“It’s going to be fun, Rose!” Claire said, the giddy smile still on her face.

As they raced down the slope, Rose got the not unfamiliar feeling of her stomach dropping.  However, somehow it seemed not as bad, knowing that she was riding the roller coaster with Claire.  She could hear Claire laughing as she saw the track pass under the cars.

After another minute it was over.  They got up and walked down the ramp that led out from the ride.

“Well?” Claire asked.

“OK,” Rose admitted.  “It was fun…”

“Told you!” Claire said.

“…but I’d like to sit down for a minute.”

Claire nodded in agreement and they headed over to a bench. Before they sat down, they saw a familiar sight on one of the occupied benches; Kenny and Alicia Van Harren.

“Well, well, well,” Claire said as they approached the smitten couple.  Kenny looked up when he heard a familiar voice.

They all said hello.  Even though Rose and Claire were no doubt interrupting their time as a couple, Alicia shifted over in the bench and invited the girls to sit down with them.

They chatted for a while before deciding to ride the Polar Express, Kenny’s favourite ride, together.  The fact that it was his favourite ride was made only more evident by the fact that he was yelling over the music the entire time.

After the ride, they said goodbye and the two couples went off to do their own things.

“Kenny really knows how to have a good time,” Claire said.

“Don’t we know it,” Rose agreed.

“But you know who the best to spend it with is?” Claire asked provocatively.

“What?” Rose was surprised at that kind of question.  She didn’t catch onto what Claire was trying to say until it was already over.

“You,” Claire said.

“Thanks,” Rose said, blushing yet another time that day.

They went on a few more rides until the sun started to set.  They wanted to be home before dark, so they bought some cotton candy before catching the bus home.

“You’re lips are getting really red,” Rose remarked, looking at how the cotton candy colour had tainted them.

“Yours, too,” Claire said.

“It’s a side effect of enjoyment,” Rose said.  “Oh my god, that sounded like my dad!”

“That’s OK,” Claire said.  “Your dad’s pretty cool.”

When it was their stop, they got up and Claire walked to Rose’s house with her.  They stopped just before the front step.

“I had a great time today,” Rose said quietly.  “Thanks for going with me.”

“Thanks for taking me,” Claire replied before standing on her toes.  She reached out to caress Rose’s hair as she pressed her face close.  Rose did the same, pulling Claire closer.

Their lips came together and everything else melted away; the wind rustling the leaves of the trees, the cars passing a few blocks away, all of it.  It was just the two of them – together.

It was warm and perfect, and felt like it could last forever.  Even when Claire was tired of standing on her toes, she didn’t let her lowering back down keep their lips from separating.

It felt like it could last forever, but that was impossible.

They came apart.  It was time to say goodnight.

“Thanks again, Claire,” Rose said as she went up the front step.

“See ya!” Claire said, waving before heading home herself.

Rose paused to look back at Claire walking away, watching until Claire was out of view.  She sighed.

Today was a great day.