Chapter 6

After Emmett left the tears fell freely and I couldn't even think about leaving or staying because I was such a mess. I don't remember what happened after I lied back down on the floor but apparently I fell asleep. I woke up with my head pounding and my mouth was beyond dry. When I sat up I half expected my head to explode and I looked around to notice that someone had moved me from the floor in front of Rose's door to her couch and had placed a tall glass of water on the coffee table. I quickly drank the entire glass before standing to go refill it in the kitchen.

"It's nice to see you're finally awake."

I groaned at Rose who was cooking something that made my mouth water. I smiled at her as I filled the glass with more water. "Thanks for not leaving me on the floor last night." She shrugged, "I made Jasper come move you before he went to bed. After the terrible night you had I figured you wouldn't need back and neck pain today on top of it all." I took a sip of my water just as she turned around with two plates in her hands and handed one to me.

"Do you like syrup or powdered sugar on your pancakes?"

Since I had never had pancakes before I was clueless as to what I would like on them, "Whichever you like is fine." She followed me to the table and sat down, "Syrup it is then." We were both silent as we ate our breakfast I was thankful that she wasn't grilling me about what happened last night. I didn't even know if anyone had let Emmett know that I had spent the night here instead of leaving like I had threatened to last night, in hindsight that was a really bad idea. If anyone should understand that giving ultimatums makes a situation worse it should be me. I needed to go and talk to him now that we both have had time to calm down and think about this situation we have found ourselves in.

After we were done eating I tried to help Rose clean but she told me to go get cleaned up and get ready for the day. Once I was in the bathroom I realized that I wouldn't be able to wash up completely but I knew that eventually that would be something I would need to do. So I compromised with just washing my face and changed my clothes so that I could go see Emmett and figure out what we were going to do.

Rose was washing the dishes and dancing at the sink when I came out of the bathroom. When I cleared my throat she stopped and turned to look at me. "If its ok I'm just gonna leave my stuff here and go talk to Emmett. We need to talk and I doubt me bringing all of my clothes will help that situation any." She nodded and threw a towel on the counter. "Of course it's ok, now go talk to him. If I know Emmett he is probably on the boat right now sulking." I smiled and quickly headed towards the door.

The sun was already high in the sky but the slight breeze kept the heat from being unbearable. There were loads of people out and about going about their day not even paying me any attention. I never thought that I would be able to walk among the humans and they wouldn't be able to tell what I really am. I never would have been brave enough to do this a few days ago. Daddy had always told us horror stories about merpeople who would dare to go ashore and they would never return because the humans captured them. Now I realize this was just another story of his to try and keep all of us afraid of humans.

I watched as people went and did all sorts of things. There was the little boy playing with toys on the sidewalk, the younger gentleman who was carrying an elderly woman's groceries as they crossed the street, and there was a group of guys, around Emmett's age, who were carrying fishing supplies towards the pier.

The group of guys stopped at a boat that was docked a few boats before Emmett's, all but two of them climbed aboard with the supplies while the remaining two waited on the dock. I moved so that I was on the opposite side of the dock as I walked by and kept my head down. "DAMN! Jacob, would you look at that ass." My steps faltered since he was clearly talking about me as I was the only person, let alone woman, on the dock other than them.

"Yeah I would love to have my way with that ass."

This man's voice was either louder or closer than the one before and it struck fear into my heart. I took a deep breath and quickened my pace not bothering to look back at the two repulsive men. Once I was at the Emmett's boat I climbed aboard and sat down behind the ledge hiding from the eyes that I still felt lingering on me. My hands were shaking so bad that I had to keep them close to my chest to get them to be still.

I heard the creak of the stairs coming up from below deck and looked up to see the sad face of Emmett. He didn't notice me right away but when I called out his name his beautiful smile spread across his face erasing any of the sadness I had seen before. "I'm so glad that you didn't leave." It took him a minute to realize that I was sitting down on the floor, "What are you doing down there?" I stood up slowly looking over my shoulder to find that the creepy guys had boarded their ship and were now gone.

"Hey what's wrong?"

I jumped a little when he placed his hand on my shoulder drawing my attention back to him. "Nothing." He wrinkled his forehead not believing me but he left it alone. "So are you here to say goodbye?" The glow that was back in his eyes left when he talked about me leaving. "Actually I was hoping we could maybe go to that amusement park we talked about last night?" The light immediately came back and so did his beautiful smile. "So you're not leaving?" I grabbed his hand, "Last night you said you didn't want me to leave and I really don't want to leave, so as long as you still feel that way I would like to stay."

