Past - 13
Third Party's POV:
"WOW," Elysia exclaimed in awe as she gazed at the massive entrance to the amusement park.
"Do you like it?" Sven asked, dismounting his bike and observing Elysia's wide-eyed excitement as she took in her surroundings.
Elysia responded with an enthusiastic nod, and her excitement brought a chuckle from Sven. He had spent the previous day researching places to take her, and seeing her joy now made it all worthwhile.
Surprisingly, it was a weekday, and there were relatively few people around, much to Elysia's relief. She waited patiently as Sven joined her, and together, they entered the amusement park.
"Oh, oh, look, look," Elysia nudged Sven and pointed towards the rollercoaster, her eyes sparkling like a child's.
Sven followed her gaze, looking around, equally thrilled. Both of them had faced different challenges in their lives, which had previously prevented them from experiencing the simple joys that most kids took for granted.
"Who wants to ride on it?" Sven exclaimed, pointing to the rollercoaster and raising his hand in excitement.
"Me!!!" Elysia responded with equal enthusiasm, raising her hand high.
They shared a hearty laugh, both reveling in each other's excitement as their faces beamed with childlike joy, savoring a day of carefree fun.
Sven and Elysia explored the whole amusement park, trying out a variety of rides. Their day was filled with adventure as they rode the roller coaster, took a leisurely spin on the Ferris wheel, engaged in friendly bumper car competitions, and enjoyed a log flume that ended with a refreshing splash. They also experienced the thrill of a drop tower ride, laughed as they twirled on teacup rides, and felt the rush of a pirate ship swinging back and forth.
As the evening drew nearer, their stomachs growled, and the realization dawned on them that, in all their fun, they had forgotten to eat. Hungry and eager for adventure, they explored the numerous food stalls, indulging in a variety of park snacks and treats. Amid the mouthwatering choices, Elysia's eyes lit up as she spotted the cotton candy stand.
"Let's get cotton candy!" She tugged at Sven's sleeve excitedly.
Purchasing two fluffy pink cotton candies, they sat down on a nearby bench. Elysia joyfully unwrapped hers and began to eat.
Sven, on the other hand, couldn't help but stare at her cotton candy, then at his own, and back at hers, narrowing his eyes.
"Why aren't you digging in?" Elysia noticed him eying her cotton candy and questioned.
"Yours looks way more yummy," Sven declared, his eyes locked on her cotton candy.
"Eh? But we literally have the same..." Elysia began to explain, but before she could finish, Sven swiftly grabbed her cotton candy, handed her his own, and started munching on her half-eaten treat.
"Hm, yummy," he happily commented between bites, ignoring Elysia's puzzled gaze on him.
Elysia's jaw dropped as she watched him munch on her cotton candy. She looked at the cotton candy he had given her, now holding his untouched one, and then back at him, shaking her head. Clearly, she didn't get his concept here.
After finishing their impromptu snack, Sven grabbed Elysia's hand and led her to a photo booth. Together, they made silly and funny faces, capturing a series of memorable pictures. Their laughter echoed in the booth as they marveled at the results, and they each kept a copy of the photos as a memento of their day.
While reviewing the pictures, Sven's eyes wandered to the nearby haunted house attraction. A secret evil grin spread across his face as he imagined Elysia getting scared of the ghosts and clinging to him for dear life.
He nudged Elysia, drawing her attention away from the photos. "Let's go there," he pointed towards the haunted house and looked at her expectantly.
"Haunted House?" Elysia read the sign and then turned to him. Sven nodded enthusiastically.
"All right, let's give it a try," she said, standing up and placing the photos in her bag, ready for their next adventure.
Sven raised his eyebrows in surprise, slightly taken aback by Elysia's willingness to venture into the haunted house. He quickly accompanied her to the ticket booth, and together, they entered the dimly lit atmosphere of the haunted house.
