A few minutes away from the Maraguinot's residence is the carnival. Jaja and Jho talked about how this was their annual tradition and how excited they were to finally be able to visit the place again after missing it out for two years due to Jhoana's studies back in the city.
"Wait, huwag mo sabihing takot ka?" Jhoana halted and asked upon noticing the captain has been silent for quite some time now.
"H-ha? Ako? No. I've been in wars, I don't think there's anything I could possibly be afraid of." Bea's stubborn face masked the fear she tried to hide yet miserably failed.
"Ate Bea! Ate Jho! Dali na" Jaja exclaimed from afar as she raised the tickets for the ferris wheel.
Jhoana looked at Bea whose face is now drenched in sweat and is faking a smile for Jaja.
"Kung ayaw mo, okay lang. Sabihin ko kay Jaja sila nalang muna nung kaibigan niya sa ferris wheel"
Bea looked at Jho and remembered how excited she was to be able to be here. She didn't want to disappoint her.
"Actually" Bea decided to be honest "you know how this is my first break from work, right?" Jhoana nodded "ngayon lang ako nakapunta sa mga ganito, and look at that.." she pointed the ferris wheel who's chairs were open and the only thing that'll serve as a safety feature are the bars lying across each of the chairs' end "I don't think I could trust that"
"Well, you never know how something feels like unless you try it, right? Come on, I'll be with you anyways" Jhoana said with a reassuring smile. A smile the captain can't resist but trust.
Bea held onto the bar across her waist tightly while closing her eyes meanwhile Jho looked at her while trying to hold her laughter but stopped upon realizing the captain was seriously frightened.
Jhoana looked at the captain's hand gripping the bar tightly and slowly placed her hand on top of the latter's as she opened her eyes and looked straight to Jho's who's face is drawn with concern.
"It's okay" an assuring and caring smile matched her gentle touch on top of Bea's hand. The latter can't help answer a relieved smile. After all the stubbornness and misunderstandings. Tonight was a night of building a friendship and perhaps, trust. Trust that there's someone who's going to be there when all her fears are up against her. That even when the world is turning at a speed you can't fathom, there's someone whose single look can make it seem like the world is on your pace.
"Let's start all over again" she reached out her hand while trying to avoid the view down below when the ferris wheel halted and they were up closest to the sky. "I'm Bea"
The morena let out a beaming smile, this was what she wanted that moment she asked for the captain's name- a formal start to a friendship. So when she got rejected by the captain without even knowing why, she wasn't up for it. But this time, the world down below was their witness and the city lights were like fireflies enveloping their beginning. "I'm Jho" as she received the captain's scarred yet soft hand.
---
"It wasn't that bad" Bea answered Jhoana's mom when asked about her time in the carnival over dinner. "I had fun actually"
"Sa susunod, ate, pag pupunta kayo dito ulit, sa roller coaster naman" Jaja excitingly said which made Jhoana laugh midway drinking her water. Bea looked her seriously as if they were in the agency which made Jhoana straighten up and cancel her laughter however Bea smiled upon looking away from her and then looking at Jaja.
