The Last Traces of Childhood
Chapter 8 – The Fun and Relaxation
Dear Diary,
Hehe, whoever said that carnivals were for kids? The countdown continues: only 4 more days left! I'm excited about getting out of school on Friday, but at the same time, I feel sad I think it really sucks that Yuffie doesn't live in Kalm with Cloud and I Hope we'll get to see her in the summer! Maybe we'll be going to the same college, so that's something to look foreword to. Anyway, there was a carnival that settled in Kalm Town, only temporarily, of course. Mom and Dad went to it with Cloud's parents (they're becoming pretty good friends, I guess) and they said they loved it. Mom suggested for Cloud and me to go, and coincidentally, Cloud called just a few seconds after she said that, and asked me if I wanted to go there with him! Boy, parentsjust when you think they're weird and totally out of touch, they go and un-expectantly do something like this! Well anyways, the carnival was fun; I wish we had seen Yuffie and Vincent though, but they went on date somewhere. Cloud and I only stayed at that amusement park for about an hour, since we went there pretty late. But, we still got to go on rides, play a couple of games, and just hang out
"Oh wow" Aeris whispered, staring at the scenery in front of her.
Bright, colorful lights flashed before her and joyous screams rang out into the night air. Tons of teenage friends and couples roamed the carnival grounds, most of them darting toward the more 'scary' and heart pounding rides. Parents held on to the hands of their sons and/or daughters, the children shrieking in delight at the sight of the rides fit for younger kids, and cute stuffed animals lined up on shelves at the games.
The flower girl's eyes shone with excitement and she heard a voice beside her ask, "What do you wanna do first?"
She grinned and answered, "You chose, Cloud."
Her boyfriend smiled at her, even though she wasn't facing him, and motioned toward the most popular ride of the carnival: the Kamikaze. A long line stretched from the ride and out into the grounds. The people on the ride screamed as the ride swung them around, vertically, in circles. Aeris turned around and looked in the direction of his finger, just in time to see the seats go upside down and hair hanging out from inside.
She groaned mockingly. "You sure we should start out with that ride?" Cloud laughed.
"Unless you want to eat first, then go on that and puke all over the place!" A teasing twinkle appeared in his sky-blue eyes and he smiled as he glanced at his girlfriend. "Oh, I seeyou're scared, aren't ya?"
"W-what? I am not!" Aeris denied with a firm shake. "Come on, let's go on it!"
Cloud's smile disappeared and his face grew serious. "Rissy, we really don't have to ride it if you don't want to; I was only kidding"
"No, it's okay. Just been a while since I've ridden something like that" She grimaced and asked nervously, "Um, it's safe, right?"
Her boyfriend gave her a reassuring smile. "Of course, don't worry." The teenage girl tossed her hair back over her shoulder and smiled back shakily.
The couple crossed the carnival grounds and gently shoved their way through the huge crowd. They got into the long line, and as Aeris watched more and more people get on and off the Kamikaze, her stomach tightened. A few teens were laughing and chatting with each other after getting off the ride and Aeris couldn't resist asking them, "Hey, how was the ride?"
A girl giggled and answered, "Pretty wild!"
"Hehe," A boy next to her chuckled. "I still feel kinda woozyguess too much blood rushed to my head!"
Aeris gave them a tight smile and said, "Thanks" They nodded and walked away.
After waiting about twenty minutes, she and Cloud finally got onto the Kamikaze. Aeris bit her lip as she strapped herself into the seat; she looked at her boyfriend sitting next to her and then faced foreword again, closing her eyes as she did so. Cloud placed a comforting hand over hers.
"Hey, don't be scared," He whispered softly.
The ride operator checked everyone to make sure they were buckled in correctly, then she shut the steel covering and walked to the controls. Still holding onto Cloud's hand, Aeris glanced out at the dark night through one of the many holes in the covering and sighed nervously. A rumbling noise attracted her attention, and she turned to see the carnival scenery moving.
Oh, man She thought. Here we go
Her stomach lurched with an uneasy feeling as the ride first swung slowly, then a bit faster. Soon, the seats went upside down, pausing there for a second, then returned to the ground. Still moving and now more quickly, the Kamikaze swung over the top and everyone on the ride stayed upside down for a little while longer than the first time. It went back to ground level, and repeated the process over and over, until the ride finally just stopped at the top and Aeris could see her hair tumbling down her face and spill out past the holes of the covering.
The ride went on like that for several moments, and when it was over, Aeris felt dizzy, but at the same time, she felt a bit gleeful. Even so, as she got out of her seat, she stumbled a little. Cloud immediately went to her side after he hopped up from his seat and grasped her hand, his other hand supporting her waist. Carefully, he walked her off the ramp leading back to the carnival grounds, and led her to a bench.
"Sorry" Cloud apologized sheepishly.
A weak smile formed over his girlfriend's lips. "Despite my dizziness, that was a pretty cool ride; now let's never go on it again."
He chuckled. "Okay,"
"Hey, let's go on that!" She pointed to a ride with swings surrounding a tall bar in the middle. Aeris stood up so quickly that her head made her feel woozy again and she winced.
"Uh, are you sure you're okay?" Cloud asked with concern in his voice, sensing her slight discomfort.
"Yeah, come on!" Aeris assured him and tugged on his hand.
Her boyfriend smiled and they jogged over to the Yo-Yo. Only a few minutes after waiting, they went past the gate and strapped themselves into the swings attached to the bar in the middle by a metal chain. The operator checked everyone to make sure they were safely seated in, and pushed the button on the control panel. Everyone's swing rose into the air and swung around the bar. Soon, the bar tilted and a few people went higher and some others went near the ground; they all alternated.
