"Hey!! Come to the amusement park with us. They brought back the haunted house," your best friend said.

It was summer, and you were just a few steps away from graduation. Your friend group was trying to convince you to go with them to the amusement park. After a day or two, you were forced to say "yes."

After getting ready the day you were supposed to visit the haunted house, you convinced your father to drive you there. You both didn’t really talk, but you enjoyed the quick and silent car ride.

"Finally, you're here!!" your best friend said. "I was getting impatient!!" The group giggled.

All four of you went to the haunted house. The tickets were overpriced, just like every single thing in the amusement park. You left your purse in the lockers provided for customers.

You entered the house...

Of course, you were untouched by every "scary" thing there. You left your group after seeing a sign on a door that read, in huge font: "DO NOT ENTER." You knew it was a trap, but you didn’t care at all. You grabbed the knob, and just then, you heard something behind you. Hell... It was one of those people who worked in the haunted house, dressed in costumes to scare guests. The person touched your shoulder. You busted the door open and sprinted inside. You didn’t expect to get scared by this. Usually, you just walked off or played a trick on the costumed actor.

The clown ran after you. You forgot to close the door; he was there in the doorway. He shut it behind him. You could tell this was a man your age by his posture and size. He was a few centimeters taller than you.

Immediately, your instincts kicked in—you grabbed him by the collar, pushed him against the wall, ripped the mask halfway off his face, and kissed him suddenly. He tensed, but after a second, he kissed you back. Your brain wasn’t even thinking. You just stopped and ran out of the haunted house. Your friends were waiting for you. One of the girls in your group had gotten scared and fallen. She ripped her favorite pair of jeans at the knee and had a bruise there too.

"Where were you?!" they asked.

"Inside," you said while looking behind you toward the tent. Inside, the masked workers were changing. You saw him—the clown. He pulled off his mask right before entering the tent. His face matched his hair. He was blushing like a fool from your unexpected kiss. You noticed his long orange locks.

"We're going to get something to eat. Are you coming?" someone asked. You just shook your head no. They walked off...

You thought about shouting to get his attention. Should you risk it? What if he had a girlfriend and you just kissed him? Shit.