TYSHA
“What do you want to ride next, Jeff?” I inquired eagerly to Rue’s nephew, wasting no time as we scanned the amusement park for our next adventure.
His eyes sparkled with excitement as he pointed decisively at the formidable silhouette of Thunderbolt, the towering roller coaster.
My heart skipped a beat.
Oh gosh.
It looked super cool with its twisty tracks and loops. However, I felt really scared just thinking about riding it. The screams of the riders were already a great way to know it was not for faint-hearted people like me.
“Are you s-sure?” I asked Jeff for confirmation. I even stammered as nervousness crept within me. “Why not try that one first?”
I tried suggesting a less extreme ride but Rue decided to jump in.
RUE "Picture, guys?" While we were walking around, waiting for Tysha to settle her stomach, we spotted a photographer who takes pictures in the amusement park. He had some sample photos displayed on his chest, which made me more inclined to say yes to his offer. "Sure," I replied, glancing at Jeff and Tysha. Tysha furrowed her brow, clearly not feeling up for pictures at the moment. But I couldn't resist teasing her further. Her gaze seemed to say, "Are you serious right now? Picture while I'm still recovering?" I just smirked at her predicament, enjoying the playful banter. Tysha sighed, conceding defeat, especially when the photographer started giving us directions. "Alright. Pick up the kid, Sir," the photographer instructed. I followed his lead and lifted Jeff, who wasn't too heavy. He then took
TYSHAI still couldn't get over the pictures of Rue, Jeff, and me.I felt like I looked so obviously mesmerized by Rue! I hate it! I couldn't even bring myself to look at our pictures for more than a moment.Thankfully, after that, we decided to grab a snack first. Somehow, my mind drifted away from thinking about my embarrassing moment.“Uncle, I want a unicorn,” Jeff requested as we came across different booths offering games with prizes. He pointed to the unicorn stuffed toy prizes at one of the game booths."Alright," Rue declared, determination in his voice as he took the lead towards the booth. However, I swiftly dashed his hopes, drawing from my childhood memories of countless amusement park visits."It's not for sale. You have to play to win one," I clarified firmly. Rue glanced at me, contemplating for a moment b
RUEAs I watched Tysha and Jeff walk away, my gaze lingered on the unicorn stuffed toy Tysha handed me. It had attracted attention from passersby, but at that moment, I couldn't care less about the curious glances.Holding onto the plush unicorn, I felt a strange sense of comfort. Somehow, I wanted to keep it with me as a reminder of the day Tysha encouraged me to heal my inner child I didn’t know was wounded.Reflecting on her words about healing my inner child, I realized that maybe there were parts of myself that I hadn't fully acknowledged were wounded.Following Jeff's request, we headed to the Wonderwheel for our final ride of the day. Though the sun had already set, its golden-orange glow still painted the sky, casting a warm hue over the surroundings, tinting everything in shades of yellow.As we finall
TYSHA "Don't be stubborn, Jeff. Listen to Teacher Tysha and Uncle Rue, okay? We'll be back tomorrow," Cindy instructed her son over the phone. "Okay, Mommy," Jeff replied, a hint of sadness in his eyes, but he bravely accepted his parents' decision. I felt proud of him for being such a good boy. After speaking to her son, Cindy decided to talk to Rue and me as well. Jeff handed me the phone, and I saw Cindy's tired eyes on the video call. Cindy's stress was evident in the weary lines etched across her forehead, creasing her usually smooth complexion. Her eyes, usually bright and lively, now appeared tired and heavy-lidded, with dark circles forming underneath. There was a tense set to her jaw, and her lips were pressed together in a thin line, betraying the weight of her worries. Despite her efforts to maintain c
TYSHA I stayed with Rue and Jeff throughout the night, knowing that Cindy and Patrick wouldn't be able to return home. The next morning, Rue cooked breakfast while I helped Jeff tidy up, and later, I even assisted him with showering. It felt like we were participating in a one-day parents challenge, taking care of Jeff and managing household chores together. After dropping Jeff off at school, Rue offered to drive me home. "I'll talk to your parents on Sunday. Would that be okay?" Rue suggested before I left his car, dropping me off at home. I couldn't believe he was actually willing to talk to my parents to ask for their permission. It felt like something out of a movie, a guy asking my parents for permission to take me to prom. "Yeah, start thinking of a good reason," I smirked, feeling a sense of playful banter
TYSHA "You'll need a bunch of lingerie for your three-day trip with Mr. Billionaire," Barra remarked, not bothering to keep her voice down as we walked through the mall. The sudden attention from passersby made me feel self-conscious, their judgmental stares weighing heavily on me. "Oh gosh," I muttered under my breath, feeling embarrassed and exposed by Barra's indiscreet comment. My cheeks flushed with embarrassment as Barra's words hit me. "Barra!" I exclaimed, quickly covering my friend's mouth in an attempt to silence her. But she paid no heed to the people around us, continuing to speak loudly. "What? My gut is telling me that you guys will have explosions on that island! I'm so excited for you!" she exclaimed, gesturing explosions wildly with her hands. Despite her a
RUE “I think you’re in danger, bro,” Rij muttered when I told him about my planned trip with Tysha. I couldn't help but roll my eyes. “You’re overreacting,” I replied dismissively. Rij felt the need to elaborate on his warning. “Because this is something you never did for any woman!” he pointed out, which was undeniably true. To be honest, I didn't quite understand what was happening to me either. As I reflect on my interactions with Tysha, I can't shake this strange feeling stirring within me. It's like nothing I've ever experienced before, and it's driving me nuts. There's a warmth in her presence, a comfort in her smile that I can't seem to resist. It's as if she has this magnetic pull that draws me closer to her, making me do things I've never done before. I find myself thin
TYSHA "Are we really alone on Isla Llevaste? Like, literally?" I asked Rue as we made our way to the rooftop of the SlumberLux building, the company that he made from scratch. He had decided to fetch me at dawn on Monday so we could have more time on his private island. I hadn't been able to sleep after he talked to my parents yesterday and also after overthinking the things that Bryse told me. I also needed to prepare my luggage so that I would not miss anything. "Nope. Don't worry, there'll be staff to help us out. They run the resort and take care of everything when guests are around," Rue reassured me. I let out a sigh of relief hearing that. Gosh. Thank goodness! My mind was racing with thoughts since last night, thinking we would literally be alone in a private island. What if we were stranded there without