New Year's Eve seemed to be unnaturally sunny and a lot less cold as compared to the previous year. Was that a result of global warming? Or the mass air pollution that spread across the city due to the endless fumes emitted by cars? No one could figure it out. Nevertheless, the weather was pleasantly snowy. The plaster on my leg had been finally removed and I could walk normally, however, I had been strictly prohibited by the doctor against performing any physically straining activity, hence, Alex and Matt postponed our trip to the Forest of Dracon to the end of January, or at least till the time my leg got completely healed and I could run.
In the meantime, the three decided to take me to the annual carnival held in Poseidon Park, Central London. The park was located about five miles from my house and instigated excitement in my stomach as I hadn't ever been there. We reached the place about an hour later as the hopelessly frustrating traffic of London turned Alex's SUV into a turtle.
By the time we reached, half the excitement that I felt had died out, however, the first look of the park brought back the lost exhilaration. Poseidon Park appeared to be heavenly; snow covered the trees which were once green, with mild sunlight striking the snow and glittering it golden, a gigantic Ferris wheel circled gently at the center of the gargantuan park leaving my heart to explode with bliss and along came the best scenario, where joyful young kids played with snow, either involved in making artistic snowmen or just smashing snowballs on each other.
There was a prolonged queue at the ticket counter, which moved at a ridiculously slow pace, thus, enhancing our agitation and nearly changing Alex's mind to go somewhere else, however, I dissuaded him against this idea as I had nearly fallen in love with the place, as well as keeping in mind the fact that, you almost always have to patiently wait for things that are the most beautiful.
The queue cleared and suddenly my heart sank, as I read the sign on the counter board. 'Kids: £30, Adults: £50'. Fifty damn pounds! I thought, thunderstruck at the sky-rocketing entrance fees. Dad had placed a twenty-pound note in my handbag, which wilted inside as I zipped the purse. Before I could open my mouth to make a lame excuse of rushing back home, to avoid the embarrassment, Judy tactfully shoved a crisp hundred-pound note in my palm and reproachfully placed a finger on her lips to prevent me from arguing.
"Babe, let's go for ice-skating," said Alex, grabbing Judy's hand and rushing towards the stupendously large ice ring, just by eyeing those excited faces skating impressively seemed to provide me with an inexplicable sense of euphoria but I didn't dare approach it due to the exorbitant price for an hour of skating. Matt approached me from behind, giving me a shy but sort of innocent smile which melted my heart.
"Ellie…" he began, with a sparkle forming across his hazel iris as they stared into my green ones. 'Would you like to accompany me to that Ferris wheel you see over there?
"I don't mind doing that Matt," I admitted, with a sly smile, gesturing to him subtly to lead the way. The Ferris wheel appeared nearly as tall as London Eye but its compartments were smaller and the glass had turned foggy, blocking the view outside.
As we sat on the leather seats inside, the doors of the compartment closed and we were taken high up into the sky. I wiped the mist from the glass and experienced the glamorous view. As we reached the topmost position, I could see Big Ben which appeared like a stick standing tall and the crowd below could be perceived as teeny dots moving randomly across a whiteboard. The sun which gleamed graciously from the horizon, struck the compartment glass, illuminating everything inside.
I wished I didn't admit that but, the atmosphere was highly romantic, especially when I was alone with a guy whom I secretly liked. Matt, who all this while had pretended to be relishing the view, suddenly looked at me. I could feel it conspicuously that he desperately hoped for something to happen between us, which in turn was very unnerving for me, especially when I wasn't ready for any sort of fling or a serious relationship in my life at that point in time.
"Ellie…," he piped up, glancing below. "How's your leg now? Does it still hurt when you apply some pressure on it?" he attempted to touch my leg as a casual initiation of some romance.
"Look, Matt, it's Big Ben!" I cried, hurriedly diverting his attention and trying my best to play it as unintentionally as possible.
"Yeah Ellie, I can see that too," his voice gave off a noticeable tone of disappointment and rejection, which showed me that I had succeeded, and the rest of the ride we talked about fun facts regarding the medieval building and he went onto to uninterestedly agree with every fact or opinion I placed.
"Ellie…can I ask you something? And expect an unequivocally truthful answer from you?"
