Amelia didn’t rush.

That was the first thing Luca noticed.

She walked a few steps ahead with her hands loosely clasped behind her back, moving with the kind of quiet confidence that didn’t need attention to exist. She wasn’t waiting for him to catch up, nor was she trying to lead him anywhere in particular. Somehow, it felt as though she’d simply assumed he would walk beside her.

And he did.

The amusement park stretched around them in a riot of color and sound. Children darted between attractions clutching oversized balloons. Laughter drifted through the air alongside the distant screams of roller coaster passengers. The scent of fried dough, caramel, and grilled food mixed together beneath the warm afternoon sun.

For a while, neither of them spoke.

Surprisingly, it wasn’t awkward.

Amelia glanced sideways at him.

"You always had this habit back in school."

Luca raised an eyebrow.

"What habit?"

"Pretending you weren’t paying attention when you actually were."

A faint smile touched his lips.

"That sounds like something people say when they weren’t sure I was listening."

Amelia laughed softly.

"I was sure. You just didn’t talk much."

They continued through the crowd, weaving around families and groups of excited teenagers.

After a moment, Amelia added, "I used to wonder whether you just weren’t interested in people... or if you were really selective about who you let into your circle."

Luca glanced at her.

"Probably the first one."

"That’s surprisingly honest."

"It’s also probably true."

That earned another laugh from her.

As they walked, Amelia occasionally pointed out things she remembered. An old game booth that somehow hadn’t been replaced. A snack stall with the same faded sign from years ago. A ride she’d been convinced would disappear after every renovation and somehow never did.

Nothing about the conversation felt forced.

There was no awkward catching up.

No desperate attempt to impress one another.

Just two former classmates sharing pieces of memory while wandering through a crowded park.

Luca found himself listening more than he expected.

Not because he was nostalgic.

More because Amelia had a way of speaking that made ordinary things feel strangely easy to listen to.

After a while, her expression softened.

"You know..." she began. "There’s actually something I regret."

Luca glanced at her.

"That sounds serious."

"It isn’t."

She paused.

"Well, maybe it is."

Her gaze drifted upward toward the steel framework of a roller coaster cutting across the sky.

Backlit by sunlight, the tracks looked almost endless.

"In college, I kept telling myself there would be another chance."

"Another chance for what?"

She smiled faintly.

"To talk to people. To get to know them better. Another class. Another conversation. Another excuse to walk over and say hi."

Her shoulders lifted slightly.

"The funny thing is, I wasn’t even busy most of the time."

"So what stopped you?"

Amelia considered the question.

"Hesitation, probably."

Her smile carried a trace of self-mockery.

"You get used to thinking opportunities will still be there tomorrow."

A few seconds passed.

"Then one day you realize every time you said ’later,’ you were actually making a choice."

Luca hummed quietly.

"They usually don’t stay forever."

"No."

Amelia’s smile grew softer.

"They really don’t."

For a brief moment, she looked at him.

Back then, Luca had always seemed distant.

Not unfriendly.

Not unapproachable.

Just difficult to reach.

Looking back now, she realized the distance had never been created by him.

It had been created by time.

And by her own reluctance to take a step forward.

Fortunately, she wasn’t the type to keep repeating the same mistake.

A small smile tugged at her lips.

"Yeah. That’s exactly what you’d say."

Several minutes later, they arrived in front of one of the park’s most famous attractions.

A massive sign towered overhead.

2 Deep 2 Hell.

The steel tracks twisted high above them like a giant metallic serpent.

Amelia tilted her head.

"This one still popular?"

Luca looked up.

"Looks like it."

She turned toward him, amusement flashing in her eyes.

"Wanna go?"

He shrugged.

"Sure."

The queue moved surprisingly fast.

Families, couples, and groups of friends shuffled forward while music drifted from overhead speakers. Every few minutes, the roar of another departing train echoed through the station.

Amelia remained beside him the entire time.

Close enough to talk comfortably.

Far enough not to seem deliberate.

"You been on one of these recently?" she asked.

"Not really."

"Too busy?"

"Something like that."

She nodded.

"I used to think you’d grow up into one of those people who never had time for fun."

Luca glanced at her.

"And now?"

Amelia smiled.

"Now I think I was half right."

Before he could respond, attendants waved them forward.

They took their seats side by side.

A moment later, the restraints locked into place with a heavy metallic click.

The train began its ascent.

Slowly.

Steadily.

The ground shrank beneath them while the sounds of the park gradually faded into the distance.

Amelia leaned back against her seat.

"This is always the trick."

Luca looked over.

"The trick?"

"Making you relax before it tries to kill you."

A laugh escaped him.

"You sound experienced."

"I am."

The climb continued.

Higher.

Higher.

The wind strengthened around them.

Below, the amusement park became a colorful patchwork of moving figures and bright attractions.

At the very top, everything seemed to pause.

For one brief second, the entire world hung suspended.

Then the drop came.

The train plunged forward.

Wind exploded past them.

The tracks blurred.

Screams erupted from every direction as gravity seemed to vanish beneath their feet.

Amelia shifted closer during the first violent descent.

Her shoulder bumped lightly against his arm.

At the same time, her hand reached for his sleeve and closed around the fabric.

Not tightly.

Just firmly enough to stay there.

The movement felt natural.

Like someone reaching for balance during a sudden drop.

Luca barely reacted.

In his mind, it was a perfectly ordinary response. People reached for stability when the world suddenly tilted sideways.

The train rocketed through a sharp turn.

Then another.

Only after the ride leveled out did Amelia slowly release her grip.

She brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear and laughed breathlessly.

"Okay... that’s still more intense than I remembered."

Luca nodded.

"Yeah."

As always, his answer was short.

Amelia studied him for a second.

His expression hadn’t changed much.

If anything, he looked calmer now than when they’d boarded.

A helpless smile appeared on her face.

Some things really never changed.

"Let’s find something a little less life-threatening next."

This time, Luca laughed openly.

The sound surprised even her.

For a moment, she simply listened.

Then a faint sense of satisfaction settled in her chest.

Some opportunities disappeared forever.

Others appeared again when you least expected them.

Back in college, she’d convinced herself there would always be another chance.

Now she knew better.

And this time, she had no intention of letting distance do the deciding for her.