Song for chapter twenty nine: Cornelia Street by Taylor Swift (seriously listen to this)

|Skyler|

"I can't believe Woods is actually letting us do this," Ryan whooped as him, Aden and I walked in through the gates of an amusement park. "This is so much better than soccer practice," he said, eyeing the cotton candy, corn dogs and hot dog stands that littered around us as we walked deeper into the park.

For the last day of the trip, Mr. Woods decided to let us have our fun at the amusement park that was near the national park. He said that we deserved it for our good behaviour, but I had a feeling it was also because he had nothing planned until this morning.

Austin had disappeared as soon as Mr. Woods let us go, which may have been for his best interest since I didn't miss the tension between him and Aden. Austin looked hungover, his hair dishevelled and not even done, he looked paler than usual with dark circles under his eyes. The bruises on his jaw and cheek didn't help his pale complexion.

Ryan looked between Aden and I. "Okay... so I'm feeling like the third wheel right now but that's okay cause I'm gonna get food. You two can have your fun," he winked at us and I felt my cheeks begin to warm again. I took a deep breath in through my nose in a futile attempt to make myself seem less like a tomato. Ryan scurried away faster than I'd ever seen him walk as he joined the line for a hot dog. Luckily for him, the lines weren't super long as it was still before noon.

I looked at Aden, to see his eyes already on me. His gaze sent a heat wave through my body, "So, where to first?"

We had the whole day ahead of us, and I couldn't recall the last time I'd been to an amusement park. I was probably ten years old and had gone on all the rides for children with my mom.

"The rides obviously," he answered simply, with an excited grin plastered on his face. We went over to the ticket booth and got us a wristband that allowed us an unlimited amount of rides all day. The man who placed our wristbands on looked as though he'd much rather be doing anything else than working there.

Right as we left the ticket booth, Aden pointed a finger up to the sky, "That one is first."

I followed his finger to probably what was the most menacing ride of all. The sign at the bottom of the ride was called "Brain Buster" and I almost rolled my eyes at his corny it was. But the name did not own up to the ride. It was designed like an airplane propeller, with two baskets on each end that only sat four people altogether on each side of the long arm.

"No," I said quickly after taking in the ride, "I'm not going on that."

"Oh come on," Aden faced me, giving me a slight pout. "You haven't lived at all if you don't go on rides like these."

"No, you die on these rides, and then you really won't live," I cocked an eyebrow up.

"Clumsy, it'll be fine. I've been on a ride like this before and it's awesome," Aden turned me around to face him, his hands wrapping around mine. "And if you get really scared, you can hold my hand," he smirked, raising one of his hands that were connected to mine.

I rolled my eyes, even though a small smile stretched over my lips, "Okay fine, but if I throw up all over you, don't blame me."

Aden shot me a disgusted before he snickered, "Wouldn't be the first time anyways."

I shot him a glare as we made it to the ride. Thankfully all the lines were either minuscule or nonexistent thanks to the fact that Mr. Woods sent us off so early.

The man working at Brain Buster, looked bored out of his mind. Poor him, his shift had just started. He took one glance at our wristbands and let us through, helping us with the restraints. I gulped, suddenly feeling a swarm of butterflies in my stomach, and they were not the good kinds Aden gave me, they were the worst kinds. The ones you'd feel before a presentation, or before an exam. The man shut the door to the basket we were in.

I glanced at Aden as the man walked off, fiddling with the buttons that controlled the ride not to far away. "I change my mind," I was frantic, tugging at the restraints to try and take them off.

"It's a little too late for that Clumsy," Aden glanced over at me, an eyebrow raised just as the basket we were on began accelerating upwards quickly. We made it to the top within moments.

"I hate you," I groaned as we stopped at the top of the ride, at least 150 meters off the ground at the highest point. I could make out the whole amusement park, all the rides and all the food stands. I swore I could even see Ryan at the cotton candy stand.

Aden turned to me with a crooked smile, "No, you love me."

Before I could snap at Aden, our basket dropped as the arms of the ride began swinging downwards to the ground. Without thinking, I grabbed Aden's hand next to me as the wind slapped against my face while we descended quickly. My hair blocked most of my vision, which I was glad for. There was a weird feeling in my gut, and my stomach felt as though it were in my chest. The only sounds I could hear were of my own semi excited — semi horrified screams and Aden's excited whoops.

