An Unexpected Invitation

Arthur had barely stepped into his apartment when his phone buzzed. He sighed, already knowing who it was before he even looked.

Luke: Yo, guess what?

Arthur rolled his eyes. What?

Luke: Big news. We're all going to that amusement park this weekend. You, me, Alishia, and…

Arthur frowned. And who?

Luke: My girlfriend, Sophie. You met her, remember?

Arthur leaned against the counter, his expression blank. Did I agree to this?

Luke: You did now.

Arthur sighed. He should've seen this coming. Luke had a way of dragging him into things before he could argue.

A second later, another message popped up.

Alishia: You're coming. No excuses.

Arthur rubbed his temple. Great. Now she was in on it too.

Fine. If they were going to gang up on him, he might as well surrender now.

Fine. But I'm not riding anything that spins.

Luke: You say that now, but just wait.

Arthur exhaled, already regretting it.

The amusement park was packed. Laughter and excited screams echoed through the air as people rushed between rides, carrying bags of popcorn and cotton candy.

Arthur stood near the entrance, hands in his pockets, scanning the crowd for the others. He wasn't exactly thrilled to be here, but at least it was better than being stuck at home.

"There he is!" Luke's voice boomed from behind.

Arthur turned just as Luke jogged over, Sophie in tow. She was smiling, dressed in casual jeans and a hoodie, her black hair tied back.

"Glad you didn't bail," Sophie teased.

Arthur gave a half-smirk. "I considered it."

"You wouldn't dare," Alishia chimed in, appearing beside him. She was wearing a fitted red jacket over a simple white top and jeans, her reddish-brown hair tied in a loose ponytail.

Arthur glanced at her. "And what makes you so sure?"

She grinned. "Because I would've dragged you out of your apartment myself."

Luke snickered. "She's not bluffing."

Arthur sighed. "Let's just get this over with."

Arthur stared at the massive steel roller coaster towering before him. The tracks twisted in loops and steep drops, the sound of the cars rattling against the rails filling the air.

"Absolutely not," he said flatly.

"Oh, come on," Luke groaned. "Live a little."

"I'd rather not die, thanks."

Alishia smirked. "Scared?"

Arthur gave her a dry look. "I have no interest in throwing myself into a metal death trap."

Sophie laughed. "Okay, okay, we'll do something else."

Luke pouted. "Fine. But we're riding something crazy before we leave."

Arthur ignored him and followed the group toward something less suicidal.

"Alright, how about this?" Alishia suggested, pointing at the entrance to the haunted house. The building was designed like an old, decrepit mansion, with fake fog rolling around the entrance.

Arthur raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

"Why not?" she challenged. "Or are you scared of ghosts too?"

Arthur sighed. "Fine. But if Luke screams, I'm never letting him forget it."

Luke scoffed. "Please, I'm not scared of anything."

Sophie smirked. "We'll see about that."

As they stepped inside, the darkness swallowed them. The eerie sound of creaking floorboards and distant whispers filled the air. Shadows shifted along the walls, and sudden movements made Sophie grip Luke's arm.

Arthur walked calmly, unimpressed.

Alishia walked beside him, her voice barely a whisper. "Not scared at all, huh?"

Arthur gave her a sideways glance. "I've seen worse."

Just then, a loud shriek echoed through the corridor, followed by a figure lunging out from the shadows.

Luke yelled.

Alishia burst into laughter. "Oh my god—"

Arthur smirked. "Not scared of anything, huh?"

Luke, now visibly embarrassed, cleared his throat. "That was… uh, just a reflex."

Sophie was giggling. "Sure it was."

Arthur shook his head. This was turning out to be more entertaining than he thought.

By the time they reached the Ferris wheel, the sky had turned a deep shade of blue, the city lights glowing in the distance.

Luke and Sophie got into one of the cabins, leaving Arthur and Alishia in another.

As the ride started moving, the air grew quieter, the noise of the park fading.

Alishia leaned against the railing, gazing out at the city. "It's beautiful up here."

Arthur followed her gaze. "Yeah."

She turned toward him, her expression soft. "You know… I don't think I've ever seen you this relaxed."

Arthur raised an eyebrow. "I don't think I've ever been forced to ride this many attractions in one day."

Alishia chuckled. "Okay, fair."

For a moment, there was silence.

Then, almost hesitantly, she said, "I'm glad you came."

Arthur looked at her. There was something genuine in her voice, something that made his usual guarded walls waver just a little.

"…Me too," he admitted.

Alishia smiled.

And as the Ferris wheel continued its slow descent, Arthur found himself thinking—maybe this day hadn't been so bad after all.