Nine

“Hey Quincy, get up!” 

“Morning, Amber!” I’ve had an idea. Today, I’m going to go to the funfair, meet Lev and the mysterious person that seems to know my name, and have such an amazing day that I won’t wake up on Sunday morning again. 

“How do you feel about going to the funfair?” Amber stares at me as though I just suggested that we buy the public swimming pool and fill it with candyfloss. That is to say, she stares at me in a way that means she would love to, but it’ll cost quite a bit. I offer to pay for all of us, and she’s on board. Tickets are five pounds fifty each, there are four of us… I’ll be paying twenty-two pounds. Twenty-two pounds to be able to escape this time loop. Definitely worth it. I get off of Amber’s couch and head downstairs. Astraeus is cooking breakfast, and I tell him not to bother. I’ll pay for breakfast too. Astraeus smiles surprisedly. Freddie walks past, heading for the stairs. I tell her that we’re going to the funfair, and I warn her to be careful on the stairs. This time, she doesn’t fall, and soon enough my friends and I have each eaten a hot bagel purchased at the funfair. Now we’re waiting in line for the scariest roller coaster at the fair, because Amber insists that it’s best to do the scariest thing first. I do not agree with her, but since I’m the kind of guy who doesn’t like to argue, I am currently standing in the queue for something that scares the heck out of me.

Some time later, my friends and I are finally at the front of the line. There are four of us, and four people per carriage, so at least I won’t be sitting with a stranger. That’s nice. The lady letting us in counts us and is about to say which carriage we should go to, when I realise that the guy behind me is alone. I feel sort of bad for him, and since this whole day has been completely spontaneously random, I tell the lady at the gate that I’m actually with him. She looks surprised, the guy looks surprised, my friends look surprised, but I actually have a great feeling about this. She lets my friends in and I watch as they disappear down the track. 

“Why did you do that?” Asks the guy. He’s got a grey hoodie on, with the hood hiding his face. I wonder if there’s a reason.

“Well, you just looked so alone. I felt bad for you, I guess.”

“Oh, I’m not alone. I’m here with-” He freezes mid-sentence and looks down at the dusty path. “Yeah, actually I am alone.”

I nod dumbly, because I have the conversation skills of a carrot. He continues speaking and I feel like I’ve heard his voice before.

“I was here with a friend, but they ditched me.”

“Aw, that sucks.”

“I was planning on one last ride and then I was going to go to that café down by the docks, you know the one?”

“Oh, I live around there!”

He’s about to reply when the gate lady lets us into the next carriage. Two strangers climb in behind us and we start to move.

“Nervous?” Asks Hoodie Guy.

“Yeah…”

“Should I hold your hand?” I laugh and he takes it. Probably as a joke, right? I don't have time to dwell on it, though, because at that moment the track suddenly plummets straight down. We both scream, his hood flies off, and I see his face. It’s Lev. It’s Lev, and he’s holding my hand. That takes a bit of time to sink in. Lev is holding my hand. Lev, the stranger I fell in love with at the Egg & Rye, is sitting here beside me… and he’s holding my hand. The ride comes to an end, and we get off. I grin at Lev. 

“What next?” He shrugs. 

“We could do anything, couldn’t we?”

“How about that café?”

¤¤¤

I wake up the next morning in my apartment in Lev’s arms. He mumbles that I should close the curtains and we both fall asleep again, until Lev eventually has to leave at around noon. And then… well… my life continues. I begin to wonder if I just dreamt it all. A few weeks later, I receive a letter written in midnight-blue ink with elegant handwriting.

Quincy, dearest heart,

A shadow befalls our love, as I must venture to a distant unknown. Fate's cruel decree compels my departure. I leave you a sketch, a feeble reflection of the beauty you claim I possess, though I do not understand how you may call me handsome when you are in possession of a mirror.

Your midnight-blue eyes shall forever haunt the corridors of my dreams. If destiny denies our reunion, hold tight to this portrait, a token of love lost but not forgotten.

Yours in eternal longing,

Lev

And just like that, he’s gone. I can barely believe it. I turn over the letter. There is indeed a detailed pencil sketch on the back, making Lev look just as beautiful as he is. I check inside the envelope and a single, beautiful dark red flower that I can’t name falls out. I pick it up and put it on the windowsill, praying silently that I might be able to forget about Lev. I hate how memories can hurt you like that. Staring out over the sparkling silver sea, I close the curtains.

End