NERTHUS
It’s official.
I’m going to die.
Right here and on the spot.
Just because my heart can’t take it anymore.
“Amber!” Danny’s voice tears me away from staring at the lights and decorations in awe as he and Arawn seem to have moved through the crowd.
“Sorry,” I mumble more to myself as he is too far away to hear it as I reach Danny, who is waving for me.
This afternoon and evening have been so much fun but also quite depressing.
Don’t get me wrong.
I’m certainly used to having fun, and Jenna and Gigi surely are the best friends a girl could ever desire. But this is just different.
I had spent some time on my own in the arcades as I was in my teens after I had come to New York.
But Coney Island?!
The afternoon at the arcade has already been much more fun than I had imagined, as it is different from being there alone.
Danny and I had raced each other on the race car simulators and threw a few baskets on the basketball machines.
We even won some tickets that we could exchange for fun prices. But despite all our efforts, Arawn kept not participating in our gaming and watched us while sipping his beer.
At least I saw him smiling and heard him laughing from time to time, so he must have been enjoying himself.
After another round of trying to convince him to play a shooter game with us, he declined once again but promised to play a round with us at the boardwalk games.
So, here I am.
Chasing after a hyperactive boy and grumpy man while clutching a gigantic panda bear to my chest.
Of course, he chose the game with the shooting skills, and boy was that fairground worker pissed as he shot me the highest prize.
“You are too slow!” Danny mocks me, making me groan.
“Why are you in such a hurry?” I retort, making him giggle.
“I told you. You should have worn sneakers.” Danny continues to make fun of me as I catch up with them.
Looking at him with a sarcastic expression, I tilt my head. “My shoes aren’t the problem, sweetie. Why are you hurrying everywhere?”
The men laugh, making me smile. I lower my head as we push through the crowd to reach a restaurant at the beach Danny wanted to go to.
And I will be freezing my ass off.
Suddenly, Danny gasps, dragging me to the side. Arawn spots us just in time to follow us to a beautiful woman in a long dress shooting pictures.
“Let’s take a picture!” Danny says while I’m still trying to find out how the lady is so rejoicing without having frozen to death yet.
Arawn groans, taking a step back instinctively. “Without me.”
“Oh, come ooon!” Danny and I say in unison, pulling him back to us and the lady.
The lady is in the best temper as she takes our photos, and after a cute one, she gets us to do silly grimaces, even if I doubt that Arawn acted up like us.
But I don’t care.
A photo would be nice either way.
I hold Danny’s shoulders as we look at the camera of the photographer as she shows us the shots, and we crack up.
“Oh, I love them!” I squeal and turn to the photographer with a smile. “I want all of them! How much?”
She tells me the price, but I wouldn’t care anyway as I would give my million for them. “I’m taking all of them.”
Following the photographer back to her shop, I go through the different accessories with Danny, and we choose our favorite photo to print out on a photo button.
I get my printed photos and choose one or two different accessories to have them displayed in my home.
The thought comes so naturally, that it makes my heart skip a beat.
This would be the first personal thing I would have displayed in my apartment.
Holding a colorful frame with a photograph of us in my hand, my skin starts to prickle even before I hear him sigh. “This is a good one.”
“Yeah, it is.” I agree with him and smile.
Turning my head to the side to look at him, I gulp while taking in his features. I wet my lips with my tongue before I whisper, “Are you sure that you are alright?”
He finally turns his face to look at me as well, clenching and unclenching his jaw. He seems to want to say something but decides otherwise.
“Sure,” He answers dryly, straightening up his spine.
Nodding, I flash him a sad smile, even though he isn’t looking at me anymore. “I’ll hurry up, so we can go eat.”
“Don’t worry,” he mumbles before he looks up to the photographer who is still prepackaging the probably best sale that she made in her life. “I’m going to need your negatives, or however you printed them.”
I chuckle as the photographer looks at him confused. “We don’t have negatives, sir.”
“Don’t mind him. He is a caveman. Do you have the files saved somewhere?” I ask her, not helping her confusion.
“They are on the camera. Do you want them as well?” She says with a shy voice.
I laugh as she looks between us lost. “Would you be so kind as to show me the files, please?”
“Of course.” She scurries to get her camera and hands it to me. Turning the screen towards Arawn, I go through the pictures and show him how I delete them one by one, accepting the warning I get as the camera tells me that I will delete them permanently.
He groans, lifting his gaze back to the photographer who must have caught up by now. “Are there any files on your instruments?”
“Instruments,” I chuckle, and her eyes widen.
“Oh, no, sir. There is nothing saved as the pictures are processed. Just on the camera.” She explains, her nervousness showing in her trembling voice.
“Thank you so much.” I smile at her, handing her the camera, and she gets back to finish packing up my order cautiously.
I grin up to Arawn as he glares down at me. “What?”
“Nothing,” I say with a giggle, turning to watch the photographer.
We leave the shop hastily, and Arawn takes the bag out of my hand to carry it for me.
“Don’t throw it into the water!” I gasp, wanting to make a joke. But he just mumbles something about how he would never do such a thing, making me giggle.
Finally reaching the restaurant, we sit at a table outside watching the already darkened horizon over what must be a wonderful view over the sea by day.
We stuff our faces with the tastiest but unhealthiest foods ever, and I love it.
Even if it’s fucking freezing.
Danny talks enough to keep us entertained, and of course, after having eaten, he can’t sit still, wanting to drag me to another boardwalk game.
“Go alone and let her take a break.” Arawn growls, taking a hundred-dollar bill out of his pocket.
Just as Danny is about to take it with a pout, he pulls it back with a serious expression. “Just for the game, Danny.”
“Yeah, yeah!” He says, finally getting the bill into his hands.
As he is already turning away crestfallen, Arawn clears his throat. “And don’t spend them too fast. I have something to discuss with Amber.”
My heart stops while Danny turns to us with a big smile.
“Sure!” he says happily before scurrying away.