Third Person POV
Sky sat curled up in the corner of her room, her knees pulled tightly to her chest as tears streamed down her flushed cheeks. The words Ocean had spoken to her replayed in her mind, each syllable cutting her anew. It wasn't just the tone—it was the dismissal, the lack of care in his voice that stung the most. Her breaths hitched as she wiped her face with trembling hands, whispering to herself.
For a fleeting moment, Sky considered the unthinkable: running away. She glanced at the window, the night stretching endlessly beyond the glass, offering both freedom and danger. She could pack a bag, sneak out, and disappear into the world where Ocean's sharp words couldn't reach her. But reality anchored her.
She knew, deep down, that even if she ran, Ocean would find her. He always did. His reach was vast, his persistence unyielding, and the idea of him tracking her down scared her more than staying.
Her head was aching and her eyes heavy from crying to sleep and then she heard a knock on her door.
"Sky, can we talk?"
She didn't respond, turning her face away as she didn't want to speak to him. He stepped inside, his presence filling the small space.
"So about yesterday," he sighed, trailing off as he didn't know how to begin.
"I didn't mean to speak to you like that. I was… stressed, okay? But that's no excuse." His voice was raw, carrying an uncharacteristic vulnerability.
"I'm sorry."
She hesitated, her walls still high but she knew she didn't have a choice. For as long as she was still under him, in his pay she was subjected to every of his whims and caprices.
"Maybe you'll feel less mad after a day out. What do you think?" He said.
"A day out?" She questioned not understanding where he was driving at.
"Yes. Let me make it up to you. A day out," he said to her.
"Please don't say no. So I want you to get dressed before I come back, okay?" He said to her.
Later that day as told, Sky got off the bed and got prepared for the day. She had no idea where she was going to or what his intentions were and as much as she didn't want to do as told, she found her body moving.
"Where are we going?" She asked, as soon as she settled in Oceans car.
"You'll see." He grinned, not wanting to give her an hint.
The driver took a while and all through the ride, Sky kept looking outside the window as she didn't know how exactly to feel while sitting beside him in the car.
Soon, they arrived at their destination which turned out to be an amusement park. Sky was surprised to see where they were at as she kept glancing at her surrounding and back at Ocean.
She didn't think that he was going to bring her to an amusement park of all places as it sent a tingling feeling down her spine.
The amusement park was bustling with energy, the air filled with laughter, screams, and the tantalizing smell of popcorn and cotton candy. Sky was beyond surprised because the amusement park was the last place on earth she thought Ocean would take her to. Before she could utter another word, Ocean bought their tickets, and before Sky could protest, he dragged her toward the tallest roller coaster in sight.
"Really?" she asked, glancing at him.
"This is your idea of making things better?"
"Trust me," he said, pulling her along.
"You'll love it."
Minutes later, Sky found herself strapped into the ride, her knuckles white as she gripped the safety bar. The first drop made her heart leap into her throat, and by the time the coaster screeched to a stop, her initial screams of terror had turned into uncontrollable laughter. She stumbled out of the ride, her cheeks flushed and her anger momentarily forgotten.
"See?" Ocean said, grinning as he steadied her. "Screaming is therapeutic."
Sky shook her head, trying to suppress a smile.
Her mind went back to Ocean all over again even as she watched him talk on the phone. She realized that even though he might not see her the way a man sees a woman at least he made an effort and that's the reason she had a crush on him in the first place even as she admired him as he spoke on the phone and how hot he was amongst other people.
"You're ridiculous." she said as soon as he got off the phone.
"I am," he admitted, his tone softening.
"But I guess I just want to see you happy."
Maybe, just maybe, Ocean's efforts to make amends were a step in the right direction.
"Are we leaving?" Sky asked.
She couldn't deny the fact that she had enjoyed every bit of the ride and the thought of leaving made her slightly sad but at the same time, she wanted to mask it and didn't want Ocean to think that she fully depended on this for her happiness.
Ocean glanced at the towering metal structure ahead of them, hid heart racing just from the sight of it. The ride, aptly named "The Plunge," looked like a death sentence wrapped in bright lights and mechanical whirring. He nudged Sky with his elbow and forced a grin.
"We should totally do that one. You're not scared, are you?"
