"Oh Gustave, your automatons were absolutely magical!" Rose walked in step with the boy through Phantasma. Anne, Christine's faithful dresser and maid, was now their appointed chaperon and kept a watchful two steps behind them.
"My father and I spent a couple years working on them all together. However, it is now my job to keep them maintained for my show. They truly are beautiful."
"As was your dancing, though a little stiff since it wasn't with a human. I can only imagine what you would be like with a real girl on a real ballroom floor," Rose inched closer to him, her hand brushing his.
Anne cleared her throat and Gustave stepped away, while tucking his hands in his pants pockets.
"So, do you want to ride the roller coaster, Rose?"
The girl turned her green eyes towards it, "I've never rode one before. Is it scary?"
"It is so much fun! My father helped design it! And if it does get too scary, I will be right beside you. And Anne will be waiting for us." He glanced back at their chaperon and she nodded approvingly.
Anne sat down on a bench as the two young teens got in line. Free of their chaperon, Gustave gently took Rose's hand into his.
She smiled at him and blushed, "You know we can get in trouble."
"I don't know why. Our parents are treating us like Romeo and Juliet even though they aren't feuding."
"It especially doesn't make sense from your parents," Rose inched closer to him. "We all know your parents were not married when…"
"That is why my parents are making sure I am behaving like a proper young man," Gustave interrupted. "Mother says we are now established; America has given us a new chance."
"Nouveau Riche is how father describes your parents, even if he does enjoy their company."
"You pronounced that wrong," Gustave chided. "If you're going to insult my family in my native language at least pronounce it correctly."
"Young Mister!" The operator exclaimed upon seeing Gustave at the front of the line. "And who is this pretty young lady?"
"Rose Jones," Rose curtsied small for the man.
"Does Mr. Y know you're out here running around with a pretty girl?"
"He does. Our chaperone is waiting on the bench."
The man smiled, "Must be serious, eh?"
The Young Mister's cheeks turned red. He grabbed his sweetheart's hand, "We want to sit in the back." And with a tug, he pulled Rose into a cart in the back.
She didn't let go of his hand as they sat and waited, "Are we serious, Gustave?" She leaned in close, her blonde hair tickling the side of his face.
The poor boy felt his slacks start to constrict in the groin, "I…I would like to be but do we not have to ask our parents?"
Rose giggled and leaned over and kissed him, "I'm sweet on you, Gustave. That's all that matters."
A few seconds after that, the ride started. They held hands the whole ride. Rose screamed out of fear and excitement. However, the rough tracks and bumps of the wooden track were too much for the already aroused young man and he could not control the physical release he found halfway through the ride. As the carts came back into the station, he looked down at his lap. I am so glad I wore cotton instead of linen slacks! The mess is only in my drawers. But how embarrassing! Would Rose still be sweet on me if she knew?
"Gustave, are you okay?" Rose looked at him concerned.
He looked up at her and leaned in and kissed her, "Just fine."
She giggled again, "I was hoping for another kiss before we returned to Anne."
As they exited the ride and headed towards the bench, a small group of fellow teenagers approached them.
"Look who it is?"
"Jonathan!" Rose exclaimed. "I didn't know you came to Phantasma."
"So you stopped meeting with me to see the son of the carnival freak?" The boy must have been a year or two older than Gustave and was a few inches taller than him as well.
"My father is not a freak!" Gustave exclaimed. "He is a very talented man! And need I remind you he owns this whole park!"
"He's deformed under that mask! Of course he's a freak!" Another boy said.
"And your mother is an opera tart," Jonathan laughed as he said that. "And what do you do? Dance and make things? You do not belong with such classless characters, Rose!"
"Jonathan, stop!" Rose exclaimed. "Gustave and his family are wonderful and talented. They have more beauty and class underneath than your whole family!"
"And if my family was so bad you wouldn't be at our park!" Gustave offered his arm, "Come, Rose let us get some ice cream."
They walked arm in arm back over to Anne who looked at the couple then back over at the group of boys.
"Shall I send for security, Gustave?"
"No need, Anne. However, we are going to get ice cream."
"So be it," The Chaperone followed the couple to their favorite ice cream stand.