Wherever the whispers of the wind couldn't reach got filled with hysterical laughter and screams of people riding the rides.
Cherry watched from a bench with a fulfilled smile how they all raised their hands in the sky as they went up and down. The rhythmic click-clack of the coaster in tandem with their joyful shrieks filled her senses until they became a blur as they disappeared into the heart of the twister.
"Having fun?" Brandon came back from the ice cream stand, offering her a vanilla cone.
The black ears that came into her view broadened her smile as she took the ice cream. "A lot."
Thanks to Brandon, they didn't have to stand in line for any attractions. She didn't remember the last time she had ridden so many rides in one hour. Results of this: bloodshot eyes with a hoarse voice. Though Brandon was completely fine.
"Ha. Ha. Ha." Brandon knew her eyes were aimed at the accursed things perched on top of his head and laughed in grumbles.
He took a seat next to her. Draping his arm behind her on the backrest of the park bench. His fingers lazily twirled themselves in her locks as he took a bite of his creamy, cool chocolate scoop.
"So, do you want to continue our little game?" he queried.
Licking her own scoop, Cherry nodded her head. "Your turn."
A few moments ago, they were playing the 21 Questions game. Every round, one person gets to ask the other person a question, which they have to answer. Brandon suggested this game more for her sake than his own. He already knew everything about Cherry, but understood that this is what Cherry currently needs to feel confident in their relationship.
One of the few things that she came to learn about Brandon was that he was an indoor guy who finds joy out of filming and photographing. Both his parents died when he was young, and he had to grow up in an orphanage. He has ambitions to travel the world when given the chance and… oh, his favorite color is brown.
Compared to him, Cherry, who only likes to laze around at home while watching her favorite series, seemed to be a lackluster person devoid of any passion.
"No, it's your turn," he reminded her as he bit down on his ice cream. That was another thing about Brandon. He enjoyed biting his ice cream instead of licking it. What kind of barbaric act is that? Cherry thought as shivers racked her body.
"Is there something that you would like to change about me?" she asked cautiously, her eyes searching Brandon's, leaving him stunned.
Cherry didn't expect a cheesy answer like: "Nothing, you're perfect as you are." But nothing could have prepared her for the answer he gave her.
He looked up at the sky as if the vibrant hue of the canvas, with shades of orange, pink and purple, could inspire an answer out of him.
Finally, he nodded. "Yeah, I like to change your outfit."
"My fit?" Cherry questioned, taken aback. She gave herself a quick once-over, and the skin between her brows wrinkled deeper. Because of the cast on her leg, she opted for a simple white bohemian dress; its flowy skirt, adorned with blue flowers woven into the hem. Over it, she wore a blue denim jacket. She admits that the blue in her jacket had faded over time, but she doesn't think that her style was bad.
Unable to hold back, she wondered, "Why?" She drew her lower lip between her teeth when she caught the sound of her whispery voice. It hadn't been her intention to sound so pathetic, but the way her heart hammered in her throat, eliminating the desire to finish her ice cream, made her realize that her husband's opinion weight heavily on her mind.
"Your hands are getting stained with your ice cream." Brandon pointed out.
The head of her ice cream caved in, its juices gliding down the side of the cone until it reached her fingers, staining them.
Not wasting the opportunity, Brandon gently took her wrist, guiding her hand to his lips. His tongue peeked out to catch a droplet of cream before trailing it sensually over her skin to savor more of that sweetness.
As if his saliva were scalding oil, Cherry sharply whisked her hand back. Her hand glowed red from the burn. "W-what? Why-why…?" She must be suffering from a third-degree burn, as her brain was frazzled and her tongue addled with forgetfulness.
Brandon, unperturbed, ran his tongue along his lips, savoring the leftover sweetness of the cream.
"Don't get it twisted in that pretty head of yours, princess. No matter what you wear, you will always look tasty. It's just that I've got something planned for us."
Her eyes grew wide at his words. "There's more? It wasn't just the amusement park?" What more could he have planned for them?
...
And now she was standing in front of a mirror in a hotel, wearing a dress with the same monetary value as apartments in New York. Wearing a perplexed expression, she twirled around on her good leg, studying herself from all angles. From the glimmering bodice hugging her upper body to the skirt that blooms outward in dramatic waves.
"Is this really me?" she whispered to herself in amazement as she moved her face closer to the mirror. An hour ago, a group of stylists came into the room, beating her face to perfection and styling her hair. The stylists had styled her hair, creating waves that cascaded past her shoulders, with the top section gathered and twisted at the crown.
This time she truly felt like a princess.
Three sharp raps against the door woke her up from her stupor, causing her to straighten her back with a jolt. "Yes?"
The door opened, and Brandon appeared, dressed impeccably in a suit. Though from the way he tugged at it, he seemed annoyed by the tie around his neck. Cherry had to refrain herself from drooling seeing how he had done his hair- the sides tapered short and the rest combed back.
Hot damn.
The corner of Brandon's lips twitched in a slow grin as he mused. "I could say the same thing. How am I supposed to keep my hands to myself when you're next to me?"
Oh, he heard my thoughts. Too distracted by the folds of his suit straining against his body whenever he took a step toward her; she forgot to be embarrassed.
When they stood toe to toe, he gently took a lock of her silken auburn tresses between his long fingers. She followed breathlessly as he gave her hair a chaste kiss before letting it slip seamlessly between his grasp.
"You're breathtaking." His burning, unwavering gaze never left her heated face until rapid knocks shattered the mood, forcing the gleaming, predatory globes to shift to the oak door in furrow.
"What?" he barked, the annoyance clear in his harsh tone.
"R-room service, sir."
"Come in." He grunted.
