I take a sip of my beer looking over to my mom, who seems to be overly chummy with that Hawaiian shirt man.   She keeps patting his arm while talking and he can’t seem to keep his eyes off of her.  The whole table seems to be admiring the two of them.  I thought my mom had changed her ways but obviously not.  I look back at Gabe who seems to be staring as well.  The problem is I am scowling at them and he is smiling.

“Doesn’t that bother you?”  I ask him pointing towards my mom.

“Why would it bother me?”  He questions curiously.  Ian looks over at me confused as well.   “Hey if they are happy that’s all that matters.”

“Huh, you are one of those open relationship kind of person then.”  I say.

“What?  What they do is there business.  It has nothing to do with me.”

“Yes it does.  You shouldn’t let her get away with that.”  I say curtly.

“With what?  Madgirl, you have to explain yourself, I am completely lost here.”  He shakes his head glancing from Ian to myself.

“Listen, if you are going to date my mom at least make sure she isn’t flirting with other people.  I wouldn’t want her using you.”  I take another gulp of beer.  I can’t stand this whole conversation.

“What?”  Gabe and Ian start cracking up laughing.  Ian is unable to control himself bending over slapping me on the back.

“Oh my god Maddy, I can’t believe you thought that.”  Ian mocks me.

The whole restaurant is now looking at our table wondering what is so funny. I feel my face getting redder by the minute.  I get up from the table walking outside.  As embarrassed as I am a sense of relief washes over me.

I barely get out the door before Gabe grabs my elbow stopping me.  “Whoa Maddy.”

“Gabe, just let me go. I am so embarrassed.”  I pull my elbow back from him.

“Why did you think I was dating your mom?”  He leads me over to the park bench out front.

“I don’t know.  She told me she was dating someone.  She made a joke about how she liked the Basso men too.  My mind started going back to you opening doors for her, having her sit up front.  She said the guy was over last night.  You kept joking and talking with her today.  I guess my mind went right to you when she said it.”  I start rambling trying to think how I got to that conclusion myself.

“Jesus Maddy, you drive me crazy.”  He put his head in his hands running them through his hair.

“I’m sorry Gabe.”  I play with my hands in my lap wishing this would all go away.

“I could give a shit about you thinking I was seeing your mom.  I just don’t understand why you refuse to acknowledge this.”  He motions his hand back and forth between us.

“What?”  I whisper.

“Please don’t play dumb.  I don’t know how much more I can take.”  His anger is starting to spill.

“Why are you so mad at me?”  I automatically become defensive.

“That’s it Maddy.  I’m done.”  He yells standing up from the bench.

“What? Why?  Gabe!”  I yell after him.

He doesn’t acknowledge my screams continuing to walk away for me.  I start jogging over to him but his strides are two of mine.  I see him duck into the Eagle ride thinking that is his way away from me but I don’t intend on stopping now.  He walks up to the line and I excuse myself between him and the people that came right after.

“Hey lady no cuts.”  A boy says to me.

“I’m not riding, I just need to talk to that man right there.”  I point to Gabe who is still ignoring me.

“Like I haven’t heard that before.”  He gives me a dirty look.

I ignore him. My mind set on talking to one person and when I finally reach him his arms are crossed over his chest and he looks like he is going to beat the shit of out of someone.

“Gabe, please tell me what is going on?  Why are you mad at me?”  I plead touching his arm.

“If you don’t know Maddy, it’s not worth it.  I can’t do it anymore.”  He pulls his arm away from me.

“Do what anymore?  Worth what?  Gabe, you are acting like a fifth grader.”  I cross my arms glaring at him.

“Original Madgirl.”  He uses my nickname that he does in front of other people.

“Gabe, I thought we were friends.”  I can hear my own desperation in my voice.

“That’s exactly the problem.”

“That we are friends?  If you don’t want to be my friend just say so.”  I am whispering not wanting to make a scene in public.

“My god Maddy, what do I have to do to make you see it?”  He throws his arms in the air obviously not worried about the people trying to hear us in line.

“Again Gabe, see what?”  I scream my face turning red out of anger and embarrassment.  With all the yelling I realize we are at the front of the line so I try to step to the side.

“Ma’am you need to get behind him if you are riding.”  The sixteen year old attendant says to me.

“Ma’am?”  A look of disbelief in my eyes. Gabe starts chuckling quietly.

“Yeah Ma’am are you going to ride with me or not?”  Gabe asks me smirking.

“You know I don’t ride roller coasters.”

“I’ve seen you ride them before.”  He mentions making me wonder if this is about me riding a roller coaster.

The next coaster comes in and the people get off with their hair all windblown but smiles plastered on their faces.  Gabe gets in sitting down in his assigned seat.  I look at him and then the attendant who keeps yelling over to me to either get in or move out of the way.  The blonde behind me looks like she wants to run me over for her chance to sit next to Gabe.  The sun is making Gabe’s blue eyes sparkle more when he looks at me.  For some reason his face brings over a calming safe feeling so I hop in the seat fastening my belt.  The metal bar comes down and my throat free falls into my stomach.

Gabe is staring over at me instead of looking at the hill ahead.

“You got me on this ride so you better answer the question.”  My words are staggering as we reach the middle of the first hill and I am trying to only concentrate on him.  His defined jawbone that comes to the smallest point when it reaches his chin.  How his eyes are set back but his long dark eyelashes making it so you don’t notice right away.  The sun has developed a few small wrinkles around his eyes.  Lastly I land on his lips that are turned up for me now.  His bottom lip a little pouty compared to his top lip.  They are the perfect shade of dark pink and when they open you see his white teeth.  All perfectly straight except for one at the bottom that slightly covers another indicating he never had braces.  He was a gorgeous man.

The top of the hill is fast approaching making my anxiety higher.   My heart is beating out of my chest.  Gabe grabs my hand telling me it would be ok. Just as our car is about to go over the hill I squeeze his hand so hard closing my eyes.  My butt starts coming up from the seat at the same time Gabe’s lips meet mine.  His hand rests on my cheek while his mouth covers mine.  His tongue licks my bottom lip asking to enter which I happily open my mouth.  Our tongues mingle together while butterflies fill my stomach.  When Gabe pulls away my mouth goes cold, I stare into his eyes noticing we aren’t moving anymore.  Then I hear the hollers and clapping around us.  I don’t remember the ride only Gabe’s mouth and hands.  Looking around at the crowd my face turns a nice shade of pink.

“Come on let’s get out of here.”  Gabe grabs my hand leading me out from the coaster.

We walk hand in hand down the exit ramp.  He pulls me over to the train station that is already boarding.  We grab an empty row in the back.

He instantly kisses my lips but this time it is short.  “We need to talk.”  He says.

“It’s fine Gabe.  Thank you for keeping my mind off the ride.”  This is where he tells me we can’t be together for one of the twenty reasons listed in his head.

“Maddy, I mean this in the nicest possible way.  I need you to shut up for about five minutes.”