Chapter 124 Enjoying The Day
Mia's POV
I had no idea where Liam was taking me, but honestly, I didn't really care. As long as I was with him, that was already enough for me.
The drive had been going on for quite a while, and after sitting in the same position for so long, I began to shift slightly in my seat because my butt was starting to ache. The road stretched endlessly ahead of us, passing small towns, fields, and quiet roadside stores.
Eventually Liam pulled into a small family restaurant along the road so we could have lunch.
The place was simple and cozy, the kind where travelers stopped to rest before continuing their journey. After eating and stretching our legs for a bit, we got back into the car and continued driving.
I watched the scenery pass by through the window for a while before curiosity finally got the better of me.
"Are we near yet?" I asked, turning toward Liam.
He glanced at me briefly and nodded.
"Yeah," he said. "Just another hour... or maybe less."
My eyes widened immediately.
"One hour?" I repeated, surprised.
Then suddenly a thought popped into my mind.
I slowly turned to look at him again.
"So... you're taking me to Fun City?" I asked.
Liam quickly shook his head, but I could see the way the corner of his mouth twitched slightly. His reaction gave him away immediately.
I narrowed my eyes at him playfully. He had been completely busted. But I decided not to push him.
I didn't want to ruin the surprise he had prepared for me.
Still, my heart was already jumping with excitement at the thought that we might actually be going there.
Fun City was one of my favorite places in the world.
I knew exactly why Liam chose to take me somewhere far away instead of going to the theme parks in the capital. Those places were closer and more convenient, but they were also crowded with people who might recognize him.
Coming all the way here meant we could spend the day without worrying too much about being seen.
It was safer.
After a few seconds of silence, Liam sighed softly.
"It seems like you already figured it out," he admitted with a small smile. "Yes, I'm taking you to a theme park."
He glanced at me nervously.
"I know it might be lame, but I just wanted—"
"Liam," I quickly interrupted him before he could finish.
He looked at me in surprise.
"You have no idea how much I love Fun City," I said excitedly. "Out of all the places you could have taken me, this is actually one of my favorite places."
His eyebrows lifted slightly in curiosity.
"My grandparents on my father's side used to live near Fun City," I continued softly. "When I was younger, I spent almost every summer vacation at their house."
Just remembering those days filled my heart with warmth.
"I stayed there the entire summer," I said with a small smile. "And the thing I loved the most was going to the theme park with them."
My chest tightened slightly.
"I miss my grandma," I added quietly.
Liam gently squeezed my hand.
"I didn't mean to make you sad," he said softly.
I quickly shook my head.
"No," I replied, smiling at him reassuringly. "I'm happy, Liam."
I looked down at our joined hands for a moment.
"I just miss my grandma and my grandpa sometimes," I admitted. "If they were still alive, I..."
My voice trailed off before I could finish the sentence.
Liam's hand tightened around mine gently.
"Hey," he said tenderly. "You can tell me anything, Mia."
I looked at him, and the softness in his eyes made my chest feel warm.
"It's okay if you want to cry," he continued quietly. "I'm here."
I shook my head again and took a slow breath.
"No," I said softly. "I'm not going to cry."
A small smile slowly returned to my face.
"I loved them so much," I continued. "And I have so many wonderful memories with them."
I looked out the window for a moment as those memories filled my mind.
"They made my childhood fun and beautiful," I said gently. "So I don't want to feel sad every time I think about them."
I turned back to Liam and smiled.
"I want to remember them the way they were... laughing with me and taking me to the theme park."
Liam didn't say anything for a moment, but the way he held my hand felt warmer than before. And somehow, knowing he was right beside me made the memories feel even more special.
"Wow!" I breathed the moment we stepped inside the park.
Bright colors surrounded us everywhere. Music played in the background, cheerful and lively, while laughter echoed from different directions. I could see people walking around with balloons, children running excitedly, and the giant rides towering high above the park.
For a moment, I simply stood there, completely overwhelmed by the familiar atmosphere. It felt like stepping back into a beautiful memory.
Liam leaned slightly closer to me.
"We can ride all the rides," he whispered near my ear.
I giggled immediately, the excitement bubbling inside me.
"I don't even know where to start," I admitted, looking around with wide eyes. There were so many rides, so many colorful stalls, and the delicious smell of different snacks filled the air.
Everything looked so fun that I could hardly decide what to do first. Liam watched me with amusement, clearly enjoying my excitement.
"How about we start with cotton candy?" he suggested.
The moment he said that, my face instantly lit up.
"I'd love that!" I said quickly.
He chuckled softly before guiding me toward one of the nearby snack stalls.
The vendor handed us a huge pink cloud of cotton candy, and I couldn't help but laugh as I carefully tore off a fluffy piece and tasted it. The sugary sweetness melted on my tongue, instantly bringing back memories of my childhood visits to this very place.
As we walked around the park, Liam held my hand while I happily ate the cotton candy.
From time to time, he would lean down and steal quick kisses from me, catching me by surprise each time. Every stolen kiss made me laugh even more, my cheeks warming as I playfully pushed him away.
"You're going to make me drop the cotton candy," I teased.
"That would just give me another excuse to buy you more," he replied with a mischievous smile.
We wandered from one attraction to another, riding almost every ride we could find.
The roller coaster made my heart pound as I screamed and laughed at the same time. The spinning rides left me dizzy, while the Ferris wheel gave us a peaceful moment high above the park where we could see the entire place glowing below us.
For the first time in what felt like forever, I laughed freely and it was real and pure. And Liam noticed.
Every time I burst into laughter, he looked at me like it was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard.
Sometimes he laughed with me, and sometimes he simply watched me with a soft smile on his face.
Seeing me happy seemed to make him happy too.
And in that moment, surrounded by lights, laughter, and music, I felt something warm bloom inside my chest.
For a few hours, nothing else mattered. Not the secrets and the risks of being together, not even the future we were both afraid to talk about. All that mattered was that we were there together.
Laughing, holding hands, and enjoying the day like two people who had forgotten the world outside the gates of the theme park.