her sleepy toddler and was carrying her back to a white minivan. A couple of drunk guys ahead were tossing beer bottles on the concrete, the glass shattering on impact.
All I could think about was how much I’d rather be at home in the silence. Despite my job at the bar, I never really liked crowds. I never really understood the appeal of places that buzzed with energy, either. It was another way Mama and I were vastly different. There was nothing but energy crawling all over this parking lot, and it made me want to go home and sleep.
“Let’s go,” Decker said with a sigh. His voice didn’t have nearly the amount of enthusiasm as my brother’s. It seemed he, too, felt uncomfortable.
“Come on, Decker. At least pretend to have some fun. I know if you had your way, you’d spend every night in my loft, but it’s good for you to get out.” Lance placed a hand on Decker’s shoulder and gave him a meaningful look.
Decker was wearing some form-fitting jeans and a black t-shirt that clung to his body. I hadn’t had time to change out of my work uniform, so I looked a little too underdressed. I guess it didn’t really matter. I agreed with Rose; nobody should be ashamed of showing skin.
“Whatever, Lance,” Decker said with a laugh, though his light chuckles held no humor. “I just don’t want to run into any of my students.”
That statement intrigued me. I wouldn’t want to run into any of his students either. I was dreading the awkward introductions that were certain to come on Monday. At least at my old school, I faded into the background.
Here, I was nervous that I would stand out. Not only was I a brand new student at an elite, yet small, high school. I was also living with quite possibly the hottest biology teacher I’d ever laid eyes on. There would probably be rumors. Teasing. I really needed to talk to Decker about how he wanted to proceed. If we could keep our living arrangements a secret, that would be best.
Lance started fast walking up to the ticket counter and slapped his wallet down. Decker and I lazily followed after him, each of us exchanging conspiratorial glances that said we were both humoring my brother with a thirst for life. Once Decker and I were at Lance’s back, we listened as he proudly ordered three adult tickets. Money was exchanged, and the ticket lady popped her gum, eyeing my brother with interest, but he didn’t notice.
We then went inside the temporary metal gates, and I was assaulted with sensory overload. Loud music from all the machines overlapped one another, combined with screams and laughter. Bright lights filled every inch of space. There wasn’t a single part of this carnival that was sitting still; there were so many moving parts. It was like looking at the embodiment of my mama. Wild, crazy, and loud.
“What should we do first?” Lance asked while rubbing his palms together. He was staring directly at me, waiting for me to make my decision. He had the impression that Mama and I used to attend every carnival together, but that simply wasn’t the case. I didn’t know what to do. Luckily, Decker spoke up, saving me from having to admit I didn’t really know what one did at these sorts of events.
“I say we get a funnel cake,” he began. “We left that restaurant before I got anything to eat, and I’m starving.” I let out a sigh of relief. Funnel cakes I could do.
We spent a good thirty minutes standing in line to get our food, and once each of us had the deep-fried, sugary concoction in our hands, we devoured them. I guess carnivals weren’t all bad. I wouldn’t mind braving the crowds if this was the reward.
Decker got powdered sugar on his lips and Lance playfully tossed a napkin at him before pretending to lick his thumb and wipe it clean. They wrestled for a bit and I watched in amusement, enjoying the way they interacted.
Once our stomachs were full, Lance started leading us to the various rides, talking about the thrill of it all. “Let’s do this one!” he said before nudging my shoulder and pointing at a monster of a machine that spun its victims around with a vengeance.
“That one?” I asked with a gulp before turning my gaze to Decker, who was eyeing me with mischief. I saw the challenge in his