“That was amazing!”
Lauren and Colin walked out of the arena. They found themselves in the lobby of the event center. People piled out from either side of them. Colin reached for her hand instinctively. With the sudden burst of people, it would be easy to lose each other.
“This is such a big place. What else is here?” Lauren continued. Her eyes swept around. A lot of people came from different directions. She couldn’t decide on which to look at first.
Colin pointed to another large hall, “They have games in there. Wanna try to win a prize?”
“Oh, oh, oh!” Lauren said, hitting his arm in sync to her syllables. She stared at the hall. Her eyes lit up with glee, “Do they have those balloons with darts? I loved that as a kid. I suddenly want to try it again!”
“I’m sure they do,” Colin replied. They headed for the hall. A few groups came out with some prizes. Some had stuffed animals and others had snacks. He scowled, thinking if they should win one as a souvenir.
Inside, the hall had various booths set up. There were a number of games. From ring toss to a hammer to shooting guns and more. Every inch of the place brimmed with life. People of all ages enjoyed their time.
The pair decided to start checking from the right. The booths had been divided into aisles. Every attendant called out about their games. Their voices overpowered any noise of chatter. Each one tried to attract the most customers.
Lauren ignored most of what they said. She had only one goal in mind. Instead, she used her eyes to find those balloons. She really wanted to play it. If the hall didn’t have it, she’d be disheartened.
Colin searched along with her. With his height, he could see most through crowded booths. His hand gripped Lauren’s whenever she stepped away and crane her neck. If she moved too much, he’d follow her line of sight and inform her of the game. Then, she’d pout and slouch.
They continued to walk.
“Over there!” Lauren yelled. She pointed at a corner booth. Her feet already ahead of her, she dragged Colin towards it. The game didn’t have many customers. She wanted to get there before anyone else could.
“Step right up, step right up!” The attendant yelled. She had a striped vest and trousers on. She wore leather shoes and a boater hat. She paced around the booth, red hair flying behind her in a ponytail, “Try your luck! Each balloon has a prize! Everyone’s a winner! Test how much luck you have!”
“Maia, stop talking too much” Her fellow attendant grumbled. Unlike her, he leaned on the side of the booth, arms crossed over his chest. He also didn’t wear the hat, exposing his midnight blue hair.
“Oh, shush, Cleon!” Maia waved a hand and rolled her eyes, “We have to make good money today so we can impress the boss.”
“Raz is never impressed at anything though.”
Lauren stood in front of the booth. Colorful balloons stared at her while pinned to a wall. She could almost see the small stubs of papers in them. She squeezed Colin’s hand, too excited for her body to contain.
Colin chuckled and called out to the attendants, “We’d like one round please.”
Maia turned around at the sound of his voice. She gave him a thumbs up, “You got it, handsome boy of this young lady!”
Lauren peeked at him, “Are you not playing?”
“I’d rather watch you.”
Lauren released his hand and folded her arms over her chest. She squinted at him. A mischievous grin slowly bloomed on her lips, “How about we have a competition on who could get the best prize?”
Colin smirked, mimicking her position, “And pray what does the winner get?”
“Keeps the prize, of course!”
“Will that be two sets now?” Maia came up to them, holding two containers of darts. She placed them on the counter and walked to the side. Her shoulders danced in anticipation. Couples that come to play were her favorite. The kids come in second. The little ones were hard to predict since some tend to cry.
Lauren and Colin each took a container. They positioned themselves. Both of them had five chances. Each one held up the first dart. They looked at each other, challenging through their gazes. Their competitive spirits rose.
Then, they threw their darts.
The attendants crouched as the paper stubs fell. They needed their heads lower than the last row of balloons. Cleon gathered Lauren’s while Maia collected Colin’s. Neither one paused so they had to pick up the right ones before they got confused. Soon enough, the players each had one dart left.
Lauren blew on the tip of hers, adding a dramatic flair to her last move. Colin twirled the dart between his fingers. His eyes picked out a balloon. He wondered which color had a big prize. In the end, he chose the balloon in the center of the wall.
It sounded like a good idea to hide a prize.
Both darts flew into the air.
A balloon popped.
Cleon and Maia froze, their eyes widening. Did their vision deceive them or did the players actually hit the same balloon? The paper stub fell in between the attendants. Maia grabbed it quickly and unfolded it. Cleon leaned closer to look.
‘One large unicorn.’
“Holy—” Maia gasped.
“—Matrimony” Cleon finished for her. He received a smack on the back of his head. Although, at a later thought, Maia realized it seemed appropriate. A couple who could aim and hit the same balloon plus win the big prize must be destined for marriage!
Lauren raised her eyebrows, “What is it?”
The redhead got to her feet. She skipped towards the side walls. They bordered it with a metal fence. It made it easier to hang the prizes. She stood on her toes and unhooked the unicorn. It had the same features as the amusement park’s mascot.
