the few of you who just found this story and placed it on your story alert, or favorite story lists. Also a special thanks to the few of you who have just placed me as an authoress. On your favorite author or author alert! I Really appreciate that and consider it high praise. Hope you're still reading and enjoying
Special thanks to my two reviewers since last Friday's post! Guest (My Goodness! Thank you so much! I'm thrilled that you're reading and enjoying this now. I'm so glad that you found it too, but I think you couldn't have picked a better time to start reading. The first eleven chapters of this fic sat here for some years and I wasn't brave enough to post more. I had to find that courage again, and now I'm determined to finish and go beyond that too. It's seriously the readers like you who have made that possible. Bless you, thank you so much for your kind words, they really made my week! And I hope this chapter is reaching you with plenty of sunshine! Take Care and Much Love!), & (my friend)Rose-Aki (Your reviews for both chapters last week were heaven-sent. I was so concerned with so much of that content, and your kind words put me right at ease. From Logan planning to take one for the team the way he is and knowing Quinn would get jealous, to the prom queen ballot[I didn't know if anyone would like that at all]. To Logan promising he was her boyfriend first no matter what, and all the healing on that beach. Then to the next chapter with all of the theme park fun, that has been SO fun writing. All of those repercussions with Mark, Brooke and the Sci-club scattered through those last two chapters. The fact that you enjoyed it, made my week... even if we both were enjoying jealous Quinn a little more than we probably should have [winkwink!] It's the moments like this, that make me so glad we're friends, none of it would be half as much fun without you. And I still doubt I would have ever found the courage to do any of this if it weren't for you! God bless you, hope this is reaching you very well! I can't tell you how happy I am to hear from you and that FALL is finally here! Take Care and Much Love!)!
Enjoy!
"The Collective Trials of a Quinnventor… And Logan"
Chapter 30 - Waiting for the Splash!
((Michael's Perspective))
I feel like such a chump right now, I can't even tell you.
When I heard our class needed to ride rollercoasters to understand physics. I thought I wouldn't live to even take the exams, and I would be going to my grave also knowing I could have NEVER have passed that class. That was really what I'd thought.
That may be totally morbid, but true! I thought I was gonna be the only one walking into this place with something to prove. That as long as I rode a few coasters with Quinn and let her talk. I should be fine, because she not only knows the science forward and backward. She also KNOWS how to make that material stick, in my head…
I had no idea, Quinn was gonna be facing so much more than I think I ever have. ALL in this one day, and theme park. I also had no idea that she would be handling it as good as she is either. But color me impressed! She just wears a wary, tired-looking smile as she goes about her business. Helping some of her greatest enemies/rivals locate her ex of all people. A person who has gone to great lengths to hurt her lately.
Like yesterday, lately.
She's even working with people she doesn't trust. Because they're all that concerned about Mark. Because all of them are worried for his well-being.
It doesn't seem like Quinn could possibly give Mark a backward glance. Not after the way he treated her when they were together. Or since they've broke up, but that's Quinn, she doesn't give up on anything. Even the people who give up on her.
Oh! Let's not forget how she got Brooke kicked out of the park too. That was EPIC! And she was again so cool about the whole thing! I'm gonna be telling these stories for YEARS to come. And for the millionth time, I wish Chase was here, to see all of this. I had no clue how we were gonna ever explain all of this to him. It's so much! Too much! And he'll never believe the way the pavement cracked when Brooke slapped down on it so hard… That was like something straight out of one of our skits or classic slap-stick comedies we watch.
But BECAUSE Quinn has so much more to do and prove. I have elected myself her head of information. I'm gonna stick this out with her until she finds Del Figgs and then I'm gonna help her any way I can, to have more fun the rest of her night. Lisa has even said, "If she looks like she's gonna be alone, she could hang with us after dark." Even though the other pairs are all running off for some alone time. Lisa's just as impressed as me, and also wants to help our friend anyway that we can.
She even held a group prayer with the nerds, personally holding some of their hands as she prayed with them. That Quinn will find Mark and that things won't be nearly as bad as they suspect. That this night can still be salvaged and everyone will feel better when we're getting back on those buses.
Not gonna lie, I have one INCREDIBLE lady as my girlfriend. But hold on now, my phone's ringing… "Hello?" I answer, knowing my screen had said it was Quinn.
She says, "Michael, I have just gotten to my first personal checkpoint. I need you to tell everyone I haven't found a thing so far, but the workers I know confirmed he has been here. And that he could still be here. To not to give up hope. Okay?"
"Got it," I repeated back what she said out loud. As I was surrounded in interested listeners. Then I said, "Thanks Quinn, but you sound outta breath, don't get yourself all in a tizzy either. Take your time and just pace yourself."
She said, "I will. Did Zoey let you in on exactly what Logan is doing too?"
"Yes she did, but I'm glad that you have at least one of us nearby… even if it is Logan. I know he's annoying but he can be pretty great in a pinch like this. Just keep calm, don't worry about anything else and we'll get through this."
She said, "I'll call you again in a few, with hopefully better news."
"I'll be right here," I promised and we both ended the call.
As the nerds were all starting to talk amongst themselves around us. Trying to guess where Quinn was and just how many places Mark's family could have hidden in these places. Little Lisa came over to me and sat in my lap, while I relaxed on a nearby bench. The place where the sci-club had grabbed Quinn and let her know what was going on. Had been beside the huge mountain-fountain display at the dead center of the park. At least she'd picked a beautiful location for us to stay in and stare at while she figured things out. And at least Lisa was here, to keep me company while Lola kept a trained eye on all of the nerds. Making certain not a single one left, as Quinn had asked. Zoey, James, Vince and Stacey had all split up to search public places in the park and were gonna call if they spotted Mark.
Lisa said, as she crossed her legs, "Michael, have you seen this list on the park's website? The Most Romantic Rides and Events?"
"Why no! I have not! Let me see that thing? Give it here?" She held her phone a comfortable distance from my face and let me take a glance. I noticed the name of the person who'd created the list looked familiar and Lisa said, "Quinn wrote it, years ago."
"That is her name there, isn't it?" I said as I began to scroll through her suggestions. I had to admit, all of them sounded really nice and I was getting curious about each one. As I could see in my mind, Lisa and me enjoying one, two or ALL of them.
I asked Lisa, "Do you think Quinn would mind going with us if we do some of these things?"
"I don't know, but I was wondering if you could do me and Zoey a big favor," Lisa said working some of that magic, she knew would get me to do whatever she asked.
"Oh! You… and Zoey, huh? What do you need?" I asked, and I was expecting something big or at least difficult.
But all she said was, "Could you send this list to Logan and let him know it was written by Quinn? And Mark never did a single thing with her on this list… even though it was originally written for him?"
"Well sure, I thought it was gonna be something a lot harder than that… but why am I sending this to Logan? What's he gonna do with it, besides tease the living daylights out of Quinn while he's stuck with her?"
But Lisa shot Zoey a smile, maybe even a wink as she'd passed us still searching, before she said. "Oh, you know! Just a conversation starter if they run out of things to talk about. Not to mention, Logan is a master string-puller. Maybe he knows of some way this can be made up to her. Maybe he knows how to make a few of these ideas happen for Quinn. Then she wouldn't need to be tagging along with all of us. Feeling like a third wheel all night, it's gotta suck for her… and she wouldn't be with Mark either, that's another must!"