The ride slowed to a stop again and we were back at the bottom where we'd started, everything was silent except for our heavy breathing as the man opened up our baskets again.

"Oh my God," I panted as the man took off the restraints. We stood up and began walking — more like stumbling for me —towards the exit.

"See, I told you it was fun," Aden whooped.

I looked up at him, shaking my head with an amused smile, "It was fun, but I'm kind of nauseous now."

"Don't throw up on my shoes again," he took a small cautious step back and I laughed. "Okay, we'll do something less exhilarating then."

"What? Like the Merry Go Round?" I continued to laugh as Aden pulled me towards a game booth just across from the Brain Buster. "No, these things rip you off, they're rigged."

The booth was a typical one, a large red tent lined with bright lights around the edges. The game was to knock over the five bowling pins that were lined in the regular formation one would see at a bowling alley. But of course, the deal was your have to knock out all of them in order to win a prize. The prizes were also typical, ranging from tiny stuffed animals to larger ones the size of me.

Aden turned to me, a smug look on his face, "Watch and learn Clumsy. If anyone's getting ripped off, it's them."

The worker at the booth took a look at his wristband and nodded, handing him three balls.

Aden shut an eye, aiming the ball at the pins before giving it a good toss. The ball flew across the tent, knocking out three of the five pins. I raised an impressed eyebrow and gasped in excitement as he threw another ball, that knocked out the other two.

"Holy shit Aden, you actually did it!" I squealed before almost cringing at myself as it was somewhat out of my character to scream that way.

The worker, who had an emotionless expression plastered all over her face as she rang the bell. "We have a winner!" she faked her enthusiasm. "You can pick any prize you'd like."

Aden glanced around the booth, before grabbing a sloth plushie down from the hook. He turned around, his cheeks littered with two pink dots as he handed it to me. It was a medium sized doll, perfect to hold and sleep with. "For you."

"A sloth?" I muffled my laughter as I took it into my hands.

"Yeah, because they're clumsy animals on land," he explained, a dimpled smile plastered over his lips, "just like you."

I rolled my eyes even though I could feel my heart swoon at his actions, "I'm not clumsy."

"Are you sure about that?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, sort of..." I brought the stuffed animal to my face, hiding behind it to cover my heated face from Aden's view. "Thank you," I added quietly as Aden placed a hand onto the stuffed animal, lowering it to reveal my face. I jumped up when I realized how close he was to me, his eyes just inches from mine. His eyes were darker than usual and I could clearly see the green that seeped into his irises, pushed back by his dilated pupils. The worker next to us pretended like she wasn't listening to the conversation, avoiding awkward eye contact.

"Come on, let's go," Aden held out a hand and I took it without thinking as he lead me to another ride, this one less intimidating as it was just your average roller coaster. We did that for what seemed like hours, going on rides that I suggested — like the Merry Go Round and the haunted houses — and then the ones he wanted, which were the traumatizing ones that I barely made out of without hurling my guts out.

We got off out of The Haunted House doubling over with laughter just as the sun began to set. Aden had accidentally shoved one of the clowns to the ground when they jumped out at us.

"Why would you do that? You know we're not allowed to touch those people who work there!" I laughed.

"No one asked him to jump out in front of me like that, with a bloody chainsaw," Aden defended, holding his hands out beside him. "Besides, he's totally fine."

"Yeah with your puny little arms, he's totally fine," I drawled teasingly and he gaped at me.

"Puny?" his voice raising an octave higher than usual and I cackled. "Nah nah nah—" I tossed my half eaten cotton candy bag at him, cutting him off, still cackling as he narrowed his eyes at me.

I sighed when I finally calmed down, glancing up at the sky that was now a blazing orange blended with shades of pink. "I think we have to go back soon," I frowned slightly at the idea of just going back home, back to our normal lives. I'd have therapy again, and I was afraid to ask what Aden and I were. Friends? A couple?

"Not just yet," Aden grabbed my hand again as we began to walk out of the gates of the amusement park. "I have an idea."

"Another surprise?" I smirked.

