0.3 Gondola Ride with Him
"Found it," Ariana said with a smile.
The seats in the lift were made of wood and at the edge of the seats, there was a small and almost unnoticeable engraving that looked a bit old. Ariana ran her hands over it with a wistful smile.
Jared leaned forward to take a closer look at the engravings. It read three letters, M, A, and D with small hearts in between the letters.
"You did that?"
"Yap, about seventeen years ago if I'm not mistaken, the last time I came here with my family," she nodded.
"I should sue you for vandalizing my property," Jared said with a light tone.
"Shoot, why didn't ten-year-old me know the law?" Ariana joked and they laughed lightly.
Ariana sat on the chair and turned her face towards the view outside. She could see the large white ground underneath her with the skating course scattered around the place and the lights that were hanging all over the place.
She could even see the city from here to some extent and the scenery was so serene that she couldn't help but sigh in tranquility, without knowing that the man sitting with her couldn't take his eyes off her.
He was captivated by her beauty, her smile, and the look of excitement at something so little. Who still gets so excited by a Gondola lift at this age?
But she looked like she was having the time of her life, she was enjoying it as though it was going to be the last time ever.
The comfortable silence sank into the air for a while before Jared decided to break it gently.
"Can I ask a question?" Jared started.
"You already did," Ariana snickered.
"Another question. Why were you so adamant about getting on the lift? You seemed very worked up earlier,"
"Well, partially because I am utterly stubborn," she scrunched her face which made Jared's heart skip a beat at her cute face.
"But also because I had to get on the ride today, I wanted to see this place again and be reminded of the happy times. I wanted to come here for the last time and I just had to do it whether you shut the place down or not," she answered.
"And if I didn't let you in, then what would you have done?" Jared asked.
"Then I would have broken in after you guys had left," she said with a straight face.
"You wouldn't…" Ariana gave him a face that made him realize that she was capable of doing that.
"And again, you keep saying you won't be here next year, are you traveling or leaving the country?" he asked.
"No, I am not traveling," Ariana shook her head.
"I won't be alive by then, I have less than six months to live," she stated something so heavy without a single emotion on her face.
Jared paused for a while, trying to comprehend what she had just told him.
"I see," he muttered.
"You see? Really? Is that your reaction?" She raised an eyebrow.
"What?" Jared frowned.
"I mean, when I say something like that most people show pity and say a few empty words, some even run away like I am contagious or something, but you...you just replied without a flinch, almost as though you understand…" Ariana furrowed her eyebrows.
"My words or reaction wouldn't change a thing," he said simply.
"That's true," Ariana nodded.
"Another question," Jared said again.
"Good God, I asked for a Gondola ride, not a fudging interrogation," Ariana snapped.
"Sorry, I'm sorry, I just-Sorry," Jared apologized immediately.
"It's okay, ask but that's the last one," Ariana smiled slightly.
She was enjoying his company more than she had expected.
"May I know your name?"
"Oh, Ariana, Ariana Jatropesh," she said.
"That sounds...familiar," Jared mused.
He was sure he had heard of that name from somewhere so he tried to recollect where.
"I get that a lot,"
"Wait, Jatropesh? Are you Ariana Jatropesh of Gold's Foundation?" Jared asked with widened eyes.
"Ah, I never meant to be famous," she said with an air of pride.
"Why-Why would a Jatropesh be in the Antiano's ice rink? Is that pure naivety or a very smart business strategy?" He asked.
"What? We're business rivals, but that doesn't mean I can't acknowledge the fact that your ice rink Gondola lift is hella awesome," she said as her eyes sparkled.
"You're one weird case," Jared shook his head in astonishment.
"I take that as a compliment," she smiled.
The lift paused to a stop as it got back to the station and the doors were opened for them to step out.
"Thank you for the ride, I had a great time," Ariana said as they walked out of the building.
"It's nothing," Jared shook his head with a smile of his.
"Do you want me-"
Jared was about to offer to drive her home when a red Lamborghini moved into the driveway.
"Oops, that's my ride. By the way, the Gondola was worth the fight of earlier and sorry for the curses," she smiled sheepishly at the guard outside whom she had vandalized his eardrum.
"Alright, gotta go, bye," she waved and turned to leave.
"Hey, um-" Jared fidgeted.
"Yeah?" Ariana looked up at him.
"N-Nothing, have a safe ride back home," he smiled.
"Thanks," she nodded and walked into the car before it drove off and out of the building.
Jared didn't know he stood in the same position, watching the red car until it was finally out of sight.
He could still hear his heart pounding when he recalled her crystal clear laugh which seemed to go higher as she got amused.
He wanted to tell her that he had ridden on the Gondola lift times without number but the ride with her seemed much more beautiful than any other one.
A small smile passed his lips.
Could it be he had fallen in love at first sight?