Worst or Best

“Come on!” Nathan suddenly opened his car door and hurried to my side, yanking mine open before I could even react. I jumped in surprise as he took my hand and pulled me along. He looked unusually thrilled—almost radiant. “Nathan, wait!” I stumbled after him while he laughed at my flustered state. “So, what should we ride first?” Yes, you heard that right—we were at a carnival. In front of us stretched a wild blur of rides, flashing lights, food stalls, and games. In short, I was in hell. “What are we doing here?!” Panic cracked in my voice as I scanned the place. The noise, the crowd, the dizzying lights—it was too much. I could feel the color draining from my face. Even from here, the sight of those towering rides made my stomach twist. The sun was setting, streaking the sky in gold and pink as the evening breeze brushed against my skin. I tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear and glanced at Nathan’s profile. The fading light carved his face into something almost un