That does sound much better than any other plans I've heard so far. Nearly everyone was worried about where Quinn was going to be spending the rest of her night now. Though I have no clue why Zoey and my little Lisa would think that Logan could help Quinn most. They must know something I don't, I guess! And Lisa was right, Quinn could NOT be with Mark after dark. Not unless they really wanted to get back together and honestly we would have to support Quinn in whatever she decided… we all just really hoped that wasn't what Quinn wanted!
I really did wish for a night where I could have Lisa all to myself. I know I'm a terrible person for wanting that, but honestly, I hoped for there to be a way everything I heard Lisa praying for with the nerds could be true. That no matter what tonight brings, we all get back on those buses feeling better. And ready to face this new week, as well as PROM and exams.
When I dream, I dream big, don't I?
(Quinn's Perspective)
I'd stepped off of the raft, hijacked by Logan, and hopefully kept to the shadows. Long enough for him to not see me before I moved to the passage hidden in the darkness. The first of all shrouded places on this ride. Yes, this entrance was draped in perfect blackness even on the brightest days. But I was taking no chances.
It didn't shock me in the least to find it empty and abandoned. Like no one had been there in ages, maybe not even since the last time I was here. If these cobwebs were any indicator, no one had ever been here before and I'd only dreamed up my time's shared here. I knew there was no way he would be in the very first place I looked.
I called Michael and let him in on my progress. But my conversation may have come off a little clipped. Because I'm still reeling from my secret boyfriend's latest surprise.
Logan had completely ignored all of my insistence on 'needing to do this alone.' And had followed me ANY WAY! Only letting Zoey in on this master plot of his, to accompany me against my wishes, instructions, and conditions with the Sci-Club. Not knowing he was totally throwing them all a major loophole so that they could weasel out of letting our rivalry die out while we're all still young. Why must he always do these things at the most agonizingly inconvenient times?
He claimed his only motive to be that he hadn't wanted me to face any of this alone. And even though I'm well versed with his history of scheming, trickery, and just doing whatever he wants. Regardless of anyone else's thoughts or feelings… Is it completely weird how I believe him?
I know I should be more mad, I should be furious. For his blatant disregard for my well-expressed ideals and feelings on the subject. I should have insisted on my original plan of stealing one of the workers to assist me. They run into things like this in this park all the time with animals disrupting the spillways, or Mark's family, even if particularly Mark's unruly cousins. Just causing trouble as unsuspecting riders who can't stop fall victim to their bizarre games. But even though I know I should be seething… I just couldn't help but feel glad Logan was with me…
GLAD! That he completely defied me, went over my head with a better plan. HOW am I HAPPY about any of that?
It was all to be with me… to be my fail-safe. I tried to rationalize that maybe he was getting something more out of this. Though I have no clue what that would be. I was so exhausted by everything else that had already happened today. Maybe I just lack the strength to be mad about anything else. That's more than feasible, and likely.
As the onslaught of memories good and bad from this one place. This one pin on my head-map had me nearly in tears, however. It was a HUGE comfort to know I wouldn't have to be in that raft on my own. This was gonna be harder than even I had thought initially. I know it is so hard to believe, given everything that has transpired since my breakup with Mark. But I had been happy with Mark, even if he'd never treated me very kindly, and even if I am very hurt, mad, and confused by his behavior. Both from when we were together and since we've been apart. I see now, how bad it actually was for both of us. I also don't wish him any ill will or pain…
I just didn't want to have to talk to him or see him… For a little while. Till I could process things better and do so in a civilized manner… since he's gone full throttle TOXIC and changed so much. But that wish flew out the door when the sci-club shared their fears with me. I hoped they were being over dramatic or lying. But I was too worried to risk being wrong.
Like I had been telling Logan, I don't know what would have happened to me. If he hadn't found me when he did, said all the right things, and pulled me back to life the way he did. That day on the bench. I do believe that he gave me a peek at his true self that day. The one he's been hiding all along, deep inside. And THAT's the person I fell for. Head over HEELS, the second he came out… I didn't stand a chance. I had even kissed him that very moment… and I would do it all over again.
He'd saved me, when I think about it and I'd helped him start letting that other person out. To the point, he didn't recognize his old self this morning. When he had to return to his old ways. Surrounded in girls, being pulled all ways at once, always enough of him to go around. Of course, I was jealous of every temptress and trollop who had gotten to be with him when I couldn't. But I really don't think we were even acquainted with the same guy anymore... Why wasn't that as comforting as I know it should be?
Probably because if they'd gotten a glimpse of my guy the way I did... there's no way any of them could have let him go either.
How does even thinking about it now, make me SO angry? When it's all over with, clearly! And he's intent on being with me the rest of our time in the park? How can it still tick me off so well?
Because I love him! Plain and simple, even if telling him so could ruin everything. So I'm trying my best to keep it to myself for as long as I can… he's just NOT making it EASY! Keeping it to myself, it just keeps wanting to come out, all the time. I guess there really is more than one logic behind calling it the L-Bomb. It has to be considered as carefully as nuclear warfare.
It wasn't very long before the raft was back and I had slipped back on it. While it passed through the tunnel. I had such a practiced hand at this task, I'd even managed to reclaim the same seat sleekly before the light hit me. And Logan's smile when he saw me again had been just the balm for my tattered nerves.
He guessed, "He wasn't there?"
"Nope." I confirmed, sharing. "But I really didn't expect him to be in the first place I looked. That would have been way too easy, I just got that over with really. This is going to be a really LONG afternoon."
All he said was, "Hey, at least you're not alone, I've got nowhere else to be."
"Or playing a role," I did have to admit, that WAS nice after having to hide how jealous I've been ALL day. As my secret boyfriend submerged himself in temptresses. All hoping to rope him into spending the rest of the day with them.
Not gonna happen you harlots, NOPE! Back off!
Even though I knew it was all to keep our secret hidden, and this wasn't the first time Logan and I had done this. It didn't make it any easier hiding all of my reactions to those hussies making passes at my baby! Right under my nose too.
"But how are you really holding up?" I asked him. "After giving up all of those girls who had been riding with you earlier? It can't be so easy giving up all of that assortment of company-"
"It's a lot easier than you'd think." He assured holding on to me, excessively. Even though he was belted in place and I was still on the other side of the safety measure. He asked, "Is the next place very close?"
"It's not far." I warned.
"So it's not far enough for you to slip back under here with me?" He asked hopefully.
But I confirmed, "Nope, it's gonna sneak up on us quickly. I'm just hoping I remember how to step off correctly for the next one. It's a little trickier than where I just came from."
Then he'd gotten me talking about what the other rides are like. If we don't find Mark anywhere in this ride. And I got so into talking to him, I nearly missed the next stop altogether. And for some reason, the moment I hinted I would need to go again. Logan laid a kiss on me like he would never see me again, like he was almost saying goodbye…
And I had to make a mental note to talk about that with him. When I returned to the raft, what had that been about? What was going on with him? I mean it had been… really nice. But also, I just got the feeling there was something he wasn't telling me… you know? I'll have to talk with him about that when he comes back around.
