*Chapter 8: I Never Want To Leave*
*Enjoy!*
**Imogen's Point of View**
The race back down the play castle is easier now I know with what I'm dealing with and how to approaches the different obstacles. So there's absolutely no way I'm gonna lose this time. Of course now the advantage of a false start is mine! And even running on my bare socks doesn't slow me down.
I can hear Fiona's yelling something, but because of our growing distances I couldn't quite understand it. I continued running and then I reach the wiggle bridge, which caused me to lose last time. I look back real quick to see I gained a massive distance on Fiona.
Fiona just started her way down, and if I cross this bridge before her I'll definitely win!
So as quick as possible, on bare socks, I crossed the wiggle bridge and without looking back to Fiona moving on the plastic tube obstacle. Victory is within my reach! And after that I literally fly down the zigzagging holes and leaped down the rope wall.
I have won! I know it very well when I landed in the cold soft sand.
After I finished the whole play castle downwards I watched Fiona climbing down. She has just entered the pillar with zigzagging holes.
"Wauw I knew I'm way faster than her." I said smiling. "In a fair race she got no chance." I smirked.
Eventually Fiona slide down the rope wall and landed on solid ground. She sighed deeply and I saw she's slightly out of breath. Her head is bright red and a few sweat drips trailed down on side if her face. I can tell she went full out and climbed down as fast as she could. Be that's not fast enough to beat me of course!
"Hey Fiona, not so lucky this time I see..." I giggled at my girlfriend's red tomato head.
"Yeah rub it in while you can, but I did win the first race..." Fiona panted. "So we're even now. And do you know where our shoes are?" She asked afterward.
"Uhhhh..." I murmured I kind of forgot about the shoes and watched Fiona climb down instead. Nevertheless I found them real quick after little search. My two pairs are almost entirely buried under the soft sand.
"Ah there they are! Ugghhh, all covered in sand though..."
I grabbed the two pair of sand covered shoes and made a disgusting face. There's sand all over them and not even a small amount but lot's everywhere.
"Fions this is your fault!" I exclaimed to Fiona holding the two pair of shoes with my fingers in front of me. She shyly looked at me with an embarrassed expression knowing it was true. I walked back to her and tried to rub some sand off the shoes.
"Yeah okay I admit. Because of me you lost your first shoo in the tickle attack. Encouraged you to toss your other down, and then I threw mine right behind as well. But come one Imogen... it's just sand. You can easily clean them and then you'll see nothing more!" Fiona admitted as I stopped before her.
"Well okay... Let's go back to the terrace and get our shoes and feet's clean then."
Fiona nodded at me and we walked back to the terrace. Once we sat down Fiona and I wipe our feet clean, and made sure that as much sand as possible is out of our shoes. When I pulled my shoes back on, I looked at my phone and noticed it's already 5 pm.
"Fions it's already 5 pm... You know what that means?" I said on a sad tone followed by a deep sigh.
"Yeah the fun is nearly over I guess..." Fiona replied with a face equally as sad as mine.
"But I don't want fun to end. And I never want to leave the zoo." I whined.
"Immy eventually zoo's close as well. Or did you want to spent the night with the monkey's." Fiona smirked which made me smile.
"No unfortunately I can't... Stupid Natalie wants to have dinner tonight, remember? I honestly really don't feel like going..." I sighed and I looked down at the ground fondling with my fingers.
Fiona shifts her wicker chair next to mine followed by a warm feeling from her soft hand on my upper leg. It causes my head to fall sideways on her shoulder, and another sigh escaping my mouth.
"What if they don't accept me for liking you so much? I mean what If Natalie and my new family don't accept my love for you." I confessed to Fiona as it was my biggest fear right now.
"I'm sure they won't judge you for being in love with a girl." Fiona replied and stroked my leg leisurely.
"Well you never know. Natalie and I have never been on one line before. So I wouldn't be surprised if she would make a big deal out of me and you as well..."
"Oh come on Imogen she's still your mother."
"Yeah my EVIL mom..." I said with a giggle.
"Well if your evil mom turns out to be really evil you can always come and live with Drew and me." Fiona smiled.
