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In a popular town that was home to none other than a Pokémon gym famous for its dragon type Pokémon, a fair had been set up. With food, games, and rides the fair had drawn large crowds of people and Pokémon alike and it was already in full swing. It was nearing sunset when a young trainer tugged on his friend’s sweater, pulling him towards the Ferris wheel.
“Caaaain! We have to ride this so we can see the fair from the top!” he cried. He had ulterior motives of course, but his friend didn’t need to know that. Tristan wasn’t very subtle, however, so it was likely that his friend knew he was up to something. Cain was suspicious of the other boy, but he indulged him anyway turning into the ride’s thinning line; he always followed along after him anyway. He yawned into the crook of his arm, tired from walking around the fair all day. Still, he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t enjoying himself; the way Tristan’s eyes lit up at everything was enough to keep him going. When it was their turn to get on the ride, Cain sat across from Tristan and peered out the window. In the small space, it was harder to keep distance between them. As soon as their gondola left the ground Tristan moved across the cabin to sit next to Cain and cling to his arm. “Hey Cain~ We’re alone in here you know; no one can see us~” The raven haired boy felt his face grow warm, but he kept his gaze on the window, lest he let himself be tempted by his friend. As the gondola rose, Tristan clung tighter to his arm and leaned closer, his intentions rather obvious.
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“Hurry Cass!” Gabriel laughed as he pulled his favorite gym leader behind him. When he spotted a gondola landing down on the Ferris wheel, he made a quick turn and pulled Cass in. He closed the doors, ignoring the protests from the people whose turn it was and slumped back onto the bench on one side.
Across the cabin, Cassie laughed into her hand and grinned at him, clutching the stuffed Pokémon her big brother had won for her. Gabe had been less successful, but she’d still enjoyed watching him. “What was that all about?” she asked teasingly. She wouldn’t complain about riding alone with her fiancé, but she was surprised by his actions since he had pulled her away from the rest of their group.
Gabe took deep breaths between laughs and glanced out the window, wondering if he could see her brother chasing after them. “I just wanted to ride one ride with you alone, without Ethan breathing down our necks.” Cassie’s very protective older brother never gave him a break and he’d spent the entire day with the older boy carefully watching his every move. He’d tried to take pictures with Cassie and Ethan had even squished into the photo booth with them, making every shot awkward. In a last ditch effort to spend a little time alone with Cass – he rarely got to see her since he was always away on travels and she was busying managing her gym – Gabe had paid a friend who Ethan was less than fond of to distract him while he escaped with his. . . Cassie. A blush crept up his cheeks as he glanced over at her, but she seemed too entranced with the view as the gondola rose to notice him. He peeked out the window and could have sworn he spotted her big brother pushing through the crowds. Gabe leaned back to avoid notice in case it was him and he looked up.
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“Get out of the way!” the scary looking blonde shouted as he rudely shoved through the crowd of fair goers. Following closely behind him were a gaggle of friends who were all frantically trying to stop him. He had no time for them, however, while he was trying to catch the bastard that had run off with his little sister. His best friend barely managed to grab him from behind as he was about to enter an empty gondola having cut in front of two other groups. “Let go of me! I saw him go this way!”
Chiaki pulled his friend back, keeping a careful hold on him as the couple whose turn it was boarded the Ferris wheel. “Knock it off Ethan before you get us all kicked out. Besides, if they got on the ride, wouldn’t it be smarter to wait down here for them to return?” He sighed, wondering why his friend had to get so agitated so easily; he thought that Gabe seemed like an okay guy and was always very respectful. Chi didn’t feel protective at all over his annoying twin sister so he couldn’t understand his friend’s feelings.
“I can’t see what they’re doing from down here! I have to see if that creep tries to lay a hand on Cass! I already lost Val and that idol stalker who’s been harassing her!” he shouted as the rest of the group caught up to them. Among them was Sophie who protested to her uncle being referred to as “that idol stalker.” She had followed along after Zed who was Stella’s childhood friend. Chiaki had invited Stella along after Ethan said he was coming home to attend the fair with his sister – although all of them suspected that he really only wanted to be a wall between her and Gabriel. Chou, Chi’s twin sister, was friends with Stella and had tagged along with her much to his disappointment. She’d already captured several embarrassingly pictures of him, most notably one of him looking terrified in the haunted house. And rounding out the group was Gillian who was Ethan’s cousin Val’s best friend and another friend of theirs named Oliver. The group huddled together in line catching their breath while the next group ahead of them got on the Ferris wheel.
