Drop
machine accelerates and mimics the feeling of falling, but actually, with
the force of gravity . . .” I’d let her go on. As long as we were safe on the
bench, she could go on forever about it.
It was the week before exams, I think, the last time we went. I
remember I had wanted to do something spontaneous and irresponsible,
though Lily said she planned it all out, and we’d be okay. We opened
the car doors and laughed as the wind stung our faces. It would be
freezing on those rides, but she said that was the point. I was here for
the benches.
We walked all around the boardwalk, going from one ride to another. The rickety wooden one built who knows when, which felt like the
inside of a drying machine as it dragged us through the air. The flying
spinning one. The carousel flashing with lights and mirrors and cheap
plastic-looking animals. On the faster ones she told me once if I positioned my body a certain way and moved with the inertia, I wouldn’t
feel so sick. I tried but I think I did it wrong because I felt even more
lost in the air.
After the first round of rides, my head felt dizzy so we went to a bar
down the street next to the park. The heat and activity in the locale was
a nice change. I ordered some drinks and we sat at the edge of the bar,
warming up to the room.
“How do you feel?” I asked.
“As good as ever.” She smiled at me, taking a sip from her glass and
turning out to face the window that overlooked the sea. I watched
her looking out at the endless blue-gray scene, and she was silent for
some time. She didn’t turn back to me and speak or anything. She just
looked out at the waters and stared and stared. I thought maybe she
was thinking, turning some formula over in her head, calculating some
equation. She turned to me and smiled, then leaned in and kissed me
quickly on the cheek. Blushing, she looked away again. My face felt
warm from the drinks.
When we left the bar, I was hoping we’d drive home, but we had
bought all-day passes for the rides and Lily wanted to ride a few more
before the park closed. As we walked back to the boardwalk, we passed
by other couples giggling and hanging around each other’s necks, and
some drunks walking unsteadily and aimlessly about. Maybe it was
the alcohol, but I had a vague feeling of fear, like I’d lose something
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