"That would be nice, thanks Fions." I sighed and comfortably snuggled my head some more in her shoulder.
Oh what would I ever do without Fiona in my life.
"No problem, but I believe we still got an hour left until de zoo closes. And there is one thing we haven't done yet." Fiona said and she stroked my hair like a pet animal.
"True! I'm still in the Degrassi zoo with my gorgeous girlfriend!" I exclaimed and jumped upwards and out of my chair. I'm not giving up on this day yet!
"See that's the spirit!" Fiona said and priced my enthusiasm as she launched herself out of the chair as well. "And this hour we got left is perfect to have a good look in the zoo gift shop. And of course spending our free gift cards as good as possible!"
"Yeah!" I yelled and grabbed Fiona's hand intertwining it with mine. "I'll buy you the most amazing stuffed animal they have to offer for 25 dollar." I exclaimed swinging our arms back and forth.
"And I'll buy you the craziest one they have to offer."
"Ohhh I would love that! Come on Fions let's move, and use those cute legs of yours!" I exclaimed and then Fiona and I pursuit our way back through the zoo following the exit and gift shop signs.
After a little walk Fiona and I made it back to the exit of the zoo with the gift shop right next to it.
We entered the shop and the moment I stepped inside I inhaled deeply of pure amazement. I heard Fiona gasp with the same amazement, overwhelmed with the countless rows of animal toys, stuffed animals and other incredible zoo related merchandise. Most things I've never seen before.
My main focus is with the stuffed animal. They are literally available in all shapes and sizes and every Degrassi Zoo animal was present. You could choose super tiny stuffed key cords, or some as massive as real life tigers, and of course everything in between.
Fiona and I are still in silence as we slowly progresses further in the shop.
"Can I help you girls with something?"
A friendly employee suddenly approached us pulling us back from imagination lands.
"Uhhh no thank you, we'll just look around and see what we can find." Fiona replied to the employee
"Okay!" He said and approached another costumer.
"Well..." I began still amazed with all the zoo goodies. "They sure have enough toys and stuffed animals here. I know I can find a perfect stuffed animal for my perfect girlfriend." I smiled to Fiona, as she blushed slightly.
"Yes no doubt about that! But shall we split up and search for each other's presents? That way there is a sort of surprise feeling to it." Fiona suggested.
"Ooooh surprises I'm in!" I yelled with excitement.
"Good, and here let me carry your camera before you swing it against the wall or something with your excitement." Fiona giggled.
I shrugged my shoulders, seeing why not and handed her my camera. Now that I'm free of any luggage I ran off to the rows of stuffed animals.
To my surprise Fiona didn't follow me, as this is the only part of the shop where there are stuffed animals. What has she planned for me? It leaves me wondering, she obviously got something better in mind. But it's a surprise so I guess that's the whole point of not knowing.
My thoughts about Fiona's present for me eased down as I stand face to face with the most awesome stuffed animals I've ever seen.
"Wauw where should I start looking? Each one is just as amazing as the other!" I said to myself.
I look at the row full of stuffed animals, although there're all amazing, not one is like standing out to me. It's more like they all stand out to me. Mhhh... It's actually quite hard... Now I think of it.
I pursuit my hunt for Fiona's new stuffed animal in the second row. I stared at the toys for a few minutes, examine each one and of course looking for the 25 dollar price tag.
I sighed because all of them on the second row are way above my 25 dollar gift card. They're obviously cool but that comes with a serious priceā¦
I moved back to the first row of stuffed animals, knowing I have to find my luck in this one. I fixed my eyesight at the all the furry toys for another ten minutes without success of finding one for Fiona.
"Come on Imogen think! What animal would Fiona like?" I said hoping the words work better when I hear them.
Then like instantly an idea popped up in my head! They got to have this one here, they just must. My spoiled brat would love this for sure! I know she still loves it after so long. I searched for a pink round animal, and sure enough I've found where I'm looking for.
"Oh my god this is perfect for Fiona! Price exactly right as well! This will bring back some old memories to her." I giggled hugging Fiona's new stuffed animal.