Emmett took a step closer to me leaving mere inches between us before his lifted my chin with his free hand. "Of course I still feel that way. I meant what I said last night; I want to give this thing between us chance to become something amazing." He slowly leaned down towards me, "Have you ever been kissed before?" My breathing increased as my heart raced. I had been kissed on the cheek by a few people and James tried to kiss me on the lips but I turned my head so he got my cheek instead. I slowly shook my head confirming to Emmett that I have never actually been kissed. The hand that was on my chin carefully slid back cupping my jaw just under my ear. He leaned in until he was at my other ear and whispered, "I've wanted to do this since the moment your beautiful brown eyes pierced my soul."

My body shivered on its own accord when I felt the warmth of his breath on the juncture of my neck I looked into Emmett's eyes just in time to see lips come crashing down on my own. My heart was pounding out of my chest and my eyes closed as he massaged his lips against my own and his hand threaded itself in my hair pulling me flush against his body. I felt burning tingles travel through my body radiating from every point of connection I had with Emmett. I anchored myself to him as I wrapped my hands around him and attempted to tangle my hand in the hairs at the base of his neck.

Emmett sucked on my bottom lip causing a small moan to break out of me just before he pulled away but only enough so that he could lean his forehead against my own. My knees were shaking and I knew if he pulled away from me right now I would not able to hold myself up on my own. Emmett's breathing was almost as erratic as my own which made me think that I at least had the same effect on him that he had on me.

"So you ready to go to the amusement park?" I giggled and nodded.

On our way to the park we stopped and asked Jasper and Rose if they would care to join us and they both quickly agreed. Jasper said that the stock boys could handle getting the bar ready for the night while we were out enjoying the day. Emmett hadn't let go of my hand since we got off the ship and I didn't miss Rose giving me a questioning glance after she stared at our hands for a second. I just smiled and nodded at her and she left it at that until we were waiting in line to get into the park.

Emmett was still holding my hand but he was talking to Jasper so Rose took this opportunity to get some answers out of me. "So, what happened? It looks like you guys got everything figured out." I just smiled, "Other than him telling me that he really didn't want me to leave and that he wanted to give us a try that's all that was said before…" I blushed not sure if I should tell Rose about the kiss but I needed to tell someone and she was the closest thing I had to a friend here. "Before what?" I looked at the guys making sure they weren't listening to us, "His kissed me! It was amazing, I could feel the kiss all the way in my toes and I felt this heat spread throughout my whole body." She didn't saying anything but just smiled at me.

Once we were inside the park I was overwhelmed with everything that was there. So many people were packed into the area and everything was very loud. "What should we do first?" Jasper looked so excited that he could have easily been mistaken for an eager child. "Since this is Bella's first time here I think we should take it slow. How about we head to the back of the park and work our way to the front and catch every ride on the way." I became very nervous as we passed several rides. There were small ones that stayed on the ground, ones that went way too high in the sky, and even one that went down into the ground. I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to handle all of this but with Emmett with me I would at least give it a try.

At the back of the park there were a few rides; Emmett and Jasper insisted we ride the bumper cars first. Emmett told me that it was a mild ride and it would get me more prepared for the bigger roller coasters, whatever that was. Jasper and Rose got into their own car but Emmett wouldn't let go of my hand, not that I was complaining. He did however let me drive which was a real experience; Emmett said he would never let me get my driver license, whatever that is. Jasper and Rose teamed up against us and if one of them wasn't ramming into us then the other was.

"That was awesome! Bella you suck at driving, if I ever see you driving a car I will definitely be getting off the road."

I groaned and Emmett put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me against him before kissing my forehead. "Come on lets go ride something good!" Rose had caught the same bug that Jasper had earlier and was bouncing were she stood to go get on another ride. I stopped dead in my tracks when we started heading towards a huge ride. "Emmett, I can't ride that." He waved at Jasper and Rose and told them to go ahead that we would be right there. "Bella, I promise you will love it." Just as he said that I saw the cart on the ride drop down the biggest hill and everyone was screaming the entire way down.

"That doesn't sound like they are having fun."