((James' Perspective))
Michael and Lisa had chosen to stay with the Sci-club and set up a home base at the center of the park. Vince, Zoey and I all split up to search the rest of the park for any signs of Del Figgalo while Quinn had started checking all of his hiding places. I think Michael had said Stacey was helping too, that she noticed Quinn's standoff with the Sci-club and had stopped to volunteer her eyes, and ears in our search. But I could be wrong… After not getting much sleep at all last night, I could feel myself quickly running out of steam. As the non-stop walking and searching started to take a toll on me.
Needing a pick-me-up and quickly, I ended up stopping off at a coffee cart. Hoping the caffeine or sugar could give me a second wind. But as I was standing in line, I heard my name being called out from one of the game booths nearby. Specifically the "Wack-a-mole" attraction adjacent to the line I was standing in.
A little red-headed girl told me point blank over her loudspeaker. "James Garrett I would not do that if I were you."
I asked the girl, "How do you know my name?"
"Step this way for answers… if you dare." She'd said epically… sounding more like she should be working a gypsy stand at a carnival than the actual game she ran.
I hesitated because… who wouldn't be a little freaked out, in my place.
But the girl explained, when I stepped up closer, "Sorry, about the freak show speaker box announcement. But the vein in my boss' forehead always pulsates if I make any announcement and don't make it sound like 'you just won the lottery.' Or the 'ABSOLUTE chance of a LIFETIME!' Stepping over here, and talking to me!" She'd spoken over her loudspeaker again for all of the bold parts. Then she waved to a person over my shoulder and said, "Hey Boss! How's your day going, huh?"
The man she's spoken to told her, "BACK to WORK! Slacker!"
She flippantly announced over the speaker, "THAT'S right LADIES, no need to FIGHT over this housebroken hunk of man. Believe it or not, he's still single! Get back out there KILLER, give those girls a break, Demitri!"
He shouted back something I couldn't repeat in the presence of a lady. But she shrugged it off and said. "He won't walk through here for at least another hour. So I can talk now, I know you from PCA, that's my school too. The rest of the week, I also run one of the coffee carts too, as a side hustle. But on weekends I work here and make the bigger bucks… I'm saving up for college. Giving park visitors, you know…" Then she put the mic up to her mouth again. "THE chance they've ALL been waiting for. A WINNER EVERYTIME, FOLKS! WACK A FEW MOLES and you TOO can take HOME you're very own HOUSEBROKEN Gary the Snail, Mr. Crabs, Pearl the Whale, Sandy the Squirrel, Patrick Star, or the MAGIC, the Myth the Legend, Himself! Sponge Bob! Square PANTS!"
I had to tell her, "You're really good at that, you know?"
She smiled, "While thank you kindly? But the reason I stopped you is because if you want coffee done right. Like the way I make it, when I'm crafting caffeine for the masses. You need to go to the cart around the corner and to the left. Where Janine is working, she's the best here in the whole park! But if you go to that stand over there, Pierre won't even understand your order, he doesn't speak English very well… or know how to work the expression machine."
She said just before the expression machine let out an explosive sound from that stand. And the barista was running around and panicking in French. Trying to regain control over his equipment.
"Oh." I was so surprised, I stammered, "Th-th-Thank you… ah?" I knew I'd seen her face before, but I couldn't remember her name or read her nametag which was covered up by her hair.
She said, "No sweat, might want to hurry, you're looking as droopy and tired as me. With my three lives, go get some sippable energy. Rejuvenate!"
That was when it hit me, this girl was a classmate. I wonder if she knew Mark, too. He ordered coffee at least, I'm sure. So before I left, I ran back and asked her, "Hey! Uh, by any chance do you know Mark Del Figgalo?"
"Sure, he's in my Trig class and orders coffee from me EVERY morning." She shrugged, before asking. "Why?"
"He's missing somewhere in the park, my friends, the sci-club, and I are all looking for him. Have you seen him? At all, while you've been here today?" It couldn't hurt to have an extra pair of eyes around.
She said, "Well yes, but that was EARLY this morning, like when I first opened up. He was standing with the Sci-club when they stopped by to give me a healthy dose of humbleness. They're super intimidated by any woman with a brain."
"I've noticed that." I had to acknowledge and chuckle, she had a to-the-bone honest way of expressing herself. That was just… charming to the point of refreshing. "If you see him again could you let me know, like you did just now? When I walked by?"
"Sure thing, I hope you find him." She wished me luck before getting back to her job. And I headed for the coffee cart she'd indicated. Not only was the coffee awesome, but it had been just the boost I'd needed. I told the others about the girl I'd met, the COFFEE, and everyone was thrilled to hear that there was someone else keeping a lookout for Mark. Someone who knew the park well and stationary enough to see something… possibly.
Even if it was pointed out to me by my girlfriend that I should have left this girl my number. So she could contact me if she saw anything.
It had crossed my mind, but I hadn't done that. Because I had felt weird about explaining such a thing to my girlfriend. How I had been chatting up a cute girl… it wasn't lost on me that Zoey hadn't thought that would be weird… Even though I had.
Given she's majorly focused on helping Quinn and finding Mark, right now… but Still! She wanted me to give the cute girl my number? Her boyfriend?
Do you see what I'm talking about with this weirdness showing up EVERYWHERE? In almost everything we do now?
Even if Michael had to tease me, "Dude, do you realize how much you sound and look like Charlie Brown right now? Coming back in your yellow shirt with black pin-strips talking excitedly about a little redheaded girl? No name, just a ginger-headed, helper? You might as well have a best friend with an old soul and blue blanket wrapped around himself."
It's not even like that, he KNOWS I love Zoey. And Charlie Brown was in LOVE with his little red-headed girl. And Charlie Brown is bald, all except for one curly hair above his face, and has a cool beagle,… but leave it to Michael to make me laugh like that, in the middle of a crisis.
I had been up all night, not able to sleep because I love Zoey! And today has just left me with even more questions, about that.
But now isn't about us! It's about Quinn and finding Mark. Making sure he's alright, and I was a little thankful for the distraction, honestly. Whether it's one of us or Quinn, I hoped one of us found Mark soon and all of this suspense could end already.
(Quinn's Perspective)
It wasn't till I had checked several more hiding spots, called Michael a handful of times, and only had one remaining left to check. (On this ride anyway,) That my little clipped conversations between hiding places got really interesting with my guy. Logan has gotten far too good at distracting me! Keeping my thought processes focused on positive things, interesting things, or focused on my task at hand.
Logan had asked, like every other time. "Is the next one very close."
"Hmm, not very. This is the last one and it's the furthest from all of the others. Probably the most likely place he would be too. I'll have to ride with you a little ways before we reach it, why?" I felt myself shrug.
He shrugged back, "No reason. Just curious, is all." He'd said but his grip got more pronounced around me. As he held on to me for a little bit.
I pushed up my glasses and asked, "Are you certain you're not gonna get bored out of your mind? That you're not already that sick and tired of riding in a boat? Mostly alone? Because I completely understand if you want to head back and do something else to help."
"Certain." He said, still holding on to me.
When I kept bringing up the seasick thing. Logan mentioned living on a boat for three months straight once. That he didn't get seasick… I stored that away for later. You can't just say things like that to me and think I'm gonna let it go. I'm gonna need a little more on that subject, but later.