“Congratulations!” Maia told them, presenting the fluffy stuffed animal, “Your last darts won our biggest prize! We’ve never seen anything like it! Thank you for the entertainment!”
She handed the unicorn to Lauren’s arms. Flabbergasted, Lauren held an arm length away. The unicorn had a big stomach. Its horn and mane did resemble the mascot.
“Well, hello, Sir Unicorn” she greeted it, “You will be coming home with us today.”
“But I thought whoever won the bigger prize would keep it?” Colin asked. He rested the side of his hip against the counter and his arms folded over his chest again.
Lauren frowned. She shifted her attention towards him, “You’re right. How are we going to split a unicorn?”
Colin pressed his lips together and looked up at the ceiling. An idea slowly pieced together in his head. He rubbed his chin the more he thought about it. His heart elevated as he became more convinced. He smiled at Lauren, “How about this? You get to keep it but I get a wish.”
Lauren bit her inner cheek. She looked at the unicorn. Its eyes held words that she couldn’t hear. It wanted to be taken home. It tugged her heartstrings. How could she let him go when it looked at her like that?
“Alright. I agree” she said, hugging the stuffed animal, “What’s your wish?”
===
Lauren sat on a metal bench. If she hadn’t worn pants, she had no doubts that it would freeze her skin. The unicorn still in her arms, she stared out the window. The blue sky had a calming effect. The sun hid behind the clouds.
She hugged her stuffed animal closer and hoped it hid her flaming skin.
“Having fun?” Colin asked across from her. He noticed her muscles became tense as they climbed on. She sat sideways and filled up the bench. He didn’t have much of a choice so he sat on the other one.
“I thought you didn’t like heights?” She mumbled.
Yet, he heard her just fine, “Well, this has a roof over our heads. It’s also not moving at neck breaking speed. Amazing how the ocean looks from here. No matter how high you can’t see the end of it.”
“Yeah…” Lauren saw what he meant. The waters kept going. All she could see was where the sea met the sky… but no one could see how far it could go.
They continued to climb steadily. Their car rocked a little. The horizon couldn’t be replaced by any painting. No photo could also compare to the image it engraved in their minds. At this moment, they felt safe from the outside world.
The ferris wheel creaked to a stop.
The car swayed from the sudden blockage. Its bottom rose high like a swing.
Lauren lost her balance as her bench tilted upwards. The sudden motion caught her off guard. Her arms stayed around the unicorn and didn’t reach out for something. Her feet couldn’t support her weight. Her shoes slipped against the smooth metal.
“You okay?” Colin lifted Lauren up. The car swayed a bit more until it went back to its original position. He kept her and the unicorn safe in his arms.
When the rocking stopped, he checked on her again.
“Lauren?”
Lauren leaned back and raised her head. Her lips met something soft. Her heartbeat raced. A soft pillow cushioned her chin. She feared that her eyes might just pop out of her sockets.
Colin felt something touch his lips.
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
The furry mane of the unicorn tickled his skin. He stopped breathing in case he’d inhale some of it—whether through his nose or through his mouth. Neither one sounded pleasant. The tips of the synthetic hair tickles his nostrils.
He chuckled at Lauren’s expression. A unicorn’s forehead between them must have looked amusing. His shoulders began to shake. His eyes also crinkled at the corners. Any stiffness he had melted away.
Lauren’s eyebrows scrunched. How could someone find this situation funny when she felt like she’d faint? Her heart pounded like it could break her rib cage at any moment. It felt unhealthy—not to mention uncomfortable.
Colin merely smiled. He raised a hand and pressed down on the unicorn’s head. The mane off his face, Lauren could see his amusement. His fingers cradled her chin and lifted it closer. He closed his eyes, pressing his lips against hers.
Lauren blinked.
Her lips parted open as a soft gasp escaped. Colin held steady. His muscles stayed in place. He waited. Whatever her response would be, he wouldn’t go against it.
Then, he felt her lips add pressure, puckering up to kiss him back.
Eyes closed, Lauren let go of the unicorn and wrapped her hands around the back of Colin’s neck. She pulled him closer, savoring the taste. The ferris wheel started to move again. Their car descended. The sun came out of hiding. Its warm light shone through their window.
===
“Thank you for riding the Crow’s Nest!” A female attendant said when the pair climbed out of the car. Her eyes zeroed in on Lauren’s flushed face. She smirked, “This fair maiden bids you a happy and long relationship.”
Colin thanked her. He had one hand on Lauren’s back since she carried the stuffed animed. He led her away from the ferris wheel. He couldn’t tell if Lauren knew that she leaned against him. It was subtle but he felt the difference from before.
The female attendant followed them with her gaze. She had seen couples come and go from this ride. Every time, she’d give them her blessing. The park even decided to create a legend out of it. No one had come to complain about it though. In a sense, she actually brought more publicity to the park.
Her lips stretched wide, a sound escaped from her throat.
“Kekekekekekek…”
She shook her head, “Wait, no. I’m not a witch.”
