Chapter 3: A Date With Thoughts on Top

the past month had been complete bliss for Ataru. he enjoyed not having to worry about looking over his shoulder for Lum. he also enjoyed the fact that Ten was having problems getting back to Earth on the acount of that all the spaceships had gotten some weird virus and couldn't be cured within 2 months or else they would all malfunction. when his parents and friends asked him where Lum was he used that story. he was even on a date at the moment, and he hadn't had one of those in along time...

"so where do you want to go next, Amaiko?"
"ooooooo! how about the theme park!"

they arrived at the park 15 minutes later and were standing in line to get in, when suddenly;

"darling!! darling!!"
Ataru froze up and his heart started to pound like mad. that couldn't be! he thought. it's not Lum! it can't be, that's impossible! he slowly turned around to in the direction of the voice.

"oh there you are, darling! i was looking all over for you!" a pretty woman said as she ran up to her husband.
"i was right here the whole time, you should't fret so much over me," he said with a smile.
"oh, but i must." she gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"whooo..." Ataru finally breathed again. he hadn't even been aware he was holding his breath. his heart had been pounding so fast he thought it was gonna burst. he began to think of Lum and how it was interesting she had picked the name darling for him and how she had never used his real name.
"hey come on Ataru, stop standing there. we're next!" Amaiko called him back to reality... using his real name.
"oh! be right there!"

Ataru and Amaiko had gone on about 20 rides. this girl sure loves to have fun. she's even beginning to wear me out...he thought with a sigh. the sun was starting to set.

"hey, what do you say we go on one more ride and call it a day?"
"oh, ok." Amaiko could clearly see he was tired. "wow, why don't we name this one our last ride?" she pointed to a scary one.
Ataru recognized it. it had been the one he went on with Lum on their first date. he remembered how he thought she was scared until the end when the ride manager had tricked them into believing it was really haunted. then he was the one who was scared. turns out she wasn't scared at all.

"thanks alot, Ataru, today was really fun!" she grinned and waved goodbye.
"goodnight, Amaiko!" he called out as she drove away.
it certainly was. he climbed the stairs and went into his room. as he was about to fall asleep, his last thoughts were of Lum...