Total pages in book: 162
Estimated words: 158848 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 794(@200wpm)___ 635(@250wpm)___ 529(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 158848 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 794(@200wpm)___ 635(@250wpm)___ 529(@300wpm)
Several sloppily marked rows have been designated with orange traffic cones and some kind of solar lights. Christ, we do a better job directing traffic and have better equipment out at The Castle. A guy dressed as a bloody gingerbread man waves a light stick and directs Molly to the left. Hayden follows her. The honker gets sent to a middle row. I ignore the gingerbread man and take the farthest lane.
The bumps and uneven ground rattle my teeth. Rocks ping and scrape the undercarriage. I reach forward and pat the dashboard. “Sorry, Black Beauty. I’ll make it up to you tomorrow.”
I park in the first space I find, grab the mask, and slip it on. A quick glance in the rearview confirms I look just as stupid as I feel.
“Fuck it.” I step out and slam the door, then throw my hood over my head, check I’ve got my wallet and keys, then weave through the parked cars, headed in the direction Molly went.
I find the girls close to the entrance to the carnival. They’re clustered around Hayden’s car, talking and fixing their makeup, I guess. Hayden’s dress is similar to Molly’s, except it’s a baby pink with white and black trim. Kyla’s in a long, red gown with a wide black belt. Darcy’s in a black see-through dress with crazy straps wrapping around her torso and feathers on her shoulders. I can’t even guess what any of the other girls are supposed to be.
Maybe it’s because I’m so fucking obsessed, but Molly stands out like she has a ray of light beaming down on her.
Why am I torturing myself like this?
Like a proper stalker, I keep my distance behind Molly and her friends as they go through the ticket booth and pay their entrance fee. I’m sweating inside the mask but keep it in place.
Without taking my eyes off of the girls, I hand over my twenty and have an orange bracelet clamped around my wrist.
“Have a ghoulishly good time!” the attendant shouts.
I roll my eyes and walk through the makeshift gate. For a traveling carnival, it’s rather elaborate. Much larger than I expected. People are hidden by masks of every horror movie character from the last forty years. Sinister-looking clowns mix with Jasons, Freddies, and Michael Myerses. I pass at least seven different Ghostfaces before I hit the midway.
At least I blend in with all the other basic bros who found a mask and called it good.
I pass by a few couples that went all-out planning their matching costumes. A Barbie and Ken. Kermit and Miss Piggy.
Not one costume is as adorable or clever as Molly’s.
The girls are to my left, buying funnel cakes, corn dogs, fried Oreos and other fair-style food. Molly wanders over to a different booth and buys something that looks like a waffle cone. When I pass the booth a few minutes later, the sign says Fried Mac-n-Cheese. My stomach growls. I haven’t eaten since the morning and the mask isn’t food friendly.
Suck it up.
I spot Molly ahead of me.
Her short skirt and all the layers under it swish from side to side with every step she takes. She keeps slowing down to take bites of her cheesy waffle cone, forcing her friends to drag her along.
They finally duck into a tent set up with picnic benches to eat their treats. I keep walking and pretend I haven’t been following them for the last half hour.
No sign of Torch anywhere. What’d he do? Stand her up? What a dick. I should kick his ass for hurting her feelings.
Pick a lane Royal. You can’t be pissed she’s “dating” him and mad that he stood her up at the same time.
I just hate it when she’s unhappy.
Then again, his absence tonight probably saved my sanity.
Molly
“See, we’re having fun without any boys!” Kyla screeches in my ear, stealing the last of my cheddar waffle cone out of my hand.
“Hey!” I snatch an extra sugary piece of funnel cake off her plate and stuff it in my mouth.
“Did you hear from Torch?” Darcy asks me, as she also picks off a chunk of Kyla’s funnel cake. Kyla slaps her hand away.
No need to check my phone again. “Yeah, he’s not coming.” My voice sounds as disinterested as my heart feels.
Hayden snickers into her giant cup of cherry icy slush. “He’s probably terrified Griff will kill him.”
Is Griff the reason Torch canceled on me at the last minute? He’d sent me the original “probably won’t make” it text when I was home. Griff was there too, not out terrorizing Torch into breaking our plans.
“I don’t think so.” I didn’t tell them about my earlier run-in with Griff. But I haven’t stopped replaying it in my head either. I should have invited him to come with us.
“Well, Wade blew me off too,” Hayden says.