Because just when I'd let that subject drop again. Our circular raft kinda dragged along a side of the poured concrete-lined section of the waterway, sitting up. And our raft spun us pretty hard. Since he was belted in place and I wasn't. I fully expected to be thrown back to another seat, but his grip on me was so unrelenting. I didn't get thrown like I had been expecting… I'd even closed my eyes anticipating an impact that never came. Even though I had helped stay with him using my leg to push against the center handlebars of the raft, he'd stood and gripped me so carefully. I didn't move an inch… my man is more muscular than you'd think.
The first thing I made sure of was he okay after that. He just smiled, "Yeah, why are you worried about me? You're the one who almost went flying, I was afraid you'd fall out."
When I pointed out that I could have unintentionally hurt him just then. He pointed out that, "Since we've been together, you've seen me on the wrestling team, even took me on once or twice. I've been picking you up every day in dance rehearsals for weeks. Believe me, I've got you. And I'm used to fighting like hell to hang onto you more than anybody."
I had to admit, "Yeah, I guess you are." And I had to hug him for that and whisper. "If I wasn't worried about people seeing us through here I would totally kiss you. But I know there are a few spots through here that are public viewing spots to the rest of the park. Where anyone walking by could peek in on this ride and Mark can see it too if he's in this next spot."
"Creepy." Logan reacted to this news as I slipped out of his hold.
"Yeah, it is in a way." I had to admit. As I took my seat next to him and slipped the belt around the both of us again. I didn't want to take any more chances of hurting him. Then we floated past the next landmark I had been looking for, A HUGE stone structure that looked kinda like a face to me. An old lady's smiling face, if you asked me. I wouldn't be stepping out right away, but it was coming closer.
I told Logan, "I'm amazed you're still strapped in. I would have thought you would ditch that seatbelt long before now."
He grinned impishly and I knew he was gonna say something flirtatious. I wasn't wrong. "Well, maybe I had just liked it a little too much being strapped down with you. When those older ladies kept tugging and we kept getting closer-"
"I thought you weren't into that stuff?" I reminded him. In a vain attempt, trying to keep my head.
He flirted, "Maybe I am and I just didn't know it," He flirted, only getting closer to tease. "Maybe I hadn't been tied to the right person."
"We're still in those publicly viewed areas." I tried to warn him as he was coming closer.
But he trapped me in my seat anyway and whispered, "If I stand like this no one can see you." Then he'd kissed me again. Like he was never gonna see me again. Like he was saying goodbye, and I couldn't remain quiet on the subject for another minute. I was going to talk about this with him, as I pulled him back down to his seat.
But like I was complaining above, Logan is too good at keeping me distracted now. He'd asked me, (before I could ask him anything). "Have you thought about what you'll say to him, when you find him? Mark? Have you thought about what he'll say?"
"A little," I confessed. "But I think it's gonna greatly depend on what state he's in, and what state I'm in, by the time it happens. What I'm really hoping is that we can find him before the sun goes down."
"Does this search get way harder at night?" He asked, and it was a good question.
But I let him know, "Oh no. Day or night doesn't hold much difference here. It's just that I fully intended on spending the rest of my night with someone here in the park. And I really didn't want to miss that, even as I have no clue of what we'll get up to exactly."
He actually looked surprised as he asked, "You did?"
"Of course, I did, I told you I did," I said and he just didn't seem that hopeful of it now. For some reason.
And when I pressed him on the subject, he said. "Yeah, but that was before all of this news about Mark not being in good shape came up."
"What does any of that have to do with our plans?" I asked, and he was still looking at me with this look. That I couldn't identify, it just didn't seem very Logan at all.
He even struggled to explain, "I don't know… it's just, I know you love him… or used to. I know he hurt you and I know he's been awful to you lately… but-"
"But what?" I asked a little firmer. Before I realized, "Wait a minute, you CAN'T think I would want to go back to him, can you?"
He hesitated but eventually admitted, speaking quickly, "The thought may have crossed my mind."
"Why?" I asked again.
"You loved him, I know you did… You used to say it all the time to him. Even when he wouldn't say it back, or mean it the same way you did. So, I was a little worried now that he's in the clear again and single-"
"That will never happen," I told him in all honesty. I even repeated, "Never."
He tried to reason, "Yeah, right now. But when you talk to him, you may feel differently. And he may have realized just what he'd given up when he let you go-"
We weren't in the public areas any more, we weren't near enough to my next drop-off yet. So I grabbed him by the scruff of his collar, turned us in our belt confines, and pinned him back to his seat. Then I told him, "You listen to me. It doesn't matter what Mark says or does when I find him. It doesn't matter how long I disappear for or how long our conversation may run. When I come back out… I"m coming back to you… Okay?"
He tried to argue again, saying "But you could feel differently when you talk to Mark. He could want you back."
"Not only do I not think that's possible, but I also know I would never go back to him. Okay, I can't believe we're even discussing this right now." I said as our raft jilted me again and he held on to me tighter yet to steady me. I had been standing and he was sitting, even when he was just steadying me, his hands were so soft on my arm and waist. I explained, "If there's anything that being with Mark taught me it's that saying that can ruin absolutely everything."
"Saying what?" He asked.
"There's more than one reason it's called the L-bomb-"
"How's that?" He interrupted to ask.
"Because I really did think that if Mark didn't love me, I could love him enough for the both of us. And it doesn't work like that."
"Oh. No, that isn't how it goes." He had to say.
I even explained to him that I thought maybe Mark didn't know how to love (when I had started liking him). So he had to figure it out like he had to figure out equations or his studies. I had even confessed I wasn't the right person to bring this out of him. But Brooke had, and Logan nodded along with what I was saying. I had to end my hypothesis with my own conclusions besides these harsh facts. "I now know it has to be from both sides and meet in the middle. Or it can't work, so I know how nearly impossible that is-"
"It's not impossible, it was just never gonna happen with Mark. Cause he's an IDIOT!" Logan said as he banged his head back against the headrest. With enough force to bring me with him a little bit. "But he may come back smarter, now and try to take you back. It could even just be a rebound thing… I just think you need to be careful or more careful than you think."
"I don't think I do," I had to tell him as I could see this was really worrying him. Or he was greatly worried about something else and he was channeling through this. Either way, he needed to talk to me. So I completely put my search mission on the shelf for a minute. I climbed into his lap and held on to him until he spoke again. And even I was surprised at how quickly that had worked.
He'd said, "I know how crazy I sound right now, and I know Mark isn't your typical guy. In any case, but I can't help feeling like you need to be cool about this. But also, not too nice, because he didn't hurt you one or two times. He's done it non-stop, he's gone out of his way to hurt you. If he's dangerous or if he's on the rebound, you just… need to be cautious, I don't know."
"Mark? Dangerous? Really?" I couldn't help but laugh.
Logan was perfectly serious when he said, "He could try to steal you back… and I can't even do anything about it if he did."
"Do anything?" He was even thinking about that? This conversation KEPT surprising me.
He shared his thought process, "The way things are now, if I said anything about what's really going on. Everyone would think I'd made it up just to keep you away from Mark. Only you would know I wasn't lying… Just like you were the only one who knew I wasn't acting nearly everytime we've danced."
