Fear is the only that restrains us from living the life to fullest…
As she stood in front of Ferris wheel, her heart was beating faster than ever. Taking a deep breath, she clenched her hand in fist tightly. She looked over her shoulder and saw small kids getting tickets for it. Walking over to ticket counter, she asked the guy, “One ticket”
Suddenly, she heard someone say, “Make it two”
Swirling around, she saw a dark-haired guy having his bright smile. He acknowledged her with a nod and moved past her to take tickets. She asked, “What are you doing here?”
He replied, “I wanted to ask you the same question. I thought you feared height”
She took out a small notebook saying, “Yeah, acrophobia. First on my list”
He tried to peek in it but she closed it and stuffed it back in bag. They both settled in their car. As the ride started, she grabbed his arm unknowingly and started pressing her nails in his arm with fear. Shutting her eyes tightly, she started murmuring something. He smiled, “If you were scared, why are did you buy the ticket?”
She nodded and slowly opened her eyes. Her heart was racing fast which made her think that she can have a heart-attack any minute. When the ride stopped, she rushed out of the car and stumbled on her way. He caught her and made her sit on the bench nearby. He went to get something to drink. When he came back, he saw her ticking off something in the notebook. Giving her the cola, he asked, “What are you trying to do?”
She shook her head, “I don’t need your help. I can do this on my own. I don’t need you in my life anymore”
He raised his eyebrows, “You couldn’t get through a Ferris Wheel. What is going on? If you are not going to tell me, it is okay. But for my sake, let me come with you”
She turned to him, “Fine, you can come if you want to come. Stay with me all this night but dare you ask any question”
He took her hand, “Okay, I promise I will not ask any question but just answer me one thing, we are not going to do anything stupid?”
She shook her head with a small grin.
“Really?” he turned to her asking laughing. She rolled her eyes, “Yeah, I used to be afraid of dark and when I heard ghost stories, I used to get fever and couldn’t sleep”
“So, you want to experience that again?”
“No, I want to overcome that” she said walking ahead. He said, “Just don’t faint. You remember last time when I tried to get you in the dark closet of Kay’s house”
“That was only time” she said loudly turning half-way. As they entered the dark room, she had her whole body shaking. He squeezed her hand firmly and said, “Just relax and remember it is just a room filled with cartoons.”
“Hmm” she said biting her lips. When the first ghost dressed in white floated in, she wrapped herself around his arm like a little girl. He took her in arms saying, “It is fine”
Another one dressed in devil crawled in and tried pulling her leg. She started screaming, “Get it off…It is pulling my leg”
He made her walk ahead. Then, they heard her noise say, “Come to me”
He covered her ears with his hands and pushed her ahead. She started walking ahead with her hands getting sweaty and her legs shaking. She was about to faint when he held her by waist saying, “Relax sweetie”
She replied, “I am not your sweetie. We are not a couple anymore”
A monster dressed in lizard skin came up to her and held her hand, “I am not going to let you go”
She narrowed her eyes, “Oh, quit the act. You look like dork”
She walked ahead and insulted every other ghost that came up. When she stepped out of the Haunted House, he said laughing, “You made it out”
She swirled on her heels to look at him. He had a big smile on his face which made her think. Going over everything, she smiled, “I did it”
She hugged him tightly saying, “I did it. I made out without fainting”
He nodded and hugged her tightly. Something in her made her pull back. Tossing her hair at back, she took out her notebook and ticked off. He asked, “Now what?”
She walked ahead keeping her head high. He remarked, “I am proud of you”
“Thank you for what you did” she replied.
They were walking down the park. He had his hands in pockets. She hopped in front of him saying, “Let’s go”
He raised his brows, “But it is closed”
By the time he said that, she had already started climbing the fence. He looked around for guard. She was standing on the other side with her hands on her hips, “Come on, or I am going alone”
He started climbing the fence saying, “It is trespassing”
When he jumped on ground, he said, “If we get arrested for this, it is your fault”
She shrugged and jogged towards the pond. When they reached the pond, she took out bread crumbs from her bag. He told, “But we are not allowed to feed ducks”
“You never wondered why I was little uncomfortable when we came here and wherever there were birds”
He shook his head, “Never thought that much”
“See you never cared for me. Whatever….so I am going to feed them and go near to them because no one is looking”
She went on her knees and ducks came quacking to her. She was taken aback when they pecked on her hand. When they got little scared, she moved closer and they started eating again. He smiled when she gazed at him with a smile.
He never thought her smile would be this beautiful. She motioned him to come. He came up to them and did the same.
He asked, “I have questions, may I?”
She nodded, “Only one”
He settled on the ground, his elbows on his knees saying, “When we were together, we were good. What went wrong?”
