In Waves | ✔️

24 | the fall

After we shake off Simone and Sean, I'm more than surprised when Matt heads for the bustling pier.

"I was gonna take you for gelato, but I'm thinking I should go off-book from my Lia encyclopedia." He taps his fingers on the steering wheel. "What do you say? It's the last weekend they're in town."

I look at the rotating lights on the Ferris wheel. This carnival is a staple in Oceanview. They come here every summer for a few weeks, bringing their rides and games and artery-clogging fried food. But it's only fun if you come here with the right people.

I take off my seatbelt. "Guess I can miss out on gelato, but only if we get something sweet here."

He pulls into a parking space with a smile.

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We weave between people walking along the pier with their armfuls of popcorn and prizes, and it might be the only time a crowd hasn't made me feel claustrophobic. I'm too focused on Matt to really pay attention to anything else. He's holding my hand, but his fingers slacken when we stop in front of the game stalls.

"I need to win something for you."

I look up at him. "You need to?"

"If I don't then I'll be the one guy in existence who brought his girlfriend here and didn't win something for her. I don't wanna be that tool."

Girlfriend. Hearing him call me that makes it feel like my veins are made of electrical wiring. Constantly humming, never dimming. I wonder if I'll ever get used to it. I hope not.

"You can be that tool." I laugh. "Most of these games are rigged in any case."

But he's made up his mind and his fingers tighten again, whisking me to a basketball-themed stall. I stop walking and he staggers back.

"Nope. If you insist on doing this then at least choose a challenging one," I chime. "You're on the team."

"It's been months since the season ended. I'm rusty as hell." He shrugs.

"Didn't you say lying on our first date wouldn't be a good starting point?"

A guilty grin breaks over him. "Fine, you choose the game, then."

I pull him along until we get to a stall where a group is clearing out from. A classic bullseye game with paintball rifles. We slip in the gap before someone else does, and Matt pays the operator before he rolls up his sleeves.

"You sure you want me to do this one?"

"Only if you don't want to be a tool."

He lets out a laugh. "Tell me which prize I'm aiming for."

I scan over the rainbow of plushies hanging on the surrounding walls. I want to go for the tiger at first, but then it reminds me of Calvin and Hobbes and I hear Nate's laugh echoing, so I point out the floppy Dalmatian puppy instead.

Matt turns to the operator, picking up the gun. "How many do I have to hit for the Dalmatian?"

"Eight."

He briefly closes an eye as he aims, pulls the trigger, and proceeds to hit the moving bullseyes one by one. He gets nine.

I stare at him with a slack jaw. "You're not a secret assassin, are you? That might be a deal breaker so you better tell me now."

His features are tinged with smugness. "Not a secret assassin, but that would be cooler than the hunting trips my dad takes me on." When he gives the Dalmatian to me, I think he sees the distaste in my expression and he quickly adds, "I don't really like it, though. It's just a tradition his dad did with him."