“I don’t know what the big deal is. Didn’t your sister say they were engaged?” Chou asked, peering up with her camera to see if she could see anything with the zoom.
“They are not engaged!” Ethan insisted, clenching his fists. Chiaki pat his friend on the back, but he shoved him off, pointing a finger at Zed. “And he wouldn’t have gotten away if it weren’t that bastard!” Zed looked ready to take step forward and butt heads with Ethan but he was stopped by Sophie who grabbed onto his arm, making a pouty face.
“Hey! Zed was just trying to help their love bloom; he’s not the bad guy here!” Zed shook her off – he was only a little guilty that his intentions weren’t as noble as she thought, but she always made stuff up about him anyway – and Sophie stood between the two boys so they wouldn’t start any trouble. Both of them looked annoyed, but stopped their bickering when another gondola landed in front of them. All of them started piling inside until the operator spoke up to tell them that only six people were allowed in at a time. The quietest of the bunch, Gilly and Oliver looked about ready to escape when Chou shoved the two closest to the door out and shut the door behind them. She winked and waved at Chiaki and Stella as the gondola began ascending.
“Those two need a little alone time if you ask me!” she laughed, pulling away from the door. Ethan gave her an approving grin, knowing she was right about that at least; if they didn’t give Chiaki a shove he’d never get anywhere with Stella. Then came the awkward shuffling around as the six tried to choose seats.
“I’m not sitting next to him!” “I want a window seat!” “Ethan, get your butt out of my face!” “You just elbowed me on purpose didn’t you?” “You’re squishing me!” “A-ah you’re standing on m-my bag!” “I have to sit on the side where I can see the other gondolas!” “The weight is uneven; it’s tilting!” All among laughter, shouts, and shrieks as the gondola rocked back and forth. When all was said and done Zed was on one side, sandwiched between Sophie and Chou, scowling and on the other Oliver was stuck between Ethan and Gilly, looking uncomfortable.
“Chou, give me your camera so I can try to see Cass!” Ethan insisted, trying to snatch it from her.
“Haha, yeah, I don’t think so,” she responded without hesitation as she peered through the lens down at the crowds below. She wondered if he brother had worked up the nerve to get on the ride alone with her friend.
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Chiaki gulped as he watched all of their friends ascend and he was left alone with Stella. He glanced to the side and she was smiling at him which caused him to turn red almost immediately. They were dating and yet he was still a nervous wreck. “D-Do you want to wait for them down here?” he asked, glancing the other way.
Stella couldn’t help but grin at how easily flustered he was; she found his shyness very cute, but wished he’d loosen up a little more around her. And yet she couldn’t help but want to fluster him more. She stepped closer and wrapped her arms around one of his. “Of course not. We’ve already waited in line so we should get on this one that’s arriving now.” She tugged on him until he let himself be led inside, although she did ease up on him once they were inside and sat opposite him.
Chi was an absolute nervous wreck, looking out the window, down at the floor, up at the ceiling, anywhere but at Stella. When he did glance over at her, she was smiling at him again and he opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. He looked back down, wringing his hands together.
His girlfriend sighed, her shoulders slumping a little as she watched him panic. She knew that she could make the first move, but he was so shy, she didn’t want to do something that would make him uncomfortable. And admittedly, she wanted him to make the first move. He had bucked up the courage to ask her out, surely he could work up a little more. She hoped he’d at least come sit with her as she watched him from across the gondola.
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“I’m telling you, if we go on the Ferris wheel we’ll be able to see the whole fair and we can find them~” Kai chirped, eyeing the large ride before he glanced at his companion.
Valentine narrowed her gaze at the popular idol who’d somehow become attached to her and had been dragging her around all day ever since she’d been separated from her cousins and her friends. He’d been allegedly hiding from his fans and pulling her into every ride in sight and she was tired of it. “No, I’m not buying it; you’re not tricking me onto another ride. I’ve had enough,” she insisted, crossing her arms and putting her foot down.
