Chapter 29: Not so sweet date

Third Person P.O.V The moving vehicles are watched by the pair of charcoal orbs for a while, Aiden lets out a sigh and gets up from the bench when the bus to home arrives, she looks around one more time and keeps a step ahead, she stops when the familiar sound of horn hits her ear drums... A smile sweeps across her lips as she spins, she walks to the car her eyes never leaves Riley who watches her through the windscreen... She gets in and buckles up the seatbelt... 'Are you mad at me?," Riley asks. 'Nope, Why?," her thin brows meet, she moves forward from the seat and looks at him curiously. 'Because I'm late," he shrugs. 'Why should I be mad just because you are late? It's obvious that you're late because you went to get the car," she raises her brows questionably. Riley curls in his lower lip with his tongue and stares at her for a second, his mind trying to analyse his next statement 'Never mind," he exhales, scratching the back of his head he looks straight at the windscreen 'You...," he faces her again 'My goodness," he looks straight again. Aiden watches him puzzled, her curled brows never straightens. Riley removes his hands from the steering wheel and leans back. 'Hey," he sits straight and faces her 'The next time if I'm late you have to be angry" his eyelids flutter along with the movement of his head 'You have to yell at me asking for a reason why I'm late, you have to grumble that you waited for a long time, you should be upset that I didn't reach on time. You get it," he looks straight at her. Aiden gapes at him, his words repeat in her head for her to understand but she doesn't. She closes her opened mouth and sits back, she averts her gaze and lets out a loud sigh. 'Riley," she mentions softly and faces him, he nods with raised brows 'Actually, I don't get you," she says. He blinks...once.. twice...thrice... 'That's okay," he sits back and gazes the bus which leaves, a smile makes it's way on his lips 'Do you remember this place?," he asks. 'Yes," Aiden answers, she sits back and follows Riley's gaze to the bench... The place where they were seated after the first meeting... 'We had a clingiest incident that day," Aiden chuckles. 'It's like it happened yesterday," he faces Aiden 'Am I right?," 'No," she replies bluntly. 'Yeah! No!" he nods simultaneously and he sits back 'It has been a long time," he utters under his breath, like talking to himself. A minute of silence captures the car but doesn't last longer. 'Are you always like this or are you pretending to be like this?," he takes a peek at her. 'Like what?," Aiden tilts her head, her eyes narrow in confusion. 'Oh gosh," Riley scowls, he touches his head and falls back, the corners of his lips drag downwards 'Please help me," he cries dramatically 'Where are we going?," She questions, ignoring his act as usual. Riley sits straight and adjusts his shirt collar 'Amusement park" he starts the car. Excitement thrills him as he took some notes from Evan, his plan is to get on the rollercoaster with Aiden therefore there definitely will be intimate contact... Imagination plays in his mind where Aiden fears the speed and holds his arm screaming... The next destination is the haunted house so he can be the saviour of her day... 'Amusement park?," she asks. 'Yeah, Where will you take me to a date?" Riley takes a glance at her and focuses on the road. 'To a gym," 'Gym?," his voice comes out louder, he pulls the brake by the parking lot and faces her with raised brows 'What's so romantic in exercising?" he howls. She bites her lower lip holding in her laughter at his priceless expression, his raised brows with widened eyes, his lips apart like he saw a ghost. 'I was just kidding," she shoves the door open and steps out. They take in the courtyard, everything is vibrant, from the light poles to the benches to the garbage cans, the sound of thick clanking of rides moving, the shuddering of rails and tracks, too loud music and the screams and chants filled in the atmosphere, a giant spinning Ferris wheel which can be seen anywhere in the park, the two story haunted house is the only place with gloomy colours. The smell of food roams around especially the aroma of popcorn and cotton candy tests people's souls...The smell nobody can deny... Riley rushes in directly to the counter of tickets for the roller coaster ride, his inner being eager to see Aiden scream and cry. He freezes by the gate of the roller coaster ride, his jaw drops to the ground unable to digest the