An outing with Grace (part 5).

We spent nearly two hours hopping from ride to ride. From fast traveling roller coasters to swinging pirate boats to that damn stomach-wrenching free fall. Never that one again. It was fun, and all the excitement didn’t leave us with many opportunities to continue our little question game. However, there was something interesting I noticed.

Grace was having a good time, pulling me from one ride to another. And yet every time we walked past one, her eyes would wander to it before dismissing it. The first time it escaped me, but four times? No sir.

The ride in question was a massive carousel that glowed golden and was encrusted with fake, colorful gems that gave it a regal look. Horses and fancy carriages were on it, and the line was full of kids and their parents every time we passed by.

“Want to try the Top Spin now?” she asked me as we looked at the map of the park on a board. “I hear it shoots water in your face before it ends, but you don’t get any if you sit near the corners.”

“Actually, I’m a little tired. Can we try something calmer? Like… the carousel?”

I saw her eyes light up for a split second before she put up an aloof front. “Now that you mention it, we could use a break. Sure, let’s ride the carousel if you want.”

I had to hide my own excitement. Not at riding the carousel, but at being able to tell that Grace was happy to have an excuse to hop on it. Why would she need an excuse, though? Perhaps she found it childish? Or maybe… Could it be that she didn’t want me to think she was childish?

We stood in line for about ten minutes, and while I’m usually the one acting paranoid, this time it was Grace who kept looking around to the people in line with us. Again, parents, children and very, very few people our age. But then she found two of the latter ones, and her eyes settled on them. By the way the guy and the girl were acting, there was no doubt they were a couple. They stood very close to each other, foreheads almost touching, whispering sweetly and even kissing, making those close to them a little uncomfortable with their PDA. And then, Grace relaxed. She giggled to herself and held my arm again, resting her head on my shoulder as we waited for our turn to go into the carousel.

Now I was the one worried this small show of intimacy would make people mad at us, but… Dammit, having her close just felt too good. It was hard to care if people were looking our way or not when I could feel Grace’s side boob on my arm.

I think restraining myself these last couple of days was starting to show its effects.

We were finally let into the carousel, and I spotted a black horse that I thought looked neat and was going to hop on it, but Grace had another plan. She tapped my shoulder and pointed to a carriage that looked taken straight out of Cinderella, but smaller and without doors on the sides.

“We can get on that one together. Let’s hurry before it gets taken!”

She held my hand and dragged me to it, but it wasn’t like I was going to resist. Once we got in, I saw Grace reaching for her purse a couple of times before she finally took out her phone.

“Picture,” she said, leaning on me as she looked at the camera for a selfie. I tried going for a more subtle smile, fearing looking like an idiot if I **** it too much. I heard the sound of the picture being taken and relaxed.

“Oliver?” Grace spoke, looking at the photo she’d just taken. “Thanks.”

“Hm? What for?”

She giggled. “Don’t play dumb. You realized I wanted to get in the carousel, didn’t you?”

Busted. Should I continue to feign ignorance? “I really did want a break from all the fast spinning. If you wanted to come here, why not just say so?”

“…I thought you’d think me childish.” Oh shit. I got it right? “Collecting stuffed animals is one thing, but the carousel…”

“Why would it be different? You like what you like, right? Though I do understand being afraid of how people look at you.”

“I suppose you do. I should’ve known you wouldn’t laugh. Well, thanks to you being here with me, people won’t give us a second glance.”

“Why?”

“Because…” Her eyes found the same couple from before, but she ended up shaking her head. “Never mind.”

Grace leaned in and kissed my cheek, then she whispered in my ear. “I’ll need to use the restroom after this. Mind coming with me?”

Her tone left me little room to doubt her intentions. I answered by turning to her and kissing her lips. I really couldn’t care that people may or may not be watching us. Besides, we were inside a carriage.

Grace looked a little surprised after our lips parted, but she giggled and relaxed next to me. “You can be soooo smooth sometimes.”

“Only sometimes?”

“Yes. Most of the time you’re a nervous mess.”

“I just don’t know what’s okay to do and what’s not.”

“Mmm. A kiss like that is never a bad thing. Though you might need to check where we are for one of those hot and heavy ones we like so much. Oh, I just thought of a question, but I’ll have to ask it later.”

I chuckled. “Sounds ominous.”

“You can always ask the same questions back, you know? Let’s have lunch and then let's get on one of those boats in the pond.”

“Oh. My sister fell in there when we were kids.”

“Really? Nothing dangerous, I hope?”

“No, but I panicked and jumped after her without thinking. Mom scolded us both.”

Grace laughed at that.

We let the carousel ride continue in a comfortable silence until it was finally over. Grace looked a little disappointed.

“Want to go again?” I asked her.

“No. There’s too much to do and see to waste all our time on a carousel. Besides, I really do need to use the restroom.”

I went with her, wondering every step of the way if we’d really do… something in there. I certainly wanted to, but when we got there, we found even the restrooms had a line to get in.

“…I don’t know why I expected otherwise,” Grace said, sighing in disappointment.

And I felt it too. I was getting a little restless. I was having an amazing time with Grace, and she looked too cute not to want to touch her more. It would have to wait, however.

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