“Can I get you anything? A soda? A valium?” he joked.
She smiled weakly, her complexion ashen. “No, thank you. I’ll be alright in a few minutes if I just sit here.” Eyeing the next batch of riders climbing into the roller coaster’s cars, she added, “They certainly got the name right. On both counts.”
“I’m really sorry, Hannah. Most kids our age like to be scared.”
“They do? I find walking out of Granny Faye’s house every day terrifying enough.”
“Yeah, I forgot how new everything still is to you. All of it must be scary.” Now he felt really stupid. He’d wanted to put her in a good mood because there was something important he needed to ask her. So much for that idea. As it was, he’d have to spend the rest of the evening trying to calm her down. Just as his own mood began to spiral, a new thought struck him. “I’ve got it!”
“What?”
“A ride I know you’ll really like.” He checked his watch. “Especially now.”
“No more rides, Zach. Please,” she implored.
He sprang to his feet and held out his hand. “Just one more. I guarantee you’ll love it.”
“Alright.” She sighed and stood up. “But remember that we have to be leaving soon. I promised Granny Faye we’d be home by eleven.”
“We will be,” he assured her. “C’mon.” He led her away from the roller coaster and down a short avenue. Looking toward their destination, he added, “Great, there’s no line.” He tugged at her hand to quicken her pace.
Hannah’s eyes traveled upward, studying the wooden structure looming ahead. “What is this?”
“It’s called a Ferris Wheel, and it moves really slow. Just goes around in a big circle but when you’re near the top of the wheel, you get a fantastic view of the whole park.”
“That doesn’t sound too bad,” she observed cautiously.
“It’s great. Get in.”
They sat down in one of the cars and Zach pulled the safety bar across them both. “See, you can’t fall out.”
She tested the bar’s sturdiness before nodding uncertainly.
Their car moved up a few feet as the next group of passengers was loaded. Then up a few more feet. Each time they moved, Hannah gasped and clutched the bar. Several minutes later, the wheel began to revolve.
“Oh, my!” the girl exclaimed at the sensation of being lifted in the air.
When they reached the apex, the wheel paused, giving the couple a panoramic view of the park and surrounding countryside.
“You’re right. You can see everything from here,” Hannah agreed. Her voice held a note of wonder. “All the lights twinkling. Like stars that fell on the ground. It’s beautiful.”
“That’s not all. Look over there.” Zach pointed to the left where fireworks were shooting up into the night sky.
“Amazing!” the girl exclaimed. “I’ve never seen real fireworks before though I read about Fourth of July at school.”
“People put on fireworks displays for all sorts of reasons and not just in July. They do this show right before the park closes every night. That’s why I wanted us to ride the Ferris Wheel. So you could see the light show from up here.”
“That was very considerate of you, Zach.” She reached out and squeezed his hand.
One moment of encouragement was all he needed. Now was the time to ask her.
“Um, Hannah, I got you something.” He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small velvet jewelry box.
She eyed it curiously.
He opened the lid and held out the box for her to see its contents. “It’s a Promise Ring.”
Taking the ring out of its container, she tilted her head to study it. The design was simple. A band of silver twisted into a double looped knot at the front. Each loop was studded with diamond chips. She transferred her attention from the ring to Zach. Peering at him in the glow of the fireworks, she asked, “What does it mean?”
Zach paled at the direct question but forged ahead. “It can mean lots of different things. It’s a kind of pledge. Like for instance when two people promise to be friends forever.” Then he added in a rush, “Or sometimes it means a couple is an item.”
“An item?” she repeated. “I haven’t heard that term before.”
“It’s no big deal.” He tried to sound nonchalant. “It just means they agree not to date other people, only each other.”
“Why would they do that?” she asked, scrutinizing the ring in the darkness but not slipping it on.
“Because... uh... maybe... I don’t know!” he finally exclaimed in frustration. “Because a guy might think that the girl he likes is getting hit on by too many other guys and this is a way to make all the other guys back off.”
“So, it’s like an engagement ring?”
“Engagement!” he squeaked. “Who said anything about engagement?”
“Well, it’s the same idea, isn’t it? A couple plights their troth to one another.”
“Hey, I’m not plighting anything here, alright. It’s just a silly ring.”
Her eyes narrowed slightly. “But the meaning behind it is the same. You don’t want me to date other boys.”
“Well, yeah,” he finally admitted.
Hannah gave an exasperated sigh. “Zachary, you must know I’m very fond of you, but I’ve only just begun to move about in your world. Everything is new and frightening and wonderful to me. I’m free to meet all sorts of different people. Some of them are going to be boys. Some of them may want to date me, and I may want to say ‘yes’ just so I’ll know what it feels like to date someone besides you. You’ve spent months and months teaching me the ways of your world so I’ll find my place in it. After all that effort, why would you want to keep me from dating like a normal teenage girl?” Her eyes flew open wide with dawning recognition. “You’re afraid I might like somebody better than you!”
“Afraid? I’m not afraid.” He forced a laugh.
For the first time since they’d known
