~WHEN HANDS FORGET TO LET GO~
The morning sun felt brighter than usual, almost like it knew today wasn't just any day. My chest buzzed with excitement, though I tried to act casual while getting ready. Raffy, of course, looked like he hadn't prepared at all—hair slightly messy, shirt half-tucked, that annoying smirk already plastered on his face.
"So… amusement park?" he asked, stretching lazily as if we were just going grocery shopping.
"Yes," I said firmly, tugging at my sneakers. "And you're not backing out. A dare is a dare."
He raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by how serious I sounded. "Relax. I keep my promises. But don't cry later when you regret dragging me into this."
By the time we reached the amusement park, the world around us exploded with color—bright banners, the smell of popcorn, the sound of children laughing and rides creaking high into the sky. My eyes widened instantly, excitement bubbling up, while Raffy just shoved his hands in his pockets, scanning the place like he was too cool for all this.
"Where first?" he asked.
"The rollercoaster!" I shouted without hesitation.
Raffy's smirk faltered just a little. "The rollercoaster? That death machine?"
"Oh, come on, you're not scared, are you?" I teased, eyes narrowing.
He clicked his tongue, clearly offended. "Scared? Of that? Please."
Minutes later, we were strapped in, the coaster jerking upward slowly. The higher we went, the smaller the park looked below us, my stomach twisting with both thrill and fear. I glanced at Raffy—he sat stiff, jaw tight, gripping the bar harder than he probably realized.
"You're holding on like your life depends on it," I whispered, laughing.
"Shut up," he muttered, but his eyes were locked straight ahead.
Then came the drop. My scream tore through the air, wind slamming against my face, and beside me Raffy cursed so loudly the people behind us laughed. By the time it ended, my cheeks hurt from laughing, and Raffy's hair was completely ruined.
"I hate you," he said flatly, unbuckling his seat.
"You loved it," I grinned, skipping ahead of him.
The rest of the morning blurred into rides, games, and endless teasing. For once, Raffy wasn't hiding behind his cool mask—sometimes he laughed, sometimes he grumbled, but he was… present. With me.
And for that moment, the dare already felt worth it.
After the rollercoaster chaos, we wandered through the park, weaving between stalls of candy floss and games. My energy was bouncing everywhere, pointing at this ride and that game, while Raffy just walked beside me with that calm, unreadable face.
But then, out of nowhere, his eyes lit up at something ahead. Without a word, he grabbed my hand—firm, warm, unshakable—and tugged me forward.
"Raffy! What are you doing?!" I yelped, stumbling as he half-dragged, half-ran with me through the crowd.
"Come on, hurry up!" he shouted back, actually laughing this time. His grip was so tight I couldn't even pull away if I wanted to. My heart raced—not from the running, but from how he didn't let go even once.
When we finally stopped, breathless, I saw what he had dragged me to—some silly ring-toss game booth with oversized teddy bears hanging above.
"Seriously?!" I wheezed, glaring at him between breaths.
He shrugged, still holding my hand casually like it was the most normal thing in the world. "I felt like winning something. Don't look at me like that."
And then, as if it wasn't a big deal at all, he finally let go—leaving my palm strangely empty, as if it missed the heat of his hold.
By the time we left the amusement park, my cheeks hurt from smiling too much, and Raffy's hair was still sticking up from the rollercoaster like he'd been electrocuted. I teased him the whole way until he threatened to leave me behind—which of course, he didn't.
Our next stop was the trampoline park. The moment I stepped inside, I lit up. The huge mats stretched out like a playground built for chaos, kids and teens bouncing everywhere.
"This," I said, pointing dramatically, "is going to be amazing."
Raffy crossed his arms, unimpressed. "This looks like something for eight-year-olds."
"Oh really? Afraid you'll lose to me?" I shot back with a smug grin.
That got him. Without another word, Raffy kicked off his shoes and stepped onto the trampoline. At first he barely bounced, acting all stiff and calm. But when I started jumping higher and higher, I saw the flicker in his eyes—the competitive spark he always tried to hide.
Minutes later, he was chasing me across the mats, both of us bouncing so hard we almost crashed into the padded wall. I laughed so loudly I could barely breathe, and when I slipped and fell, Raffy landed beside me, shaking his head but secretly laughing too.
