Page 24 of Love at Full Tilt
My brain zings, and for a second I can’t keep up with the surge of thoughts that fill my head. Vows make me think of weddings and marriage. An event where you exchange rings. Where are there rings at this park?
I beam at Issy. “The Fountain of Union.”
“Ah!” She claps. “Oh my God. Yes. All those rings. Circles that can’t be broken.”
The fountain has always been Issy’s favorite Fableland Easter egg.
Supposedly, every couple that gets married at the park tosses a set of bronze rings into the fountain and makes a wish for their future.
There’s an entire F 3 forum dedicated to the wishes people have made and whether they’ve come true.
The three of us used to read them out loud like storybooks when we were younger, Tess trying to prove why every one was a coincidence, while Issy and I melted into the magic.
I pull up the map to see where we’re headed, while Issy texts Tess to tell her where to find us.
“Hey, it looks like the fruit sushi stand is right near the fountain, so we can film your video once we scan the code.” There were a ton of comments on Issy’s last video insisting she try the snack, even though it wasn’t on her list. She’s been stunned by all the extra engagement she’s getting for her new content.
Last night, she joked that maybe she should forget college and just travel the world eating food.
Tess practically had a brain aneurysm.
Issy smiles. “Then Tess won’t have to worry about adding it to the itinerary later.”
“And you can post it during prime viewing hours for maximum engagement.” I laugh as soon as I hear myself. There’s nothing like the girl with a hundred followers on social media trying to sound like an influencer.
“Want to be my marketing manager?” Issy quips.
“Oh yeah. If you need triangles stacked on top of each other for your graphics, I’m your girl.” I took one design class in high school, and all I remember is how to move shapes around in the different programs.
Issy chuckles, but the light in her face quickly fades. “Do you…” She stops and sighs. “Do you find Tess more controlling than usual?”
I bite my lip again. Yeah, I get frustrated with Tess, but I don’t want to pile on her. Especially when she’s not here. “Why? What’s up?”
Issy straightens her ponytail as she dodges out of the way of a large family streaming by. “Yesterday she tried to get me to approach, like, four different guys. I don’t get it. Why is she pushing so hard for me to be with someone?”
Issy dated a lot in our first two years of high school, but she hasn’t been out with anyone since the end of our sophomore year.
Her last boyfriend had been a senior, and an asshole, so I assumed she needed a break after him.
Plus, there’s enough pressure at the end of high school with graduation and figuring out what’s next.
I don’t blame anyone for not wanting to add relationship drama to the mix.
Issy’s mouth screws up as if she’s not done talking, but she only clears her throat, a pained expression taking over her face. It’s the second time since we’ve been at Fableland that I’ve felt like she’s holding back with me. Usually, the two of us are open books to each other.
Before I can ask what’s up, she starts pacing.
“And this schedule of hers,” she goes on. “If we needed to wait in lines, I would get it, but there’s no chance we’re going to miss anything. We can walk onto every ride.”
“Yeah. It’s been a lot.” I scratch at my neck. “Even before we got here, she’s been less willing to compromise.” I want to ask if something happened, but part of me is afraid Issy knows something I don’t. That there are already secrets between them they aren’t sharing with me.
“I wish she’d tell us what she’s thinking.” Issy sighs.
“Me too.”
Tess catches up with us on our way back to the center of the park.
The Fountain of Union sits outside Ocean’s Grace.
Two lovers stand in an embrace at the center, one a human woman, the other an octopus-man hybrid.
Two of his tentacles encircle the woman’s waist and one brushes through her hair.
A fourth cradles her cheek. Water trickles from their eyes like tears, washing down their bodies and into the crisp blue pool below them.
It’s a reenactment of the final moment in The Sea Witch’s Revenge, when Titania and Pericles kiss, uniting his undersea realm with her human kingdom.
The three of us stop in front of it to take it in.
Issy’s eyes are wide, an amused grin on her face. “This statue is like three steps away from being a cover for one of those NSFW monster romances.”
I laugh. The Sea Witch’s Revenge has plenty of talking fish and upbeat songs, but the story is all about war and loss and what makes someone a monster. Tween Lia had a lot of questions about how exactly Titania and Pericles had children in the sequel that my mother lost her mind trying to answer.
Tess cocks her head. “Is it just me or does this tentacled man kind of resemble Carter?”
I cackle. “Oh my God. He does.” I can’t unsee it now. Pericles has the same narrow, boyish face and wide innocent stare.