Brandon's broad shoulder blocked Cherry's view, but the low rumble of wheels told her that something was being rolled into the foyer of their room.
Brandon moved away when hasty footsteps belonging to workers retreated out of their room, the door slamming shut, revealing in the middle of the chamber a round table clad in a white cloth. Candlelight flickered on the table, illuminating plates of exquisitely small portions; she didn't recognize the dishes, but their delicacy spoke of high cost.
Brandon slipped his hand in hers, guiding her to her seat.
"Is this what you had planned?" She asked in awe. "How much did this even cost?" Worry etched her soft features. "You've driven us all the way here, bought golden tickets, got me this dress, booked this luxurious hotel and now this high-class dinner which my tongue is unworthy of." Amids her rambling Brandon pulled out the chair for her, sat her down, took his own seat across of her, and now, "Let me know how much it was so that I could chip in-" cut her off mid-sentence by spoon feeding her.
"Hmm!" twinkles of delight burst in her eyes as she chewed down on the food.
"Stop talking nonsense and eat the food."
"But—" More food got shoved down her throat. "Okay, okay! I get it, I will eat. Thank you for the food." She snatched the spoon from his grasp and finished the meager dish in a few bites.
"You're so cute when you're quiet." Brandon commented, propping his chin on his palm and his elbow on the table, observing her with a smirk.
"Well, that's uncalled for". She grumbled petulantly, but her grimace quickly got pushed away by the soft smile threatening her lips. It has become clear to her that Brandon has become overly playful with her, not holding back sarcastic remarks, always up for harmless banter, and doesn't shy away from teasing her until she combusts. And you know what?
I like it.
It finally felt like he allowed her into his world, giving her a glimpse of how their marriage was before the accident.
The silence welcomed itself between them, only to be broken once Cherry couldn't handle the keening stare from her husband.
"Why aren't you eating?" She pointed out.
"I just don't want to miss your reaction to my other surprise."
"What do you-"
BOOM
Her head snapped to the raucous noise coming from the other side of the wall of windows.
The fireworks rattled the floor of their hotel room with their boisterous booms. Brandon watched through Cherry's wide, stunned eyes how those unique colors mimicked the fallen stars as they dusted the obsidian sky. Her heart-shaped lips shaped the word "wow" without a sound, only allowing soft gasps of air to escape whenever another firework would launch like an arrow in the sky.
Beautiful. There were fancier words that he would have used to describe the woman in front of him, but they faded to the back of his mind in her presence.
She must have felt the intensity of his gaze as her eyes swept from the scene outside to meet his. The way she held down his gaze was as if he should have shied away from her for being caught staring, but he didn't and never will. Compared to what Cherry had expected, Brandon was basking in the minute attention that she had given him.
"Something amazing is happening, and here you are looking at me." Her senses reached hyperawareness as she felt like she was being robbed of oxygen with Brandon this close to her.
Brandon's lips lifted in a lopsided grin as his hands, which were first resting on the table, were now caressing her legs that were still hidden beneath the skirt of the dress. "Something amazing is indeed happening."
"Oh yeah? Then tell me what's going on right now?" The thunderous sounds outside and the occasional colorful flashes that momentarily brightened the chamber before plunging it back into darkness, leaving only some parts of their faces illuminated by the lonely lit candle situated next to them, disclosed what was transpiring, but Cherry still asked anyway.
"I'm falling in love with you all over again."
Silence reigned in the room, allowing only the sounds of breathing to exist, but Cherry's breathing took an odd turn, and Brandon's eyes that never left her face trembled. His hands went to caress the side of her face, his fingers tangling together with the cinnamon strands.
More fireworks went off, and it revealed the tears that escaped from the corners of Cherry's eyes. "Why are you crying, princess?"
"I, I… don't know." Her own mind swirled in confusion as to why her body reacted the way it did to the affectionate words given by her husband. She expected her heart to dance, her face to lit up and her body to reach out for a hug so she could whisper the same words back in his ears. So why- why did it feel like the air got knocked out of her chest? Why did her heart cleave as if each word carried an axe? And why was her body buzzing with adrenaline, wanting to run away?
Through her distorted vision, she managed to make out Brandon's face, and she felt another sob welling up inside her as she witnessed his expression transform into one of heartbreak. She swiped at her eyes, wanting to show him she was alright. Wanting to tell him about her honest feelings, but the flood kept coming and her body wrenched in grief.
Brandon didn't wait for the torrent on Cherry's face to stop and was quick to gather her broken self in his arms and move them to the burgundy armchair facing the vast window. Placing Cherry on his lap, he cradled her against his chest. When her wails stopped to occasional sniffs, he spoke in a voice scratched with unshed tears. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I thought you felt the same-"
"I did— I do."
She disentangled herself from his comforting hold and deftly maneuvered her body, placing one knee between his legs while balancing her other leg on the ground. Her hands cupped his face. No words exchanged. Only a sniff to reel back her mucus before she dipped down to place her lips on his. The initial touch was salty, and Brandon stiffened under the action, before a snarl escaped his mouth and his hand found its way back into Cherry's hair to deepen the kiss, turning it succulent.
"It's impossible not to fall in love with you." She mustered a tear-coated smile. With her fingers curled into a fist, she tapped it against her chest. Every tap was harder than the previous one, as if something was stuck, and she wanted to dislodge it. "But why does it feel like loving you will hurt me in the end?"
His hand swallowed her fist, stopping her from hurting herself. "Stop." He forcefully pulled her back, her face now pressed against the warmth of his neck. His hand snaked its way back to her nape while his other arm wrapped around her waist.
Cherry melted into his touch, but she perked her ears, waiting for him to speak.
"I haven't been entirely honest to you."