You look around. People are walking past you near the tent. You sigh and start walking to your right. A girl passes you with a balloon in her hand. Three boys in chaps and brown hats run past you, laughing. You hold onto your coat, frowning. A smiling couple and two gentlemen also walk past you. You stop and look up at the sky. The smells emanating from food stands calm you down, slightly. All sorts of voices are heard around you... talking, animals, laughing, music. A crank organ is playing "London Bridge". You close your eyes. You picture his voice in your head as it was nine years ago.
"Smile...".
You open your eyes. All other sounds are drowned out. The music, the laughter... everything. It sounded so real. But how could it have been? It was only a memory... or was it...
You close your eyes and listen some more. Everything... the voices, the sounds... are no longer there. You listen... calmly... quietly... for his voice. You hear a girl crying behind you, her wailing being the only sound left in your mind. You frown.
"Now, now, smile...".
You open your eyes. He never said that! Never! Was your imagination so good that things he never said before could now be heard in your mind? You get the urge to turn around. What you see nearly makes you faint.
"Now, now, smile...". It is he, kneeling before the girl that passed you with a balloon in her hand... it apparently blew away, because the girl, short of her balloon, is in tears. Her hands are covering her eyes. He looks at her, very concerned, very sweetly. "Here...", he then says, reaching into his left pocket and closing his eyes. "Let me make it all better...". He takes out a red balloon from his pocket and blows it up. He ties it. The girl looks up and frowns.
"It's just another balloon! It's gonna blow away, too!", she says, crying.
"Oh, on contraire! This balloon, unlike the one you had before...", he says, throwing it up in the air and watching it drop to the ground, "Doesn't float! That way, you won't be able to lose it again!". The girl grabs the balloon in her arms. She looks up at him.
"How is this possible?", she asks with gleaming eyes.
"Well, I'll let you in on a secret...", he says, moving his face closer to hers and whispering in her ear. "My breath is the only one that can make a balloon float or not...".
"Really?", says the girl with wide eyes.
"Yep... ask anyone... better yet, don't tell anyone I told you... we'll let it be our little secret, 'k?", he says, smiling and standing up. He puts his hands on his hips and grins. The girl nods with a grin. She runs to her left, holding the balloon tightly in her arms. He watches as she runs away. You blush. You are not sure if you should approach him this unexpectedly. You turn around and frown, looking down and closing your eyes. You are on the verge of crying. "How could I be so naive?", you think to yourself. You feel something touch your right shoulder. It feels somewhat like a hand, only longer and boney.
"Miss...". His voice! You open your eyes, terrified... your heart is beating faster than a drum. You turn around quickly to see him two inches away from your body. He is looking at you with his memorable purple eyes... but he is frowning. You blush madly. The first thing that comes into your head is blurted out upon seeing his right hand for the very first time on your shoulder.
"Your hand!", you nearly shout. He looks at his hand and quickly takes it off your shoulder. He puts it behind his back.
"Oh, I'm sorry!", he says, looking down. "I had a little...". He stops. He looks up at you. His eyes are gleaming. He looks back and forth at your eyes. "Say that again...".
"What?", you say quietly, your heart beating even faster than before.
"Your hand! The way you said it sounds familiar...", he says, questioning you. You look down. He lifts your chin up with his left hand. You look into his eyes. "That face...". Your insides start to melt. You smile shakily, as though trying to give him an unspeakable sign of remembrance. You blink. "Smile...", he whispers to himself. Now you are on the verge of passing out. "I know who you are...", he says, smiling. You breathe a sigh of relief. He remembered. He never forgot. "Queen Victoria!", he exclaims, letting go of your chin and putting his hands on his hips. He closes his eyes and laughs. Your eyes open wide. Your mouth nearly drops to the floor. "How do you do, Your Majesty?", he laughs. You put your hands in fists. He does not stop laughing. You slap him with your purse.
"Don't you remember me?", you say, angrily.
"Well, I was down to two guesses...".
You look at him questionably.
"The slap did the trick! Only one girl I know gets that mad when you insult her... and her Royal Highness doesn't hit young gents from the circus!", he chuckles, opening his eyes and smiling at you. You are mad at first, but smile sarcastically soon after.
"It wasn't much of an insult...", you say, sarcastically and with a smile.
"I know! That's what did the trick!", he laughs, closing his eyes.
"Ha, ha...", you say, again sarcastically. He opens his eyes and looks at you.
"You know, it doesn't take much to get you mad... but to get you to smile... now that's a different story...", he says, getting serious. "Turns out, I'm the only one that makes you smile... right?".You look into his eyes. You look down. He comes up to you and puts his left hand under your chin, lifting it up. "Right?". You smile sweetly. He looks into your eyes. You are both gleaming into each other's eyes.
"Hey, Boss!". You both turn your heads. A boy is walking towards you. It is the boy that threw daggers in the big top. He is frowning. He stops and looks at you both. "Oh?".
"What is it, Dagger?".
"Well, Big Sis's having trouble with Betty again... hehe... but it looks like you're preoccupied with your own...".
"Shut up and show me the tiger!", he says, stopping him. He whips his hand from under your chin. You frown. He walks over to Dagger.
"Well now, Boss...", says Dagger, chuckling. He hits Dagger on the back and pushes him away. He sighs and looks at you. He smiles sweetly.
"Meet me tonight at the big top! Tell your friends!", he shouts, laughing and closing his eyes. Dagger walks away. "I mean it this time...", he whispers, opening his eyes and smiling sweetly. You smile and wave at him. He waves at you. He turns around and follows Dagger. You put your hand down and watch as he leaves.
"I'll be there...", you say to yourself, smiling.