Alexis
I am never getting a garden theme for my wedding. I might go full-on emo or goth in my dress selection but garden theme? No thank you. That is where I draw the line.
Aaron and I are on our way to the carnival after relentlessly hearing 'Would you like roses or Magnolias?' and 'Would you like wildflowers here and there or would you rather have it squeaky clean?'
Dany and Fred have obviously lost it since they're having an outside wedding, with a garden theme, in freaking May! Who even marries in May? Isn't June wedding all the hype?
Guess I'll have to put ice cubes inside my dress or buy one of those electronic mini-fans. Or better yet, I could yank a cooler with me wherever I go and I will attach wheels under it for easy movement.
"The turtleneck was a bad idea," I slouch against the seat.
"The AC's on full blast and shut up, at least you don't look like you're out of a sweat swimming pool," Aaron grunts.
If I thought, I had it bad, Aaron's condition was infinitely worse. When we got out of there, his shirt was sticking to him in every corner. Honestly, he looked kind of hot, with the fabric of his shirt bulging over his biceps and broad back. It was definitely a delight to watch. He's all dried up now so my eye-candies are gone.
Thankfully, I don't sweat much (Thank you, mom's side of genes). I get a terrible headache from the heat and if I had to hear one more difference between Magnolias and roses, I'd have burst a blood vessel, right then and there.
"Who even plans a wedding in May?" I say, exasperated.
"I know," Aaron shudders, "I don't even want to think about wearing a suit."
I share my plan with him, "We could always drag a fan with us."
"Yeah and maybe cover it ivory laces and magnolias or roses."
I snort, "Fan crossed the vibe check."
We burst out laughing and I like the way he looks while he laughs. No holds barred. His grip on the staring wheel is loose and his arms are the kind of veiny you see on Instagram and Tumblr. He looks at me once, with a stupid grin plastered to his face and my heart leaps out of my chest.
I look away quickly before he can notice anything unusual in my face or demeanor. We're silent for a long while before Aaron speaks up.
"We are here." the sight of the huge Ferris wheel looming up in front of us churns the contents of my stomach.
The cotton candy and mango popsicles will be worth it, I think, and get out of the car.
"This is going to be so much fun," Aaron rubs his hands together and I stop dead in my tracks.
I can't breathe. The sun is setting all around us and the sky overhead is cast with pinks and purples and oranges and it's straight out of a Disney movie. I can hear the chatter and the hubbub of the carnival and the air smells of summer and salted popcorns, and I can't breathe.
It's Aaron. It's the way he looks right now. The dipping sun is forming a halo behind his hair and it's so dark, even in the sunlight, it looks like spilled ink on a Wednesday afternoon. His eyes are glinting under the sun and are light and playful. His shirt is rumpled and the first two buttons are open, hinting at his defined collarbones. The curve of his neck is smooth and dark, mixing with the evening sun; the hollow of his neck snapping the little bit of sanity I still have left.
My heart is lodged in my chest; he has a bright smile on his face, his usual i-can-whisk-you-off-your-feet smile, the one that breaks hearts and turns heads.
"Lexieeee," Aaron drawls, "We're not waiting here all day."
"What?" I snap out of my reverie and my cheeks heat up at his smirk.
"Stop checking me out and let's go."
I grab his outstretched hand and feel a small spark at the contact, "I was not checking you out."
"You were and it's okay, I am used to it."
"Shut up," I yank at his hand and he laughs a throaty laugh.
"I'll call Logan and ask him where he is."
I nod and look around. The sky is purple, bathing everything in a strange lilac and golden glow. There are children running around and lining up for their number in the kiddie rides. I see an elderly woman licking ice creams with a four-year-old and two seventeen-year-olds, laughing and kissing near the photo booth.
I look up at Aaron to see he's muttering a few 'Alright', 'cool' and 'we'll be there'. He catches my eye and grins at me, before continuing his conversation with Logan.
