Christmas carnival, four blocks from Mike's car.
As Sam and Mike reached the entrance, they stopped before it and observed what was happening around the area. The carnival was not as big as they thought, though it covered an area of a football field. Luckily, it wasn't noisy-just a Christmas song playing softly. There weren't many people, too. Mainly were teenagers and adults walking here and there.
Sam's gaze still locked on the ferris wheel at the another end of the park which was quite big for the size of this place.
"Never seen that before?" asked Mike jokingly.
"Yes, Mike." Sam answered.
"Oh.. Umm.. So-" Mike didn't expect that answer. He was going to apologize but Sam cut him off.
"Hahaha." Sam laughed. "I'm just jo-" she halted, something had crossed her mind.
' I'm just Joshin' ya. '
"Oh.. Err." Sam regained her consciousness and she shook her head. "I'm just joking.. I've seen it before." said Sam, looking down.
"Are you.. okay?" asked Mike as he lowered his head to look closely at her face.
"Umm.." Sam hesitated for a second whether to told him or not. Then she looked back at him.
Inadvertently, their gaze met. Only an inch apart.
"It's a flashback, sorry." Sam turned her head away.
"Oh.. I got some too, actually. You can share it with me, Sam. If you want." Mike said, putting his hand on his neck. His voice had showed his concern about her.
"Thanks." Sam turned to Mike. A small smile crept on the corner of her mouth. "But not now. Let's go shoot some ducks." she nodded in the direction of the mini-game booths.
"You're so mean." teased Mike, and they both entered the carnival.
Sam and Mike went into many booths which lined up along both side of the park, leading to the ferris wheel at the end. They won some and lost some, but after all they both had fun and enjoyed each other company.
Finally, they reached the last booth. With two action-figures and a giant teddy bear, they decided to call it off. It was enough for Mike and Sam didn't want anything more.
"Why do I have to carry this again? It's making me look like a girl." said Mike, as his tighten his grip on the teddy bear. The figures were already kept in her bag.
"Cause you're strong.." Sam turned to him and grinned.
"Should I take that as a compliment?"
Sam put both of her hands out and shrugged her shoulders, which meant ' Up to you ' or ' whatever you want '. After a few steps she stopped and looked at the ferris wheel in front of her, feeling excited to go up at the top of it. However, she wasn't sure if Mike would get bored or not because it was going pretty slow, in sync with the background music.
"You're not going to be there if you keep staring at it. You're coming?" said Mike as he was already waiting at half-way from her to the entry.
Sam was relieved. She thought she was going to persuade him by her secret puppy-face, which it had worked with Josh so far. Sam then eagerly followed Mike to the line.
When they reached the line, Mike blindly bumped into someone next to him because of the huge teddy bear he was holding. His hands that wrapped around it touched someone's hip.
"Hey! Watch it!" screamed the lady, bringing Mike's attention to her as he turned aside to clearly see her presence.
"Ah, ohh! oh! I'm so sorry." he settled his position and looked clearly at the person he bumped into. He was stunted. It was the person he had known very well.
"A.. Amanda." he exclaimed in a dry voice, his eyes dilated with shock.
Amanda is.. or was Mark's girlfriend. She had changed her haircut, from long flat hair with forelock above her fore head to an A-line bob haircut . Which transformed her from a cool-ordinary girl into a slick woman. And with her changes of the apparel, it enhanced her stylish appearance. Mike and her met in a summer camp in his primary school and they kept in touch. But after the fight with his foe Mark, they never talked again.
"Mike! Hi!" said Amanda, firmly. "How are you? I haven't seen you in ages."
"Still alive, thanks." he answered as put the teddy bear down on his feet and he looked up. "And you?"
"Never better!" she turned her gazed to Sam. "Hello there!" she smiled and Sam smiled back at her. "Is this your girlfriend, Mike?"
"No.. This is my friend, Sam." he peeked at Sam before he turned to her. "Sam, this is Amanda.. My old friend." he gave her an assuring smile.
"Nice to meet you Amanda." Sam said with a small smile.
"Nice to meet you too, Sam!" Amanda widened her smile. In which, Sam doubted that smile. She felt too welcomed. "So, where do you study? We can hang out sometimes." suggested Amanda.
"Me, I.T. Institute. And Sam's in Medical University."