Elysia looked around in fascination, taking in the eerie effects and surroundings with wide-eyed curiosity. Sven, on the other hand, trailed behind her, bewildered by her unexpected behavior. As he contemplated this, a ghost suddenly appeared, startling Sven so much that he instinctively punched the ghost in the face.
Elysia jumped in response, and Sven grabbed her shoulders, causing the ghost to wince in pain.
"Sorry, it was a surprise, my friend didn't mean it," she quickly apologized, giving Sven a disapproving look and gesturing for him to apologize to the ghost.
"Ah, sorry about that," Sven apologized to the ghost and hurriedly pulled Elysia forward.
"Are you scared?" Elysia asked, concerned, as they passed the ghost.
"I'm not scared. I was just pretending so that he wouldn't be discouraged," he quickly explained. "Do you think these little things can scare... Oh, you, f&#*&$#*&!" Sven's bravado was cut short as a peculiar-looking zombie suddenly appeared in front of them, and a series of curses escaped his mouth instinctively.
Elysia gave Sven a disapproving glance, discreetly reminding him to mind his language. She then turned to the zombie-like creature, waved politely, and smiled.
Sven's jaw almost hit the floor at her response. Even the zombie-like creature appeared briefly taken aback and stopped its act to wave back politely.
As they passed him, Elysia turned to Sven and said, "Here!" She patted her arm. "Hold me; you won't be scared. I'll protect you and take you out safely," she smiled encouragingly without an ounce of mockery.
Sven felt his ears heat up. "I told you, I'm not scared; it's just sudden," he defended himself.
Elysia nodded in understanding. "So, you don't need to hold me? Then let's go." She was about to proceed when Sven held her arm instantly.
"It's not because I'm scared; it's just because I'm respecting your offered help," Sven commented bravely, contrasting his words, as he held Elysia's arm for dear life.
Throughout their time inside the haunted house, Sven kept his gaze fixed on Elysia, never once raising his head as she protected him from the weird appearing creatures and ensured their safe exit, just as she had promised.
"There, we're safe now," Elysia announced cheerfully, looking at Sven, who was still clinging to her arm and gazing at her in a daze.
She snapped her fingers in front of him, breaking his trance. He quickly withdrew his hand and cleared his throat, turning his gaze away.
"I wasn't scared," he mumbled, running a hand through his hair, hiding his embarrassment. Elysia tiptoed and gently patted his head, causing Sven to freeze, he almost forgot breathing at her unexpected gesture.
"There's nothing to be embarrassed about. Anyone can experience fear; we all have different kinds of fears, and it's perfectly normal. Would you like me to share a trick?" She smiled softly, trying to encourage him.
Sven nodded, staring at her face, his heart pounding crazily in his chest, not because of fear.
Elysia had him sit on a nearby bench, taking a seat beside him. "Let me share something a doctor once taught me," she explained. "When you encounter something scary or feel fear, try to picture it in a funny or less threatening way. Then, think of the people who make you feel safe or imagine yourself in a relaxed and comforting environment. Anticipate that something might appear in front of you and visualize it as something humorous. It can help you reduce your fear. Understand?"
Elysia asked Sven, her eyes filled with enthusiasm, to ensure he grasped the concept.
Sven nodded slowly, his eyes still locked on her in awe. Elysia shared some more techniques with him that could help to overcome fear and anxiety. It was as if she had years of experience in practicing these methods.
This marked the first time Elysia had spoken at such length, and Sven couldn't help but smile.
Sven inquired after a while, genuine curiosity in his eyes, "You didn't find any of them scary?"
Elysia offered a faint smile, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Scary faces like that; they don't scare me, people do," her smile slowly faded. She shook her head and promptly rose from her seat.
"Let's head back now; it's dark already," Elysia suggested as she took the lead. Sven followed, his gaze serious as he detected various emotions flickering across her face.
He remembered reading about her fear of people in her diary, but he couldn't ask her about it. As they walked, Elysia abruptly stopped in her tracks, a look of horror spreading across her face. Sven halted beside her, following her gaze to spot Ophelia Blake, her group, and his friends, except for Brey.