Now this is a cool ride! Mmm, the fun and relaxation of the carnival Aeris thought giddily, as the cold wind blew in her face and she rose her arms into the air and waved it wildly.
"Wow, that was cool" She commented, after her and Cloud got off the Twister. Cloud grinned at her and gently grasped her hand; she leaned against his shoulder.
Absentmindedly, they wandered into the game aisle and noticed a big crowd gathered around the "Ball Toss" attraction. Curious, the couple walked over to the event.
"Hey, what's goin' on?" Cloud asked the people casually.
A few guys turned around and yelled out to the others, "Yo, it's Strife and his girl!" The crowd's attention went to Cloud and Aeris and they clapped, while Aeris frowned at the "his girl" comment.
"That's girlfriend," She corrected the guys.
They shrugged and the crowd parted into two separate sides, clearing a passage for the two. Aeris looked wearily at them, and then she and Cloud went through the path. Surprisingly, the couple saw Cid and Tifa when they arrived at the front. The leader of the skating gang was handing some gil to the operator of the "Ball Toss", as Aeris inspected the game.
There were four sets of three bottles stacked in pyramid form on a stand, lined up behind the counter. A sign was posted up on the wall that said: "Knock all three bottles off the stand and win a prize! Only two hundred gil per ball or five hundred gil for three balls!" Rows of giant teddy bears were sitting on shelves below the sign.
The person in charge of the game handed Cid two softballs and he set one down on the table. The skating gang leader reared his arm back and threw the ball at the bottles on one of the stands. A bottle on top of the pyramid fell off, but the two others only wobbled slightly. Cid grumbled and picked up his last ball, flinging it at the center of the bottles. The one on the left fell off, but the right stood firm. Cid swore and the crowd groaned; Tifa glared at her boyfriend, and then dragged him off to another event. Cloud and Aeris looked knowingly at each other and started to leave.
"Hey you," The game operator called to Cloud just before he left. "Wanna give it a try?"
The blonde-haired teenager glanced at his girlfriend and asked, "Should I?"
"Go ahead, I don't mind." She answered.
He smiled at her and they walked back to the counter. Cloud let go of Aeris' hand, temporarily, and got out two hundred gil from his pocket. The game operator grinned triumphantly when he handed the ball to his customer. Cheers for Cloud were heard from the crowd, as he gripped the softball tightly and threw it at the center of the bottle pyramid.
The stand wobbled at the force of his throw, and all three bottles tumbled off the stand. The crowd clapped with delight and a small look of shock came over the game operator's face. He quickly regained his emotionless exterior and asked Cloud while pointing to the shelves, "Which one will it be?" Cloud grinned and turned to Aeris.
"Chose," He said gently.
"Me?" She mouthed silently, gesturing to herself.
Her boyfriend laughed softly. "Well, what am I gonna do with a teddy bear?"
Aeris giggled and said, "Thanks."
She glanced at the stuffed animals on the shelves, and picked out a cute, white teddy bear with holding a big red heart in its arms. The game operator handed it to her and the flower girl took it, holding the bear tightly to her chest. She thanked Cloud again and kissed him on the cheek; in doing so, they received more clapping and some whistling from the crowd.
"Will they always be like this?" Aeris whispered to her boyfriend.
"I hope not" He replied, then looked at his watch. "Argh, we gotta go soon; there's only time for one more ride"
"Ferris Wheel?" She suggested with a smile.
"Okay, sure."
The couple linked hands and left the attraction. As the crowd broke apart and everyone went their separate ways, Cloud and Aeris headed toward the huge wheel looming over the carnival grounds. Quite a few couples were gathered around it, eagerly waiting for their turn. Various lights from the Ferris wheel were blinking and flashing on, enveloping the teenagers in shadowy color.
A short wait later, a seat car stopped in front of the two; the operator motioned them in and pushed down the safety bar after they sat in, securing them in the seat. There were a few jerky movements as people got off and more got on. Finally, all the seats were filled and the operator started the ride. Aeris smiled with glee as she set her bear down next to her and saw the sights of the amusement park.
The beautiful scenery attracted her attention; Aeris' eyes sparked with excitement as she watched others on rides, screaming in delight and waving their hands in the cool night air. A smooth breeze passed through the flower girl's auburn hair and she brushed it away from her face. She leaned back into her seat and snuggled up against Cloud for the rest of the ride, keeping one of her arms around the teddy.
Later, after the couple had left the carnival and Cloud dropped her off at her house, Aeris lay in bed and thought about school, her friends She held the bear to her side and smiled at the ceiling as her boyfriend came into her mind.
Mmm, Cloud's so nice I wonder if, if he loves me The teenage girl wondered dazedly.
Aeris gasped out loud when she realized what she had just thought.
N-no, of course not! Argh, I must be crazy thinking stuff like that She silently scolded herself.
She slowly closed her eyes, her head feeling hazy as she drifted off and fell asleep.
Preview of chapter 9:
Dear Diary,
It has finally arrivedthe ever-wondrous prom night Today was the last day of school; everyone was hectic, including the teachers and Mr. Wallace. We juniors were excited of demolishing our old status, and have truly realized the concept of our going-to-college status in the fall. I did pretty well on my SATs, got 1528. Mom and Dad were proud, and they took me out to dinner to celebrate. Yesterday, Yuffie and I were frantically searching for a dress at the mall. I swear, the clerks there must either have a LOT of patience, or they've been through this sort of thing before Oh, what am I gonna do without Yuffie and Vincent? I probably won't see them all that much during summerI'll really miss them Please let them go to the same college I'm going to Oh ya, speaking of college, I got a scholarship to Nibelheim University; Cloud applied to that school too, and he got in. It's kinda far from my home in Kalm, but I'm glad that Mom and Dad are letting me go. Hope they won't be too worried about me when I'm gone