With my girlfriend's present in my hands I walked back finding Fiona still at the counter which surprises a little. Did she even look for a present for me or not? She seems to busy talking to the woman behind the counter, so I hide her new stuffed animal behind my back as I approached her.
She finally sees me and a smile rises on her face. "Hey sweetie done with searching?"
"Yep got the perfect stuffed animal right here!" I exclaimed trying to hide it as good as possible.
"Well it took you a while to find the perfect one." She giggled. "I thought you moved in and started living with the toys here."
"Haha funny... But what do you have for me?" I wondered as it seems like she hasn't moved at all when I was searching for her present.
"It's the best of the best. And I'm actually glad it took you so long to come back, because now my present is almost finished!"
"Finished? What do you mean?"
What could she possible have finished for me?
"See for yourself!" She exclaims and then nodded at the woman behind the counter. The woman nodded back and I heard some rumble of a machine working. It got me excited! What can that be?!
"Okay Immy close your eyes."
I did as she told, still with her present behind my back. I heard some more ruble and 'Thank you's' were exchanged.
"You can open your eyes now sweetie!"
I slowly opened my eyes seeing Fiona holding a large book in front of me with two hands. At first I didn't know what to think of it... But then I notice a familiar picture of us on front of the book. Amazement hit me and I couldn't find the right words for answering. The cover picture is the one of Fiona and me at the zoo entrance with that bear, and with the text 'Fimogen in the zoo!' above it.
"It's a photo book of us in the zoo! Do you like it?"
"I...I... H-how?" Was all I could say stunned with this one of a kind present.
"Well I had your camera and I found out you could make you own photo album here, so that's what I did. I thought it would be the best I could do for you. With you being so busy with taking photo's all the time. But do you like it Immy?" Fiona asked me again.
But instead of answering I hugged Fiona so fast and hard it took her by surprise. She wasn't able the hug me back as I was just squeezing her with love. I slammed my stuffed animal in her back when I hit my arms around her.
"That's a yes... I guess..." Fiona murmured totally squeezed my me.
"Yes? You're kidding right? It's a thousand times yes! I love it! And I love you, I love you, I love you!" I exclaimed loudly and kisses her neck after every 'love.'
Then I give Fiona her air back by releasing her from my strong hug. When I pulled away I didn't realize I didn't hide my present anymore and I now held it right in front of us.
"Hey that's a cute pig!" Fiona smiled to me.
I blushed. "Yeah it was hard to find a good one for you, but then I remembered your story with you owning a pig. So see this one as Porcelina 2.0! The one that doesn't poo in your condo. Hope you like it, it isn't quite the same as your amazing photo album though..."
"Of course I love it! You really do know me well, and you picked this one for me so how can't I love it." Fiona smiled stroking and hugging her new plush pig.
"Come let's go and pay for our presents." Fiona said afterwards and turns me around to the counter to pay for our gift.
After we paid for our gift with our zoo gift cards we exit the shop. Then a loud voice called around the zoo.
"Dear zoo visitors! Only 3 minutes left until we close. Be sure to find the exit, and we hope you had a pleasant visit to The Degrassi Zoo!"
I sighed. "Guess fun time with you in the zoo is now really over..."
"Yeah I'm afraid so." Fiona said sighing as well.
"So let's get back to the bus shall we? And maybe I can have a quick rest before dinner with my new family." I said.
Fiona nodded at me and grabbed my spare hand. In my other hand I hold the new photo album firmly and Fiona carried the medium size pig under her armpit. We exit the zoo and slowly made our way to the bus stop.
We stepped on the bus and Fiona and I sat down comfortably leaning against each other. Before I even considered sleeping as an option I closed my tired eyes. My bus stop is the last one so I have no worries about missing it.
I opened my eyes real quick when we started driving and I noticed that my beautiful girl was already getting to dream world, leaning gently against me. I kissed the top of her head and whispered.
"Thank you Fions, for this amazing trip, I love you." I said finishing with another kiss on her head.
"I love you too..." Fiona murmured barely awake.
And then I joined her dream world, free from any worries about the next hours of the evening.
*I hope everyone enjoyed the last chapter of Fimogen in the zoo, I know I did:)*
*Chapter 9 is titled: Dinner With My New Family*