"Well, I'm hopeful it's not gonna be anything nearly that dramatic." I shared hoping to give him some comfort. He was so tense again all throughout his body. I felt like I was sitting on the lap of a stone statue, what in the world had gotten into him? I kept talking. "Or anything like the sci-clubs predicting either. Knowing Mark… the old Mark, anyway. He probably just needed some quiet time to himself… to think. I'm just checking up and asking him if he's okay… because the sci-club is right, for once, to be concerned. Nothing more."
He was quiet, and just listening to me, so I kept going. "When I was with Mark I didn't see his treatment of me as being bad. Not till I was out from under it, you know, and… till I was here with you. And I'm so much happier with you than I've ever been before. You were talking about the changes I've helped you with. But you've changed me too, I know you have. And I couldn't have handled today at all. If it weren't for knowing you would be here with me. I probably would have not even come here, without you."
He took a long deep breath and asked, "Do you really think it can ruin everything… dropping an L-bomb?"
"If it's being dropped on someone who doesn't feel the same as you, YES! … And Mark didn't, no amount of saying it or meaning it could change that."
"But what if both people felt it and meant it? And someone said it? What then?" He asked, and that got the gears in my head cranking. Because honestly, I had no experience with that. And I told him so. Not with romantic love or even familiar love, so much… even if the friendship sort of love I knew we were both very lucky to have.
"I don't know, because that's never been the case for me. I'm always used to saying it and regretting it. Even when I say it to most of my family members."
"We may be very different, but on that, we're exactly the same." He did just manage to finish saying before our raft hit something and we both turned to realize we'd reached the end of the ride. Our raft was heading up the entrance ramp. This made Logan realize, "I made you miss your last checkpoint! Damn! I'm sorry!"
"It's okay, it's okay! Like you told me the other day, this was more important. I could tell you needed to talk about something." But I climbed out of his lap as the workers for the park and ride began to scoff and giggle at Logan's cozy position with me wrapped around him. When we reached the platform and I was fully expecting to explain, we needed just one more round at least to check that last place.
Bonnie (One of the eldest worker in the park, one of Mark's step aunts, and by far the sassiest) climbed into our raft to tell me "Almost the next second your boyfriend here was outta sight. Mark just popped up in a raft with a couple that had been making out and scared them to death." He'd already left the ride and had been followed out by Bonnie herself. She'd sighted him heading towards the Hollowed Log boats ride. And I knew he had a favorite spot there in particular.
So Logan and I had to relocate to see if he was now hiding there. In that other ride, it had been a good thing I'd missed that last checkpoint after all. Even if that had been where he was hiding I still would have missed him by the time I was getting there. So I thanked everyone for their help before grabbing Logan's hand and running for the ride called "the Lumberjack Drop." Because it's hallowed out log boats pass through a maze of water passes that are attached to a series of drops like a rollercoaster, only these drops have a splash at the end.
I warned Logan about two things he needed to know before we went on this ride. For one, we probably wouldn't get to remain as dry as we were on the last ride. Logan can be very vain, so I wanted to warn him about that first. But he wasn't the least bit put off by this fact.
So I also warned that we couldn't sit the same way as we had on the raft just now. Where we were sitting side by side and belted together in a big round raft. The seats in these boats would be single file. So I would have to either be in front of him or behind him on the same seat. Or I could be sitting behind him on a separate seat. I wondered what would be more comfortable for him. If he still wanted to even bother to go with me at all. And I again told him that if he didn't, I fully understood and I could just grab a worker to be my safety.
But he not only insisted on going with me and sitting on the same seat. I warned him that we would have to be very close. It would be hard to explain to any of our classmates or friends who saw us. But there was no one in line for the ride at all. Even as I arranged for everything with the staff running this ride. No other riders came along to enforce my theory.
I was thankful to see a few familiar faces running this ride today. Betty and Marta, who I'd hung out with a lot in all different parts of the park. They had even let me eat meals with them when I was lonely several times last summer. I knew they'd help us any way that they could. So I introduced Logan and let them know what was going on. I had to arrange fr things like the camera to not publically display Logan and me. And explain why Logan would need to probably ride more than once.
Betty distracted Logan very well, while Marta pulled me aside and said. "Level with me here, Q. Is this guy really just you're friend or is he more than a friend? Cause the girls at the cafe warned us you could be coming this way. And they said he kissed you."
I had to say, "Because he did, but he's my secret boyfriend, for now. As I told them, I need you guys to not say anything. Like I asked the girls at the 'Carryout Cafe' to not say anything."
Marta assured, "Your secret's safe with us, and we won't tell anyone… but you go girl, he's looking at you like I look at those funnel cakes they put up in the window."
I laughed and told her, "Marta, no one looks at anything the way you look at those funnel cakes."
But when I turned to let Logan know we were all set, he was right behind me. Almost too close, asking, "Are we ready?"
"Oh my God! Sorry, I wasn't expecting you to be right there." I said.
He apologized. "Sorry, guess I'm just excited."
"Really? You're excited for a ride like this?" I asked mystified. He's all over the place today.
"Not as much as I'm excited for the seating arrangement." He said flirtatiously. There it is, I knew there had to be ulterior motives.
I tried one last time as our boat was being cued up, "But what if someone we know sees us? How will we explain?"
Right before he boarded our designated hard plastic imitation woodgrain vessel. He told me very firmly. "I'm not letting a chance like this pass me by." Then he'd gotten in first and pat the seat in front of him.
Betty and Marta were no help either telling me, "Yeah Q, take a seat, already."
I was reviewing everything one last time with both of them over my shoulder. And they were both dorking out too much to probably take me seriously. When I had hardly climbed into my seat, hadn't even fully sat down yet and Logan was wrapping his arms around me so tightly from behind. I felt like his arms had wrapped around me more than twice it was so tight. He was, pulling me to him and resting his face on my left shoulder. If there had been any doubt about us before that. Logan left no further room to question our status and it was that much harder telling the girls to not spread the word, about what they had seen amongst our classmates or staff from our school.
Both workers had laughed in my face and told me, "Yeah sure, Like no one can tell?"
I can see I'm gonna have to talk with them after this too, not that Logan's making it any easier for me. Planting a kiss on my shoulder and back of my neck before we can even leave the entrance. Sending both girls over the falls and making me a blushing mess while I'm trying to stay focused.
As soon as we were floating away, I told him, "I hope you're happy." Even though I was laughing as we headed for the first hill where a belt would carry us up the first lift and drop of the ride. Because his snuggles and kisses were getting better as we floated on. I tried to complain, but I couldn't stop smiling as I told him. "They already got the tip-off about us from the girls in the restaurant. They're all gonna be teasing me the rest of this summer."
He ignored my complaints and just said, "I'm liking this ride so much more than the last one already."
"Oh! You would!" I still tried to complain, but he was just not having it now that he had me this close and I was helplessly trapped. I tried to say, "Let's see if you're still saying that when we're at the bottom of this first drop. After the splash."
He sent a shiver down my spine by speaking directly into my ear. "You think a little water's gonna stop me?"
"We'll see," I did barter before we sailed over that first hill and splashed down sending up a light speckling of water. Just enough to dot our clothes and heads a little. We both laughed from the aderenalline, but Logan had grabbed me so tight as we went down I'd wondered why?
