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And that’s all the warning Mr. Lee and I get before Bryan starts bolting back in the direction we came from.
“What?” I exclaim. “Have you lost your mind?”
Mr. Lee makes an equally baffled noise as he runs after Bryan.
“Just trust me!” Bryan calls back.
Wondering if all of this is a terrible idea, I follow Bryan, right into the crowd of screaming fans.
For one confusing moment, I think Bryan’s going to run right into the Brybabies. The fans must have had the same thought because they all get out of the way.
But at the very last second, Bryan sharply turns right, whizzing past everyone.
After a few seconds of looking dazed and perplexed, the fans all start screaming and chasing after him, leaving me alone like I’m suddenly invisible. I don’t know whether to be thankful for Bryan or afraid of him. This guy really is something else.
I slow down to jog after the crowd at a leisurely pace, catching my breath as Bryan pivots and runs to the roller coaster. Once he reaches the line, he bows and strikes up a conversation with the people standing in front of him. I’m too far away to hear what he’s saying, but I can tell from the way he’s bowing rapidly and smiling that he’s working his charm.
I speed up until I’m close enough to hear what’s going on. By then, he’s almost at the very front.
“Thank you so much for letting me cut to the front of the line,” I hear him say. “You really didn’t have to. I was perfectly happy with standing in line! If you’d like, I’d love to make it upto you by taking a selfie with you or giving you an autograph.”
Everyone cheers, and Bryan gets busy smiling at people’s phones and signing whatever they ask him to sign. Just looking at him work is both amazing and exhausting. Bryan is many things, but he’s definitely a pro at fan service.
By the time I catch up to him, we’re far enough into the line of people that the crowd can’t get to us. After a short wait, we sit at the front of the roller coaster.
A worker comes to pull down the safety belt over our heads, while another one instructs everyone to store all bags, phones, and other things that can fly out during the ride in the nearby cubbies.
Bryan gives me a little nudge.
“Ready to scream your head off?” he asks.
I don’t deem that worthy of a response. Instead, I just smile. Little does Bryan know that Kid Me was obsessed with roller coasters. Growing up near Orlando means that I always had easy access to all kinds of different rides. In the end, I had to stop going on roller coasters for the sake of my dad, who kept getting sick from having to go on them with me all the time.
Although I have no way of knowing how my body’s going to react to roller coasters now, I’m buzzing with excitement at the sheer fact that I’m currently sitting in one.
The ride slowly begins to move, and the conversations around us die down to a low murmur as people wait in anticipation.
“You ready to buy me a stuffed animal?” Bryan whispers as the roller coaster picks up speed, climbing higher and higher up the rail. “Here we go!”
That’s the last thing I hear Bryan say before the ride drops down at a speed so fast that the wind gets knocked out of my lungs. Some people—Bryan included—yell, but I can’t get a single sound out as the ride spins around and around at an unbelievable pace.
I feel every twist in the bottom of my stomach and my eyes tear up from the wind. But instead of being afraid, I’m ecstatic. The super speed of the roller coaster is so freeing. The suspension of gravity, exhilarating. I feel like I’m flying. And the best part? No one can reach us. I’m totally isolated on this roller coaster, literally going too fast for anyone to get a clear view of us or comment on my business.
I can’t remember the last time I’ve been this happy. I feel soalive.
“Aw yeah!” I shout at the next drop.
I’m so caught up in my own joy that I forget Bryan’s still sitting there beside me until the ride’s almost over. He’s absolutely silent, and we’re going through a dark tunnel, so I can’t see his face.
“Bryan, you okay?” I yell as loud as I can above the roar of the roller coaster.
No response.
I’m wondering if Bryan has passed out when, suddenly, Ifeel a squeeze on my arm.
Our roller coaster hurtles out of the tunnel, going up and down for one last spin. Bryan’s face is white as a sheet as he tightens his grip on me. He’s literally clutching my arm for dear life.
He screams, and I’m reminded that he sings all the high parts in his boy band’s songs. He’s not much of an “angelic voice” now, but I can definitely hear the range.