"You look ridiculous," he muttered, breathless.
"And you look like you're actually having fun," I shot back, grinning.
For a moment, we just lay there on the trampoline, catching our breath. It wasn't loud or complicated—it was simple, stupid fun. The kind of joy that didn't need words.
The horror house towered above us, all shadows and flashing red lights. People were already stumbling out screaming, and my feet refused to move.
"I'm not going in," I muttered, hugging my arms tightly.
Raffy tilted his head, half a smirk tugging at his lips. "Really? After dragging me through rollercoasters and trampolines, *this* is where you draw the line?"
"This is different," I whispered. My voice sounded smaller than I intended.
He studied me for a second, then simply said, "Come on." His hand brushed against mine—not pulling, just steady, like an anchor—and somehow I found myself following.
Inside, the darkness swallowed everything. The air was heavy, damp, and the sudden screams in the distance made my heart slam in my chest. When a figure lunged out from the shadows, I gasped and clutched his arm, pressing close without thinking.
Raffy didn't laugh, didn't tease. Instead, his voice dropped low, steady against the chaos. "i have got you."
The words settled in me, warmer than they should have. Even as another figure jumped out with a bloodcurdling scream, I held tighter, and he shifted slightly—close enough that our shoulders brushed, his presence blocking out the worst of the fear.
Step by step, he guided me through the maze, his calmness outweighing the screams and flashing lights. And though the horror actors lunged and the sound effects roared, all I felt was the quiet safety of his nearness.
By the time we stumbled out into the night, I was still trembling, but his hand was still loosely wrapped around mine, like he'd forgotten to let go.
"You're evil for making me do that," I muttered, breathless.
Raffy smirked, finally glancing at our hands before letting go. "You survived. Thanks to me."
I rolled my eyes, but my chest was still warm where his voice had reached me.
The restaurant was quiet compared to the madness of the day—soft music humming in the background, the smell of grilled food wrapping around us like comfort. We sat in a corner booth, the exhaustion finally catching up, but the energy of the day still buzzing between us.
I poked my fork into the steaming pasta. "So… out of everything we did today, what was your favorite?"
Raffy leaned back, crossing his arms as if he was being interrogated. "Hm. Definitely not the rollercoaster. I value my internal organs too much."
I burst out laughing. "You screamed louder than me!"
His jaw dropped slightly. "Lies. I don't scream. I was just… yelling instructions to the rollercoaster operator."
"Right," I said, rolling my eyes. "What about the trampoline?"
He smirked, sipping his drink slowly. "Not bad. Watching you fall flat on your face? Ten out of ten entertainment."
"Excuse me?!" I gasped, almost dropping my fork.
He chuckled under his breath, clearly enjoying how easy it was to get me worked up. "Okay, fine. The trampoline was fun. Happy?"
I nodded proudly, then tilted my head. "And the horror house?"
For a moment, his eyes flickered. He set his glass down, leaning closer slightly. "You held onto me like your life depended on it."
Heat crept to my cheeks. "Only because I was scared!"
"Mm." He shrugged, but that smirk lingered. "Still counts."
I groaned, burying my face in my hands. "You're impossible."
For a while, we just ate, the conversation flowing from little jokes about the rides to random stories from school, to the way other people had looked at us in the park. It felt easy, natural—like we weren't keeping score anymore, just… being.
Then, between bites, I glanced at him carefully. "So, Raffy… you never told me."
He looked up. "Told you what?"
"Your dare." My voice came out more curious than I meant it to. "You said you'd give me one at night, remember? You still owe me."
His fork paused mid-air. For a second, his expression shifted—serious, almost thoughtful—but then he shook his head casually, brushing it off. "Not today."
"Why not?" I pressed, leaning forward.
He smirked faintly, avoiding my gaze as he returned to his plate. "Because the right dare has to be given at the right time. You'll know when it's mine."
I blinked at him, unsatisfied but unable to argue. "That's unfair."
"Life's unfair," he said simply, eyes glinting with quiet mischief.
And just like that, the question was left hanging in the air—his secret tucked away behind that unreadable smirk, while I was left wondering what exactly he was planning.