"How about this, you ride this one ride with me and if you don't like it then no more rides. I would never do anything that would harm you. Do you trust me?"

I looked up at the intimidating ride before looking back at him and nodded that I did trust him. The line for the ride wasn't too long but the entire time I felt like my heart was going to beat out of my chest. My palms were sweating and I felt like I had a million little fish swimming in my stomach. "Are you ok?" I took a deep breath before I nodded and leaned back into Emmett's chest.

Before I knew it we were next in line and the young worker was helping load us onto the cart, or train as they called it. Emmett reached across me and helped me put on my seat belt just before the worker came around and to push the lap bar down. I jerked my knee away when his hand skimmed me and when I looked up at him he winked at me. I shivered and Emmett wrapped his arm around me as he spoke to the worker, "I would really suggest that you keep you disgusting hands to yourself." I had never heard the tone in which Emmett was speaking and if I would have been on the receiving end of it I would be scared for my life.

The worker quickly turned whiter than a sheet and quickly moved on. "I can't believe the nerve of some people." Jasper patted him on the shoulder from the seat behind us. "Dude you're dating a fox you better get used to guys hitting on her in any way they can." I kissed his cheek and he moved his arm from my shoulders to hold my hand as the train started moving. My breathing picked up as we started to climb the hill and I squeezed the life out of Emmett's hand. "I'm scared." He squeezed my hand back, "Just close your eyes and scream, trust me it helps."

He was right, of course, once we dropped off the top of the hill I screamed so loud that I thought I would never be able to talk again but by the end of it I was laughing my head off and wanted to ride it again. After that successful ride I was willing to try each ride at least once; well except for the water ride.

There was one ride called Wild Rapids. Jasper kept telling me about every ride before I would get on them. "So basically you are sitting in a small boat and they have set up trees and things for you to look at and then in the end it goes from a peaceful calm ride to a terrifying waterfall. It is the best ride especially on a hot day like today, everyone gets soaked." I looked over my shoulder at Emmett who looked as concerned as I felt.

"Guys maybe we should skip this ride, I mean look how long the line is. Everyone seems to want to ride it to cool down."

Rose looked at Emmett like he was crazy, "Duh! That's why we want to ride it too. You can't tell me your willing to miss out on this just because the line it too long. It's no longer than any other line we have waited in this entire day." Emmett was about to speak but I beat him to it. "Just go ride the ride I will just wait here for you guys to get back."

"Why would you wait here, just ride with us."

I didn't answer Rose but just nodded for Emmett to go wait in line with them. He seemed torn like he wanted to go have fun with his friends but didn't want to leave me alone either. "Go! O promise I will be right here when you get back. I won't have you missing out on fun because of me." He leaned down and kissed my cheek before handing me his cell phone that I hadn't figured out yet.

I sat there doing nothing but watching people walk by. Before I met Emmett I could understand my dad saying how terrible humans are but that was when they were monsters in a cave that I had never met them. Now, walking among them and seeing how they interact I couldn't fathom that the horror stories I've been told are anything but lies. Looking at the mother and father who are enjoying a day in the sun with their daughter erases the story about the human who ate their own children just to prove that they were in charge.

If Emmett wouldn't have been enough proof to me that humans, as a species, aren't all evil then seeing these happy families interact with each other would surely have gotten rid of any of my doubt. You could see it in the parents eyes the unconditional love that they had for each other and their daughter. I was so caught up in watching all of people passing me that I didn't even notice when Emmett had gotten off the ride and came over to get me.

"You alright?"

I leaned back so I could look up at him and smiled, "I'm great." My smile grew tenfold when I noticed he had removed his shirt that was now soaking wet. "I'm just enjoying the view." He held his hand out for me and helped me stand from the bench I was sitting on.

We spent the rest of day re-riding rides and eating way too much junk food. Every time we passed a vendor Emmett was stopping to buy something else that I just had to try. I thought the day couldn't be any more fun until it got dark and then all the rides were covered in lights and it was just like the boat we saw out on the ocean.

Emmett insisted that we ride the Ferris wheel even though Rose and Jasper refused saying it too much of a couples ride for them to ride it together. The ride was the best of the whole day. When we stopped at the top I could see all the way to a neighboring island. The ocean was so beautiful. If Emmett wouldn't have been in the view I would have surely been homesick but that was nearly impossible when I was with him. Just before we started moving again he leaned in and gave me a tender and loving kiss.