He shrugged, "Well it's not much of a surprise, but you'll love it." He lead me back to the start of the hiking trail we were on yesterday. "It's only like a ten minute walk, I remember it from yesterday."

I focused on the ground below me, watching carefully for all the protruding tree roots and uneven grounds that were harder to spot since the sun was now just about gone.

Stupidly enough, I had no recollection of the trail we were on at all and I realized that I should've really listened and paid attention on the hike yesterday. But as Aden stopped in front of a large cliff, with nothing in front of it other than a river down below and my eyes widened at the beauty.

The setting sun lit the sky on fire, the different hues of red and pink, blending into the oranges and whatever was left of the blue sky. It was a work of art as if it had been brushed upon by an artist. Art that one would never have been able to experience in the city.

"Woah," Was all I could say as I followed Aden and sat down at the edge of the cliff. "That's not high at all," I said, peering down the cliff at the river.

Aden peered down as well. "Nope," he joked.

My heart skipped a beat at the sudden thought of my mom. She'd never be able to see something like this again, and it made me feel as though I shouldn't either. Through all the excitement of this trip, it felt wrong that I bad barely thought of her.

I kept my gaze at the sky, distracting myself from the height of the cliff as I admired the beauty when I began to feel Aden's eyes trained on me. They stared deep into my eyes, pulling me deep into them. Just his gaze enough was to set my stomach afire like fireworks.

"Close your eyes for a second," Aden's voice broke me out of my trance.

My eyebrows furrowed, "Why?"

"Just do it," he insisted, smirking at my bewilderment.

"Okay," I gave him one last skeptical look, before pressing my eyes shut. His hand brushed over the top of my head for a split second before he pulled it away again.

My eyes shot open to see Aden bent over, his back facing me. He held a cupped hand to the rocky ground beneath us, and I was mortified to see a spider — a daddy long legs — scurry out of his palm.

"Oh my gosh, that was on my head!" I shook my head furiously, running my hands over the top of my hair, almost expecting to feel another spider. A shiver ran up my spine as I shuddered. Suddenly, my whole body itched from the thought of any other bugs around us.

"You weren't supposed to open your eyes," Aden snapped his head in my direction again as he held in a laugh, just as the spider disappeared behind a large bush off the edge of the cliff.

"You didn't tell me it was a spider," I groaned, my voice raised unintentionally, echoing down the cliff.

"Well, I know you don't like them," Aden began, chuckling as he came up next to me again. "I didn't want to scare you."

My mouth opened and I shut it again, speechless. My insides had melted into putty by now at the fact that he remembered how much I despised spiders.

Granted, it was a bit psychotic how he'd touched it with his hand, but still, my heart fluttered at that.

Aden grew quiet, rolling his tongue over his bottom lip as he watched me, eyebrows slightly creased together.

"I... I have something to ask you," he started. I could see his Adam's Apple bob up and down as he visibly swallowed.

"Yeah?"

"I've been trying to figure out how to ask you for a while now, but every time I come up with something I realize that it's stupid. So I'm just gonna do it," he continued, staring into my eyes. "I think I've known this for a while, but ever since your clumsy accident when stepped on me in the subway or when you jumped in front of the soccer ball, I haven't been able to stop thinking about you. I wanted it to be perfect because I've never done anything like this before, but then I realized that perhaps there never really is a perfect time. So I'm just gonna say it..."

I could hear my heart pounding in my chest as I sucked in a breath.

"Will you be my girlfriend?"

And just like that, it felt like all the puzzle pieces had clicked together. Everything that brought me to New York were not the best moments of my life, but the longer I was here, the more it made sense. If none of it happened, I wouldn't have met Josie or Ryan or Aden. I'd never liked a guy more than I liked Aden, and that was terrifying. But with him I was willing to fall head first down that cliff, and it seemed like he would catch me at the bottom.

"Yes."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hope you all liked this chapter! They're finally together yaaaay!

This chapter was definitely a cheesier one but I mean who's not a sucker for cliches sometimes right?

Thanks for reading and please do vote, comment and share if you liked it!

Some of you already know this but,THIS BOOK WON FIRST PLACE IN THE DARK NOVA AWARDS FOR TEEN FICTION!! Thank you all again for your support, all your votes and comments motivate me!

Dedicated to SpiritualWonders
~SweetnessInTheSalt