The Unraveling of Isla Rose

Unicorns and Ferris Wheels

The next morning I woke up early and wandered over to the window the same way I did every morning. It would have been around 6 am and I could see the sun rising over the horizon. My eyes scanned the water before being drawn back to a shape standing at the water's edge. It was Tom toast in hand and kicking at the shallows. I through on a jumper and walked down to the beach in my pj's. As I got closer I called put,

"Hey stranger, what are you doing up so early?"

He looked over at me a sleepy smile crossing his face before turning back to watch study the horizon. I go up and wrap my arms around him as he kisses me on the forehead. My phone vibrates in my pocket and pull it out to see that someone from school has commented on the photo I posted the day before of me and Tom kissing on the beach.

"You guys are so cute <3"

I smile absentmindedly before slipping my phone back into my pocket, looking up at Tom the waves reflected in his eyes as he says in a voice so low I barely hear him,

"God, this place is so beautiful!"

I smile and respond

"Yeah it isn't half bad I suppose."

I nudge him playfully on the shoulder in an attempt to cheer him up.

"I love you so much" As he says this I see a tear running down his cheek. I don't know why he's crying but I don's ask. He'll tell me one day.

I sat at the breakfast table eating toast and thoughtfully sipping tea and trying and unsuccessfully to shake the thoughts on what Eloise had said the other day. I was staring into the bottom of my mug at the dregs of tea when I decided to push the subject matter out of my mind. This was my holiday and if she had a problem with me we could sort it out when we get back to school.

Apparently, there was a small theme park near the beach and according to the parents "it would be the perfect place for us to spend such a lovely day." I saw an excellent opportunity to distract myself and texted Tom to see if he was interested. A few hours later we were all piling into the car on our way to this little seaside fair. Once we arrived we managed to leave Sylvie with some ponies she had befriended near the stables and stumbled off feeling more mischievous then we looked. After messing around at a few of the big prize winning attractions where Tom had somehow managed to claim a huge stuffed unicorn which he bestowed upon me much to my delight. We wandered around for a while before finding ourselves lining up for the Ferris wheel which overlooked the park. He looked at me raising his eyebrows and smirking probably aware by now of how cliche this all was. I grinned at him as we climbed into a carriage and pulled the door shut behind us. I laughed at the look of resignation on his face and kissed him. As we climbed higher and higher into the air he began taking photos of the view.

"Oi, come here."

he teased as he flipped the camera and we began taking selfies. I kissed him on the cheek and he screwed up his face looking all cute. I laughed accepting the challenge and puffing my cheeks out while also going cross-eyed.

"Alright, alright you win!"

He said laughing and using the air out of my cheeks before kissing me again.

I looked down then through the glass floor and realised how high up we were. I gasped theatrically and jumped into his arms and wrapping my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck. I looked him square in the face feeling like I could almost read his mind through his honest brown eyes as I remembered what he had whispered to me at the beach the day before.

"Guess what!" I said my eyes shining

"What?" He said playing along

"I love you too."

He face lit up and he laughed saying,

"I think we can work with that..."

I poked my tongue out at him and slid off him until my feet reached the floor.

"So what now.." I asked as I looked at him innocently

"I think we could probably start with this" he murmured leaning forward. I was waiting for him to peck me on the lips but instead, he kissed me hard bringing his hands up to my face. I gasped and leaned forward into him. It suddenly felt like my feet were no longer standing on the glass floor of the carriage but rather floating in thin air. The adrenaline that washed over me was accompanied with something else and unlike that night as his place on the couch, it felt different. It meant more and this time we both knew each other's intentions. It felt like seconds before we were back on the ground, stumbling out of the carriage both scarlet and slightly out of breath.

Walking back past the stables I saw that Sylvie had somehow managed to before almost everyone who worked there and was helping out with the horses. I went up to her and stuttered to some kind of excuse and said Tom and I were taking the bus home. She nodded not believing a word and said she would see us later.

"Ok let's get home I'm so keen to just flop on my bed and do nothing!" I said

Tom looked at my smirking

"Surly not all by yourself!"

I looked up at him in mock horror and surprise attempting to hold back a smile

"Thought not!" he said grinning and putting his arm around my shoulders.