He pouted and stood in front of her. “C’mon, there’s no line and we’ll have a great view so we can spot them~” When she still didn’t seem willing to go on, he looked away. He really did like her and wanted to please her. “I promise this is the last ride.”
There was something strange in his tone – it was so unlike his usual idiotic cheerfulness – and Val glanced at him. Despite herself, she did think it sounded like a good idea. They would have a view of everything below and they might be able to spot the large group that she’d come with. “Fine. But if we don’t see them, then I’m just going to wait at the entrance until they eventually decide to leave.” She headed into the gondola that had just landed and plopped down unhappily, trying to ignore how pleased he looked with himself as he sat across from her. “Stop looking at me; look outside and see if you see them.” She leaned her cheek against her hand and gazed outside, hoping to spot any of her friends so that she could rejoin their group and escape her unwanted admirer. He might have been cute, but his narcissism and flirting upon their first encounter had made her wary of him.
Kai grinned at her command and peered out the window, though he couldn’t stop himself from glancing at her every few seconds. There was no denying how cute he found her, even when she wore that unhappy scowl. He liked the way that his usual charm had failed to have any effect on her and was entertained by her blunt words when it came to him. He only wished that he could convince her that he was worth her time. Still it was fun to be in a date like atmosphere with her; he usually only got to see her briefly during Pokémon contests that her friend Gilly participated in. He found himself watching her instead of looking for her friends.
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Cain’s heart thudded as the gondola reached the top of the Ferris wheel. Tristan’s scooting closer and begging for a kiss had not stopped since they’d entered the ride. “Pleeeeaaaase~” he cried, squeezing his arm.
Tristan so rarely got to do anything romantic with his friend who was always turning down his advances in public. All he wanted was one romantic kiss atop the Ferris wheel that could tide him over until the next rare moment that his best friend allowed him a kiss. It happened in all the movies and TV shows between people who liked each other and there was no one that he liked more than Cain. All he could think about was sharing a kiss with him. Maybe his friend didn’t like him the same way. . . But he’d let him have a kiss before! Tristan loosened his grip on his friend’s arm and looked down at the floor; he knew he shouldn’t be so pushy, but it was hard when he liked him so much.
He felt his friend’s grip loosen and Cain stole a glance at him, despite the fact that he knew better than to do so. That sad look on his face got him every time. He knew that he spoiled the blonde rotten and yet. . . “Tristan.” The other boy looked up at him and Cain pulled his arm out of his grip. “No more whining after this.” He caught his friend’s face between his hands and leaned down to give him a kiss. He longed for this sort of affection just as much as his friend, but he was so afraid of going too far and taking too much. It was dangerous to give in to his friend and yet he didn’t move when his friend slid his arms around his waist and clung to his sweater.
Tristan’s mood soared as he felt his friend’s lips press against his own and he was overjoyed at how he didn’t pull away when he embraced him. Usually all he got was a kiss on the forehead or cheek or a small peck. This was a much different kiss, but he liked it. When they finally parted, he found he had to catch his breath. A wide smile broke out across his face and he pressed his hands against his cheeks to feel their warmth. “One more?” he asked, always the greedy one.
Cain hesitated. He didn’t think one more could hurt anything. “Just this once,” he murmured before he leaned in for another kiss as the gondola descended. By the time the ride ended, they were both flushed and Tristan was wearing a stupidly large grin. The taller boy avoided looking at the ride operator as they exited the gondola. The way his friend’s eyes sparkled left him content if embarrassed. As Tristan asked if they could go get funnel cake, he gently grasped his hand and allowed himself to be tugged along. When he felt himself smiling, he covered it with his hand before his friend saw.
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Gabriel smiled as he watched Cassie from across the gondola. She had her stuffed Pokémon on her lap and kept making the cutest faces as she peered out the window. Her eyes kept lighting up at the sights as she delightedly told him what she’d spotted. She only seemed more excited the higher they traveled and her excitement reached its peak when the Ferris wheel reached its. “Look Gabe, there’s the Pokémon area! Do you think we can spot my Flygon and your Arcanine?” she wondered as she glanced at him. Warmth crept up his face as she caught him watching her and he peered out the window.
