“Are you ready to leave now, ma’am?”
“Yes,” she said, picking up her phone and handbag before following Clinton out of the room. She walked downstairs behind him, and her eyes met Christian’s, who was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs, staring at her mesmerizing beauty.
Even though she wasn’t clad in a ball gown or dinner wear, she looked absolutely gorgeous in the jeans that accentuated the shape of her hips, drawing attention to her flat tummy and her nearly non-existent navel.
She gulped hard as she felt his gaze on her, afraid she might miss a step. She quickly averted her eyes from him.
“Hey, Mama,” he greeted as she reached him, and the name melted her soul, soothing her ears and calming her nerves.
She didn’t know whether to call him Mr. Christian or just Christian. She wasn’t comfortable addressing him by his first name, but she didn’t want to ruin the moment by calling him Mr. Christian either. Her attention was distracted when she noticed his outfit. He was dressed casually but still looked so classy and handsome… She couldn’t finish the thought, as her eyes landed on his face, and she quickly looked away.
“How was your night?” he asked.
“It was fine, thank you.”
“You look so gorgeous, even in casual wear.”
“Thank you, I must say the same about you,” she replied in a polite but formal tone.
“Is that you saying I’m handsome?” he whispered into her ear, leaning forward and causing a cold shiver to run down her spine. She quickly stepped back, blinking her eyes rapidly, trying to stay unaffected, but her heart was racing.
What’s wrong with me? Why is my heart racing? she asked herself, clueless. Am I getting sick? Is this an excuse for me not to go? She felt a sudden rush of excitement at the thought of getting sick, but a subconscious voice reminded her of their deal, urging her not to go back on her word.
Still conflicted, she was taken by surprise when he scooped her off the ground.
“Ah!” she gasped, her eyes wide open in shock as she found herself in his arms.
“Wh… what are you doing?” she stammered.
“Carrying my wife to the car… she seems lost in thought, and we’re running out of time,” he said, holding her in his arms as he began walking toward the door.
Clarisse’s face flushed with embarrassment. “I’m sorry, and thank you, but I can walk on my own,” she mumbled, her voice barely audible.
“You’ll only get down from my arms when I reach the car,” he replied, and Clinton opened the door for him, blushing at the sight. Clarisse could hear the maids whispering, and she quickly hid her face in his chest. He chuckled softly as he saw this.
He clasped his hands together, watching Clarisse with bated breath as she looked around, her lips parted in surprise. One of his desires had been awakened again when he met her, and he had looked forward to bringing her here, knowing how much it meant to her. The anticipation built up inside him-a mix of nervousness, excitement, eagerness, and impatience. Because of her, he no longer enjoyed the same things as everyone else, didn’t participate in family trips, seeing no reason to. He had lost his sense of purpose until he met her again. Finally, the day he had thought was lost forever arrived, and he stood beside her, watching her expression.
“This will be our first date,” he heard himself say.
She was amazed to see that they had arrived at an amusement park, a place she had never visited since she understood what was right and wrong.
“I know how much you wanted to come here,” he said with a smile, and she looked at him. For a moment, her breath caught in her throat; she was speechless. Then, her eyes filled with tears.
“How do you know?”
“Hmm,” he pretended to think for a second, “by magic?”
She scoffed in disbelief and looked away, her lips trembling into a radiant smile as she looked around. She didn’t fully believe what he said, but she guessed he must have wanted to have a date at the park, and that’s why they were there. She was happy that, coincidentally, one of her dreams would be fulfilled. She was grateful that he had a desire to date her at an amusement park. She had always eyed the amusement park from afar, watched the fun on television, and wished to be there. But every time she told her parents about it, they dismissed it, saying,
“It’s dangerous; there are bad people in that place.”
At first, she didn’t understand, believing they were lying to keep her from going. But as time went on, she realized they were afraid of something, running from something. Even though she deeply wished they would take her there, she had to stop asking the day her mother told her she had nearly been kidnapped when they took her to the park as a child.
Christian’s heart swelled with joy as he saw her reaction, the smile on her face as she looked around. He reached out, gently taking her hand in his and locking eyes with her. Her gaze never left his, and her gratitude and joy shone through the unshed tears.
For some reason, whether coincidentally or deliberately, you’ve made me get used to being genuinely grateful. Thank you, thank you for bringing me here,” she thought to herself.
