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“Huh?”
“Ask me on a date.”
There’s that goofy grin I love. He tilts his head up to look at me. “Margo Blakely, will you go on a date with me?”
“I’d love to go on a date with you, Daniel Hansen.”
“If you could pick anything to do tomorrow, what would it be?” he asks.
“I don’t know,” I say. “I told you my mind went blank when I put my own name down on my list.”
“I find that hard to believe. Isn’t there something you’ve been wanting to do but haven’t been able to?”
I rack my brain, trying to think of something. Then, a light bulb goes off. I have an idea so clear as day, I’m shocked I haven’t thought of it sooner. I can’t help but smile.
“You thought of something,” he says.
I nod.
“Well, what is it?” he asks.
“I’ve never been on a roller coaster, and they have one at the fair.”
“Then let’s go,” he says.
We stay at the park for a few more minutes before we head back to my house. When we get there, Daniel has to leave, and he says the word I hate the most.
“Goodbye.”
I shake my head. The word is too final. It’s sad. “It’s not goodbye. I’ll see you later.”
He nods. “I’ll see you later.”
I wave and watch him walk away.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
DANIEL
I’m glad she figured out what she wants to do, but it just so happens to be one of my greatest fears. I hate heights. Anytime I’ve ever been more than a few feet off the ground, my skin crawls and all I can do is picture myself falling. But if Margo wants to go on a roller coaster, then that’s what we’re going to do.
She grabs my arm, eyes big, as we wait for the bus. “I’ve always wanted to try one of the roller coasters that go upside down. They look like so much fun.”
I can’t imagine anything more horrific, but I’m not going to tell her no. This is happening whether I like it or not. “It’ll be great,” I say, trying to convince myself.
Her eyebrows meet in the middle. “You don’t seem like the type of person who goes to fairs.”
She looks directly at me, waiting for my reply. I like her attention, but I don’t know how to handle it. Before, when I didn’t like her being around, it was easier. I could run. I could push her away. But now, it’s frightening how badly I want to touch her again. I want to hold her hand. Stroke her cheek.Brush her bangs out of her eyes. Anything that would let me be closer to her.
I don’t know how to say it, though. I’m afraid of scaring her away, so I keep my hands to myself, in my pockets and safely out of reach.
The bus turns the corner and comes down the road. I clear my throat, nodding toward it. “I’ll go wherever you go.”
Her gaze flickers away, and her ears turn pink.
The bus stops in front of us, and we walk up the steps. Margo takes a window seat and focuses on the bright fair lights in the distance. “I’m excited.”
The corners of my lips turn up.