But he explained before I could even ask, "I tried to shield you, best I could."
"Aww! That was sweet." I had to say, Mark used to use me as a human shield. This was a nice change. I put my hand on his face and he kissed it before I could pull it back. So I told him point blank, "You're not making it easy for me to leave. AT ALL!"
And I shook because he was laughing that well behind me. "I never said I'd make it easy." He threw my own sass back at me.
"But I am gonna have to seriously go soon. You are gonna have to seriously loosen this grip on me… No matter how much I don't want you to."
He chuckled, before saying, "I'll only let go if you give me a kiss. And I don't mean one of your little teases on the cheek." He told me pointing out that we had this whole water trail to ourselves for the moment.
So I turned around in my seat, took hold of the back of his head and kissed him till he went limp against my back and side. and I promised, "Be right back." Before I made myself scarce again the moment I saw my cue. He floated off with his eyes still closed… so cute.
Mark wasn't in the first or middle places I looked on this ride. But I had my suspicions about the last stop. It was one of the best places in the whole park. That had been BOTH of our opinions and it was the place we'd spent MOST of our time in whenever we came here together. Had I not been so thorough, it would have been the first place I looked. But I was afraid of missing him in one of the more obscure spots, because he didn't want to be found. So I'd checked them ALL and played it more safe.
But I was worried about it, because I had to sit backward in the boat to see where I needed to get off, which would mean facing Logan for a while before it showed up, I would even be going over TWO drops backward. And yet I was still more concerned about the 'facing Logan' part for all of that time! Even more so than the drops, which I have done blindfolded before. Because as wonderful as he'd been throughout this whole process. He has been so much more romantic on this one than he was on any other ride!
And he's bringing so much game right now, that I'm concerned about missing my stop. And facing off with him till it shows itself.
So when I climbed in this time I went ahead and climbed in front of him, facing him. And he was so adorable about it. He picked me up off of the seat and pulled me to him, saying. "Well Hello to you too!"
I giggled freely, and let him have his fun, even though he was a little wetter this time around than he had been after his other trips through the whole track. And even though I knew it was still risking someone seeing us from our class. I tried to explain I had to face this way to see where to get out again, but he kept kissing me and he was just too addictive, and sweet right now. I have no idea what brought it on, I just knew I didn't want to leave again. I didn't want to give this up, or face Mark, and I didn't want to sit facing forward ever again in this ride. I also tried to warn him about the two drops coming, but he already knew about them, this was his fourth trip through. He had the track memorized and he kissed me until we were going up the next belted conveyor heading to the next drop.
I tried to stop him and he begged, "Not till we reach the bottom." When we started to fall together, he held me protectively and strongly against him with his whole self. He covered me as much as he possibly could and let the water hit him instead of me. One of my other friends had been stationed at the crest of that hill {monitoring the cameras that took pictures during the ride. I hope she remembered not to display our pictures on the ride's public display screens, like I'd asked} and called out "WHOOOOOO GIRRRRRRL!" To me from her station.
I laughed and waved, "Hey Simone!"
She yelled down, "Hang on to that boy!"
I yelled back holding on tighter, "I already am!"
While Logan asked, "Do you know EVERYBODY here?"
I explained, "You've been saying all week how small the park is and I've been spending too much time here for years. I was even coming here back before Mark and I broke up soooo, I know almost everyone."
"And you are pretty unforgettable too." He flirted again.
Then the second drop happened, and Logan again was hanging onto me so tight. We'd both gotten a good splash that time. But we both didn't care.
After laughing at how cute he was, I'd asked, "Not that you need a reason or anything, but is there any reason that you're being so affectionate all of a sudden?"
He pulled out his phone and said, "Yeah, I was looking at my text messages and saw that Michael had sent me this." He explained, as he brought up the park's website and showed me my own list that had been posted there for ages. It was the same one all of my friends seemed to be carrying around today. And he asked all excited, "You wrote this?"
"Uh, Yeeeeeah," I said and I could feel my face heating up with an embarrassed blush.
"What's with that reaction? These are some cool ideas." He complimented and before I could tell him. He showed that the list hadn't been the only text our friends had sent. By saying, "Is it because you wrote this with Mark in mind and he never did any of it with you?"
"Well, Yeah!" I admitted, "But it's more than that really. I feel like if I had been writing it now there would be a bunch of things on it for my current guy. That I didn't even write down for Mark." I shared and his answering smile… was just EVERYTHING.
"Oh really? Like what for example?" He asked, still grinning way too sexy for me to take.
"Uh AH!" I let him know, "You didn't tell me a thing for two of our three dates, so no. This is my turn to wow you for a change, and I'm not giving that up."
"Come ON! Not even a hint?" He pouted, but not very convincingly.
He's so loving this! I could just tell.
I stuck to my guns. "You'll just have to stick around to find out after dark. And if we get to sneak off before that, I even have a few ideas for before sundown too." I said with a flirtatious wiggle of my shoulders against him.
He said, "Oh! We are so making that happen!" He said as the last hint I had been looking for came into sight and I had to warn him.
"We're almost there again. I'll call or text you if I see him, and call Michael if he's here. I have a good feeling about this one. But I'll let you know, okay?"
"Okay, be careful." He told me just as we went into the place I needed to jump out and planted a last kiss on his cheek before I was gone.
I hoped so very much that this would be the LAST time I had to leave him like that. And I could finally get this over with.
And when I rounded the corner, and peeked around the next one, I got my wish! I saw Mark sitting in his FAVORITE hiding place that was the perfect view of the biggest waterfall in the whole park. The ride took you to a front view of this feature, Mark's hiding place was underneath the waterfall. If you looked up through it at this time of day, there was almost always a rainbow, formed by the natural spray. It was also a natural feature that was here hundreds of years before this park was even here. We'd conducted several studies in it, and stared at it for countless hours of peace as well. Like the tossing ocean had calmed my soul and spirit the other day. This would be where Mark would come for some solace. It just made too much sense… if I wasn't so thorough, I would have come straight here, but I knew I had to be so precise.
So before I got into all of this with him, I called my baby to let him know Mark was here. And he'd told me, "Great! That's Awesome! Just check on him and make sure he's okay. And let him know he has a bunch of friends worried about him. Don't get all psyched out, just talk to him and if he doesn't treat you right, walk out on him. You're doing this out of the kindness of your heart, Quinn. If he doesn't appreciate you, then just leave him to figure it out on his own. Take as long or short as you like, I'm here whenever you're ready to go."
That had made me feel better, before I called Michael. And he pretty much gave me a similar pep talk as the phone was passed from friend to friend before I hung up. I let him know I had him in my sights. To let the sci-club know that he looked okay, but I was still gonna try to talk to him and find out for sure. For all of our peace of mind.
Then I took a deep breath and confronted him. I rounded that second corner and let my presence be known as I called out to him. "Hey!"
Mark turned and looked at me, with that same old blank expression I used to love. And said, "Oh. Hey." Back… with no emotion whatsoever.
I said, "I know this is your favorite spot and all. But you've got a bunch of very scared friends out there who were worried enough to ask their worst competitor for help. If that doesn't speak volumes to you of their care for you, I don't know what will."
The first thing he asked was, "Did you come here alone?"
