Welcome to the Innocent World - Chapter 56

Chapter 56: The Sweetest Date

Inside, the park was even more mesmerizing. Bright lights, swirling colors, and the hum of excitement filled the air as we walked hand-in-hand past attractions that seemed to stretch endlessly in every direction.

Athlea’s eyes sparkled, her mouth slightly open in awe, and her grip on my hand tightened as we approached our first ride: the roller coaster.

“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” I asked, giving her a teasing smile as we watched the ride scream down from a towering height, loops and twists making the passengers squeal in excitement.

She gulped, laughing nervously. “Of course! I’m not afraid of a little height,” she replied, though her grip on my arm told me otherwise.

As we climbed into the coaster and pulled down the safety bar, I glanced over to see her knuckles turning white.

“Hey, if you get scared, you can hold onto me,” I offered, half-joking.

She shot me a playful glare. “I’ll be fine, thank you very much,” she said, but the instant the ride shot forward, she yelped, instinctively grabbing my hand. The coaster roared to life, speeding down steep slopes and soaring over loops. With each drop, her grip on my hand grew tighter, and I could hear her nervous laughter in between shrieks.

By the time we finally slowed down, her face was flushed, her eyes wide with exhilaration as we stumbled off the ride.

“Oh my gosh… I think I forgot how to breathe,” she said, laughing as she clutched her chest, her cheeks still red.

“Who’s scared of a little height now?” I teased, grinning at her.

She pouted, giving me a gentle shove. “Okay, maybe I was a little scared. But only because you looked so terrified, and I felt bad for you.”

“Sure, sure,” I said, chuckling. “You were totally doing it for me.”

We wandered through the park, taking in the sights and sounds around us until we came upon the spinning teacups. Athlea’s eyes lit up.

“Let’s go on this one!” she exclaimed, pulling me along with a childlike excitement.

“Teacups? Really?” I asked, laughing. “I thought you liked ‘exciting’ rides?”

“Oh, hush! It’s a classic,” she said, grinning as we climbed into one of the cups. I watched as she spun the wheel in the middle, making our teacup turn faster and faster until we were both dizzy and laughing uncontrollably.

When the ride finally ended, we stumbled out, trying to regain our balance. I couldn’t help but laugh as Athlea clung to my arm for support, her cheeks flushed from all the spinning. She looked up at me, her eyes bright with joy.

“You know, you’re a lot of fun, Austin,” she said, her voice soft and genuine.

I felt a warmth spread through me as I looked back at her, brushing a strand of hair away from her face.

“Only because I’m with you,” I replied, giving her hand a squeeze.

We continued exploring the park, going from one ride to the next, each experience somehow more memorable than the last. I loved watching Athlea’s reactions—the way she’d squeeze her eyes shut on the Ferris wheel, only to open them and gasp at the view, or how she’d laugh uncontrollably during the bumper cars, trying her best to dodge my relentless attempts to bump into her. Every moment felt special, and I found myself stealing glances at her whenever I could, my heart racing every time our eyes met.

Eventually, we made our way to the haunted house. Athlea stopped in front of it, looking a little uncertain.

“Uh… do we really want to go in there?” she asked, glancing at the dark, creepy entrance.

I grinned. “Scared again? Thought you could handle heights and ghosts.”

She rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. “Fine, let’s go. But if anything jumps out at me, I’m blaming you.”

We stepped inside, the eerie music and dim lighting setting an ominous tone. As we made our way through dark corridors, occasional spooky figures would pop out of the shadows, eliciting a few startled squeaks from Athlea. At one point, a particularly creepy figure leapt out, causing her to scream and cling to my arm.

“Not so brave now, huh?” I whispered, smirking as she blushed.

“Shut up!” she said, half-laughing, half-scolding me. But as we turned the next corner, another figure jumped out at us, making her grab onto me even tighter.

“Why did I let you talk me into this?” she muttered, her face buried in my shoulder.

“Hey, if you need someone to protect you, I’m right here,” I replied, patting her hand reassuringly. We navigated the rest of the haunted house together, laughing and teasing each other every time one of us got startled.

Finally, we made it outside, and Athlea let out a huge sigh of relief.

“Never. Again,” she said, shaking her head as she tried to catch her breath.

I chuckled, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “You survived, didn’t you?”

She gave me a small smile, rolling her eyes. “Barely. I think I lost a few years of my life back there.”

We continued exploring the park, taking pictures together, capturing moments that I knew I’d treasure forever.

At one of the stands, I bought us a cotton candy, pulling off pieces and playfully feeding them to each other. Athlea laughed as she tried to eat it without getting sticky, her face lighting up with every bite.

“This is honestly the best day I’ve had in… I don’t even know how long,” she said, looking up at me with a smile that made my heart skip a beat.

“I’m glad,” I replied, smiling back at her. “You deserve it, Athlea.”

As the sun began to set, casting a warm glow over the park, we decided it was time to head to our hotel which was built inside the park itself. Our fingers intertwined, enjoying the comfortable silence between us.

At the hotel, we took the elevator up to our room, the soft hum of the city below us as we climbed higher and higher.

When we finally reached our room, Athlea stepped inside first, heading straight for the window. She pressed her hand against the glass, her gaze fixed on the twinkling lights of the city below.

“This view is… bizarre,” she murmured, her voice filled with wonder.

I walked up behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist and resting my chin on her shoulder. She leaned back into me, her body warm and comforting.

“The moment feels even more beautiful to me,” I whispered, pressing a soft kiss to her neck.

She chuckled softly, turning around to face me, her eyes filled with an emotion I couldn’t quite place. “Thank you for today, Austin. For everything.”

We stood there, gazing at each other, the world outside fading away until it was just the two of us, suspended in this perfect moment.

Slowly, I leaned in, and her eyes fluttered shut as our lips met, soft and warm, a gentle connection that sent a shiver down my spine.