Yet, on the inside, my anger’s slowly bubbling. How could she not tell me? Pick up the phone and give me a call. Our relationship must mean more to me than it does to her. I told her I missed her, and she didn’t even fucking respond!
In a daze, filled with animosity, I walk back to her.
“Oh, there you are. Let’s go.” She smiles.
The man takes our tickets, and we walk toward the black door. “Enjoy,” he says before the doors swing open, and all we can hear is moaning.
“I can do this,” Zoey breathes. “I won’t crap my pants. I won’t crap my pants,” she chants repeatedly. She links her arm into mine, and I try my best to contain my thoughts until we get home, not wanting to cause a scene here and ruin her birthday. I’m biting my tongue—barely.
A loud sound startles us followed by a masked man jumping in front of our path. Zoey screams, throwing herself at me as I almost topple over.
The masked man moves, and with Zoey’s face buried deep into my chest, I pull her along not wanting to delay the people behind us. We turn the corner into a small hallway with bloodied walls. A steam machine blows over, blurring our vision. The sound of a witch laughing echoes in the room, and just before the door opens, a hand lingers over our shoulders causing Zoey to scream once again in my ear.
“I’m moving to London.”
“What?” I can barely hear, the haunting screams damaging my eardrums.
“I’m moving to London. Next week. For work. Mr. Becker offered me a position, and it was too good to pass up.”
“You’re moving to London?”
I move away from where she’s standing. Even though Mia had told me, hearing it from Zoey adds a whole new meaning. Zoey has a tendency not to follow through with plans, but something tells me this time is different.
“Aren’t you happy for me? You keep telling me to live my life and—”
“Did you even think about how I’d feel in this? And you spring this on me now? Here?” I shoot back while struggling to compose myself.
“But I thought—”
“You don’t think!” I yell back. “It’s all about you.”
Taken aback, she ignores the ghoulish man walking toward her. “Who else would it be about?” she says, puzzled.
I look into her eyes, and I know she can read my thoughts. Her face changes, almost a look of pity, then she reaches out her hand to touch my arm and I instantly recoil. Pulling back, not wanting her to feel sorry for me because I’m the fucking dick who has feelings for her, but she doesn’t feel the same way.
“Don’t,” I growl.
“Drew. I think we need to talk.”
I turn around quickly, desperate to get out of here. “We’re done talking.”
Even in the darkness, I find my way ignoring the masked men with chainsaws, zombies attacking, and even the eerie-looking clown at the end. The exit is illuminated, and easily, I’m outside amongst the busy crowds of people.
Gigi and Mia are standing at the game-stand shoving ping pong balls into the clown’s mouth. Zoey continues to call my name, but I ignore her walking fast toward the exit of the amusement park.
Fumbling for my keys, I hit the electronic button until the alarm sounds, and the lights flicker on the car. She’s on my tail, out of breath.
“Whose car is this?” she strains, holding her side as she catches her breath.
“Does it matter?”
“It’s yours? But you hate cars like this. This isn’t you.”
I ignore her comment, opening the door. “Drew. Will you fucking turn around and talk to me?”
I stop, turn around, glowering while she watches me with doleful eyes. “What do you want to talk about, Zoey?”
“Oh, I don’t know. How about the fact that you appear to be angry at me? That you’re running away from me.”