ephemeral [ Conrad Fisher ]

29

THE boardwalk was ablaze with colorful lights, vibrant music, and the joyful chatter of people relishing the evening. The air was filled with the enticing scents of funnel cake and popcorn, and the brightly lit games and rides beckoned to us - the energy was palpable.

Conrad was there, his eyes sparkling with excitement. His hand found mine, and he squeezed it gently. "Ready to have some fun?"

"Absolutely. Where do you want to start?"

His grin was infectious as he surveyed our options. "How about the Ferris wheel?"

We stood in line for the Ferris wheel, the anticipation building as we inched closer to the ride. Conrad's hand never left mine. As the two of us settled into our cozy compartment, the view from the top was breathtaking. We could see the entire boardwalk illuminated under the haze of the afternoon sun.

"Wow, this view is amazing," I said, leaning my head against his shoulder.

Conrad's arm wrapped around me, pulling me close. "But not as amazing as you."

I blushed at his sweet words, feeling the warmth of his presence. "You know how to make a girl feel special."

"That's because you are special, Lennox."

As the Ferris wheel descended, we laughed, pointing out different rides we wanted to try next. We shared a giant pretzel, our laughter intermingling with the excitement that surrounded us.

"Maybe we should try a game," Conrad suggested, pointing to a colorful booth filled with prizes.

"What game do you want to play?"

"How about that ring toss?"

We approached the booth, where a lively carnival worker greeted us. We each paid for a round and took turns tossing rings in the hopes of landing one on the slender neck of a bottle.

Conrad was surprisingly good at it, landing a ring perfectly on a bottle neck on his first try. The carnival worker handed him a massive stuffed bear, and Conrad presented it to me with a bow and a grin.

"Wow, you're really good at this," I said, accepting the bear.

Conrad shrugged modestly. "Beginner's luck."

We continued to explore the boardwalk, trying our luck at different games and sharing a cotton candy. The lights and laughter surrounding us made it feel like we were in our own little world.

As we passed a shooting gallery, Conrad stopped and handed me a toy pistol. "Want to take a shot at it?"

I accepted the challenge, taking aim at the mechanical targets and firing off a few rounds. Conrad stood close behind me, his breath tickling my neck as he offered encouragement.

"Steady, Nox," he murmured.

I took a deep breath and squeezed the trigger. To my surprise, one of the targets fell down.

"You did it!" Conrad cheered, wrapping his arms around me from behind.

"Guess I have a good teacher." I grinned

His lips brushed against my cheek as he whispered, "You're a quick learner." As we stood in there, with his arms wrapped around my waist, my back flush against his che. I could feel the steady rhythm of his heart, and it felt like a song that belonged to both of us.

The date had been a whirlwind of laughter, games, and cotton candy on the boardwalk. Now, Conrad and I were spread out on a soft beach blanket, our fingers entwined as we gazed up at the stars that adorned the velvety night sky.

Conrad had insisted on finding the perfect spot for our stargazing. We lay side by side, our bodies close enough that our hips touched, and the warmth of his presence seeped into me. The sand was cool and comforting beneath us.

He pointed to a particularly bright star, a playful smile curving his lips. "That one's for you, Nox. The brightest of them all."

I grinned, my heart swelling with affection. "Why, thank you. And this one here?" I pointed to Messier 50, some would say that this constellation looks like an arrowhead, and some say it looks like a heart. The hopeless romantic in me always stood by the fact it looked like a heart, no matter how hard i had to squint my eyes or tilt my head to see it.

Conrad chuckled, leaning in to plant a soft kiss on my cheek. "That one's for us, Nox. A little piece of the universe that knows how I feel."

As we lay there, we began picking out constellations and creating stories about them. My head found his shoulder, and his hand found my hip, his fingers tracing shapes against my jean shorts.

"This has been an amazing night. Thank you for this." I tilted my head up toward him pressing a gentle kiss to his cheek

He turned to me, the sincerity in his eyes almost overwhelming "No, thank you, Nox, for being here with me. I can't think of anyone else I'd rather share this with."

We fell into a comfortable silence, our gazes fixed on the stars. The waves whispered secrets at our feet, and a gentle breeze rustled through our hair. The night was alive with the magic of a burgeoning romance.

Conrad turned toward me, his hand cupping my cheek, and for a moment he just looked at me

I watched him, tilting my head into the palm of his hand, and then, he leaned in, his lips hovering above mine. "I've wanted to do this all night." With that, he pressed his lips to mine in a sweet and tender kiss. I responded to his kiss with equal tenderness, my fingers trailing through his hair. Conrad pulled me closer, and we kissed as if time had stopped, as if the world revolved around this single moment.

When we pulled away, Conrad laid back, pulling me into the crook of his arm, and together we continued to watch the stars. Under the vast canvas of the night sky, our hearts danced in harmony, sharing secrets and dreams amidst the stardust.

The night wore on, but time stood still as we shared stories and sweet nothings. With Conrad's arm around me and the universe as our backdrop, I couldn't have imagined a more perfect ending to our first date.