Between us

Chapter five

Summer

I couldn't get her out of my mind. She made me feel wanted. She was simply immaculate. And so after a lot of convincing myself I decided to return the scarf that she gave me a couple days ago. It was pink fluffy and smelled like a vanilla macaron. I slid my thumb across the embroidered A.M. detail on the side of the scarf.

I took a step towards her dorm door and knocked. Her roommate Daphne answered. "How can I help you?" She said looking up at me. "Is Aditi here? I'm looking for her." I smiled softly. "I think she went to the fair." She yawned. "Thanks."

So, I was on my way to the fair. I could see the fireworks from by far. Colors of pink, blue and red all flooded the sky. The stars still managed to peak through. Trees around swaying with the wind, I even saw a squirrel!

As I got closer, I could hear music busting out the speakers and people screaming. The scent of hotdogs filled my nose as I entered the park.

I searched for Aditi everywhere. I was starting to lose hope but then I remembered phones exist. I was pulling it out of my bag when I heard her voice behind me. "Can I please get one strawberry swirl cotton candy?"

I turned around and there she was, munching on her cotton candy. Our eyes met and suddenly she ran into my arms.

"Hi, what are you doing here?" she said while tearing another piece of that cotton candy. "I came to see you; Daphne told me you'd be here." I chuckled staring into her eyes. "Wow, you must've been very desperate to come all this way." She smiled in a flirtish kind of way, repaying my stare. "I must've!" We both laughed.

The fairgrounds were buzzing with laughter, flashing lights, and the smell of popcorn and caramel. I walked beside Aditi, her friends Tai and Alex just ahead, enthusiastically eyeing the rides, which Aditi seemed only too happy to photograph.

"Look at that one!" Tai pointed to a towering Ferris wheel, its neon lights blinking in patterns as it turned slowly against the twilight. "We have to go on it!"

"Oh, absolutely not," Aditi said, laughing as she lowered her camera. "I'll get a picture of you guys on it, but no way am I getting on that thing."

I couldn't resist a laugh, nudging her lightly. "Scared of heights?"

"No, I'm just...very cautious," she replied, her lips quirking in a smile as she glanced at me. "I have a healthy respect for the laws of gravity."

Tai and Alex exchanged looks, smirking. "Or maybe," Alex chimed in, "you're just worried you'll miss a perfect photo if you're up there?"

"Exactly," Aditi said with a mock-serious nod, lifting her camera to snap a picture of us. "Someone has to be on the ground to capture the memories."

After some good-natured debate, we finally agreed on a compromise: Tai and Alex would take on the Ferris wheel alone, while Aditi and I wandered over to the ring-toss game nearby. As soon as Tai and Alex were settled on the ride, we turned, giving each other a smile that felt almost conspiratorial.

"Alright, Miss Cautious, let's see if you're as good at winning prizes as you are at avoiding heights," I teased.

Aditi raised an eyebrow, eyeing the assortment of plush toys dangling overhead at the ring-toss booth. "Challenge accepted." She handed a couple of tickets to the booth attendant, looking at me with a glint of determination.

We each picked up a ring and aimed, trying to toss it onto the slender glass bottles lined up on the counter. I missed on the first try, the ring bouncing off with a little clink. Aditi's ring, however, made it halfway there before ricocheting off-course. By the third attempt, we were both laughing, each try a little more disastrous than the last.

"Alright, I'll admit defeat on this one," Aditi said with a dramatic sigh, crossing her arms as she gave me a rueful smile. "We might not have a giant teddy bear to show for it, but that was fun."

"Who needs a prize when we have our dignity?" I joked. "Plus, I think you still have that photo of us miserably failing at this."

Aditi laughed, her eyes sparkling in the fair's soft lights. "And that, I will definitely keep." She tucked her camera away, nudging me with her shoulder. "Come on, let's go find Tai and Alex before they start wandering."

We started toward the Ferris wheel exit just as Tai and Alex were stepping off, both looking exhilarated from the ride. Tai walked up, shaking his head, laughing. "See, Aditi, you missed out! The view was amazing."

She shrugged, smirking. "I'll take your word for it."

"Where to next?" Alex asked, glancing between us.

Before I could answer, Aditi's gaze caught on an old-fashioned photobooth nestled between two food stands. She tilted her head slightly, considering it. "Hey, you guys down for some photobooth pics?"

"Oh, I'm in," Tai replied instantly. He grabbed Alex by the sleeve, already heading over to the booth. "Come on, let's get some good ones."

As they squeezed into the booth together, Aditi and I lingered outside, watching the lights blink as Tai and Alex tried their best to fit into the tiny space.

"We'll go after," I murmured, glancing at her. "Unless, of course, you have some photobooth-related fears to add to the list."

Aditi rolled her eyes but smiled. "I think I'll survive this one." She looked at me for a beat, a quietness settling between us.

Finally, Tai and Alex emerged, brandishing their photo strip proudly and passing it around for us to see.

"Alright, you two," Tai said, waving us forward with a grin. "Your turn."

Aditi and I exchanged a look, and with a shrug, she gestured for me to go in first. The booth was warm, and when she sat down beside me, we were close, shoulders brushing in the tight space.

"Ready?" she asked, pressing the start button. The screen gave us a countdown, and on impulse, I made a silly face, making her laugh.

We kept going, each photo becoming sillier than the last until the last frame when we both lowered our hands, our smiles fading just a bit as we turned to face each other. I could feel my pulse racing, the laughter fading into a kind of anticipation that made my skin tingle.

Aditi's gaze softened, her face just inches from mine, her expression one of quiet curiosity. The camera flashed one last time as she leaned in, slowly closing the space between us in a gentle, unhurried kiss that felt like something out of a dream. Her lips sweet, cotton candy flavored. It felt right, like nothing else mattered.

When we pulled away, the photo strip printed beside us, each frame capturing a different memory—the laughter, the smiles, and, finally, that shared, tender moment. We exchanged a shy smile, our hands brushing as we reached for the photo strip at the same time.

"Guess that's one for the books," Aditi said softly, her smile widening.

"Definitely one to keep," I replied, already feeling that tonight would be something I'd remember for a long time.

A/N: Aaaaah!! This was definitely my favourite chapter to write so far! I hope you guys are loving it as much as I am! Give me your thoughts in the comments! xoxo