And I assured him, "Your secrets are safe, don't worry about that."
He did say, "I appreciate that… Why are you here? Did your friends ditch you to be with their boyfriends and girlfriends?"
"No, The Sci-club stopped me and asked me to check some of your hiding places. Since you disappeared from thin air. Believe me, I was not going to even ride these rides today."
"Too soon?" Mark guessed flatly.
I said rather curtly, "I don't think I even need to dignify that with an answer. Look, I can see you're fine, I'll let your friends know. But do us all a favor and don't spend the rest of your night here. Be with your friends, they actually care about you, don't treat them like you treated me."
But before I could leave him again, He called out "Hey! Wait a minute…thanks for coming here even though you didn't want to and checking up on me. Just tell them I'll be along, I just needed some time to myself to think."
"Okay," I agreed and was about to leave. I was. But he caught me by my wrist and said, "Actually, could you help me find a few loose rocks to study real quick? Just for old-time sake… I don't know if I'll ever find any good ones without your keen eye and… when are we gonna get another chance like this?"
"I still have a season pass Mark, I'm sure we'll see each other some this summer… probably even in the fall when I set up a full working 'Snack-Lab' in the quad. (I do it every year and play a mad scientist till Halloween Night) I won't let it go to waste while I have it. Even if this is the last one I purchase. I just needed some time away from you because I couldn't stand how toxic you became with Brook and her clique-"
"She's gone, she left me, and after talking to my friends and my Mom this morning about it. I realized you were right. I'd become a different person with her, and I didn't even notice. I've apologized to nearly everybody. For the way I behaved, the way I acted… but Quinn, I owe you the biggest apology of all-"
"Mark, these's no need to-" I tried to give him an easy out.
But he insisted, "No! Please let me own up to how awfully I've treated you. You more than anybody, I even broke your heart and was happy about it. That's how Brooke was, the more trouble she stirred up, the happier she was… and after getting treated so badly by her… I'm ashamed to think the way I treated you was way worse."
"It was," I acknowledged, as he let go of my wrist. I repeated my earlier sentiments, "You didn't just dump me and stomp on my heart. You threw me away and no person should ever feel that low."
"Well, if it's any constellation, Brooke threw me away too. Last night… Guess it serves me right, huh?" He shared.
"No Mark, like I just said, no one deserves to feel that low. Not even you, when you're being more of Mr. Hyde and less of a Dr. Jekyll." I hope I'd expressed that clearly and gave him some peace.
He almost smirked, "You've always been far too kind to me and I've never been very nice to you. I understand if you don't want to be friends anymore, or need more time before you can be anything with me again. But thanks for this, for checking on me… It gave me a chance to clear the air and I hope you can accept my apology."
"I do, and I will help you find a few specimens for old time's sake. But before we're up to our elbows in minerals. Can I share something else with you?" I asked him as he did smirk this time.
"Sure."
"When you broke up with me, you broke my heart. Hurt my feelings and threw me away. But you also did me the biggest favor."
"What?" He asked. "How did I do that?"
"Because that same day that I tried to dress like Brooke and be more like her. You weren't the only one to tell me all the right things. You told me what I needed to hear from you and one of my friends told me all of the rest of the things I'd needed to hear. And since then, we've grown closer-"
"Is it Logan?" He asked out of nowhere!
"Logan? Why would you ask about him?" I tried to not sound so strangled as I asked him to clarify that.
"You guys seem closer lately, he dances with you all the time, and… I don't know, he looks at you different lately. Not to mention I noticed him riding 'White Wtaer Rapids' like several times... looking for something. I thought it might be you he was looking for. I just wondered, was it him? He can be a jerk, but he can also be pretty great too."
"He can, but this is me we're talking about. The biggest dork of the group, he would never look at me twice." I tried to shrug off, I did!
But even Mark had to say, "I think he's looked more than twice, lately and I think he may have a bit of a crush on you. Either that or he just really likes showing off with you. I guess that's possible too."
"That's got to be it, Hey! Let's get to work on this mineral study, huh! You start over there and we'll meet in the middle. Sound good?"
"Sure." shrugged before we got to it.
But almost immediately, when Mark was walking along the slick rocky path beneath the waterfall. He slipped and fell not only in the water, but he fell out on to the otherside of the waterfall. It isn't the first time this has happened but all of the other times, Mark had been knocked unconscious by the pummeling water raining down from the waterfall! So I jumped in after him, afraid he'd hurt himself. But he was fine on the otherside of the natural water wall and we both ended up laughing and swimming back to the hidden alcove. Luckily no boats passed during that time either. So we'd righted ourselves before anyone could see us.
Luckily Mark had thought to bring towels, I couldn't count how many times we'd fallen in or gotten soaked before. When he wasn't so prepared but today, he'd offered me a towel and said, "I'm surprised you jumped in like that."
I let him know, "Believe it or not, I don't want you to hurt or suffer. I Just… need a little space and time… that's all."
He went on to share, "You know? Part of why I'm hiding here is I'm afraid of running into her. Brooke, You know? Seeing her or having to deal with her, so I think I understand what you mean. So I've been avoiding the public areas, and I don't trust the sci-guys not to abuse these hiding spots if I share them with them."
"But you've always been so careful about who you shared these secrets with." I tried to point out something positive to him right now. Before I shared, "And you don't have to worry about running into Brooke at all anymore in this park."
"Why's that exactly?" He asked as he could read my physicality and determinedness to find specimens for him as telltale. He asked pointedly, "Quinn? Why don't I have to worry about seeing Brooke in the more public parts of the park? What do you know that you're not telling me?"
"I may have sort of got her imprisoned in the park's holding cell for underage drinking in the park, and for attacking me." I shared, with my face all crinkled in a cringe.
"She ATTACKED you? AGAIN? Even though we're over?" He asked sounding a little mad. Even though his face remained perfectly blank.
"Yes, but I didn't press charges, I just asked for her to be detained till she sleeps it off. Till we're heading back to campus." I still couldn't stop cringing. I explained, "Yeah, she really wants that prom queen title and she's convinced I do too. When you know about my pageant history, 'Prom Queen' just seems so similar and JUST as stupid. Doesn't it?"
"No, look at how many people wrote your name in, the biggest write-in ballot in PCA history. Even the senior class was voting for you!" He repeated before admitting, "I wrote your name in too. You should be up there with all your friends. And I think you deserve to win more than them too."
"Are you buttering me up now?" I asked him.
"No." He said, too honestly for me to doubt. "I'm only telling you the truth, like old me would have, you know before I got so crazy about Brooke."
Leave it to us to make peace while doing a field study like this. We worked together for a little while longer. Till Mark had a much better grasp on his end-of-the-year geology project. Then I left him happily making field analyst on the fly. Seeming much more perked up since I got here. I could go back to his friends now and tell them with authority. He's not only fine, but he's doing exactly what he should be right now. Focusing on the things that make him happy as well as his dilapitating grades.
While I happily walked back to await my guy's return. I hoped he hadn't been left for too long or made to worry too much.
