Single riders, p.1
Single Riders, page 1
Single Riders: A YA Novella
Selys Rivera
Copyright
Copyright © 2022 by Worth a Read Too, LLC.
United States of America.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without written permission of the copyright owner except for the use of quotations in a book review or academic paper so long as the book is cited.
To request permission, email selysrivera@worthareadtoo.com.
ISBN:
979-8-9863324-4-4 (eBook)
979-8-9863324-3-7 (Paperback)
Originally published November 1, 2022 by Worth a Read Too, LLC.
Cover Design by Selys Rivera using Canva.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Praise
Disclaimer
Content Warning
Chapter 1: Duri
Chapter 2: Alex
Chapter 3: Jaya
Chapter 4: Duri
Chapter 5: Alex
Chapter 6: Jaya
Chapter 7: Duri
Chapter 8: Jaya
Chapter 9: Alex
Chapter 10: Jaya
Chapter 11: Duri
Author’s Note
Acknowledgements
Further Reading: An Unconscious Mestiza: A Collection of Memoir Stories
About the Author
To the BookTok community.
I don’t know how you do it, but y’all somehow manage to both inspire me to write and make me feel guilty for not writing enough. I also both blame and thank you for making my TBR list impossible to finish.
This one’s for you, my BookTok besties!
Praise
“I TRULY LOVED THIS story and every single one of the characters! I found the portrayal of these relationships and their growing friendship to be extremely heartwarming, realistic and relevant.” - Amanda Rodrigues, Author*
“IT’S HEARTWARMING IN general, but the ending particularly so.” - Anthony Woodside, Writer*
“IT FELT LIKE BEING in high school again and re-living an interesting night out with a great group of friends.” - S.C. Muir, Author*
*RECEIVED A COPY FROM the author in the hopes of an honest review.
Disclaimer
This is a work of fiction. While the author has pulled inspiration from the experiences in her life, the characters and events of the story are imaginary. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and will probably be as surprising to the author as they would be to the reader.
There are references to pop culture to help the story feel more relatable. However, these are neither endorsement nor defamation. Lastly, the characters in this book have minds of their own. Therefore, their opinions may not match the author’s, despite her best efforts to convince them otherwise.
Content Warning
IF YOU’VE READ EITHER of my last two books, you’ll know I believe in trigger warnings. I wouldn’t want to read a book that reminds me of something I want to forget. So, why should you?
However, with the lighthearted nature of this book, I’m happy to say that the trigger warnings are minor. So much so that I referred to this section as Content Warning instead.
But you have the right to know what you’re getting into.
So, here is what you should know about this book:
- Homophobia & Transphobia (including misgendering)
- Learning Disability & Mental Health
- Racism & Xenophobia
- Sexual References
- Swearing / Cussing
- Unhealthy Relationships
If it helps, I think you’ll be proud of how the main characters of this book handle each of these situations.
Hope to see you on the other side!
Chapter 1: Duri
“SINGLE RIDER!” THE ride attendant points a somewhat wrinkled index finger towards Duri and then gestures at the next person in the regular line. “You two. Row 3.”
Duri pauses the podcast episode of Sit and Kick she’d been listening to and takes her time putting her wireless earbuds back in their case. The ride attendant gives her an impatient look. Duri rolls her brown eyes and stuffs both the case and her smartphone into her front pockets.
She steps toward the guy she’ll have to wait at the gate with until it opens for them to get on the ride. She sighs, reminding herself it’s a small price to pay to get on her favorite roller coaster sooner.
Black Hole Planet is Duri’s guilty pleasure. She knows she should’ve grown out of it, especially after middle school. That’s when she realized she’s less of a space geek and more of a sports enthusiast. All things space related took a back seat once she discovered her passion for track and field in high school.
It was a slippery slope from there as that led to attending school soccer games, watching the Super Bowl, following the Olympics, and keeping track of everything the Orlando Magic did.
Okay, so some might call that passion an obsession.
Still, whenever Duri is really upset, it’s comforting to remember simpler times. Like when she was twelve. Back then, her biggest worry was doing all her chores, so her parents would take her and her twin sister to Black Hole Planet for their birthday.
Hana also eventually fell out of love with the amusement park as she changed once she began high school. Except she found a passion for dance, being popular, and getting straight As so their parents would worship at her feet.
But Duri doesn’t want to think about Hana right now. She’s why Duri faked a cold to get out of church and sneak out to the park. And while Duri doesn’t mind church, she also doesn’t feel like being stuck with her sister after last night.
They’d gotten into another one of their arguments over college. Again. Because Duri should’ve picked her major by now. Duri should aim higher than community college. She should try to improve her life. Not just run around and get sweaty with girls.
Blah. Blah.
Honestly, Duri can’t even remember how the argument started, or who started it. All she remembers is standing furiously in the hallway in front of her and Hana’s rooms. Words escaping Duri’s lips as fast as she could regret them. Hana fighting back, her words cutting just as deadly.
