[Chapter Three]

It wasn't long before the pair was so overwhelmed with joy and fatigue that they stopped for food and took a seat on a wooden bench outlooking the water. A beautiful view, and Edward thought it was a shame Koda couldn't see it.

 

"Alley-o!~" Edwas said playfully as he handed her a large ice cream cone. She gripped the cone firmly and turned her head towards him. "Thank you!" she smiled before placing her tounge to the already-melting scoop. She surpressed a loud giggle. "Oooh!!" she gasped, her cheeks turning a beautiful rose, "Mint!! How wondeful! Why, I haven't had mint for years!"

 

Edward smiled. "I figured you'd like it."

 

Koda didn't waste any time. She stuffed the cone in her mouth and took a big bite out of it. She swallowed, then moaned in pain as the icy-flavour shot itself up her spine and pooled in the crevices of her brain.

 

Edward laughed. "Brainfreeze!" he shouted, as if she didn't know.

 

She laughs, and he smiles at her.

 

Edward looked at his own ice cream as Koda mumbled swears under her breath due to the pain in her head.

 

Say it now, hurry! Before it's too late!!

 

"Koda..." he began, and she looked over in his general direction. "Hmm?" she breathed.

 

"It's just....I wanted to say something...."

"What?"

 

Edward blushed, taking a nervous lick of his food. "Uh...well um...you see I....um..." he gulped, too nervous to continue. Koda waited patiently for him to catch his breath. He found it hard to believe that she couldn't hear how hard his heart was beating, or smell the sweat beading up under his arms.

 

"Ed?"

"H-Hang on! Lemme finish!" he snapped, licking his ice cream again.

 

Koda sat patiently, pushing some hair behind her ear and licking what was left of her food. Edward felt his knees go weak, even though he was sitting down. He shut his eyes tight and swallowed the lump in his throat. "Well you see...what would you say if...." he began, but the words got caught and he couldn't say anymore.

 

"Hmm?"

 

He took a bite of his ice cream, then threw the rest in the nearby garbage can. A small child looked at him in horror, as if what he'd done was the worst possible sin to commit.

 

"Koda, I--" he tried again, but his face grew too red and the words were just too hard to say. He slid his hands into his jean pockets. "Yknow what? Forget it. It's not important."

 

Koda's lips bowed, showing dissaproval. "Well, okay...but if you want to tell me later--"

 

"Yeah yeah," he said, sighing and playfully punching her arm. She giggled, then finished off the rest of her ice cream and handed him the cone. "You eat it," she said, "I don't like these."

 

He grinned, not saying that he didn't like them either. He wondered why he hadn't known that she didn't like them. Then again, they didn't usually eat sweets together. They weren't usually in the mood for sweets.

 

"So," Koda began, leaning back and stretching out her legs, "School starts tomorrow." Edward leaned forward, putting his face in his hands. "Noooo don't say that! You're gonna give me an ulcer!" he said, and they both got a laugh out of it.

 

Koda took in a deep breath. "Wow, senior year...think it's gonna be hard?" she asked. Edward shook his head. "Nah, as long as we pay attention and get our work in, it'll be alright. Besides, we got each other don't we?" he took her hand and held it in his own. "I'll help you study as best I can!"

 

"As best you can?"

"Well, the school gives you those fancy braille textbooks..."

"They're the same thing as yours, just with bumps is all."

 

Edward nodded, squeezing her hand tight. "Well then, in that case, I'll help you study! We'll both ace those college exams, and we'll get to the University I promise!"

 

Koda smiled, remembering such a fragmented promise. Both of them had their heart set on going to Boston University, as both had similar career interests. Therefore, they promised to help the other one study hard, and they'd both go to the University together.

 

She had her doubts, considering that she knew very well that braille was harder to understand than words on paper. But she didn't care, no matter what she wasn't going to take off the bandages.

 

There was just too much she didn't want to see.

 

Edward gripped her hand, snapping her out of her trance. "Right now, let's enjoy the rest of the carnival! There's still so many games we haven't played, and prizes we haven't won!"

 

Koda laughed. "You still have room?" she asked, hinting about the tiger.

 

"I always have room for prizes! Don't you?"

"Of course! But uh...I dont want too much to carry."

 

"Understandable." He stood up, tucking the tiger under his arm. "C'mon, lets go!" With that, he took her hand and began to walk through the crowds of people huddled near the gaming booths.

 

Koda paused in pace. "How about a ride?" she asked.

 

"Hmm?"

"A ride. Let's go on a ride. We've only played games."

 

Edward looked around. Most of these rides weren't something Koda could be on (or something she liked).

 

"I don't see anything good."
"Tell me what you see."

 

One by one he listed off the rides (excluding some, because he himself was scared of them but didn't DARE say that aloud) and each time Koda's nose wrinkled in dissaproval. 

 

Eventually he ran out of rides, and Koda sighed. "Hmm nothing good eh?" she said, the dissapointment obivous. Suddenly, she stood up straight. "Ahh! The Ferris Wheel!" she said, turning towards him. "They ALWAYS have the Ferris Wheel! Can we go on that? Oh pleasssseee?" she begged.

 

Edward face grew dim. The Ferris Wheel was one of the rides he excluded due to his fear of heights. He sighed, trying not to sound scared but was desperate for an excuse. "Well uh...erm..." he suddenly came up with an idea. "I think I ate my ice cream too fast, because I don't feel so great--"

 

"You didn't each much. I heard you throw it away."

 

Caught! "Well um...I..."

"Do you just not want to?"

"Um....yeah I'm all set."

 

She smiled, still chipper. "Alright! Maybe some other time," she said, letting his hands go and stretching. "Ahh I'm even getting kinda tired."

"Wanna head back?" Edward asked, suddenly also feeling like he had no energy.

 

Koda shook her head, but then thought twice about it. "Well, I mean, we still have so much daylight left...right?"

 

Edward glanced at his watch. "Well yeah, it's only 11:30. But we can always leave and come back later. Maybe go somewhere for lunch, or..." he said trailing off when he noticed he was blushing. It was times like this he was glad Koda couldn't see him.

 

"No," Koda said, "Lets go back to my house. Momma will make something for us." She smiled. "We had roast last night."

 

"Oh, I love Danielle's roast!"

"Hee, I knew you'd like that! We can throw it in the oven and make some sandwiches!"

Edward grinned. "Yeah! Lets do it!"

 

He squeezed her hand and made sure they both had their prizes before taking off in the direction of her home.

 

He looked back at her. So innocent and carefree, but with a world she allowed no one to penetrate. He was just so curious as to who Koda really was. He wanted to know the Koda no one knew.

 

Maybe thats why he found it so easy to....

 

 

 

 

Reviews

[Keevan]

"So," Koda began, leaning back and stretching out her legs, "School starts tomorrow." Edward leaned forward, putting his face in his hands. "Noooo don't say that! You're gonna give me an ulcer!" TOTAL Kingdom Hearts II line lol! I remember Hayner saying that about school! XD

PLEEEASE POST THE NEXT CHAPTER SOON DESU

[Angie Diane♥&hea..]

I loved the cliffhanger! BUT GRR why did you leave it at a cliffhanger! I love Edward and Koda together. It is amazing relationship! Grr he should have been able to say what he needed to say. I can't wait to read on. Thanks for sharing. :3