My hand feels too hot and clammy in his but I can't take it out because Aaron has a tight grip on them. I don't like how I am feeling. Aaron is making me feel all jumpy and tingly all over, and don't even get me started on how hot he looks right now. He should wear shirts more often, it really brings out his physique; looking at him all I want to do is grab his hand and go hide in the car and maul his face.
This is not something I should be feeling or thinking about, this is Aaron Richards we are talking about for fuck's sake! He doesn't do relationships, he fools around; on a side note, I can't believe I am thinking about Aaron and relationships in the same sentence. I hate summers, they do weird things to me.
"They're at the Ferris wheel... right there!" Aaron waves his hand and I have to squint to see a small Ellie waving back.
"This will be fun, I haven't been in a Ferris wheel in so long," there's a wistfulness in his voice.
I look around but there aren't a lot of rides which do not go high up in the air. Humans and their peculiar obsession with flying up in the sky for fun and thrill. Lord, if you're seeing this, I want you to know that I will come to heaven and I will hunt you down for this.
Ellie knows I can't ride a Ferris wheel, but she's not who I am worried about. Logan will hang this over my head for the rest of my life and will definitely use it as a storytime material for my grandchildren and I cannot even blame him! I bully Logan on a regular basis.
But I don't want Aaron to see me, not if I am on the verge of tears or passing out, that will be the single most humiliating incident of my life.
But I don't even get a second to protest before I am yanked forward by a buzzed and excited Aaron and we are running across the field, cutting through people, almost toppling over the crowd and our own feet. We get a lot of stares and irritated glances but I can't see or hear anything.
I can only feel Aaron and his dazzling smile as he looks over at me and his warm hand gripping mine fiercely. All my senses have been consumed by him and I don't care about anything else now. I can only see his goofy grin directed at me and I can only smell his sandalwood scent mixed in heavily with the summer heat and I can only hear his melted laughter thrumming through my bones.
We skid to a stop, blowing up dust around us and we are clutching our stomachs, still laughing and vibrating from the rush.
Aaron's laughter dies down first and his face takes on a soft glow in the evening red. Hesitantly, he tucks a strand of a stray hair behind my ear, "You look beautiful today."
"There you are!"
Ellie's voice jerks us apart, but not before she gives me a suspicious glance.
"Yeah did you buy our tickets?" Aaron's voice is surprisingly calm which leads me to think if I imagined the whole scene between us. My skin is still hot from where his fingers had been so, no, I am yet to be that delusional.
"We did..." Ellie looks at me worriedly, "But only ours. Logan's buying them now."
"I'll pay you ours, cmon."
"Aaron," Ellie starts, "Not all of us can go."
He squints his eyebrows at her, "What do you mean?"
I clear my throat and decide to get the demon out at once, "IamscaredofFerriswheels."
"What?"
"I- uh, I am scared of Ferris wheels," I look up at him, "But I will go!"
"Why are you scared?"
"I got dizzy once, when I was in middle school," I admit, "But it was long ago, I am going to go today."
"Are you sure? We don't have to if you're scared, I'll stay with you here," Aaron asks worriedly.
Honestly? No, I am not sure. I don't know if I'll scream my guts out or if I'll scream myself into oblivion. I just hope I am not shipped off to the arctic for causing a scene if I do cause any and I hope Aaron doesn't hate me for digging my nails in his arms, or puking on him or something of the effect.
"Yes I am sure," I raise my chin at him defiantly, "It was a long time ago and I want to go."
I make my way towards the ticket stand and when I catch Logan's eyes, I put up two of my fingers to signal him to buy two more tickets. He understands and nods at me, from the queue.
"C'mon let's go!" I motion Ellie and Aaron to follow me and they both look at each other uneasily.
It was middle school and I was probably dizzy because I hadn't eaten before the ride. It's different now. I ate two hours ago and I am a grown woman who has shown people exactly what value and place they hold in my life and deserve. What can a Ferris wheel do to me?
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Ferris wheels always heat up things, don't they? ;)