Grapes Bridges and Stars

Chapter 11

At 12:40 on Sunday, Bryson picked me up for the carnival. My parents were at church. When Bryson came to my door I wasn't as nervous as before. This time I was more excited.

"It's like every time I see you, you look more and more beautiful. You trying to impress me?" He asked playfully when he saw me.

"No, I was hoping I'd meet somebody at the carnival." His mouth turned into an 'O' shape. He knew I got this one.

"I have a radio now," he said putting in a cd. Stevie Wonder's Isn't she lovely played.

"I love this!" I said swaying back and forward. "Me too," he said smiling, that smile.

Bryson had all kinds of great music from Billie Holiday to the Jacksons.

We pulled up to the crowded parking lot. We had to park all the way in the back. He offered to drop me off in the front so I wouldn't have to walk so far, but I didn't mind.

The carnival was very exciting. There was a Ferris wheel, a few rides, booths for games, cotton candy, clowns who made animal balloons, couples, and young children running around.

"What would you like to do first?" Bryson asked. I searched all the games. There were so many to choose from. I chose the bottle ring toss. I pointed to that. We walked over there and Bryson took out a wad of cash. He gave the man working at the booth one dollar. The man gave us six rings.

I tossed the rings and missed every single bottle. I frowned.

"Sorry, miss looks like you're not getting any stuffed animals." The man fake wiped tears.

Bryson pulled out his wad of cash and slapped the dollar down. He got the same six rings and tossed. He didn't miss one.

"Which one do you want?" He asked me smiling. I was grinning so hard. There was a stuffed bear, elephant, giraffe, and zebra.

"The giraffe!" I squealed. The man handed me the giraffe not happily though.

"Thank you, Bryson!" I hugged him. "You don't have to thank me. Never thank me. You being here is all I need."

We moved on to more games. I had so many stuffed animals that Bryson had to take them back to the car.

"Let's ride some rides!" Bryson said eagerly. I was having so much fun. My teeth were dry from me smiling the whole time.

"Okay lastly, let's do the Ferris wheel!" He pulled me into the Ferris wheel line. The wait was like 20 minutes. He let me lean against him for rest.

"The best part is at the top." He said pulling me close to him once we got in the seat. I scooted even closer. He laughed. "You scared?"

"Why is the top the best?" I asked. I just wanted to hear him talk.

"You can see everything at the top, all of the people, the lights, off into the distance. It's just so beautiful!" I imagined the image of that in my head as we rode to the top. My excitement was building up as well as my nervousness.

When we got up there, what I saw was amazing. To see it gave me a feeling I rarely had. I felt freedom. It made me want to hug the earth.

*** 

When we were leaving the carnival, Bryson went the opposite way of my house.

"Where are we going?" I asked. "You'll see."

"Are we going to see the stars?!" I asked. We were headed in that direction. "Nope, but I hope you still like this."

We rode for 10 more minutes. On the way, we did pass our spot. Bryson pulled up to a place called Veely's. I had never been here.

"Is this okay?" He asked looking at me nervously. 

"It's perfect!" I said truthfully. Whatever Bryson did, wherever Bryson took me had, meaning. It was apart of him and I liked to get to see the different parts that made him.

We walked up some stairs that led to a roof. There was a table in the middle of the roof. Around the roof there were lights. He pulled out my chair and I sat.

"You must do this all the time," I said while smiling and looking around. "No, not really." I gave him a really? look. "So you took a class?

"No, I'm a natural."

A waiter came in a black suit. He handed us some water and menus.

"Thanks, Martin," Bryson said. He knows him? "How have you been?"

"Not too bad. I've been hanging on a string and I think I've gotten a tighter grip lately." Bryson nodded his head.

"Liberty this is Martin, Martin this is Liberty. I've known Martin since I was a kid." Martin smiled mischievously. I didn't know what that meant.

"Nice to meet you Liberty. Bryson says much, much, much about you." I smiled and felt special.

"Bryson didn't say you were this gorgeous. He just said you were beautiful." I was burning up. I was sure I was sweating.

"Your tip just got lower," Bryson said glaring at him. He gave Bryson a sly smile. "I'll be back with some rolls. Hopefully, you'll have your order by then."

Bryson wouldn't look at me when he left. I took his hands. "What's wrong?" I asked teasing. I circled my thumb into his hands.

"I wish he would've said that when I wasn't around." I decided to tease him some more.

"Bryson Johnson are you embarrassed?" He didn't answer. "No way, not Bryson Johnson! Not Mr. I'm-a-natural." I laughed. He glared at me.

"Yes, I talk about you a lot. I only talk about what I'm thinking about," he said squeezing my hands. I gently pulled my hands away so he wouldn't feel my sweat.

Martin came back and took our orders. I looked around at more of the decorations.

"When did you do all of this?"

"7 o'clock this morning." My eyes widened. I couldn't believe it. He got up in the morning to do this for me?

"Let it get to your head," he said.

He pulled some cards out of his pocket. "You play two-person spade?" I nodded. He dealt.

"Uh, who plays cards at a dinner table?"

"We do because we're special."

We played until our food came out. He smiled at me while I was eating.

"The food is delicious if you were ever planning on asking." He laughed.

"I was right. You are the most beautiful girl I've ever seen." He put his head in his hand admiring me. I put my hand on my heart. "Well, after my mother." I shoved him.

"You are amazingly beautiful." He restated. "You're not too bad yourself." He was fine!

"You know I look good." I laughed. "That's funny? What you tryin' to say?" He asked. I smirked. "Nothing," I said sweetly.

I thought about how my mother was probably worrying at this second. I shook my head.

"Why are you shaking your head? Are you thinking about how wrong you were?" He asked. I smiled.

"My mother." He looked curious. "What happened?"

"She told me to be careful with you."  I also told him about other stuff she had said. He looked at me like I was crazy.

"I tried to take up for you. I told her that you were a good person." He smiled, that smile. "What exactly did you say?" He asked. I rolled my eyes.

"I said you were smart and wise; I also said you were sweet." He grinned. "I told her you didn't want anything from me, but for me to be my best." His smile faded.

"I do want something else from you." I gave him a confused look.

"What do you want from me?" He smirked. "You. I want you. I like being with you, you know that right?"

"Why?"

"Because you make me feel free," he said smiling, that smile.