Chapter Text
April wasn't jealous or envious because envy was a deadly sin.She was just mild to moderately annoyed that the twins were so close, whilst she didn't dislike Blair she hated that the girls were so close, that they did everything together, that they made her feel like a third wheel, always in the background.
She was so excited when her mother told her that Debbie has asked if she wanted to go to the carnival in town with them, she could barely sleep the night before she was so excited, but her excitement had been ruined when she saw Mary-Louise and Sarah from their class at the Wesleys door step, yet more people who would take up her time with Sterling, yet more people who she would have to share sterling's attention with. She just wanted Sterling to herself, was that too much to ask?
They arrived at the carnival there was a lot to do and the girls were overwhelmed by the amount of rides and games. She had been given some money from her parents that she was planning to stretch as far as possible to do as many things as she could.
'Shall we go on the Ferris wheel?' April suggested
' Or the dodgems?' Mary-Louise added
'I don't want too i’d rather go in the haunted house train ride.’Blair replied
‘Me too, I love the haunted house train.’ Sarah said
'oh I don't really like that kind of stuff' April said
There was a pause
'Blair you can go on the haunted house with Mary-Louise and Sarah and April and I can go on the Ferris wheels and then we can all go on the dodgems after.” Sterling suggested.
After a quick discussion they went with Sterling's idea, Blair, Mary-Louise and Sarah headed with Anderson over to the haunted house train ride and Sterling and April walked with Debbie towards the queue for the Ferris wheel.
“Look,mom I’m tall enough to go on without an adult,” Sterling said as she stood next to the measuring pole.
Debbie nodded,
“But I don’t know if April will be tall enough because she is tiny, I'm surprised we haven’t lost her yet .” Sterling giggled
April glared at Sterling.
“I’m only joking April,” Sterling giggled
“Right then girls go and get on and please don’t swing because I want y’all to be safe and we don’t need any trips to the emergency room. I’ll be waiting for you at the exit.” Debbie said.
The girls nodded as they stood in the line waiting their turn.They watched as the ferris wheel spun around and people got on and off.
April could feel her heart beating in her chest as she got onto the ride ,it was true she didn’t really like the haunted house but she also wasn’t really a fan of heights either but she couldn’t let it show.
She wasn't scared, because she was 9 and 9 year olds didn't get scared, plus she was a Stevens and Stevenses weren't wimps, they were made of stronger stuff.
'With god in your heart, in your mind and in your actions, you have nothing to fear.' her father would often preach to her.
God may be watching over her but at that moment the only thing on her mind was how high up they were on the ferris wheel.
April closed her eyes tight trying to pretend she was still in the ground saying a silent prayer for it to all be over,her stomach felt like a storm.
Suddenly she felt a hand in hers and she saw Sterling looking at her.
'Don't be scared April, it's fun, look how far we can see, I think I can see my mom!' Sterling squealed in excitement, as she let go of her hand that was on the hand rail and waved.
April gripped onto Sterling's hand, she looked out over the field, everyone looked like ants, so tiny meters below them.
“Sterling don’t let go!” April exclaimed
Sterling then let go of April's hand and waved her hands as though she was on a roller coaster. The two girls burst into laughter and giggled the rest of the ride,Sterling slipped her hand back into Aprils as their carriage came back to the ground .
Suddenly she didn't feel as scared anymore, maybe the prayer had worked after all.
They were greeted by Debbie who was waiting for them at the exit.
‘Come on let's go and get some hot dogs and cotton candy and then we can go on the dodgems' Sterling smiled
Sterling gripped Aprils hand and they ran toward the hot dog stand to try and find Blair,Mary-Louise,Sarah and Anderson
'Girls be careful, don't run off' Debbie shouted
April was normally one to follow rules and listen to adults but on this occasion it was like she had been overcome by some magical force, she wasn't quite sure what it was but there was an inkling in her mind that it had something to do with Sterling Wesley.
Blair, Mary-louise and Sarah spoke about how scary the haunted house train ride had been and how it had made them jump.Blair was adamant that she hadn’t screamed but Sarah said otherwise.
All five girls went on the dodgems, Blair and Sarah went in a cart together and Mary-Louise went in a car with another girl from their class who they had seen in the queue for the ride. April was thrilled that she got to be with Sterling, it got very competitive and they laughed the whole way around the track as they bumped into other cars.
“Wow April you were crazy.” Mary-Louise laughed
“You were so good April. It was hard to drive the car but you did it so well.” Sarah added
“Yeah, it was so funny when you crashed into John-Mark and James when they were chasing you and Sterling.” Blair laughed
“They deserved it, they were being annoying.” April replied.
“It’s not a surprise that April was good at the dodgems, April is good at everything.” Sterling smiled at her friend.
April blushed, she had always been told not to show off but be modest about the gifts and talents that God had given her but it did feel nice to hear that Sterling thought she was good at things. In the nine years April had had on God’s earth she felt that this day had probably been one of the best.