scene... This is the first time that he is going to experience the ride, he had been telling himself that it's not scary as he thinks but the sight of it makes his heart pound, the loop is longer and the sharp curve and speed is unlike the normal roller coaster because this is the scariest , the screams of people echoes in his ears... It's not what he expected... Riley inhales a deep breath and lets it out, he plasters a fake smile and looks down at the tickets which he bought now, his mind recalls Evan's words. The wait in the queue takes no longer than thirty minutes, time seems to crawl fast for Riley. People move forward inch by inch and soon Riley stands first, Aiden behind him. The dreadful screams of people who are spiralling down the track makes his eyes fall out his sockets, he never faces Aiden as anxiety is clearly written on his face. The whole track system shudders and shakes as the cart go in swift movement, rumbling like thunder. Riley covers his mouth when the cart stops... It's time for their turn... His hesitant feet walks to the destination, it's a two seat in a row cart. The ride attendant directs people to their seats, Riley sits in and looks at Aiden when she sits beside him, her face expressionless as usual. His heart pounds rapidly feeling uneasy, his face green... It's too late to regret... The metal seatbelt which goes around shoulders drags down. 'Are you okay?," Aiden asks looking at him with creased brows. 'Yeah," his voice cracks, he titters as a nervous laugh creeps through him 'I am totally fine," he lies, his subconscious still not in a stable state. The ride starts slow, Riley keeps himself calm as he tries his best to ignore the people who are screaming their lungs out... The cart rises higher and higher to the point where the whole park can be seen, he shuts his eyes tight when the cart moves to the track's first peek... 'Are you afraid?," he asks in a shaky voice, his eyes still closed. 'No, are you?," Whoooosh! A loud scream leaves Riley's lips, he screams out until his throat goes dry but he doesn't stop. 'My god," he cries aloud, he hugs Aiden's left arm like it is his only life saviour 'I can't ...ta...ke... th...is," he stutters when the strong wind hits his face, his own voice hit his ear drums... 'Get me out," he shouts, literally his voice is the loudest among all the people in the train. 'I'm gonna die," he exclaims, his hold on her arm tightens, his vision spins at the abrupt change of speed and sharp turns makes him nauseous in a way that he would pass out or puke at any moment. The everlasting nightmare gets nearer to an end, the screams get lower when the cart crawls slow and makes the landing. As soon as the cart stopped and the metal bar is lifted Aiden turns to her left, she chews her inner cheek as to hold in her laughter. His hair messy like he got an electric shock, his warm ivory skin turned pale. 'It's over," Aiden informs. Riley opens his eyes, a wave of relaxation strikes in him. 'Why did you want to play when you are afraid of it?," Aiden asks. He looks up at her and pouts 'I never knew it will be scary," he wails like a kid whose lollipop is stolen... People by stand watches him, some of them takes pictures of him recognising him as an idol which he himself forgot. 'Okay...Okay," she utters low like a mother coos her child, a fond smile makes it's way on her lips as she offers him a hand. He takes her hand and jumps out. Riley draws in the air of the empty plastic cup through the straw, not a drop of coffee remains in the cup. He places the cup on the table and looks straight at Aiden, she crushes the empty rolled up bag of popcorn and looks straight. A twinkle smile makes it's way on Riley's lips. 'Have you ever gone on a roller coaster ride?," he asks as he leans forward. 'Nah, today is the first time," she replies. 'Then why weren't you afraid?," 'I'm not timid," she shrugs. 'You surely aren't," he stands and places his palms on the table, he leans over his arm looking at Aiden 'Shall we go to the haunted house?," he raises his brows with a wide ear to eat grin. 'It's closed," she informs as she saw the board by the haunted house building earlier. 'Why so early?," he frowns. 'Early?," she raises her brows amusingly 'The sun is about to set," Riley stands straight and looks up at the shaded reddish orange sky, he crunches his nose and looks down at his watch. 'So quickly!" he exclaims facing her... He never noticed the time... 