Chapter 32

Chapter

Thirty-Two

"I thinkI"ve changed my mind," I say as the attendant snaps the safety harness into place. When I said I"d ride the coaster, I had no idea we"d get the front row.

"You want me to get him back here?" Morgan looks like he"s about to call the guy back. And I love that he"s willing to do that for me.

"No, it"s okay. I can do this," I say. It"s just my nerves getting the better of me.

"It's just like flying, remember?" Morgan says to me.

The blood drains from my face.

"Maybe that's a bad analogy. Are you sure you want to do this?" he asks.

But in two seconds, it doesn"t matter because we"re off. I think it's going to be a slow and steady ascent to the top. I"m completely caught off guard when the coaster blasts out of the tunnel, throwing my shoulders back and forcing a gasp from my lips. The world becomes a blur, a frenzied mix of green tracks and blue sky, twisting and turning in ways that defy my understanding of up and down.

My hands grip the safety harness with a vice-like intensity, knuckles whitening under the strain. I can barely hear myself think over the roaring wind and my own startled screams, but through it all, there"s a strange, exhilarating sense of freedom. I"m flying, unbound by the gravity that"s dictated so much of my life"s trajectory.

As we rocket through loops and spirals, I risk a glance at Morgan. His hair is whipped back by the wind, a wide grin plastered on his face, eyes alive with the thrill of the ride. Seeing him so carefree, so utterly in the moment, something shifts inside me. The fear that had clutched at my heart begins to ebb, replaced by a wild, untamed joy I hadn"t known I was capable of feeling.

"This is amazing!" I hear myself yell over the cacophony, a laugh bubbling up from somewhere deep inside. Morgan turns, his smile widening in response, and in that brief, fleeting moment, our eyes lock. There"s an unspoken understanding, a shared exhilaration that transcends words.

The coaster dips suddenly, stomachs dropping as we descend at a breath-stealing speed, only to be flung skyward once more. I scream, not out of fear, but from the sheer, unadulterated thrill of it all. Every twist and turn, every heart-stopping drop feels like a metaphor for the unpredictability of life, a reminder that sometimes, you just have to hold on and enjoy the ride.

As the coaster gradually slows, coming to a gentle stop back at the station, I"m left panting, a dizzying cocktail of adrenaline and relief coursing through my veins. I"m shaky and exhilarated, a wide grin splitting my face as I turn to Morgan, words unnecessary.

"I can"t believe I just did that," I say, once I"ve found my voice, my laugh still colored with disbelief. Morgan"s hand finds mine, a comforting weight as we unclip the harnesses and stand, legs unsteady but spirits soaring.

"See? I knew you"d like it," he says, his voice warm with shared triumph.

This day, this moment, feels like the start of something new, something daring and utterly unpredictable. And for the first time in a long time, I"m okay with that. "What are we riding next?"