And who did their parents side with? Hana.
Their annoyingly perfect daughter. The daughter who can actually speak fluent Korean and teaches Sunday school to the little kids at church and probably reads to the blind whenever she’s not out partying with her friends. Surprise, surprise.
Not.
Duri runs a hand through her straight, dark brunette bob of hair as she finally gets a good look at who she's being paired with. When she recognizes him, she stops so quickly that her sneaker catches on the concrete. She almost trips but catches herself at the last second.
Before the guy can see her—at least she hopes he hasn’t seen her yet—she spins around. She can’t even bring herself to risk a glance over her shoulder to check if he caught her.
Irritated, the ride attendant asks, “Is there a problem, Miss?”
His eyelids droop over his grayish blue eyes as he waits for her response.
“You could say that,” Duri says, low enough for only the attendant to hear. She’s close enough to read his name tag. “Okay, look. Matt, you can’t pair me with that guy.”
Shifting his weight from one foot to the other, Matt lets out an exasperated sigh that practically spells out “I don’t get paid enough for this”.
“And why not?”
Duri takes a deep breath and then rushes through her explanation.
“Because he’s the son of the pastor of my church and I ditched worship today and he’ll totally give me away and I don’t have time to explain this more, but I really need to just not ride with him, okay?”
Matt’s face is the picture of boredom. That’s the only response Duri gets. She lets out her own exasperated sigh as her eyes flick back to the other single riders. She sprints to the next person in line, waving her hands frantically to get his attention.
When he turns towards her, Duri tries to channel her inner game show host. She gestures towards the ride with a sweeping motion of her arm. And with mock enthusiasm, she exclaims, “It’s your lucky day! You can ride before me.”
Chapter 2: Alex
IT TAKES ALEX A FEW moments before they’re out of their nostalgic reverie. They hadn’t been paying attention to what was around them, robotically moving through the line as their mind wandered repeatedly back to him.
After all, that’s what today's visit to the park is about.
Alex, of course, can’t get over their high school sweetheart, so instead they torture themselves with memories of their ex. And the best place to do that is on Galactic Survival, Ben’s favorite ride at Black Hole Planet.
A huge sci-fi nerd, Ben is a big fan of the dual spaceship style roller coaster trains that simulate a battle with plenty of exciting loops and drops. Alex has to admit that the ride isn’t half bad, considering it was made in the nineties. It also has a retro fifties vibe that they can appreciate.
Their favorite part is when the rollercoaster goes into a replica of the moon.
The inside must be filled with black lights because out of the darkness glows not only the fake stars and other planets simulating the Milky Way but also whatever riders wear that is white or light colored. The orchestra style soundtrack on the ride complements the action well too. Alex likes to listen to the latest hits, but they have to admit the ride’s music is well done.
After getting off the ride, Ben always used to say, “Totally gets your heart pumping, right?”
“Maybe,” Alex would reply coyly. “But I don’t need a roller coaster for that.” And then they’d kiss their boyfriend on his perfectly pink and soft lips.
At least, that’s what used to happen.
“Hello!” The exasperated voice belongs to a fair skinned stranger trying to get Alex’s attention.
Alex blinks a few times as their vision focuses back to the present. As they do so, their eyes catch on the person's cute pink belt. The color of the roses Ben got them for Valentine’s Day.
Sigh.
“Sorry!” Alex replies, shaking their head. They meant it in a gesture of clarification, as if trying to shake out all the junk that’s cluttering their thoughts.
But it must seem like they declined whatever they had just been asked because Rose Belt begs, “Please, please, switch places with me.”
“Oh!” Alex exclaims, finally understanding. “Yeah, that’s fine.”
“Thank you! You’re a lifesaver. You have no idea what this means to me.”
Alex shrugs. “It’s really NBD.”
They step around Rose Belt, who steps back into the single rider line. If Alex weren’t already so distracted by their thoughts, they might’ve taken a moment to stare back quizzically. It probably isn’t a good sign when someone is that eager to switch. But they don’t have the energy to figure it out. So they just roll with it.
“Great,” says the ride attendant in the fakest chipper voice Alex has ever heard. “Row 3.”
Alex turns to greet whoever the ride attendant paired them with. Then they almost choke. Ben doesn’t need to turn away from his conversation with his parents. Alex would recognize that mop of strawberry blonde hair anywhere.
It’s just Alex’s luck, though, because he turns away from his parents. Ben locks eyes with his ex-partner, who is standing paralyzed just a few feet away. But Alex barely has time to gasp before Ben has already gone back to his conversation. As if nothing had happened. As if his ex never existed.
As if Alex is no one.
But they know Ben’s tells. His eyes widen, just barely. One muscle in his jaw moves when he grits his teeth. He shifts uncomfortably from one foot to the other and back again. Alex has seen them all before. And Alex just saw them all again.
Turning around so fast that they almost slip out of one of their violet ballet flats, Alex rushes back to the person they agreed to switch with.