'It's because we woke up in noon ," she exhales. Stepping aside he looks around at the plenty of games, Aiden rolls her eyes when Riley claps like he got a genius idea. 'Lets play the claw machine," he claps again and faces her, his brows lift up twice... Roller coaster ride failed, haunted house failed... Now he wants to show his skills on grabbing dolls... 'So childish," she scoffs. 'It's fun," he whines and grabs her arm, Aiden stands and Riley drags her to the machine. 'Which one do you want?," He asks, his level of confidence in high place right now. Aiden examines the dolls in the glass box, without delay she points at a doll with military uniform. 'Got that," he shows a thumb up and clicks his tongue, his legs spread as he lowers himself and inserts the coin in the thin open line, gripping the joystick he peers on the moving claw. An enormous grin of confidence spread across his face, his eyes enlighten when the claw grabs the doll successfully, his glee vanishes when the doll drops the very next second. 'I'll do it again," he says as he inserts another coin, his self confidence still on the top as he has been an expert in this game... I mean out of ten tries he succeeds twice or thrice out of luck... He tries again and fails. Fails! Fails! 'That's enough," Aiden interrupts his focus, Riley shoots straight and faces her 'Move aside," she orders. He steps aside leaving the place for her, she hops forward and grips the joystick. 'It looks easy but it's not as you thi...nk," his voice fades at the last two letters when she picks up the doll from the prize out square. She tosses the doll to him which he catches automatically 'You wasted five chances," she snarls arching a brow perfectly. He shows a thumb up and bows his head 'You're great master," he hugs the doll his chest. The sky glows with bright city lights, the pale crescent moon shines like a silvery claw in the dark sky, the view somewhat dull as there are no shining stars to make the sky splendid. The car comes to an halt outside a same restaurant. Riley books the same private room in which they has their first dinner together. 'Do you remember the car race?" Riley breaks the silence as always. 'Yeah," Aiden sits and looks around... Her mind still unable to accept the fact that she has fallen in love with someone she never thought she would... 'You were incredible, I was stunned," he compliments as he recalls the way she raced, the defeat which he couldn't accept. 'Lets race again," she smiles and looks at Riley who is already looking at her. He stares at her ,his Adam's apple moves up and down 'You know," he says 'You look gorgeous when you smile," 'You've told that," she says in forever dry tone yet she blushes as her heart flutters for his comment. She purses her lips to a flat line as his intense gaze melts her. 'I know," he stands and walks to her 'And I mean it every time," he whispers. Aiden's brows meet when he stops in front of her and bends low, placing his hand on the table he leans over his arm as he bends lower and lower. 'I don't know why I can't take my eyes off you," he whispers, this side of him is completely different from the playful dramatic version of Riley. Aiden blinks a couple of times rewinding his words in her head. His words make her feel in a different way, maybe it's because she likes him or maybe because it's the first time that someone compliments her appearance by bottom of heart. She closes her eyes, his sudden change of expression is unbelievable, like who can be playing around and gets husky the very next second. Riley shuts his eyes and moves his head closer until they breathe in each other's breath. Aiden's brow creases when she hears the familiar voice, her eyes shoot open. She turns to the other side of the chair and stands, Riley's lips was not even an inch away. He lifts his hesitant eyelids and stands straight. 'What's wrong?," he asks scratching the back of his head, awkwardness eating him up. 'Do you hear that noise?," she furrows her brows and pays attention to the noise coming from outside, most probably the opposite room as it's not clear almost like a fade far away scream. 'Yes, it's a kid," he says. 'Eric," she hurries to the door, Riley follows her. 'How can Eric have a child's voice?," Riley exclaims. She opens the door and turns around, facing Riley she says 'It is his son." They stomp to the opposite room and pushes down the door knob. Aiden furrows her brows and Riley's eyes widen when they step into the room. A fair woman by the corner hugging her child, Eric fighting against five men who are about to win the fight.