The Happiest Place In Amelia

TAFFY Carnival. The Happiest Place In Amelia. Supposedly. Well, Lynch couldn't argue, he was pretty happy right now. Although it wasn't quite as fun being there without a friend or six, he still managed to have a decent time. After all, the Carnival was a good place to check out the pretty girls of Amelia.

"Hey, ladies," he said conversationally to two girls walking together. One of them, a brunette with a cat daemon looked at him like he was gross, but her friend, a blonde girl with a tiny bird daemon giggled. The brunette rolled her eyes and pulled her friend away.

Shnoo was bored, but Lynch thought that clio watching was always interesting. He never knew what kind of interesting characters he might meet.

Ree was at the carnival with her friends Gia and Lacey. The three had come on a whim, none of them had had anything to do and it was a gorgeous day outside, strange for the middle of December. Reason fixed her bright blue scarf, tightening it around her neck. They were about to get on the biggest, fastest roller coaster in Amelia, the Max Fire Plus.

Ree normally would have been afraid of these kind of rides, she didn't care much for fear, but having just settled she had a bit more confidence than normal. Giggling as a rush of wind hit her face she grabbed hands with Lacey and the two got in the half-hour long line. Gia was already there waiting, calling for her friends to hurry, she was excited.

Lynch continued clio watching when all of the sudden he saw a girl who looked familiar. Like really familiar. He wasn't sure if he knew her from somewhere or if she just resembled someone he knew. Well he was going to find out.

He approached her and her two friends (they were in line for the MFP, which was the big scary when it came to TAFFY roller coasters.)

"Hey," he greeted, looking directly into her eyes. He was big on eye contact. "You look familiar. Do I know you?" He smiled. "And if I don't, I'd like to."

Ree and her friends were deep in conversation about nothing important when a boy strolled over and got in line behind them. Ree's eyes were diverted from Gia's hand movements demonstrating some silly story about her newest boy toy, and to the new guy. His essence called for attention from Reason. And the smile on his face was contagious for soon a matching version spread across her own.

"Hey, you look familiar. Do I know you? And if I don't, I'd like to."

"I, I don't really think so," Reason started, not sure if he was talking to her or one of her friends. "Reason, cuir," she told him, "Who're you?" She gave a silly smile, he sure was adorable.

You are so cheesy Shnoo said with disgust. It' sickening.

What can I say, it worked for once, Lynch replied in a satisfied sort of way.

"'Reason', that's a weird name," Lynch replied honestly. He was always honest, much to Shnoo's chagrin. "But it's okay. I like weird names. My name is weird too. Lynch."

"Eh, it's more of a nickname," Reason admitted, still smiling. "The real name is Savannah but you won't hear most people calling me that. I'm normally Ree. The dæmon's Cybele, more commonly known as Belle or Rhyme."

Lecy looked back and forth from Lynch to Reason, then interrupted. "I'm Lacey, also known as Lacey," she giggled at the lame joke, "and the butterfly is Rookie. We don't think Lynch is a weird name at all."

Reason laughed quietly at her friend, she was kind of embarrassed but didn't want to show it.

"I'm Lacey, also known as Lacey," she giggled at the lame joke, "and the butterfly is Rookie. We don't think Lynch is a weird name at all."

Lynch turned to her, smiling. "Of course you do. It means 'to get killed by a giant mob.' Funfact: Did you know that butterflies are one of a hawks favorite food?"

He turned back to Reason. "Where were we?"

Reason stifled another laugh as Lacey's jaw dropped. He was adorable and witty. Awesome.

"Well," Ree said slowly, with a mock determined look on her face, "I was about to ask you if you'd like to maybe sit with me on this terror of a ride. It's two to a seat, you see, and I figured it would be nice."

She smiled and looked into his eyes, cocking her eyebrows in question.

Lynch's grin grew, in a good way, unlike the Grinch's. "I. Would. Love to," he replied with excitement, stepping right next to her into the line. "And if you get scared, feel free to hug me or wrap your arms around me or something. I swear I won't mind."

I can't believe you sometimes, Shnoo huffed.

Lacey frowned as Lynch cut her but smiled before he could see.

Ree smiled again, happier than she had been before, if it was possible. "That's good, I'm a pretty big scary cat and having someone to hold might make it better." The statement was quite honest but she pulled it off as though she was flirting.

Somehow the line had passed very quickly because they were now next in line for the Max Fire Plus.

Gulp.

Lynch put his arm around Ree reassuringly, not caring if he was being too bold. He was a bold person, and if Ree didn't like that then she wasn't the girl for him.