"Yes, of course!" I replied, in a rather frenzy manner as my heart raced faster than as he gazed into my eyes piercingly and I didn't get the time to look away. My mind began pounding too, as I felt that he would ask me about my resistance towards his feelings for me. However, the question that he fired at me filled me with relief and, even though I wasn't able to answer it candidly and lied. Moreover, I was impressed and bewildered at the same time, as he was probably the last person close to me whom I would have expected to ask me this.
"During your gymnastic performance that day, how could you possibly have fallen in your last stunt? I mean I was watching you from the front row, you were fired up with energy and unlimited confidence after performing the last two stunts flawlessly. Besides, the three of us, Alex, Judy, and I used to be with you during practice after school and you were admirably brilliant at executing backflips, I mean you had practiced that particular backflip a dozen times the night before the finals too?"
"To be frank, Matt, I would say I was unbearably over-confident during my performance, and I would say God just threw me down on the ground for my conceit," I shrugged persuasively, hoping he'd swallow the lie I threw at him.
"Are you sure, Ellie? You are not hiding anything from us right?"
"Oh Matt, of course not," I lied, slapping his shoulder playfully with a flirtatious smile, to divert his attention from the topic. I had shunned down his questions quickly, but, some part of me really wished to desperately pour my heart out about the horrors that I had been experiencing, to Matt, particularly when he was the only person who had observed so much and felt like the only one who'd believe me and understand.
Anyhow, I had killed the temptation in my heart instantly, thinking what if he didn't believe me, and rather thought of it as a joke or prank and laughed it off, which would fill me with resentment in return.
We landed back on the ground, thoroughly revitalized by the Ferris wheel ride, and prone for some more adventurous activities. Alex and Judy were nowhere to be found, and we didn't make an effort to search. Let the love birds find a nest, we declared, giggling uncontrollably as we moved towards a lengthy row of game stalls. There was such a variety that we couldn't make up our minds. Eventually, we decided to try the shooting stall located a few feet away from us.
"Alright girl, tell me which stuffed toy do you desire?" he asked in a mockingly haughty voice as I rolled my eyes.
"Winnie the Pooh," I cried, and he instantly fired five shots at the pyramid of cans, taking out only two out of the eight, and sighed with disappointment. I snatched the gun from his hands, destroying his failed attempt to show his masculinity.
"Now you tell me boy, which of these cuties do you want to take home?" I asked, aiming the gun at the cans.
"Kung Fu Panda," he croaked, and I blew away the entire pyramid with just three shots, as Matt grinned sheepishly and managed a 'wow', feeling utterly foolish and stupid.
We moved on to the next stall, a 'Spin the wheel' challenge which appeared more like a casino wheel with various prizes starting from large sums of cash to massive discount coupons on holiday packages. The stall owner gawked at us stupidly with a greedy smile on his face.
"Ellie," said Matt, stopping in his tracks. "I'm getting really hungry, haven't had my lunch, I'll go grab something to eat, would you like a sandwich or something to drink?"
"Na, it's alright, I've had a substantial brunch," I refused politely. "Although, a hot cup of French Vanilla would be soothing," I added, considering Matt's slightly disappointed face. He was one sensitive fellow.
"Cool then, you stay here, I'll be back like the wind." And with a subtly noticeable wink, he rushed off, leaving me at the stall.
"Welcome miss," the stall owner greeted me with a grin on his face, and I nodded with a half-smile. "Would you like to try your luck at the wheel? If you are lucky, there are innumerable rewards to be earned.
"Sure, I'm quite interested, but let my friend come-" before I could finish the sentence, my eyes fell on a massive grey marquee located at the far end of the row of stalls. It towered above stalls, reaching almost the radius of the Ferris wheel, and portrayed some sort of eeriness. 'THE TENT OF WONDERS' was embossed on the entrance in scarlet.
"Miss," the stall guy piped up, as he followed my eyes towards that uncanny tent. "I wouldn't for the life of me dare to be within a five hundred feet radius of that tent if I were you,"
"Why?" I whispered distractedly, my eyes still hooked onto the place.
"It's quite a creepy place ma'am, and the people who have ever visited it haven't been happy after walking out of it. God knows what lurks within that tent...."