She was silent. Looking at the ducks running back, she smiled, “Nothing went wrong. We just….we were wrong for each other”
He took her hand, “Two wrongs make right”
She pulled it back, “No, two wrongs make wrong life”
Jumping back on her feet, she said, “Let’s go. Guard can come to check any minute”
He got on his feet, “Hey, please talk to me”
She said irritated, “We have talked. We did. I can’t do that anymore. If you are here to have me back, you can’t. You can leave if you want”
He shook his head, “No, I am not here for anything”
“Then, why are you here with me?”
He stepped closer, “Because I wanted to spend this night with you. We met today”
She went numb. She never thought what day was today. But today was the only day, she got off. She needed to make use of this day. Her last stop was his house but when he tagged along, she was happier than ever. Controlling her tears, she said, “Sorry, I don’t remember irrelevant dates”
Grabbing her bag, she said, “I am leaving. You want to come?”
He nodded following her.
“A tattoo?” he asked “Have you lost your mind now?”
She rolled her eyes and stepped in the tattoo parlor. A bell rang when they entered. A guy with a big lion on his arm and neck covered in symbols, came up to them asking, “How may I help you?”
She hopped forward, “I want a tattoo”
He nodded and went in after saying, “I’ll get my book to choose from”
When he went in, she said, “You have just one job. Hold me. If I want to run, make me do it. Don’t let me back out on this”
He nodded. They went inside a small room where she started screaming when needle drew the symbol of bravery from her favorite book ‘Divergent’ on her arm. When it was finished, her tears had dried up because she got used to of the pain. She stood on her feet smiling, “I am extremely sorry for scaring you and screaming in your ears”
She prepared to leave after the tattoo artist had given her the tips. He stepped forward saying, “I also want a tattoo”
She turned to him surprised. He continued, “Can you tattoo the name ‘Kaira’ on my heart?”
Tattoo artist asked, “Who is Kaira?”
He pointed at her saying, “She is”
She shook her head, “He is going crazy. He doesn’t want a tattoo…definitely not this”
He looked at her with anger in his eyes, “I’ll get a tattoo and I’ll get whatever I want”
Tattoo artist said, “It is not new. Boyfriends usually get their girlfriends’ names tattooed”
She replied, “But I am not his girlfriend. I am his ex”
She faced him saying, “Austin, you will not get a girl if you had your ex’s name tattooed on your arm”
He narrowed his eyes, “Why do you care?”
He went and sat next to tattoo artist. He bit his lip when needle touched his skin. She walked out of the tattoo parlor in anger. When tattoo artist finished, he paid and rushed out to find her sitting on the pavement.
It was dark on street. He sat next to her. He can hear her sobbing. She looked up sniffing, “Why?”
He replied, “If you don’t tell me the real reason you broke up with me, I can’t tell you why I did that”
She started playing with the ring in her finger, “I broke up with you because I loved you”
He was confused, “That is the most illogical thing. When you love someone, you stay with them not leave them”
She sighed, “Well, if you want them to move on, you have to let them go”
She took out the small notebook from her bag and gave it to him. He saw…
- Acrophobia
- Ornithophobia
- Trypanophobia
- Nyctophobia
- Claustrophobia
- Phasmophobia
- Caulrophobia
Philophobia
He looked up at her. She was watching the other side of street, staring in dark, “I wanted to overcome my fears. I just had today. I…just wanted to do everything today”
He asked, “Why today?”
She replied, “I am dying Austin and I want to die overcoming my fears.”
He was stunned. She chuckled, “I had perfect life. I had you and everyone but when I got the reports, I couldn’t stand being the reason for tears. I know you all would have that sympathy look which makes me sick in gut. So, yeah I broke up with you on a trivial reason but I never wanted you to cry after me. I wanted you to hate me”
He hugged her saying, “If you would have killed me, I wouldn’t have hated you even after that. I just wanted answers. Now that I have them, I love you ever more”
She gazed up with tears streaming down her face, “No, I don’t allow that. You have to hate or unlove me…”
He laughed, “Unlove you? I don’t think there is a word like that. Also, falling for you was the most logical thing I ever did. Now, tell me what is actually going on”
She put her hair at back of her ears saying, “I resigned from my job. I am getting admitted in hospital tomorrow morning…”
She glanced at her watch, “Technically, today. So, I need to finish my list before that”
He asked, “What is left now?”
She smiled, “Philophobia”
He asked, “What is it?”
She replied, “It is the fear of love”
He laughed cupping her face, “Then, let me help you with that”
He kissed her after he ticked off the fear from her list.
Next day, Austin took her to hospital and stood by her on every step. Sadly, she couldn’t survive but her memories stayed with her forever. He got her tattoo on his wrist to remind him how brave she was.
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