I wasn’t too sure what to say to that, so after an extended blank stare, I moved on and pointed to a knock-the-coconut-down game. “Come on, you can win me one of those giant smurfs.”
“Good morning. Are you having a go for the little lady?” the balding, sweaty man behind the table asked. I wanted to punch his peanut shaped head in for the little lady comment. Arsehole. Kai nodded and I couldn’t miss the fucking smirk as he watched me shoot daggers at the sweaty mess in front of us. “Three balls, three chances to knock the cocoanut off. You get one down you get a stuffed toy.”
It wasn’t bloody rocket science.
He handed Kai the three wooden balls and he threw the first one. Shit, he had a good throw. It smashed into the coconut, knocking it sideways but it didn’t fall.
“Good shot, son,” Sweaty Mess said, chuckling obnoxiously loud. He was on my bloody list since his comment so now everything he did grated on me. Wanker.
The look of determination on Kai’s face melted my heart a little. It was only a cheap, stuffed toy but because I wanted it he was going all out to get it. The next ball was swung harder and launched through the air with purpose. The coconut dropped to the floor with a light thud.
Sweaty Mess burst into laugher again, holding his potbelly. “Nice. Which one ya want, little lady?”
I wanted to tell him to shove it but Kai had won it and probably pulled a muscle in his arm throwing that hard so I forced myself to smile and pointed to a smurf above my head.
“I thought you’d have wanted the girl,” he said, laughing again and reaching up to take it down. I wanted to back up, take a good run and slam my body into his stomach. I was small and didn’t weigh a whole lot but I was confident I could knock the air out of him.
“Thank you,” I said to Sweaty Mess and then repeated to Kai, my smile turning genuine for my friend.
“You’re welcome. Couldn’t have you not getting what you wanted now, could we, princess.”
Little prick. I glared, which only made him laugh.
“I’m calling him Kai,” I said, holding up the smurf.
“You’re naming a teddy after me?” He raised his dark eyebrow and turned his nose up in disgust. I nodded. His distaste quickly morphed into something that looked at lot like it would get him in trouble. “You going to cuddle up to it naked when you’re in bed?”
And there it is.
“Oh, every night, yeah,” I replied sarcastically.
“You know you could have the real thing.” He threw his arm over my shoulder as we walked towards the horse carousel.
“Well, thanks for the offer, but this Kai is way cuter.” I held up the smurf for emphasis. Shaking his head, amused, he helped me get on a horse and stepped back.
“You’re not coming on?”
“If you think I’m getting on a fucking pink pony and going round and round in circles for–”
“Okay, okay. I’ll see you in a minute.”
“You’ll see me about twenty times in that minute.”
The horse lifted as the ride started to move. “Lucky me,” I replied dryly, earning myself a wink and half smile.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Tegan
“Princess, I feel like a five-year-old,” Kai said, looking over at the small children in the teacup next to ours.
“That’s because you’re acting like one. Smurf Kai is more mature.”
“Stop calling the damn smurf Kai!” He chuckled, shaking his head.
When the ride stopped we jumped off. We were having some good old fashioned immature fun.
“Where to now?” Kai asked.
“Um…” I stumbled slightly but managed to correct it.
“Alright, you need water.” He dragged me through the crowd to the food stalls and sat me down on a free table. “Stay,” he said, pointing at me and trying not to smile.
Saluting, I leant back on the chair as he walked off to one of the stalls. I watched him buy three bottles of water – two of those better be for him – and walk back over to me.
Kai made me drink a whole bottle, saying I needed to sober up. I wasn’t exactly drunk, we’d only snuck a couple of beers in between rides, but I did as he said. He stretched his arms, his t-shirt pulling up to reveal some of that mouth-watering six-pack. I quickly looked away and when I looked back he was smirking like an idiot. “How come you’re still here? Earlier you said you were going,” I asked before he could say anything.
He clutched his heart. “Do you want me to go?”
“No. I’m glad you’re here, the fate is so bloody boring...”
“Why did you come?” I looked down at the floor. I came for Dad. Just before he died he promised Mum he would go this year. “Hey?” He pulled my arm lightly, getting me to look at him.
“Um, I came for…” I took a deep breath. “For my dad.” Kai leant over, wrapping his arm around my back. Resting my head against his shoulder I took a deep breath. Do not cry. Get it the fuck together. I hadn’t spoken to Kai about my dad, even after the incident at Ava’s party. He knew, of course, but he never mentioned it and nothing changed.