Page 63 of Capture the Moment
The Ferris wheel.
Now, I’m no scaredy cat. But Idohave a completelyrationalfear of metal rides that can be built overnight in the middle of a shopping mall parking lot—albeit this is a school and not a mall—the notion still stands.
Blake must sense my hesitancy because he chuckles.
“You scared, Princess?” he teases, and I roll my eyes because me, scared?Never!Just a little… Weary of my safety is all.
“Do Ilookscared, Wilder?”
He pauses, letting go of me and stepping back to appraise me. Blake’s icy blue eyes rove over my body as he licks the corner of his lips before taking his plump bottom lip between his teeth.
“You look beautiful, Jones. But you also look scared shit—”
I smack his arm and turn on my heels to the metal wheel, my stomach and heart roaring at me to back down. My stupid head on the other hand refuses to walk away from such a challenge.
So, instead of walking the other way like a smart person, I walktowardsthe Ferris wheel with Blake in tow. I can feel his excitement from behind me asthe operator lets us onto the rickety cart. My stomach drops as the cart moves sideways once Blake sits on the same side as me, clearly tilting us.
“You’re too big,” I say through gritted teeth and immediately wish I hadn’t as I can feel the smirk he’s laid on.
“That’s not the first time I’ve been told that.” He chuckles, hoisting up his phone, snatching a picture of the setting sun in the distance as we slowly climb to the top of the Ferris wheel.
“Well, let meredactmy words… Your fat ass is making us tilt.”
Blake lets out the most guttural laugh I’ve ever heard in my life, doubling over, letting his laughter fully consume him.
Blake Wilder has the type of laughter that halts the world, it's infectious and beautiful so much so that I don’t want to make any noise because if I do, I worry that I won’t be able to hear him as well as before.
He wipes a stray tear from his eyes and settles back into the seat, pulling out the camcorder from his pocket.
“What do you love about life, Cleo Jones?” He asks, still smiling from his burst of laughter and I know it’s one of our interview questions but the way that he looks at me from above the camera has my stomach flipping and suddenly I’m a nervous teenager on her first date.
“I love that every day is different, and that we’re never as young as we are right now. I love the idea of everyday being an adventure and the idea of one day growing old with the person I love. Maybe we’d have a kid, or three, or a fucking soccer team because who doesn’t love a large family?” I ask and don’t realize I’m rambling or the fact that Blake’s focus is completely on me, the camera long gone in his lap as he watches me with complete fascination and adoration. “I want a large family, y’know since I have one already. I love that life gives us ample opportunities to seize the moment and savor everything it has to offer. I love that I get a restart every day and do something different, something better. I love the fact that I’m here doing shit I’d never thought I’d do last year like riding a Ferris wheel because the world didn’t end when I was 19 and life goes on. I love that you’re here with me and I love the fact… that I’m rambling…” I trail off, noticing the lookon his face.
He’s much closer now and I don’t want him to move away. I want him closer to me. Blake’s gaze searches my eyes softly, like a tender caress before falling to my parted lips, and then back up to my eyes.
Perfect execution of the triangle method, I will say.
His voice is soft yet hoarse all at once and I melt into a puddle as he whispers, “Can I kiss you, Princess?”
I might orgasm from his gentleness alone, and instead of responding, I pull his face to mine and melt into him as our lips crash together.
The kiss is both magnetic and exotic as our tongues dance together like the sun and the moon, star-crossed lovers that have been kept apart for far too long only to see each other during the day. But it’s nearly nighttime and yet he’s the sun that’s still in the sky taking me whole in his mouth.
As our tongues dance, my stomach warms, and a crowd cheers. I think I’m hearing things until the cheers grow louder; we part only for a second, eyes locked on one another. Glowing orbs catch our attention at the same time and I gasp as little golden lanterns light the sky. And it’s in this moment that I realize that I don’t want this to end and that’s what fucking terrifies me because where there’s puck stars, there’s drama.
I gulp as we reach the ground, I practically climb over him to escape the death wheel. I leave the bewildered man behind and want to curse myself for the action becausefuck, I mightactuallylike him, and I amsofucked if I do.
I send a margarita emoji (otherwise known as our SOS text) to my friends, they’re quick to respond with the same. Looks like we're all in some deep shit.
They’re waiting for me at the exit and bless their souls because I don't think I'd survive facing Blake right now. My stomach churns as we make our way to Sienna’s car and I feel like I’ve made the biggest mistake of my life as I leave behind the one guy I’ve liked alittletoo much for the first time in a year.
twenty-seven
Blake
After Cleo kissed meand then became a track star before my very eyes, I found myself at 88UP, the off-campus bar where most of the SFU and Laughlin University kids hang out.
Tonight, I’m docked at the bar, nursing my fourth Manhattan,wonderingwhere the fuck I went wrong.