“I think they’re a little too far away. Besides, how would we tell ours apart?” he asked with a grin.
“I don’t knoooow~” she answered pouty. “Maybe they’d be next to each other, playing together. Speaking of, don’t you think you should come sit over here with me?” Cass patted the seat next to her. She hadn’t even noticed how far away he was. She didn’t get to see him in person very often and when she did, she liked having him close; she was wasting a perfectly good opportunity!
Cassie was looking at him so expectantly and Gabe immediately gave in. “Alright, alright, I’m coming,” he responded, carefully edging across the small space to sit down beside her. It made the gondola tilt slightly, but it wasn’t enough to bother either of them. She gave him a cheeky grin and he looked away. He’d escaped her overbearing brother, but he didn’t want to do anything that would really get him in trouble. He settled for reaching over and holding her hand in his. He felt a gentle squeeze from her small hand and he had to try hard not to smile too wide. As they made their descent, he found it more and more challenging to resist peeking at her.
Cassie was holding her stuffed Pokémon tightly with one hand while she held Gabe’s hand with the other and she couldn’t be happier. He was looking the other way, so she looked out the window to enjoy the view; if all she got to do was hold hands, she wouldn’t complain – it was Gabe’s hand after all. She was surprised by his grip tightening at the same time she heard his voice. “Hey Cass, can you close your eyes for a minute?” Her cheeks warmed as she glanced over at him, but she did as he asked, her heart skipping as she wondered what he was up to.
He gulped when she closed her eyes and she saw a faint blush on her cheeks. Why did she have to be so damn cute? There was obviously a reason that he had “proposed” to her as a little kid and he knew that he still liked her, but he felt as though he should have developed some sort of immunity to her by now. And yet she was still always catching him off guard. Gently, he tilted her chin up and leaned closer to her. Gabe really really wanted to steal a real kiss, but she was always so innocent he felt strange even thinking about it. He settled for turning her face and planting a kiss on her cheek. When he pulled back her eyes were open wide and she looked both joyful and surprised.
She’d been expecting a real kiss, but she wouldn’t complain about any sort of kiss from Gabe. As he flushed red and pulled away, Cassie caught his face between her hands. “Wait! I want to give you one too~” she sang. She pressed her lips against his cheek and then let out a laugh when he pulled back and turned the other way, trying to cover his face behind an arm. “Why won’t you look at me? Are you blushing?” she teased, leaning her head against his shoulder.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Gabe murmured, his words muffled against his arm. “I’m trying to spot our Pokémon.”
“But they were in the other direction, Gabe~”
“Then I’m trying to spot the group so we know which way to go when we land.”
“Okaaaay~” Cassie giggled as she wrapped her arms around his arm and kept her head leaned against him. She stayed like this for the duration of the ride, only agreeing to let go when they’d exited the gondola. He was right that Ethan – the big dummy – would probably punch him if he saw them too close. “Did you spot them?” Gabe shook his head and then grabbed her by the waist, lifting her into the air so that she could try to see them.
After a minute, he carefully lowered Cass back to the ground. She hadn’t spotted the group, although she had spotted a couple of friends holding hands and she grabbed Gabe’s so she wouldn’t lose to them. For some reason she felt very competitive with them. “Hmm maybe I’ll get to keep you to myself a little longer. I’m just glad your brother didn’t see that.” He smiled despite himself, rubbing his cheek where she’d kissed him and trying to decide what their next move should be.
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Rowdy laughter sounded out as Sophie planted a kiss on Chou’s cheek. She’d managed to land one of everyone that couldn’t dodge her quickly enough. As the gondola the six were crammed into had reached the top of the Ferris wheel, someone had brought up how people were supposed to kiss at the top and a ridiculous game of spin the bottle had begun – the bottle courtesy of an app Chou had quickly looked up. When people protested to sharing kisses, she had suggested a punishment of eating some spicy candy that she’d bought at one of the stands for later. Most of the passengers, save herself and Sophie, were already red from eating the hot candies. She was surprised that Zed and Ethan had agreed to play at all, but once she’d taunted them calling them cowards, their competitiveness had sparked up. Chou knew the two were ridiculous and would refuse to lose to one another. Of course the next spin landed Zed and Ethan together and the two both grabbed for the bag of candies.
