Chapter 18

The rest of the week went by in an interesting way. Well, Leon asked me out on a date to the library. I, of course, turned him down, but I think he was just trying to think he was better than Aiden. Gabe was home with the cold for a few days, so after school I would get him whatever he wanted and make him food while his mom was grading papers at school; she's a second grade teacher, so she has to deal with those little whiney leprechauns every day. Goodness, that would be torture. Gabe was healthy and back to normal after a week of my outstanding hospitality, so this weekend we decided to go to the fall carnival in Charleston.

It is a small fair that is hosted near the docks and has games, delicious fattening food, and a few laid back carnival rides. Nothing could be better than sharing a large basket of cheesy fries and fresh squeezed lemonade with my best friend!

His mom took us there later in the day, at sunset, so she could go out for coffee with her teacher friends.

"Let's go on the ferris wheel!" My was mouth stuffed with food as I eagerly pulled him to the long line.

"But we've already gone on it seven times!" he moaned and pulled back.

"Oh, come on Gabe! We don't get a chance to go here that much!" I swirled a cheesy fry in his face and ate it.

"Okay, but only if we play darts!" He gave in and snatched a fry.

I grinned, and we continued to run over to the ferris wheel. 

We went on a few more rides and played a couple more games as the crowd of people gradually died down. By now it was dark, and the water glistened under the moon light and stars- it could have been straight out of a movie.

"I have to use the bathroom," Gabe stated.

"Alright, I'll wait here on the dock." Writing my name and Gabe's with a large heart around it, I swirled my toes in the warm black water.

"Hey."

I flipped my head around, "Oh, hi," I paused, "You startled me," it was just Aiden.

"May I sit?" he motioned his hand to the wooden dock.

"Uh, sure I guess," I shrugged.

We stared off into the horizon in awkward silence, waiting for the other person to bring something up. I had been flirting with him for the past week or so, but we still got awkward silences like these.

"So how did you like the festival?" he finally asked.

"I had a lot of fun. What about you?"

"It was okay, I guess. I had to go with my sister and her friends," he shrugged, "But, I would've much rather gone with you," he flashed his gleaming white teeth.

I swung my feet back and forth over the water and looked down in embarrassment.

"Annabel," he lifted my head up and stared directly into my eyes, "I really like you, and I want us to be together."

My face went totally blank- I didn't know what to say.

Suddenly, he leaned in and kissed me. I wanted to kiss him back, but the little voice in the back of my head was constantly screaming, "No! Annabel, Don't!" He stroked his fingers through my straight blonde hair- by now he was going way too far. I tried to push him away, but my scrawny arms were not strong enough against his muscular body. I don't think he even realized that I was trying to escape.

"Let go of her!" Gabe yelled as he dashed over to us. 

Aiden stood up and Gabe shoved him in the pectoral muscles, "What do you want from her!? Who do you think she is!?" Gabe scolded.

"She wanted to kiss me!" Aiden rebutted.

The carnival was still going on, but it was too dark and the music on the rides were loud enough to drown out Aiden and Gabe's shouting. 

"Come on, babe, this guy is nuts." Aiden held my hand and pulled me up.

"Let me go! And do not call me babe!" I tried forcing his hand off of mine, but Gabe stepped in, pushed him away, and slapped him in the face.

Aiden grabbed a hold onto Gabe's waist and flipped him over onto the wooden planks. By now Gabe's arm was bleeding, and I could tell that he was in serious pain from crushing tailbone. 

"Please! Leave us alone, Aiden!" I dove to my knees next to Gabe, trying to help him stand. But when I looked up, AIden was gone and had disappeared.

Gabe was finally on his feet, and he took me into a firm hug. I was now crying into Gabe's chest.

"Lets get home."

"Call your mom."

Once Gabe's mom came, and we told her what happened, she rushed him to the hospital for them to examine his tailbone. He wasn't very injured, but he mentioned that it hurt when he sat down.

"Let's just get to bed," Gabe yawned as he went under the duvet covers in his bedroom.

"'Kay," I didn't feel like sleeping on the wood floor like a did for the last couple days because Gabe was sick, so I crawled next to him and snuggled into his chest, "Thanks for saving me Gabe."

He looked at me, and it looked like his eyes were smiling, "That's what best friends are for."