Jasper was right about the ride being a couple's thing, I'm pretty sure that everyone on the ride kissed their riding buddy at least once. Jasper and Rose were no longer where we left them when we got off the ride so we walked around until we found the two playing different games. Jasper was throwing a ball through a net that had a hole in the bottom of it. The man at that game was counting out the number of times he got the ball through the net. The timer buzzed and he had gotten the ball through it 15 times which was enough to get a free ball to take home.

Rose was at another booth where she was shooting water at a target and the balloon above it was filling up. The music they played as this game went on was really fast paced and the worker was talking so quickly I could hardly hear what he was saying. It seemed like Rose's balloon was going to pop at any moment but the kid next her was the winner and she got a cute dolphin toy. Rose handed the guy more money and sat down to play again.

I was happy just watching the balloon race but Emmett pulled me further down the line of games until we came to a game called Ladder Climb. It looked really hard and everyone who was trying it kept falling into the fake ocean below. "You want to give it a try?" I jerked my head in Emmett's direction, "You're joking right?" He looked at me as if he was dead serious, "Emmett I can hardly walk on solid ground; I hardly doubt I can climb on swinging ropes." He smiled and started to laugh, "I was just kidding, here can you hold my stuff while I do this." He handed me his phone and wallet and I pushed his shoulder as he walked away from me towards the man trying to attract people to the game.

Emmett took time to look at all of the ladders before he decided on the one he liked the best. He slowly took his time getting a position he liked and moved his left hand and right leg on to the next rope. Once he was stable in the position he then moved the other two limbs to join the ones he had just moved. "He's good at this game." I jumped when Jasper and Rose snuck up on me, "He really is; I used to pay for him to play so he could win me a big stuffed animal all the time."

"It looks we have one that's gonna go all the way folks, see this game is just that easy."

I looked over at Emmett just in time to see him hit the buzzer at the top and jump down off of it. I was so happy that I clapped and would have been jumping up and down if Jasper wasn't leaning against my shoulder. Emmett went over and collected his prize from the worker and came back and traded me the huge stuffed animal, almost as tall as me, for his phone and wallet. When I tried to hand it back to me he said, "I won that for you." My cheeks burned and I couldn't keep the smile off of my face. I looked at the tag on the bear and smiled when I read it. The bear was called a Care Bear and its name is Ocean friend Bear. Tears stung my eyes and I couldn't help but lean in and kiss his cheek.

Emmett threw his arm over my shoulder as we walked towards the exit. "Rose, you didn't win anything at the balloon race?" She smiled as she pulled out a small piece of paper, "Well not technically but I think his digits are a nice consolation prize." Jasper groaned, "Why is my sister such a slut?" Aggravated Rose threw a punch at Jasper who ducked just in time so all she got was air. "Don't hate me 'cause I speak the truth." Jasper was now hiding behind me and Emmett while Rose gave him the stink eye from in front of us. I swear if I didn't know any better I would have thought they were children not grown-ups.

I tried to fight back the yawn that escaped but it was a pointless effort. I laid my head against Emmett as we walked and I never felt more at home than I did in that moment. Emmett led me over to a bench where he pulled me down to sit on his lap. A smile spread across my face and I was almost asleep when I loud bang in the air erased all thoughts of sleep from my body.

The colors in the sky were amazing. "Fireworks, they have them every night when the park closes." Even thought the sound made me jump every time one would go off I still couldn't bear to look away from them. Each one was more beautiful than the one before it. Emmett kept his arms wrapped around my waist to keep me from jumping out of my skin every time there was a boom.

"Guys we are gonna head back to the bar. You should stop by later."

I could barely hear Jasper over the fireworks and music but I tore myself away from the fireworks long enough for me to wave goodbye to him and Rose who seemed to still be picking at each other.

The sky erupted into nonstop bangs as several fireworks went off all at once. It was so loud I almost had to cover my ears. I turned my head when I heard Emmett chuckling from behind me. "You look so cute waiting on edge for more fireworks. Almost like a child experiencing something new." I wrapped my arms around his neck, "You forget that all of this is new to me. I've never been out of the water let alone been shopping for clothes, riding roller coasters, talking to humans, or even seeing fireworks. All of this feels so weird, but right at the same time." I leaned until our lips were barely separated and waited less than a second before Emmett closed that gap.