The four of them eagerly entered Morgan's Wonderland with their tickets in hand, their excitement palpable. Alex, being the gentleman that he was, had generously paid for all of their tickets. Matthew gratefully accepted the free pass without a hint of guilt. They embarked on a series of rides, opting for the milder ones as Deliah wasn't fond of fast roller coasters, which was quite ironic considering her status as a high-flyer on the cheerleading team.
They took a spin on the ferris wheel, rode the merry-go-round (which they found a bit lackluster), and ventured as far as the kids' roller coaster. Alex strategically positioned himself near Sarah throughout, keeping a watchful eye on Matthew.
Alex made sure to sit behind the couple, ensuring he didn't miss any supposedly innocent gestures Matthew might make.So he could be there to break the latter's neck if need be.
After a round of rides, the group decided to catch a one-hour movie clip at the 3D theater, and once again, Alex treated them to popcorn. Deliah eagerly darted inside, followed by Alex, Sarah, and Matthew in that order. As the lights dimmed and the screen came to life, they all donned their 3D glasses, squinting to adjust their vision.
A rush of air greeted them from beneath their seats, eliciting a delighted giggle from Deliah as she reveled in the thrill. "Pretty cool, huh, babe?" Matthew whispered to Sarah. She nodded, slightly shifting away from Matthew, cautious of his actions in the darkened theater.
The movie commenced—a heartwarming tale about a lost turtle finding its way back home and the friendships it forged along the journey. Though the storyline was meaningful, Sarah found it difficult to focus with Alex in such close proximity. Gradually, inch by inch, he moved closer to her, and Sarah hadn't initially noticed. It wasn't until his shoulders pressed against hers, leaning on the shared armrest, that she realized his deliberate intrusion. Sarah shot him a disapproving glare.
Complicating matters, she couldn't even retreat to the center of her seat because Matthew was engaged in the same behavior on the other side, leaning on their mutual armrest.
It was a choice between sticking with Alex or getting cuddly with Matthew. Did you even have to think about it?
Sarah stayed where she was, shooting Alex a glare as best as she could with the 3D glasses on her face. "Move over," she whispered to him.
Alex appeared completely immersed in the film, seemingly oblivious to her words. It wasn't until a few minutes later, when she turned back to the screen, that she heard him whisper, confirming that he had indeed heard her.
"No," he whispered back. "I would share a chair with you if I could, but for now, I'll have to make do with this."
Sarah shot him a look and pushed him back to his seat with her shoulders. She glanced at Matthew beside her, hoping he hadn't overheard their conversation. Matthew smiled at her, and she awkwardly returned the smile.
She turned her attention back to the screen, focusing on the cute little turtle and catching up on the parts of the movie she had missed. She chuckled softly at the antics of the other animals and became more absorbed in the film... until...
A hand crept onto her lap, taking hold of her hand, interlacing their fingers tightly and caressing the back of her hand.
Sarah fought the urge to turn her head and stare at Alex. She swallowed and looked at their hands, clutching her bag tightly to obstruct Matthew's view. She noticed that Alex was doing the same, using his bag to block Deliah's view. "What are you doing?" she hissed, attempting to pull her hand back. But Alex's grip was unexpectedly strong, refusing to let go. He held on firmly, ready for any surprise attacks, even when she attempted to pull away. His hands never let go of hers.
Sarah grew tired of trying to pry Alex's iron grip from her hands, and she finally settled back into her seat, allowing him to hold her hand. It felt nice, really nice. She marveled at how perfectly their hands fit together and how warm his large palm was against hers. That one simple grip provided her with a sense of security.
Alex slowly loosened his grip when he sensed that Sarah wasn't resisting anymore, and he smiled softly, feeling a tingling sensation in his chest. His thumb gently grazed the back of her hand, savoring the contrast between her smooth skin and his slightly calloused one.
He really liked this. Like, a whole lot.
He turned her hand over, keeping his gaze forward the entire time. Sarah glanced down at their hands, wondering what he was up to.
His fingers hovered over her palm, tracing a word. "I."
Sarah stifled a giggle, feeling the ticklish sensation, and noticed the corners of Alex's lips twitching into a smile.
His fingers moved to draw another pattern on her palm, and Sarah tried to catch a glimpse of his fingers while still looking at the screen.
He drew a heart. And then added another letter.
Sarah's heart skipped a beat, her throat suddenly dry.
Messily scribbled on her hand, but it did the trick, sending a rush of heat from her stomach to her cheeks and toes. Oh, Alex... Sarah let out a soft sigh, and Alex smiled, taking her hand again and caressing her skin with his thumb, just as before. He heard her sigh and felt her breath catch as she realized what he had written. They both knew that the movie wasn't holding their attention right now, even if it seemed that way to oblivious Matthew. All they were focused on was the warmth exchanged through their palms, locked together by their perfectly intertwined fingers.
