The music from the carnival was just a base rhythm in the wheel. The bright bulbs along the poles and rafters gave us plenty of light, but I didn't need all that light to see that Reyna's been...unsettled. "What is it?" I ask, leaning back in the white seat. I look up at the fireworks and see the couple above me – the girl's head on the guy's shoulder. What is it about people that feel the need for attachment? 

"What do you mean?" she asks, shrugging, trying to be nonchalant. 

 "Reyna, let's be real for a minute...you're sitting as far away from me as possible. You might even fall out of the cart," I say. I phrase it as a serious comment and add a joke at the end so I mask my actual desire to know the answer. "What's bugging you?" I inquire, propping my feet up on the edge across from me. The suddenness of it startles Rey. 

"Nothing," she lies. 

 I laugh and roll my eyes. "Are you trying to lie to me?" 

She turns towards me, grey eyes a sea of...fear? Why is she scared? Reyna doesn't answer. She and I both know that she's not afraid of heights – for some reason, she is afraid of me. I haven't given her a reason to be scared of me besides my awesome knife throw. The only real thing she has to fear is my love of pain. But she doesn't know anything about me being...wait for a second...wait a freaking second...Maren is that freak who loves this murder crap. She probably saw some kind of sign that I had psychological..." issues" and told Rey. Which means Reyna is buying it. It looks like my brother's warnings about me are catching up to her.

Reyna doesn't answer me and I don't pressure her to. But she does stare at me as if trying to figure something out. Her face grows quizzical as I coolly stare back, trying to appear as relaxed as possible.

The Ferris wheel jolts as it brings us back down, cart by cart. Reyna grips the edge of the car and the top of the bench, startled. I do nothing. My reactions to fear are minimal. I don't get startled. I can't. Who would want to, anyway? Fear sucks. It's stupid. 

A firework cracks overhead and Reyna looks up. I watch her watching, the colours of the display highlighting her cheekbones and edged jaw. For a second, a swear my heart skips a beat, but I tell myself it's the jolt of the Ferris wheel. But that doesn't stop me from wondering: what exactly am I doing?