All Chapters of Too Big to Fit.: Chapter 141 - Chapter 150

TylerBy the time Aaron finally got whatever had possessed him out of his system and climbed into his car, I could’ve sworn the entire festival had packed up and gone home.But somehow, when we got there, it felt like the exact moment everyone else decided to show up.The entire place was packed when I stepped out of the car. Noisy.Music blasted from somewhere ahead, only to disappear beneath cheers, laughter and occasional screams from one of the rides. The roller coaster rattled overhead, sending another cart of people into the air.Half of them screamed. The other half laughed like they were exactly where they wanted to be.And I’d never understand why every horror house ever introduced in Lakeview is more funny than scary.A group of girls stumbled through the exit, clutching each other, laughing so hard one of them nearly fell over.I scoffed.Probably what the authorities wanted after completely banning Thanksgiving.“Dude,” Aaron elbowed my ribs. “I’m hitting the bull.” “Ev

SydneySafe to say I forgot how to breathe.Or maybe it was relief crashing into fear so fast, my lungs couldn’t decide what to do.I felt everything at once—fear, anxiety, irritation, cold maybe, then relief the second I saw that second hand.My knees felt weak.“Is this man bothering you, babe?” Tyler asked again, his eyes on the stranger, his jaw tight like he was forcing himself to stay calm.My mouth refused to work.Wait…babe?Did Tyler just say babe?The man looked completely shocked. His eyes on Tyler like he’d grabbed his throat.Then he took one step away from Tyler, his frown turning to a smile again. “Chill, man. We were just talking.”“Well, you talk with your mouth and not your hands.” Tyler’s voice stayed calm. “Walk away.”“Woah,” the man scoffed, his eyes taking Tyler in for what seemed like the first time. “She your girlfriend or something?” Tyler didn’t hesitate. “Yeah. Now walk away.”My heart stopped.The man frowned. “Well, she didn’t tell me—”“Get the fuck out

SydneyHonestly? That should’ve been the end of that festival for me.I mean, I’d finally talked to Tyler without crying or yelling at him…just a few butterflies staging a mutiny in my stomach.Or something like that.Instead, I let him talk me into sitting on a barrel, my feet dangling above the ground while he failed spectacularly at ring toss.Shocking, right?Yeah. Me too.“Come on, one last try. I promise,” he said, sliding another fifty across the counter.I laughed. “You said that four hundred dollars ago.”“Three fifty.” He corrected, taking another set of rings from the woman who looked just as entertained at his point.He narrowed his eyes at the wall of bottles, and I bit back a grin.“Aim.”“I am aiming.”“No, you’re throwing.” “They’re literally the same thing, Sydney.”I snorted. “They’re really not.”The stall owner just put her feet up on the counter, arms folded like she could watch him fail all day. “Take your time, sweetheart.”Tyler almost rolled his eyes. Then he

Sydney The ride back home was quieter than I expected. Meave slept through half of it, snoring softly beside me and only groaning painfully when we hit a speed bump. That was about it. I rested my head against the window, the whole night replaying in my head, heating my cheeks over and over no matter how hard I tried to shove it away. ‘You’re friends. That’s all.’ I repeated to myself ten more times as I tucked Maeve into my bed after forcing some water down her throat. But as expected, sleep for me was half impossible. Not because of Maeve in my bed, or the fact that I spent about two more hours at my reading table, that little hamster sitting beside my laptop, lying to myself that I wasn’t tired. I was just…how was it just so easy for Tyler to call me his friend? Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t hate it. And I definitely don’t regret pulling him so close to me in the midst of those people in that parking lot. Or the way he held me back… ‘Stop it, Sydney.’ “Oh m

Sydney Here’s the thing about Lakeview—always expect something. Preferably the worst. First off, Monday arrived like the kind of train wreck you see coming but still somehow can’t avoid. Because after Maeve finally went home after forcing me to eat what felt like an entire large pizza, it took one last glance at that stuffed hamster before I drifted off to sleep. Longer than I expected. Then somehow my alarm screamed the next minute. And before I knew it, I was standing in front of my mirror, staring at my face like it wasn’t mine. Because yeah, the thought of going to school after such…an eventful weekend? Terrifying. I wrapped my arms around myself, studying my reflection—my hair still somehow sitting exactly the way Maeve had done it for the festival, my face as plain as it usually looked. But the thought of seeing Tyler at school again… Made my stomach knot. Still, I took multiple breaths, made sure Maeve was just as ready as I was before I stepped out of my