I happily climbed back into the log-shaped boat with Logan in pitch pitch-blackness of the tunnel. I jumped in facing backwards again and he'd felt the boat dip. So he asked, quietly, "Quinn? Is that you?" And I planned on just waiting for the light to hit us and for him to see me. When it was taking too long, I surprised him by kissing him while we were still in the pitch darkness of a long tunnel. I had gotten very wet helping Mark (and trying to save Mark even if I had toweled off a little) and I tried to warn him. Because the second, he felt my kiss he was trying to grab at me and pull me back into his lap.
I'd warned in a whisper, "I'm very wet now."
He just said, "So am I… and I don't care!" His hands found my waist and yanked me up in his lap then pressed to him. True to his word, his clothes were pretty soaked through too. But I know mine were just as bad if not worse. And I still felt bad, because this wouldn't have happened to him if he wasn't helping me.
When we were back in the light, I told him. "You look so cute, I'm sorry you got so wet."
"What did he do to you? Did he push you in the water back there?"
"No, I jumped voluntarily when he fell in. I was helping him with a field study for a geology project?" I explained and like I'd been saying Logan smirked.
"Of course, you were. Well? How did it go?"
"It's okay, Mark is acting more like his old self and is giving me space. But we're hopeful we can be friends again someday and I accepted his apology."
"He did actually say he was sorry, and meant it?" Logan specified on my behalf and I verified.
"Yes, he did and we cleared the air a little, I feel a whole lot better about things now. But I think I need to stop off and find some dry clothes after we go tell the others." I expressed, and he smiled.
"I think we both do, can you recommend a good shop? You know every other good thing about this park." He asked.
"For sure! Leave it to me, but first our friends!" And I was grateful for Mark not being able to see the boats from his location. Because he was already asking me questions about Logan. If he'd seen us wrapped around each other like this, and kissing he would have known we were more than closer. And Logan had been who I'd been talking about.
So we went over the final biggest drop and let our time here end. But as we stood up and walked out Logan kept staring and trying to say something. But he couldn't seem to get the words out. When I slapped at him and asked him to spit it out, he finally said, "I think we may need to shop first and meet our friends later."
"Why?" I asked him and he pulled out his pocket mirror and stepped behind me to show me my own reflection.
I was already shrugging, "I know I probably look like a drowned rat."
"That's not it, look!" He pointedly directed the mirror at my clothes. Even if specifically my top.
My kelly green top was so wet it was see-through. My navy bra might as well have been on outside of my clothes. And I know I turned three shades red. Logan, finally recovering his words said, "Don't worry, I'll walk in front of you and we'll just stop somewhere close by. Real quick. Just stay behind me and we'll be fine."
I said, "Okay," and did as he said.
Making conversation as we walked carefully out of the long exit off the ride. I said conversationally. "Boy am I glad I didn't 'Lola-this' and forget to wear a real bra today."
"Lola forgets?" Logan asked back just as casually.
"Only for dates or times she's gonna be alone with Vince." I explained, before shrugging. "I don't know why."
"Eww!" Logan said, "I think I know why." I gave him a swat for that.
"Some tops have a built-in-bras, like this top, but I wore a real bra too. Just in case something like this happened. The water just soaked through everything."
"If you wanted to forget your bra for later this evening I would be okay with that." He let me know and got another swat. He shrugged, "I'm just letting you know, I don't mind. Since tonight is entirely in your hands."
"And I'm telling you that I'm drying mine with the hand dryer in the bathroom. Like any other civilized self-respecting human girl would."
"I'm all for that." He said hands up like he was showing me was unarmed, wanting me to take it easy on him. But then he added, "Just the sight of you when we stood up outta the boat was enough to let me know. I'm not gonna sleep all week long!"
I told him to "Shut up!" Because he was making me blush so hard. And he was so cocky!
"I feel an intense heat over my shoulder, are you really blushing that hard right now?"
I told him to "Just keep facing forward, Hotshot."
"Sure, if I look at you again looking like that, I might say to hell with our friends and get lost with you right now. Wherever you want to go!" He teased shamelessly. While my face burned on! But he was being such a gentlemen, blocking anyone else from seeing me and he was facing forward not looking back. If he glanced at all he made sure to be looking at my face... How did I ever get so lucky?
Of course, the sci-club and our friends were right in front of the nearest storefront. And Logan had to shield me the entire time I spoke to everyone. Eventually, Zoey, Lola and Lisa stepped around Logan and found out why he was blocking me off the way he was. Lisa pat him on the back and told him. "That was very gentlemanly, Logan. Thank you for doing that."
"Of course." He said, with that annoyed edge, because everyone had been so shocked to see him taking such good care of me. The Sci-club decided to wait right there by the exit and see if Mark wanted to join them for dinner. While my friends were all starting to split into pairs, but I could tell they were all hanging back because of me.
I set them all free saying, "You guys, I know what you're doing. And it's all very sweet, but really. I have my own plans tonight and I'll be fine. Just go off and have some fun together. I'll be fine.
Lola and Zoey said at the same time, "Are you sure?'
While Michael asked, "You're not just saying that, are you?"
"No, really, you all SHOULD be with your significant others. Logan's meeting up with someone and I have my own meet-up to prepare for-"
Lisa asked again, "Is it one of the guys you rode with earlier?"
While Lola was more concerned with, "It had better not be Mark, little missy!"
"It isn't, just know that I won't be alone and go have some fun." I tried to shoo them all along. And nearly all of them wanted me to know that they were using my suggestions on the site. Which strangely sent some healing vibes. That at least it's existence had helped someone have a more romantic experience in the park.
I told them all again, "Really, just go ahead, I've cleared the air with Mark and everything is on the road to recovery. Everything really will be fine soon, so go celebrate! I will be fine."
They finally listened and Logan had even acted like he was running off to meet someone. Little did everyone know we were meeting up at the best clothing spots I could think of. As I walked towards the place I got to finally take a full breath. Looking for and finding Mark had been nerve-wracking! Even with Logan along for the ride to distract me and keep me from getting too down. Speaking with him and getting some closure… was HUGE! After the week I've had, it felt impossibly easy. But I hoped for better days ahead and a better understanding moving forward.
I still couldn't believe even Mark had asked about Logan… Were we really so transparent? Even he'd noticed us? Or was he really trying to butter me up, and I'd called him out on it?
Nope! I wasn't gonna spend another minute thinking about Mark. I was gonna spend the rest of this night with my guy and hopefully he'll have a great time with me… But I did feel a bit nervous about some of my ideas… some were literally things I knew he'd love. Others are a bit gutsy because they're just that… romantic. And I didn't know if he would be into any of it. But it helped that I knew sort of where our friends would be and even when. Because all of them had shared that with me. And some of their plans were at set times. It was gonna be a balancing act not bumping into them and giving Logan my full attention… but I knew it would be more than worth it.
Keep your fingers crossed that I don't screw this up and my guy gets an awesome night. Where he didn't have to plan anything for a change. That all he had to do was show up and have fun with me for a change. Like Mark had said earlier, when would there be another chance like this? Wish me Luck!
That's All Folks!
Well for this chapter and this week. But I promise to be back next Thursday with the follow up chapter (and yes, it will be back to Logan's Perspective so... hopefully that's a plus too!). I hope you've all enjoyed this trip to Mystic Mountain as much as I have. Please review if you have a moment. I would love to hear from you. I hope that you're having a great week! Take Care and Much Love!
~DarcyBeDippy85