The ride attendant mutters, “What now?”
Ignoring the comment, Alex speaks in a loud whisper. “I changed my mind.”
Clearly startled, Rose Belt seems taken aback for a second. Then, just as quickly, they reply, “Oh, come on!” They raise their hands in the air helplessly. “Why? Don’t tell me you’re also trying to avoid the pastoral family from the church you ditched today.”
“What?” Alex replies, perfectly shaped eyebrows meeting in the middle. They shake their head. “No, I’m Jewish. I go to synagogue on—that’s not the point! I didn’t skip church, but I am trying to avoid him.” They point a manicured thumb back in the direction where Ben must still be talking with his parents.
“You too?” Rose Belt looks surprised, but nods in understanding. “All right.”
Alex is about to ask what that meant. But then a deep, breathy voice interrupts.
“One of you,” says the ride attendant sternly. “Row 3. Now.”
“Wait,” Alex pleads as they read the ride attendant’s name tag. “Matt. Just one second. Please.”
“Hey,” Rose Belt hisses at the next person in line. A golden brown skinned teenager about a foot shorter than Alex. When the teen doesn’t look up from their smartphone, Rose Belt tries again. “Hey, you.”
No reply.
Alex tries a different approach. “Excuse me.”
Still no response. The person just continues to bite the cuticle of their pinky and stares at the screen of their phone.
“Hey!” Rose Belt is louder this time, showing the desperation that Alex feels inside. “Chick in the purple fairy dress. Help us out, will you?”
Chapter 3: Jaya
“YOU REALLY SHOULDN’T assume people’s gender.”
“Seriously? That’s what you’re worried about right now.”
“I mean, there’s no need to be rude.”
“Ugh! Fine. Person in the purple fairy dress. Help us out, will you?”
That’s when Jaya realizes the two people in front of the line are talking to her and not to someone else, like she originally assumed. She looks up abruptly, her already naturally big hazel eyes widening even further.
An East Asian girl in blue jeans and a cream-colored t-shirt stands alongside a rather effeminate looking guy with sepia brown skin. Both appear to be in their late teens like Jaya. Both stare back at her.
“Uh,” she starts quietly, then begins again with a bit more confidence. “Can I help you?”
Jaya just about jumps out of her skin when both the girl and guy rush to her, each grabbing hold of one of her arms. She doesn’t mind being touched. Actually, she quite enjoys physical affection with her family. Like cuddling with her mom while watching T.V. or playfully wrestling her brother for the video game controller that doesn’t have a missing button. She even likes the long bear hugs her dad gives her.
But she doesn’t know these people.
The guy seems to notice Jaya’s discomfort first as he lets go almost immediately. He nudges the girl, who follows suit. Both apologize quickly before explaining their odd behavior.
“You have to be next,” says the girl.
“Right,” agrees the guy. “Because I can’t take this one’s place.” He bumps an elbow against the girl’s arm.
“And I can’t go,” continues the girl. “So it has to be you.”
Jaya raises one of her thick eyebrows as she puts her phone away. “Uh, why?”
She leans over to see who they would pair her with. All she notices is a seemingly attractive white guy with reddish blonde hair, glasses, and a t-shirt that has a sci-fi character on the front. She briefly wonders what show it’s from.
Her younger brother, Karib, loves sci-fi so he’d probably know. In fact, Jaya is only in the park today because he won first place at his school’s science fair. And he always asks to go to Black Hole Planet for special occasions.
If she remembers correctly, Karib’s actually wearing a character from the same show on his t-shirt right now. She makes a mental note to ask him later.
She ventures to ask now, “What’s wrong with him?”
“Nothing!”
“Well,” the other girl disagrees, “I’m not getting into that. Let’s just say we have very good reasons not to ride with him.”
Just then, someone with a feminine voice shouts, “What’s taking so long?!”
An avid avoider of conflict, Jaya immediately winces.
Another person shouts with a nasal voice, “Just pick someone already!”
“All right, kids.” The manly voice comes from the ride attendant standing behind the two strangers. According to his name tag, his name is Matt. “The crowd’s getting restless. Don’t make me ask again.”
He seems tired, if the bags under his eyes are any sign. Jaya can also see his gray hair is no doubt unbrushed under the space helmet of his costume. His salt and pepper beard isn’t that well groomed, either.
“Just five more minutes,” replies the girl.
“Lady, you ain’t gettin’ five more seconds,” responds Matt. His voice is sharp, losing the somewhat professional tone Jaya heard him use earlier with other park patrons in line. Nodding his head towards someone in the regular line, he adds, “Maybe you should just get back in line with your parents.”
The girl scrunches up her button nose. “My parents?”
Jaya’s gaze follows the direction Matt indicated. Behind the guy in the regular line stands a Caucasian couple, who she assumes are his parents. But Matt was looking behind them at an East Asian couple. They’re chatting away, only glancing occasionally at the drama happening mere feet away. Jaya can barely hear them.
