Chapter 3
A few days later, rumors about Olivia Adams and Lucas started spreading around school.
People were calling them a dream couple, like a match made in heaven.
If they really got together, they'd be the school's poster couple, everyone would be talking about them.
Lucas was the genius heartthrob, and Olivia was the piano queen.
They'd totally be featured on the school's recruitment brochures.
All the secret group chats at school were flooded with sneaky pics of the two of them walking side by side by the artificial lake, looking like they'd just stepped out of a couple's ad.
Even though I'd already heard about Lucas and Olivia from Emily.
But it wasn't until I actually saw those pictures that the heaviness in my chest really washed over me.
That night was Emily's birthday, and she wanted me and Lucas to celebrate with her.
When it was time to make her birthday wish over the cake, Emily pressed her palms together and said, "My birthday wish this year is for my next romance to come right away. Okay, time to blow out the candles."
With that, she blew out the candles, beaming with excitement.
After cutting the cake, Emily beamed at Lucas and me.
"You two have been single since birth, but I bet you're about to get out of the single club soon." she teased.
Lucas, always the stoic, hesitated for a second.
Was it just me, or did he sneak a look at me?
"What do you mean?" Lucas asked.
"Come on, Lucas, don't play dumb. I know all about you and Olivia. I've got eyes everywhere in this school." Emily teased.
Lucas's face, which had been a little tense, relaxed.
He spoke with his usual calm. "What could there possibly be between me and her?"
"Alright, alright, I know you hate talking about your personal life in front of others, so I'll drop it, okay?" Emily said.
Lucas just gave Emily a deadpan look, like, "Really?"
Emily slung her arm around me, grinning at Lucas, "If you don't step up, my girl Sophie might snag a boyfriend before you do."
Lucas paused for a second, his expression flickering.
"There's a guy after Sophie. He's from the athletics department, tall, super handsome, and seriously amazing at basketball." Emily added.
Lucas fell silent.
He didn't say a word.
But for some reason, his expression darkened a little.
"Sophie, be honest, you two get along pretty well, right?" Emily asked.
"Yeah, we get along alright." I answered without thinking.
"Didn't you two make plans to go to Pulse Park this weekend?"
"Yeah."
I wasn't really comfortable talking about it in front of everyone, so I gave a quiet answer and kept my head down, sipping my drink.
Still, I could feel that silent gaze from across the table fixed on the top of my head, making me too nervous to look up for a long time.
*****
On the day we'd planned to go out, I went all out to look my best.
Ryan showed up way earlier than I expected.
By the time I got there, he was already waiting for me at the entrance.
He was dressed in a white T-shirt and jeans, his smile so bright and carefree that he looked like a total sunshine boy.
Seeing him like that, I couldn't help but feel my mood lift.
Alright.
Time to really give dating a shot.
That way, I won't keep daydreaming and overthinking everything.
Pulse Park is known for its adrenaline-pumping rides.
Since I told Ryan I was kind of a wimp, he made sure to keep things chill for me, sticking by my side and only picking the easy rides.
We went on the Ferris wheel, rode the carousel, watched a show, and checked out some VR stuff.
It was clear that Ryan was genuinely trying to have fun with me, but I could tell he was not enjoying the milder rides.
Later, when we got to the haunted house, I saw Ryan looking super eager, so I jumped in and said something.
"I've never been in a haunted house before. Wanna try it together?" I asked.
Ryan's eyes lit up. "Are you sure? I thought you might get freaked out."
"No worries, I've done similar stuff before. I can handle it."
We queued up, both of us smiling, ready for some fun.
But I seriously underestimated just how scary this haunted house would be.
Inside, it was dark and shadowy.
The place was filled with all sorts of creepy, bone-chilling sounds.
One wrong move could trigger a mechanism.
Then an actor would jump out of nowhere and scare the living daylights out of me.
Ryan and I ended up losing each other almost right away.
"Ryan, where are you?" I called out, my voice barely above a whisper.
But the only answer I got was the chorus of screams from people all around me, echoing through the darkness.
Somehow, I ended up in a cramped, isolated room all by myself.
A chilly gust swept through, and suddenly something cold and bony touched my shoulder, like a skeleton's hand.
I panicked, covered my head, and bolted to the side.
The next thing I knew, I stumbled right into someone's arms.