Chapter 26: Day One – Ferris Wheels and Falling Walls
The sun was high as they stood at the entrance of Maple Grove Amusement Park—a place frozen in time, where the mascots looked slightly faded and the ticket booths creaked with every motion. The smell of popcorn and oil hung thick in the air.
Alya held up her phone, snapping a picture of the group. "Come on, this place is cute!"
Lisa laughed. "Cute in a haunted kind of way."
Jacob smiled awkwardly, trying not to show that he hadn't expected this place to be so… rural. "I think it has charm," he said.
Jake raised an eyebrow. "Charm that might collapse on us."
Alex elbowed him. "Be nice."
---
Inside the park
They started with the bumper cars.
"Let's do a team round!" Alya cheered.
Jake and Jacob ended up in the same car—awkward silence as they waited for the attendant to start the ride.
"You ever do this before?" Jacob asked, trying to sound casual.
Jake leaned back. "Once. When I was twelve."
Jacob chuckled. "Cool. I used to hate these. Got whiplash from a crash when I was a kid."
Jake gave him a side glance. "You scared now?"
Jacob grinned. "A little. But that's why I'm with the scariest guy here, right?"
Jake couldn't help but laugh, even if just a bit. "You're not too bad, you know."
From a distance, Alex watched, smiling. He's trying, he thought.
---
Elsewhere
Lisa and Alya sat on a shaded bench, sharing a drink.
"Jake looks different now, huh?" Lisa said softly.
Alya nodded. "Yeah… not just outside. He's grown. He's trying."
Lisa hesitated. "Do you think he's… okay? With me being here?"
Alya looked at her for a moment. "He smiled when I told him you had a boyfriend."
Lisa bit her lip. "Did it look real?"
Alya didn't answer. Just reached out and squeezed her hand.
---
Later that day
They climbed onto the rickety Ferris wheel, pairs at a time. Jacob ended up with Alex this round.
"So," Jacob began, "you and Jake—how long have you known each other?"
"Long enough," Alex replied, arms crossed, gazing out at the view.
Jacob tried again. "I just… want to get to know you both better. Lisa always talked about you guys like legends."
Alex turned to look at him. "You're not what I expected."
Jacob blinked. "Is that a good thing?"
Alex smirked. "We'll find out."
At the top, the Ferris wheel jerked suddenly, shaking slightly. Jacob grabbed the bar with both hands.
"Oh no—nope! This thing's gonna be the death of me!"
Alex burst out laughing. "Relax! This is the safest ride here!"
"That's not saying much!!"
---
Evening: Quiet Moments
The group gathered at a small picnic area, sharing snacks and stories.
Jacob sat beside Jake. "Today was fun," he said.
Jake nodded. "Yeah. It wasn't bad."
Jacob looked up at the sky. "I know I came off strong. Trying to be… close. I just wanted to say thanks. For helping Alya."
Jake looked at him, softer now. "She's important to us. That's all that matters."
Jacob smiled. "To all of us."
They clinked soda cans together. It wasn't perfect. But it was something.
---
Later, walking back
Lisa linked arms with Jacob. Alya walked beside Jake and Alex.
Jake glanced back once. Just once.
Alex noticed but said nothing. Instead, he bumped Jake lightly with his shoulder.
"Hey. Day one done."
Jake gave him a tired smile. "Yeah… two more to go."