“Let’s have some fun,” he said, holding her hand tighter and pulling her along to the roller coaster. Unbeknownst to Christian, his actions were fueling her pent-up frustration of being a dependent woman, living each day in a way she would never regret-making her happy, even when it was something unknown to her.
She giggled as she sat, ready for the ride. At first, it was exciting for Christian, but not for her. The riders screamed in excitement as the roller coaster moved. When it started climbing higher, Christian smiled and turned to scream-not in excitement, but out of horror, holding tightly to the sides as the ride plunged down and then soared back up.
By the time the ride came to a stop, he rushed to a corner and puked, feeling embarrassed as Clarisse watched him in surprise, laughing at him.
“You’re scared of coasters? Why did you even come?” she teased.
“I’m not scared, it was just too fast,” he defended himself, still feeling nauseous.
“You were literally screaming at the top of your lungs.”
“You were screaming too.”
“Mine was out of excitement.”
“Same as mine.”
“Your face says otherwise.”
“How would you have seen my face at that moment?”
Clarisse laughed as he stood there, trying to pull himself together. But she grabbed him by the wrist.
“Let’s go try that,” she said, dragging him away.
They spent the day having fun, going on rides and playing games, feeling fulfilled for the first time in years. Christian’s heart was heavy with joy and fulfillment as he watched her smile, giggle, and laugh while immersed in the games and rides. Coming to the amusement park was indeed a great choice. He couldn’t help but stare at her-the lost smile that had seemed to vanish was now restored, and the cold, hidden side of Ari seemed so free, so lost in the moment. He was mesmerized by her dimples, which were almost invisible but had almost disappeared with her rare smiles. Who would have known she had dimples when she hardly ever smiled?
If coming to the amusement park would make him see this side of Ari-the playful, carefree side, the happy, free-spirited side-then he would bring her here every day.
“Do you want to ride the bumper cars?” he asked.
“Huh?” Her eyes lit up. “Yes!” She nodded enthusiastically, and off they went to the bumper cars, laughing as they bumped into each other and the other riders.
The sound of her laughter was so fulfilling and soothing. He never knew he’d love hearing it so much.
A few minutes later, they arrived in front of the haunted house. They stood there, staring at it.
“Are you sure about this?” Clarisse asked.
“Of course. Are you scared?” Christian asked teasingly.
“Of course I’m not,” she replied quickly.
He smirked. You never really admitted it. We’ll see about that, he thought to himself as he grabbed her wrist before she could change her mind.
“Don’t worry, I’m here to protect you,” he said, pulling her along. “Let’s go in.”
They entered the dark, red-lit room, filled with unpleasant smells. They walked cautiously, staring at the creepy symbols around them.
Suddenly, something horrific jumped out at them with a strange, eerie sound, startling them both. They screamed in unison. They ran out of that section, only to be confronted by a group of half-dead, mutilated bodies and blood-soaked creatures. They screamed in fright, kicking them away as they sprinted through the creepy building, which seemed to stretch endlessly. They encountered all sorts of things that sent chills down their spines and made their hearts race in their chests.
By the time they finally emerged from the building, both of them were panting heavily. They bent over, holding their knees and trying to catch their breath.
“I thought you said you don’t get scared,” Christian said, still trying to recover his breath.
“And didn’t you say you were going to protect me? I can’t believe the Almighty Christian is afraid of something,” Clarisse teased.
“Of course, I’m not afraid of anything,” he replied defensively. “I just don’t like ghosts, and those zombies were… just too creepy.”
Clarisse twitched her mouth to the side, eyeing him. He looked at her, having steadied his breath, and with their eyes locking, they both burst into a roar of laughter, laughing and pointing at each other.
Enjoying the comfort of silence between them as they walked past the horse ride, Clarisse listened to the echoes of excitement-giggles and laughter that came in waves from all directions. The happy faces of the people, the laughter of the families around them, the clicks of pictures being taken-everything about the amusement park was filled with beautiful memories and bliss, like a mini paradise. A new feeling crept through Clarisse, a feeling that had been missing for a long time-a feeling of satisfaction. It made her realize how much she had longed for this moment, how much she had wanted it, but had dismissed it when it seemed like a dream so far from being possible.
Her thoughts were interrupted when they came across a food cart.
“Let me get us something to eat,” he said, gesturing for her to sit on a nearby bench while he went to get something to fill their stomachs.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.