"Wow! That's cool! I'm in University of Fine art, next block from yours Sam." she said to Sam.
"Isn't that Emily's campus?" added Sam.
"Yeah! She's in design class. I'm more of.. painting and sculpting."
"Oh, I see."
"But Lily's in her class." said Amanda as she turned to her friend on her left. Amanda came with three friends, they were talking whilst kept looking forward for the ride.
"Huh?" Lily turned to her and her friends did as well. Sam was quietly amazed by Lily's beautiful face. She looked like Beth with long shiny black hair and red lips. Lily was a hot lady if you ask Mike.
"Mike and Sam. Em's friend." As that Lily turned her gaze to them.
"Hello." said the black head, Lily. She smiled and Sam waved at her.
"Hi, I'm Mike by the way." greeted Mike, smirking.
"I don't think any girl would be named Mike. Hahaha, right Sam?" Lily giggled.
"Yeah.. haha." Sam agreed. Which it made Mike felt awkward, but he hid it behind his dry laugh and he widened his smile.
"Hmm, Em never mentioned you before. Well, she doesn't talk much in the group.. but she's the 'REAL' diva, haha." Lily joked. "She has a good eye for a designer, though."
"Great to hear." said Sam. She found Lily a confident woman, with a sense of humor. She sure was Emily's friend. A minute later, a carriage arrived for Amanda and her friends.
"My ride is here." Amanda turned to Sam and Mike. "I'll talk to you guys later, Bye!" she waved at them, she followed her friends which were already getting into the carriage.
"Bye Amanda." said Mike.
"Bye bye." said Sam as she waved back.
The carriage gradually took off and another one replaced its position, ready for Mike and Sam to get in.
"Two?" asked the attendant as Mike and Sam stepped on the small platform.
"Yes." answered Sam.
"No, three!" added Mike and he pointed at the teddy bear in his grip.
"Oh! You make sure he doesn't put his hand out, okay?" The attendant said to Mike while he was opening the door.
"Okay." finished Mike. Sam rolled her eyes.
' He never runs out of jokes, does he? ' thought Sam.
The carriage had a row fixed on the right and left side, which its capacity was two persons per row. At the opposite site of the door was an opening with small iron bars preventing children from falling out. So, Sam got in first and she sat on the left row. Followed by Mike who sat opposite of her and put the teddy bear beside him. Then, the door was securely locked from the outside. They leaned back on the seat which separated by a path with the width of half a meter. And the carriage brought them up higher.
It was four in the evening, the sky was turning orangey-red. Mike and Sam quietly gazed out. As they were higher, the view of the city was lengthened further and further away to the end of the horizon. Even though it was more windy up here, they both enjoyed themselves in the warming sight of their beloved city where they grew up.
"Hurr, so many things have changed." said Mike and he sighed.
"Yeah.." Sam was gripping on the bar on her left, observing the buildings and traffics and people. "That's new.." She pointed to the mall she went for lunch with her friends. "Those are new.. That's also new." she pointed the new buildings around town. "Wow! I didn't know it had changed this much." finished Sam, feeling astonished.
"Don't make me feel old." said Mike and he looked at Sam.
"Oh!" Sam squeaked and she swiftly turned to Mike. "You're turning twenty! I remember that." Sam pointed at Mike.
"Whoa! Why so hurry? That's a month away." Mike protested.
"Do you have any plans yet?" asked Sam as she leaned closer to Mike's face.
"Actually.." Mike quickly adjusted his position, he wasn't comfortable for being stared at this close. Then, he looked at Sam with a smile. "Nope. haha." he looked away. "Weird right?"
"Er, yeah.. Weird. You always had your birthday party planned like.. months before." she leaned back onto her seat.
"Umm.. I did had a few things on the list.. before I.. went to the lodge.." he gazed further through the city. At the end of his sight, stood a big dark-green mountain where awful things happened over the last two years.
"Oh.. I feel you, Mike. It's a worst thing anyone could asked for."
"I'm getting better now. How about you?" Mike turned to Sam.
"Same as you." Sam looked deeply into his eyes. "I hope things would get better next year." she smiled. Mike placed his hand on her knee, trying to share his insecurity with her. But that just sent a comfy-chill up her spine.
"It will."