The Truffula Gardeners

Chpt 12. Closer and closer...

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"Y'know, Once ler...I was under the impression you weren't afraid of heights."
He and I finally secured our seats on this ferris wheel ride he's been so antsy about, just as the sun is about to fall over the horizon. The air was crisp, the sky was masterfully painted in warm shades of red, and as the wheel pulled us up, the noise of the fairgrounds would slowly fade. Finally, tonight I get to feel some peace. Unfortunately...not so much for my friend here.

The poor guy had begun to sweat, and his whole body seemed a tad stiff. Odd considering how close together we are, i'd figured he'd feel more secure. Nonetheless, he scoffed, trying a little to hard to shrug it off.
"Whaaat? What, uh...made you think that...? Heheh..."
I want to get a good look at him, but he's been avoiding eye contact. He returns my gaze for just a moment before immediately pulling it away. "Well you seem...frankly kinda nervous."
I keep my eyes on him for a little longer, in hopes he'll actually look at me, and less so past me. For the life of me I don't understand what he's so nervous about, but...this whole place it really can be nerve wracking. I understood that much.
"Y-yknow what...yeah it's definitely the heights thing. Yup." He clears his throat. Without giving a second thought, I carefully remove the ear muffs from my neck and place them around his. He flinched a moment before lightly caressing the truff muff in surprise. "Well..."
He looks at me finally. As his hands gripped tight on the safety bars, I took my own and gently placed it on top. His eyes grew wider. "This was all I needed." His cheeks glowed with a little blush, and I could all the same feel my face grow warmer. What has gotten into me? Have I finally done it? Have I mastered my social confidence all in one night? This must be it. It feels so right.
The ride comes to a halt, as the glare of the fading sun temporarily blocks my view. As it clears, I gasp in awe at the sight.
"Jeez! you can see the forest from here!"

I nudge the Once ler beside me and point to the distant hills where there was a sea of truffula trees. He chuckled lightly in response as we both looked on. Just behind the forest we caught the last sliver of sunshine as it descended, and the darkness soon began to settle in. We laugh and talk about sweet nonsense as the wheel brings us around for another spin. Only this time around it stops at the very top of the ride. Stars began to appear bleakly, sprinkling across the deep sky. I sigh in contentment.
"Y'know they're right about what they say about space...about how small it makes you feel."
I say, unable to peel myself away from these beautiful stars. "Oh yeah, I hear you." He said.
"When I was a kid, I often had to work in the fields out back. All day everyday, nothing but chores upon chores with my snot nosed older brothers to keep me busy."
He sighed, relaxing his tensed posture.
"But...sometimes at night, after the day was done, I'd sneak into my mom's closet and steal her sewing kit. Then I'd take it to the treehouse just across the fields, and sit up there while I sewed my heart out. And on nights like this..."