"It'll be fun," he told her. "Did you know that people like roller coasters because they realistically simulate dying without there being any real danger? Isn't that weird? People like feeling like they're about to die." He shook his head in a 'That is so crazy!' sort of way.

Ree didn't know that. And she wasn't sure if she liked that either. She had never been on a roller coaster before and--

"It's going to feel like I'm about to die?" Her eyes grew wide. Her stoopid friends had told her it would be fun and tickle her tummy, not that it would feel like she was going to die.

She nestled close to the pretty-much stranger as they boarded the now empty coaster.

Crap.

"Oh no, they just try to make it feel that way," Lynch replied knowingly and calmly, holding the girl gently. "No, really being about to die is much worse than a rollercoaster. Rollercoasters are fun. Dying isn't. But I suppose most coaster-lovers have never really almost died before, so how would they know?"

He hugged her a little. "Trust me. You'll be fine. More than fine. You'll love it."

As the coaster clicked it's way up the track Ree's apprehension grew. She clutched Lynch's hands tightly, knuckles turning white.

The cart approached the top of the hill a few moments later, as Ree's breathing had reached it's peak. Her chest thudded up and down and her eyes were pressed into Lynch's shoulder.

However, her natural curiosity demanded that she at least peek for a second. The second she chose wasn't the best, as it happened to be the very second the cart lopped off the hill and sped dangerously fast down the otherside.

A scream escaped her throat and she buried herself deeper into Lynch's side.

Lynch was thoroughly enjoying himself. A pretty girl was pressing herself onto him, what boy wouldn't be enjoying himself. He screamed a scream that was more like a cheer as the rollercoaster flew down the hill and took its first loop.

Less than five minutes later and the scariest thing that had ever happened to Reason was over.

Almost hyperventilating, the girl and her dæmon stepped off the crazy cart and onto solid ground, which, if Reason hadn't been in the presence of such an awesome boy, she would have kissed repeatedly.

Catching her balance on Lynch as she realized just how dizzy she was, Ree spoke, "That was, awesome."

And it was. Who cares if she felt like she was going to throw up now? Or that her bird-dæmon looked like she was about to die? That ride had been freaking amazing!

"You are officially my favorite boy ever."

"I...wow. I mean, wow," Lynch smiled so broadly, and he couldn't even think of anything witty to say. He took her words to heart. "You have no idea how happy that makes me to hear. Not exaggerating. In fact, you're officially my favorite girl ever."

He kept his arm around her, one because she was a little unsteady on her feet, and two because he wanted to.

"And I told you you'd love it," he added with a laugh.

Ree smiled brightly at Lynch, but didn't try to focus on him too much. Focusing made her feel a little sick.

"Could we do something like that again," she wobbled a little, "maybe not now, but sometime later?"

She snuggled closer to him, "Maybe we should sit down for a minute now though, do you think that'd be alright?"

"Anything you want," Lynch replied smoothly, leading Ree over to a nearby bench and sitting down with her on it. He looked over at the girl next to him. If he hadn't just met her, he would have sworn he was in love. He was dramatic like that.

He was so warm!

As she sat nestled next to him, letting the world slowly stop spinning, she suddenly realized the friends she had come to the carnival with. She opened her eyes quickly and scanned the bit of the park she could see. They were no where to be found.

"Crap," Reason muttered softly. She didn't want them to be mad, but she also didn't want to move from her spot next to Lynch.

They were probably mad by now anyway, at least Lacey, Rhyme reminded her silently.

It was now or never, Lynch thought. Ree seemed to really like him and they were having a good time. So without wasting another precious second, he blurted out, "Would you like to be my girlfriend?"

Ree smiled, and then lifted herself away from him. "Of course," she said, still smiling as she wrapped her arms around him in a hug. Why would she say no? He had helped her ride the most awesome thing ever, plus he was equal amounts of adorable and charming.

She grabbed his hand and stood, "Wanna go get some cotton candy or something?"

"I would love to," Lynch replied happily. It looks like he'd have a date for the Ahtnamas party after all. And hopefully she'd date him after that too. He found himself really liking her already, and he could only imagine what the future held.

"Awesome," Reason said, leading Lynch through the crowds of clio. It was getting late and all of the lights on the rides were lighting up, making the TAFFY carnival shine. It was pretty, watching roller coasters zoom by, and seeing the tall ferris wheel spin, it's lights changing colors to make different patterns.

The two linked arms and finally made it to a small cotton candy shop.