“You only gonna eat one? Tch, what a wimp.”
“Screw you, I’ll eat five! I bet you can’t handle that!”
What had been a simple game of spin the bottle quickly spiraled into a pissing contest between Zed and Ethan as they shoved more and more of the spicy candies into their mouths. Sophie laughed, rooting for Zed while Chou started snapping pictures of the two when they started turning red. Meanwhile, shy Gilly and Oliver were fanning their mouths as though that would help. “We need to get some more ice cream when we get off,” she girl cried. She didn’t think the candies were going to be that hot; just watching the two boys eating them made her mouth burn.
Ollie covered his mouth, looking ill. “More ice cream?” The two had been eating at every stand in sight all day and he wasn’t sure that he could handle much more. He was never allowed to eat so much junk food when he was working as Nova – his female “alter ego” he’d adopted to participate in Pokémon contests. He might have overindulged just a bit, however, and the rocking of the gondola from the group’s rowdy behavior wasn’t helping him any. “I don’t know if I could eat another bite,” he sighed. He wasn’t sure which was worse, the stinging in his mouth or the idea of throwing up from eating too much.
Gilly had to admit that she was also pretty full and yet. . “That’s the whole fun of going to the fair, though. You eat yourself sick on all of the yummy fair food. And you don’t even have to worry about squeezing into some cute contest outfit later.” Next to her, Oliver laughed nervously. Save Stella, none of his friends knew that he was also Nova; he would have to squeeze into some cute contest outfit later. And his mom would probably scold him too if she knew how much he’d stuffed his face. A pout formed on his lips; Gilly noticed and decided to admit defeat for now. “Well at least the taste is going away,” she conceded, sticking her tongue out. It was still red from the candies and Ollie let out a genuine laugh at the sight of it.
The group’s rowdy behavior continued until they reached the bottom of the Ferris wheel and everyone piled out. Ethan and Zed were both very red and were shoving at each other until Ethan caught sight of Cassie above the rest of the crowd. Just as soon as he’d spotted her, she was lowered back down. Zed was immediately forgotten as the brute of a blonde shoved through the crowd where he’d seen her. “. . glad your brother didn’t see that.” He caught the tail end of Gabe’s sentence as he arrived behind them and he immediately placed the younger boy in a chokehold.
“Glad I didn’t see what?”
“Ethan!” Cassie cried, releasing Gabe’s hand so that she could pull at her brother’s arms. “Let him go!” Ethan loosened his grip, not wanting to upset his little sister too much.
Gabriel coughed, rubbing his neck as he spun around to see the rest of the group approaching. He rubbed his neck and looked away, hoping that his face wasn’t too red. “I uhhh was glad you didn’t see that bike that was a prize for one of the games. Those things are rigged and I wouldn’t want you wasting your money,” he lied, rather unconvincingly. Ethan eyed them both suspiciously, but didn’t pursue the matter further since he had Cass back in his line of sight.
Sophie dragged Zed off to get drinks for the group and the rest stayed behind deciding what to do next. Well Ethan was shouting that he needed to find Val while the others debated the best method to find her. Most of the others anyway. Chou waited at the bottom of the Ferris wheel; her brother and Stella weren’t waiting for them at the bottom so she hoped that they had gotten on right behind them and their gondola would be landing. . .
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Stella sighed and shook her head as she watched Chiaki continue to nervously fidget. They’d already reached the top of Ferris wheel and not a word had been spoken between them. She had thought a ride alone together would be romantic, but things weren’t looking very promising. Of course, it finally dawned on her that perhaps this wasn’t just his usual nerves acting up. “Are you,” she started hesitantly. “Are you afraid of heights, Chi?” Had she been very selfish pulling him onto the ride?
Chiaki finally dared to look up when he heard the concern in her voice. “O-of course not!” he sputtered. He glanced at the window, trying to avoid direct eye contact. “I m-mean heights don’t bother me; the view from up here is pretty great.” He wanted to see the view across the small space more, but he couldn’t bring himself to look. He was so nervous.
She was relieved that she hadn’t been cruel making him face a fear of fights, but her relief was outweighed by her renewed disappointment. All she wanted was to be a little closer. Her gaze followed his to the window and she let out another soft sigh. “The view is nice.” Stella couldn’t help but want to tease him a little more. “But my favorite thing about Ferris wheels has always been how romantic they are.” She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and could see that he was already turning red again.