"The movie was amazing!" Deliah sniffled, wiping away a tear. "That scene when the turtle reunited with his family was incredible! Wasn't the movie amazing, sis?"
Sarah licked her lips, trying to recall the scene Deliah was referring to. Instead, all she could remember was the warmth of a particular hand holding hers throughout. "Yeah, it was nice," she awkwardly nodded.
"I thought the movie was nice too," Alex muttered, a faint smile on his face. "We should do that again." He locked eyes with Sarah as he spoke. Blushing, Sarah looked away and coughed softly.
"Baby, are you okay?" Matthew asked Sarah. She nodded, and he smiled in a somewhat insincere manner, taking her hand as they walked. Sarah shuddered at how cold and clammy his hand felt compared to Alex's warm palm. Why did they evoke such different sensations?
Just then, music started playing, capturing everyone's attention in the vicinity. In the middle of the parade square stood a pond-like structure, and tubes above it began spraying water vertically.
The water sprayed at varying speeds and intervals, synchronized with the music, creating beautiful images solely with water. To enhance the spectacle, a visualizer cast colors onto the water, illuminating it and bringing the images to life.
"Wow," Sarah whispered in awe.
Alex nodded, agreeing with her sentiment. It was truly remarkable.
The spontaneous show lasted about five minutes, and everyone clapped when it concluded, even though no one was performing live. It was all pre-recorded. Nonetheless, it must have required a great deal of effort to synchronize everything, and the overall effect was simply wonderful.
Deliah looked enchanted, and even Matthew appeared impressed. Deliah approached the pool to play with the water for a while, letting her hands graze the cool liquid. "This is amazing. It's like fashion designing for water!" she exclaimed.
Sarah laughed and shook her head in amusement, while Alex smiled in response. Matthew yawned slightly and surveyed the surroundings. "Now that this is done, let's grab a bite somewhere. My treat," he offered with a smile.
Just like when he had offered to pay for the tickets and popcorn. But in the end, Alex had ended up covering the expenses.
The four of them ascended the staircase winding alongside the pond, engaging in conversation along the way. There were no railings since there were only about five steps, but it allowed for two-way traffic.
A guy abruptly pushed past Deliah, causing her to lose her balance on the step. Sarah noticed and swiftly pulled on Deliah, inadvertently causing herself to fall off the steps and into the pond.
The loud splash attracted everyone's attention, and Sarah's head emerged from the water, sputtering. "Sarah!" Alex was the first to rush down the steps and pull her out of the water, gently wiping her face.
"Dummy," he muttered, already shrugging off his jacket and wrapping it around her as he rubbed her arms. "Are you cold?"
Sarah nodded, coughing out water. She tried to climb out of the pond but stumbled and fell back in, letting out a pained cry. Alex quickly caught her hands and pulled her out of the water, frowning. "Where does it hurt?" he asked, even before Deliah could process the reason for Sarah's cry.
"It's my ankle," Sarah hissed in pain as she settled on the floor.
Alex positioned her against the edge of the pool and removed her shoe without even asking which foot was injured. He seemed to know everything just by observing her reactions.
He lightly touched her ankle, causing Sarah to squirm. "It looks really bad," Alex muttered, worried. "We need to get you home, Sarah."
Sarah looked at them and bit her lip. "I'm sorry for being such a burden."
"Nonsense!" Matthew interjected, pushing Alex away and taking off his own jacket to wrap it around Sarah's shoulders. He then crouched down in front of her. "Get on my back, baby. I'll carry you."
Alex's eyes widened, and he shook his head at Sarah, silently urging her not to accept Matthew's offer. There was no way he was going to let HIS girl be in such close proximity with another guy, especially when he was right there.
Sarah licked her lips. "There's no need for you to carry me, Matthew. Just support me when I walk, that'll be fine," she murmured.
Matthew looked disappointed that he didn't get the chance to feel Sarah's chest against his back, but he promptly looped her arm around his shoulders and held her waist for support. "Let's get you to the doctor's to have it bandaged first. Poor baby," he cooed.
Alex flinched, scowling. He wanted to follow but noticed Deliah staring at him intently. He raised his eyebrows at her. "Let's go," he said, nodding towards the direction Matthew went. Deliah nodded and followed him without uttering a word.
She had never seen Alex angry before. Until that day when he punched Matthew.
She had never seen Alex truly happy in her presence before. Until she witnessed the joy on his face when Sarah laughed.
She had never seen Alex worried or panicking before. Until she saw the fear in his eyes when Sarah fell into the pond. Deliah swallowed hard, feeling immense hurt, doubts, and insecurities building up in her chest. "Do you really like me, Alex?" she whispered to herself. "I'm so confused. I don't want to be distrusting, I don't want to doubt our relationship."
"But it's becoming harder and harder for me to overlook things like this, Alex. Especially when it seems like you love Sarah more than you love me"