my face feels numb against the bitter coldness; the warmth of my breath billows in the air. the inviting smell of burgers and hot dogs drifts past and floods my senses. it is dark, but colourful and welcoming lights turn this place into a setting fit for a romantic movie. simon walks close beside me. cradled against his chest is the panda plush that i won for him and in his other hand is a bag of pink cotton candy.
he catches my eye. i quickly look away as if something incredibly fascinating was happening opposite his direction. "want some?" i hear him say over the murmur of distant conversations. he gestures to the cotton candy. i shake my head, giving up on trying to disguise my smile.
"it's yours," i reply simply, and he beams like a child with ice cream. "good, more for me then."
we begin to walk through a crowd of people queuing up at the chips stall. two giggling children scamper past simon, almost knocking him over. he then bumps into a bearded man, muttering a flustered apology. i wrap a protective arm around his waist. automatically, he leans closer to me. his body feels comfortingly warm in this cold, crisp autumn air and i gaze at the floor to hide my grin from him.
i hear the soft crunch of falling leaves as we escape the bustling crowd and into blissful quietness. we are walking aimlessly; not knowing where we are or where to go. there was not a second that i regret of this night and i'm so grateful that i finally mustered up the courage to ask simon to accompany me here. i had been thinking of this all week. i imagined so many different outcomes of his reply, thought of countless different ways to bring it up.
i remember the hope that i thought flashed in his bright blue eyes as he said, "as a date?" and how much i stammered as i responded. "o-only if you want it to be..." i don't even regret how embarrassingly un-smooth i was.
i have been smiling - or at least trying not to - since i first got here. i realise my arm is still wrapped tightly around simon. i quickly release him. as i watch him munch the last piece of cotton candy before dropping into a nearby bin, i try desperately to come up with something to break the silence.
"um, thanks for coming here with me today." simon hugs his panda with both arms and i begin to drown in the ocean blueness of his eyes, melting at the warmth in his smile.
"thanks for taking me, jide," he replies, his voice so soft it sounds like a whisper. he's standing so close to me that i have to look up at him and i can feel his gentle breath against my skin and he's leaning closer. my breathing quickens and i hope he can't hear my heart racing.
then there's a whistle, a pause and an explosion as colour bursts into the sky in the distance. i snap back to reality. a corner of simon's mouth perks up. "do you know the way back?" he murmurs gently and i practically grind my teeth in frustration. i was so close!
"i don't even know which direction we came from," i admit, heat flushing across my face like a wildfire. there's another flash of fluorescent colour that lights up everything for just a second.
"jj, look, we can see perfectly from where we are." simon points to where we have a clear view of the fireworks over the trees. we watch as more colours paint the inky black sky. the few minutes that pass are like the most magical moments of my entire life.
i feel simon's hand wrap around mine and electricity sparks around our enclosed fingers, crackling up my arm. soon enough the fireworks come to an end. i can't help but to feel disappointed. our hands are still linked and i can't hide the massive smile on my face. "i-"
before i can even come close to the end of my sentence, simon pulls me into him by my hand. he wraps his other arm around my neck, the soft panda dangling from his hand. he closes what little space was between us. i haven't processed what is happening when our lips connect and then i'm not thinking at all. for a second i forget how to breathe.
a hint of cotton candy lingers on his soft lips. our first kiss was better than i could imagine. none of my fantasies could even come close to this. i pull him even closer, one tangled in his silky hair and the other hand locked with his. thank god no one else was around. it started off as a magical, dreamy kiss and then it became a sort you wouldn't want your grandma to see.
when we break away, all we do is stand in silence. with our hands still linked, we gaze into each other's eyes. nothing has ever felt so unbelievably perfect. there is not a single doubt in my mind as i think to myself, this is by far the best night of my life.
x
lets pretend i didn't disappear for like,,,, half a year lolololodmsinfhadkal
i'm so very sorry it's just a thing i do i guess. when i have a hobby or something after i while i get bored and forget about it. i hope you guys haven't given up on me and i'm surprised i haven't given up on writing this chapter.
this is based on a distant yet precious memory of mine and i'm sharing it with a precious couple. i hope you like it and i hope you forgive me for leaving for so long!
ily.