Romantic. Chi knew what she meant and yet he found himself glued to his seat. He couldn’t be a nervous wreck forever, but he was so scared about making the wrong move. But, if she was hinting so heavily. . . He faced her and stood up on trembling legs. “I-It’s not very r-ro-romantic if I’m sitting w-way over here.” Her look of surprise made him hesitate but he took a shaky step forward. And when the gondola tilted, he stumbled the last few steps, catching himself on the opposite wall. Chi blinked, finding that he’d ended up inches away from Stella’s face. “Thi-this is better,” he murmured before he closed the distance between them. He wished that he had worked up the courage to do this sooner; it felt good to kiss Stella.
At best, she thought that he would sit beside her and she would be able to hold his hand. Stella hadn’t dreamed that they’d finally have their first kiss. He pulled back and asked if it was okay what he’d done. A smile lit up her face as she cupped his cheek and pulled him closer again. “I’m not sure. . . I’d need another to be certain.” She pressed her lips against his again, unable to stop grinning. When the gondola rocked again and nearly knocked him on top of her, she finally pulled him down beside her. “That was more than okay~” Stella teased, gripping his hand as his gaze fell to the floor again.
Chiaki felt his face growing warm once again, but it didn’t bother him much; he was way more distracted by the warmth in chest. He’d finally kissed her! And she’d kissed him back! Chi’s heart was soaring even though he couldn’t bring himself to look at her at the moment. Although their descent was as silent as their ascension had been, the silence no longer felt awkward. He felt surprisingly comfortable with their fingers interweaved and their heads leaned against one another.
They were still holding hands when they exited the gondola and were blinded by the flash of Chou’s camera. Chiaki covered his face, trying to blink away the spots of light. His sister laughed and took another picture without the flash on. He shook his head, spotting the rest of the group and rejoining them.
And then Ethan asked, “Hey bro, what’s that on your mouth?” The group pulled closer, eyeing him as he swiped at his mouth before seeing a small, black smudge on his hand.
“Black lipstick?” his sister guessed, giving her friend a sly look. The couple both turned red as their friends erupted in cheers and whistles; the only one who didn’t seem very pleased was Zed who had returned with Sophie, but he kept any comments to himself. He could at least be happy that Stella was happy. Even if the way Ethan patted Chi on the back made his brow twitch with annoyance. After a few moments of teasing, the group continued their discussion on the best method to find the missing Val.
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Val leaned her head against the glass and pursed her lips. He was being unusually quiet and it made her feel strangely nervous. A quick glance at him confirmed that he was still just sitting there watching her. She found herself blushing despite herself and she focused back on the view outside the window. She couldn’t focus on anything and her mind wandered. “Why won’t you leave me alone?” she asked, breaking the silence as the Ferris wheel stopped at the top. There was no anger or malicious intent behind the question, she asked out of curiosity more than anything. The girl couldn’t wrap her head around what he could possibly see in her.
As a child she had gotten into a lot of fights with other kids and the boys in her town had taken to calling her “machoke.” No one had ever expressed romantic interest in her except for one other boy and it turned out that he had only asked her out on a dare as a joke. Val had been hurt and had been suspicious of boys ever since. She’d been convinced that Kai’s advances had been a joke as well, especially with him being a popular idol and contest coordinator that could have any girl he wanted. But, she’d begun to accept that his interest might be genuine even if it baffled her. He was annoying, but if he was serious. . .
Kai sighed at her question. He could have said it was because he liked her, that he found her beautiful, that he was impressed by the way that his looks failed to impress her, that he’d been taken with the way she’d gently treated his injured Talonflame, but he’d already tried every line he knew on her. “I will leave you alone,” he answered, sliding off the sunglasses he’d been wearing and reaching into the bag he’d brought with him. “I won’t bother you again after today.”
“What? Kai I-“
“Please let me finish.” Kai fiddled with the cd case in his hands before looking up to meet her gaze. “I know you’re not interested in me. I know I’ve only been a pain to you. I’m sorry that I’ve done nothing but bother you and I’m sorry I dragged you around all day. I just. .” He hesitated to admit the truth, always reluctant to appear anything but cool and confident. But, it was easy to lose his composure when he was with her. “I just wanted to pretend that I was on a real date with you if only for today. This is for you.” He reached across the distance that separated them to give her the cd he’d brought with him.