Sven glanced at them with indifference, showing little interest in their presence. When they noticed Sven standing there, they approached him.
"Hey, dude! What a coincidence, you're alone?" Gabriel asked with curiosity, offering a fist bump.
Sven raised an eyebrow in surprise, looking around for Elysia, but she was nowhere to be found. He turned back to Gabriel, who was awaiting his response.
"Why are you guys here? It's rather unusual," Sven replied in a serious tone, his fists clenched by his sides.
Gabriel explained, "That's what I said, it's not that fun here, but the girls insisted on coming."
Sven glared at Ophelia for a brief moment, knowing it couldn't be a coincidence. She quickly looked away, avoiding his gaze.
"Enjoy yourselves. I've got to go," Sven said. Gabriel nodded, showing little interest. Sven turned around and left.
He scanned the surroundings, searching for Elysia. Thinking she might have returned to the parking area, he hurried to where he had parked his bike. There she was, standing alone beside his bike.
Sven approached her quickly and stood in front of her. "Why did you run away?" he asked, his voice cold, with narrowed eyes.
"Uh," Elysia looked at Sven, averting her gaze when she noticed how cold his expression had become.
"Is it because you don't want to be seen with me?" He asked, clenching his jaw.
Elysia shook her head but couldn't articulate a straightforward response, causing Sven to avert his eyes in disappointment.
"You don't need to answer that; your face said everything," he stated, with his gaze fixed on the ground, as he refused to look in her direction. He remembered that Elysia rarely spoke up in front of people; it was usually him doing the talking.
"If you hated being with me that much, you should have told me earlier; I wouldn't have asked you to hang out with me and waste your time," he said, his fists clenched at his sides.
"It's–" Elysia attempted to explain.
"I must have appeared pitiful to you, didn't I?" He chuckled humorlessly, berating himself for not realizing sooner how little she wanted him around. "Don't worry, I won't be doing that anymore!" With that, he walked past Elysia without giving her a chance to explain when she attempted to speak.
Hopping on his bike, he started the engine and drove away. Just as he was about to exit the parking lot, he remembered her words from her diary.
"I don't go out at night; it still scares me a little," he stopped his bike abruptly, hitting the bike's handle in frustration.
Taking a deep breath, he reversed his bike and stopped in front of her, honking without a word. Elysia noticed him and his actions.
"It's okay, I can go by myself—" Sven honked again without letting her to complete her sentence. His eyes were fixed ahead as he silently waited for her to get on.
With a silent sigh, Elysia hopped on the bike, and Sven immediately drove away.
"What do you mean I am the only one responsible? I can't afford to feed myself yet you want me to raise him?" She yelled.
"I'll provide child support money; just keep him with you. I can't lose my wife and son because of a one-time mistake," Philips Damaris argued.
"I can't do that anymore. I'm marrying someone. I've been raising him for years, and now you should be responsible as his father. Ben wouldn't accept him, so take him away," she retorted.
"Are you crazy? What am I going to tell the world if they see him with me?" Philips exclaimed.
From the corner of the door, six-year-old Sven peeked inside with his innocent, tear-filled wide eyes, as his parents argued. He didn't fully understand the nature of their argument, but what he did realize was that neither of them wanted to be seen with him, and none of them wanted to accept him...
Staring at the passing view on the road, Sven's eyes stung as he recalled the painful memory from years ago. He sped up the bike, exceeding the safe speed limit, wanting to lose himself in the comfort of speed when he suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder slightly tightened, bringing him back to reality. He realized that Elysia was with him on the bike.
Instinctively, his grip on the bike's handle relaxed, and the bike slowed down. Elysia's body relaxed visibly, and her hand on Sven's shoulder also loosened, as he drove in a slow speed for the rest of the way.
Sven parked the bike in front of her house. Elysia got down from the bike and turned to Sven, but he didn't give her time to say anything. Without a word, he drove away, leaving her standing there.
Elysia watched his retreating bike as it disappeared into the distance, her face marked with concern.
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