“Wouldn’t he and Is be adorable together?”
“Pericles? He’s not real, Tess.”
She rolls her eyes. “No, Carter.”
“His boyfriend would probably disagree.” Yesterday, Carter gave me his phone to take a photo of him holding three gigantic ice cream sandwiches, and the wallpaper on his home screen was a picture of him midkiss with a cute dark-skinned Black guy.
Tess groans. “Damn it. I was shipping them so hard.”
At that, Issy’s gaze snaps up from her phone, and she frowns, shaking her head.
I try to catch Tess’s eye, but she’s taking photo after photo of the statue and snickering as she texts them to someone.
Carter, I assume.
We slowly pace the circumference of the fountain, listening to it burble as we look for the QR code. Issy spots it first, secured onto the flowing curves of Titania’s gown.
After I scan it, I stand back and take everything in again.
The way the Fountain of Union is described on F 3 and other sites, I’d expected it to be overflowing with rings.
So many there wasn’t room for water. But there are maybe fifty scattered along the floor of the pool.
On the surface of the water, dead bugs and debris float by.
It’s the first time something from these parks hasn’t lived up to the hype. I was expecting something spectacular to memorialize magic, love, romance. Everything The Sea Witch’s Revenge is supposed to be about.
I can’t help it. My mind skips back to Mason and his blade of grass.
Taking a quick photo of the dirty water, I text it to him.
Lia
Well this is disappointing.
(8:45 AM)
Mason
Is that the fountain? That place is sad….
(8:47 AM)
Lia
Why do you hate Fableland so much?
(8:50 AM)
Mason
I know what it’s like to have it let you down
(9:02 AM)
There’s a story there, but I don’t want to push for more than he wants to tell me.
He sends a photo of the gates as they open.
Lia
Hurry up. There are like twenty people with clue one already
(9:05 AM)
Mason
I can see that. Way to go number1.
(9:08 AM)
Lia
Why aren’t you using the hotel rooms they gave all of us?
(9:10 AM)
If he stayed overnight, he’d be closer to the parks and able to take advantage of the early openings, which are only for guests staying at on-property hotels.
Mason
I can’t leave the dogs. My father doesn’t exactly take good care of them.
(9:12 AM)
Now I want to punch his dad. I send Mason the location of the first two clues. It’s the best way I can think to help. Then I find my friends.
They’re at the fruit sushi stand across the park’s central square, both of them studying the menu like it’s an explanation of nuclear physics.
My gaze drifts toward the fountain one more time, and I think of Mason’s text.
Shoving a hand in my pocket, I fuss with the ring jammed in the bottom.
I brought it from home, meaning to make a wish in the fountain—even if it broke the rules.
But as I turn to join my friends, I decide to leave it where it is.
I don’t want magic to make my wish come true. I want to do it myself.
When I reach Tess and Issy, I blurt out, “If I win, I’m going to try to get a job here.” I say it without conditions. Without hesitation. It feels like I’m finally grasping something. Gripping it firmly with both hands.
If I can share that plan with Mason, then I should be able to share it with my friends too.
Issy screeches and jumps up and down. “ Yes, Lia. You love this place. This is perfect.”
Tess arches an eyebrow. “To be with Mason?”
That thought occurred to me, too, but it’s not where my conviction comes from.
“No. I want to add to this.” I gesture around us. “I’ve been thinking of this story about a fat princess I could pitch someday. I love this place, but it could be so much more inclusive. What if I could help with that? If I win this money, I could do something good here.”
“You’d kill at that,” Issy says. Her eyes crinkle with joy.
“Yeah, you would,” Tess echoes. But she’s frowning as she taps my leg with her foot. “Just don’t forget you’re living a dream right now too, being here. Not everything is a fantasy.”
She’s not wrong, even though the timing of her reality check kind of sucks. For once, I can imagine a different future, and the possibility of it is close enough to grab. I wanted to relish that for a moment.
Shaking my head, I pull out my phone, ready to finish the day.
The next clue waits for me on the screen.
The sea contains many legends that live only in stories. But beneath the sink of an anchor this fantasy creature will come alive before your eyes.
I repeat the words in my head. The leaderboard sits open, and I watch as two contestants pop up into positions one and two. Already done for the day.
“The sink of an anchor,” I mumble. “Fantasy creature.” My pulse kicks against my veins, and my stomach ties itself in knots.
I have no idea what any of it means.