Sky raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms as she studied the ride. "Scared? Of that? Please." She smirked but quickly glanced away.
"What about you? Are you sure you can handle it? You're already sweating just looking at it."
"I'm not scared," he lied, his voice rising slightly in pitch. "Besides, it's just a ride. How bad could it be?"
They made their way to the queue, the energy between them awkward yet familiar, like trying to find a rhythm they'd lost. Ocean felt the silence stretch, so he spoke again, hoping to fill it.
"Are you okay though?"
"I mean, it's just a drop, right? Straight down. How scary could that be?" Sky said.
Ocean chuckled, shaking his head. "You keep saying that like you're trying to convince yourself. You don't have to do this if you don't want to, you know."
"I want to," she insisted, though the way her voice quivered betrayed her nerves.
When it was their turn, they climbed into the ride's seats. Sky's hands trembled as she fastened her harness. She glanced at Ocean, who looked annoyingly calm, even amused.
"You look too comfortable," she muttered, gripping the metal bar in front of her.
"It's called being confident," he teased, turning to her with a lopsided grin. "You should try it sometime."
Her retort was cut off by the mechanical lurch of the ride starting. As they began their slow ascent, she gripped the safety bar tighter, her eyes glued to the ground falling away beneath them.
"Oh my god. Oh my god. Why is it so high?"
Ocean glanced at her, and for a moment, the awkwardness between them melted away. He watched her face transform from defiance to pure panic as they reached the peak.
"You okay there?" he asked, barely suppressing a laugh.
"No, I'm not okay! Why did I agree to this?" Her voice cracked, and she instinctively reached out, clutching his arm like it was the only thing tethering her to safety.
When the ride dropped, she let out a piercing scream that could probably be heard across the entire amusement park. Ocean, meanwhile, barely reacted, too busy grinning as he watched her. She buried her face against his shoulder, gripping him so tightly he could feel her nails through his jacket.
"It's almost over!" he yelled, but she just screamed louder in response.
When they finally came to a halt, Sky was breathing heavily, her face flushed. She slowly let go of his arm, looking embarrassed.
"I can't believe I did that," she muttered, avoiding his gaze.
Ocean, still grinning, rubbed his arm dramatically.
"You sure you weren't trying to break my arm? I think I might need a doctor."
"Oh, shut up," she said, but there was a hint of a smile creeping onto her face.
"You're so annoying."
"Annoying? I'm the one who had to endure your screaming," he shot back, but his tone was light, playful.
Sky rolled her eyes but found herself laughing. Despite the awkwardness they'd started with, the ride seemed to have broken something between them. Maybe it was her panic, or maybe it was the way he smiled at her, but for the first time in a long while, things felt a little less distant.
Ocean's laughter started up again, louder this time, and he slapped his knee. "Oh, come on, it wasn't that bad! It was fun! Admit it."
"Fun?" Sky shot him a glare, though her face was still pale.
"That wasn't fun. That was torture. Pure, unadulterated torture. I swear, my soul left my body at least twice."
"You're being dramatic." Ocean nudged her arm lightly, though her grip on his arm didn't loosen.
"It's just a roller coaster. You didn't even scream that much. I'm pretty sure that's a sign you liked it."
"I didn't scream that much because I was too busy trying not to die," she snapped, but there was a faint quiver of humor in her voice despite her words.
"And you—" She jabbed a finger in his direction, though it barely moved from the bar.
"You laughed the entire time like a maniac. What's wrong with you?"
Ocean shrugged, his grin widening.
"What can I say? It's been a while since I've had this much fun. Watching you freak out was the highlight of my day." He paused, his tone softening slightly.
"You're okay, though, right?"
Sky finally let go of the bar with a groan, her fingers stiff and aching as she flexed them.
"Barely," she muttered, then shot him a look. "Next time, I'm picking the ride."
"Deal," Ocean said, chuckling again as they climbed out of the seats.
"But only if it's something that doesn't put me to sleep."
Sky rolled her eyes but couldn't stop the small smile that tugged at her lips. "You're impossible, you know that?"
"Impossible and hilarious," Ocean corrected, throwing an arm around her shoulders as they walked away.
"Admit it, Sky. You had fun."
"Never," she replied, but there was a playful lilt in her voice that made Ocean laugh even harder.