Chapter 17:
After a delicious meal and rounds of laughter, the group headed toward the famous highlight of the amusement park—the giant Ferris wheel. The ride could only take two people per carriage, which quickly led to chaos.
Pamela had her sights locked on Alex and was seconds away from claiming the spot next to him when Eliot casually stepped in between them.
"I'm going with Alex," he declared, already nudging Pamela toward Millie. "You two go together."
Before Pamela could even protest, Eliot had climbed inside with a triumphant smirk.
Pamela blinked, clearly caught off guard, then turned to Meg with a bright smile. "Don't worry. We'll do a round together after, okay?"
Meg nodded shyly, touched that Pamela even offered.
Inside the Ferris wheel cabin…
Eliot stretched out lazily in the seat beside Alex. "Aren't you going to thank me?"
Alex frowned. "For what?"
"For saving you from riding with someone you clearly didn't want to."
Alex rolled his eyes. "Can you make sense for once?"
"I'm saying we should work together." Eliot grinned mischievously. "You want one thing, I want the opposite. Let's make a trade."
Alex looked skeptical. "Could you talk in a language I can understand?"
Eliot sat upright, placing a hand dramatically over his heart. "Fine, I'll say it. I have feelings for Pamela. I love her. The first day she arrived, I felt my stomach twist—I thought it was food poisoning, but no. Then I heard this little voice in my heart singing 'Pamela, Pamela.' That's when I knew she was the one."
Alex looked like he regretted asking. "That's… too much information."
Ignoring the comment, Eliot leaned closer. "Do you like Pamela?"
"She's just a childhood friend. Of course not."
Eliot leaned back with satisfaction. "So it's Millie then."
Alex stiffened. "What? Where did that come from?"
"You're not denying it," Eliot teased, mimicking Alex in a mock-serious voice, "'Of course not.'"
"That doesn't mean anything," Alex muttered, crossing his arms.
"Still in the denial phase. Got it. But seriously, help me out—what does Pamela like? Her favorite color? Food? How does she manage to be this dazzling all the time?"
Alex groaned. "Ask her yourself."
The ride came to a slow stop, and Alex bolted out before the cabin door had even fully opened.
Eliot called after him. "Not fair, man!"
Meanwhile, in another cabin…
Pamela and Millie sat in an awkward silence, the hum of the machine their only companion until Pamela broke it.
"There's something I've been wondering…"
Millie looked at her. "Sure, what is it?"
"Why did you arrive early with my Al? Did you meet on the way?"
Millie blinked. "No, we came together. We're actually neighbors."
Pamela gasped. "What?! Neighbors with my Al? He never told me that!"
"It's not a big deal," Millie said quickly. "We're not that close."
"But you want to be close, right?" Pamela asked sweetly.
Millie choked. "What? I mean, we're neighbors… I don't know what you mean by 'close-close.'"
Pamela's smile turned dazzling. "Then can you leave him to me, please? I've been in love with him since we were kids. He saved me when I was lonely and unhappy. He's my sunshine."
Millie's voice came out small. "I… see."
"So you understand why I need you to step back, right?" Pamela asked, her eyes locked on Millie's.
Millie looked away, laughing awkwardly. "You should be asking him, not me. I don't… own him."
Pamela leaned forward, her voice softer now. "It's just—at the nurse's office, I saw how you two acted. It didn't look like 'just neighbors.' That's why I needed to ask."
Millie's hands fidgeted on her lap. Pamela's boldness had her completely flustered.
"I can see how much you care about him," Millie said eventually. "And I think it's brave of you to say so. But… you should tell him, not me. In the end, he'll be the one to decide."
The ride ended just as her words hung in the air. Millie stepped out first.
"Thanks for sharing that with me," she added quietly.
The day came to a close, and as everyone started to leave, Meg trailed behind, her voice small and nearly tearful. "I didn't even get to go on the ride…"
But no one heard her.
Back in the neighborhood…
Alex and Millie walked side by side in silence until they spotted two familiar figures ahead—Rachel and Ted, walking a little too comfortably close.
Millie grinned and jogged ahead. "Hey! What's going on with you two?"
Startled, Rachel and Ted jumped apart like they were caught red-handed.
Alex squinted. "Suspicious. Only guilty people react like that. Spill it, Ted."
Ted scratched his head, avoiding eye contact. "We were just… studying."
Rachel chimed in, trying to sound casual. "Yeah. Unlike some people who were off having fun."
Millie laughed. "Trying to flip it on us? Nice try."
The pair made a run for it, disappearing down the street.
"Don't lock the door!" Alex called after Ted. "I live there, remember?"
Then Millie turned to him. "Wait."
Alex stopped and looked back.
"I just wanted to say thank you… for today, for everything," she said softly. "For not telling my family, for being kind, and for letting me have your number. Please save mine too. I… look forward to texting you."
Without waiting for a response, she turned and ran toward her house, her heart pounding.
Why is it always like this around him? she wondered.
Outside, Alex burst out laughing. "Who even says stuff like that anymore?" he muttered. "She's so weird… but cute."
Still smiling, he stepped into his house, cheeks faintly red.