Valentine had been shocked into silence and she still couldn’t find words as she accepted the gift. She wasn’t surprised that his face was plastered across the case’s cover, but it didn’t bother her at the moment. Since words failed her, she looked at him questioningly as he continued.
“It’s the song I wrote for you. I’ve performed it in lives and stuff, but I’ll never sell it. That’s the only copy of the recording I did for it; the song was meant for you and I want to be sure that you’re the only one that has it. You don’t have to keep it, but it was the best I could think of for a parting gift.” Kai smiled sadly and rubbed the back of his neck. This was so embarrassing; he’d really made a fool of himself pursuing someone who wasn’t even interested in him. But if he was only making his Valentine uncomfortable, then it was better to leave her alone.
Val clutched the cd, sitting in uncomfortable silence. She felt as though she should say something, anything, but every time she opened her mouth to speak nothing came out. The cd was such a heartfelt gift and he looked so sad, staring at the floor in front of her. He was wearing that stupid “#1 uncle” shirt of his that always made her think he looked like a dork. As she stared at him, it occurred to her that she didn’t really dislike him. She had found his initial narcissism and cockiness annoying, but he had never been anything but kind to her. It was the fact that she’d been so convinced that he’d approached her as a joke that had bothered her so much. And yet she was so embarrassed and uncomfortable, she still couldn’t figure out what to say.
The silence only grew more oppressive until the gondola finally landed. Kai stood up first and opened the door. He paused in the doorway to slip on his sunglasses and glance over his shoulder at her. Trying to regain his usual flair, he flashed her a smile. “I had a lot of fun today, darling~ It’s too bad we won’t get to enjoy the fireworks.” He waited a few moments to see if she’d answer him, but she didn’t break her silence. With a soft sigh, he turned away and headed into the crowd.
The moment he disappeared from the doorway, Val finally found her voice. “K-kai?” she stammered, but her voice was too quiet to be heard above the crowds of fairgoers. “Kai!” she said louder, hopping out of her seat. She rushed to catch him as he pushed his way into the crowd. Her hand grasped at the back of his shirt, but he just slipped through her fingers and as she tried to press through the crowds, she couldn’t make any headway. She tried to find a way out so that she could catch up to him, but when she finally made it through a gap he was nowhere to be seen. Val bit down on her lip and stared down at the cd in her hands.
“Val? Guys, guys, I found Val!” She lifted her gaze at the sound of her name and saw her younger cousin, Cassie, heading for her. “We’ve been looking all over for you! Did you have fun with that boy?” Cass teased, sticking her tongue out. But when Valentine frowned, she became concerned. “Val?”
With the group closing around her, she only became more embarrassed. “I think I messed up,” she answered hesitantly staring down at the ground.
Gillian wrapped an arm around her friend. Cassie grabbed her hands. Ethan placed a hand on her shoulder. “Who do I need to beat up?” he asked; he was just as overprotective of her as he was of his little sister.
Val found herself laughing and grinning as her friends piled around her, making her the center of a group hug. She tucked the cd into her bag before any of them could spot it and shook her head. “You don’t need to beat up anyone, Ethan. I’m the one that’s been a jerk.” Her eyes found Sophie and the girl gave her an apologetic smile; she had probably been the one who invited Kai and knew his intentions. She’d have to comfort her uncle later. “Let’s go on some more rides; I haven’t gotten to go on anything with you guys!” She didn’t want to make things awkward and ruin everyone’s good time. The group agreed and set off to have some more fun.
Although they were worried about her, the group managed to push their concerns aside as they enjoyed the rest of the evening. Sophie even spotted her friends Cain and Tristan before the night was over and the large group had a lot of fun. Chou managed to catch plenty of choice shots ranging from Ollie and Gilly both getting sick, Stella and Chi sharing a kiss in a photo booth, and Ethan and Zed looking like idiots losing to a little kid at one of the carnival games. It had been a long day, but everyone had smiles on their faces when they parted at the entrance of the fair.