6 Chapter 5: The Carnival

Bernard and Susie had reached the carnival before eight o'clock. They had borrowed Isabella's car because Susie's engine was acting all funny. The carnival looked amazing and chaotic at the same time with all the clowns, rides, food stands and people. The long queues were adequate proof that this carnival was indeed very popular.

Bernard and Susie reached the entrance. There was a clown act going on and Susie knew Bernard was terrified of them, he had spent every childhood birthday party fear-stricken hiding from them. So she told him to close his eyes and run past them.

The first rode the roller coaster fast as a racing car. Then they rode the spinning teacups, three times in a row. It was a good thing that they did not eat anything before the ride because it would have only made them more nauseous. After that dizzy spell, they decided to play a game of darts. While playing, Susie missed every ring and nearly hit the person behind the stand, but Bernard somehow was able to get every ring and won a big, ugly, green dragon with orange eyes. They had so much fun that they continued to venture around the carnival with their new dragon called Sue Sylvester. Soon Bernard's eyes noticed a jewellery stand. The stand had everything from rings to anklets. After a while, Bernard purchased a little necklace.

"Why did you buy that?" Susie asked.

"I bought it for you," Bernard replied.

Bernard gave Susie, the little package. She opened it to see a chain with a silver circle and a heart engraved onto it. Written on it were the words, 'Forever Yours'. Susie stared at the necklace in shock. So, Bernard decided to break the ice.

"Do you like it?"

"Yes," Susie said quickly. "I love it, thank you."

"I thought that it would be perfect for you," he said.

"It is Bernard, I love it."

"Good. And it's also true that it will forever be yours."

"So, I am yours forever."

And they awkwardly hugged each other. But what they didn't know was that even though they were both smiling, they were feeling a jolt of confusion and anxiety. Forever is a very long time and a very long commitment. Is this what they wanted?

Susie was wearing the necklace that Bernard gave her, but now all she had to do was find him. After Bernard had given her the necklace he said that he had to go to the bathroom, but it had already been half an hour since he left. So, Susie got worried. She spoke to a man who had left the bathroom. He told her that Bernard wasn't in there. So, Susie decided to search for him. She searched all the places that they had been to but had no luck in finding him. But Susie, she wasn't sure if she wanted to find him at all. When a girl gets a necklace from her boyfriend saying 'forever yours' on it, she should be jumping in joy. Yet Susie didn't feel like it, she felt... Well, she didn't know what she was feeling, but surely it wasn't something new.

Since last month, Susie had started to question her feelings for Bernard and their relationship. Every time they went out, there was a little change in the way they were around each other like they felt awkward about being in the same room. Also, when they made plans to go out something felt foiled. She thought maybe what she was feeling was just a phase and will probably pass out, but they weren't.

It was almost nine o'clock and Susie still had no idea where Bernard was. So in the end, she gave up and decided to just wander around the carnival.

The carnival still had all the lights on and was packed with people. There were kids in front of every ride except the ferries wheel. So, Susie made her way to it and decided to have a ride alone. She paid the man, went into one of the carriages, shut the door and rested her head against it.

"Hey."

Susie snapped her head around to see Bernard sitting next to her. His arm was propped up on the window of the carriage and his head resting against his hand. He looked like he had been thinking for a long time, but his smile tried to hide.

"Sorry about ditching you back there," apologized Bernard.

"It's okay." She replied.

There was a silence between them. It wasn't the first silence that they had tonight. The Ferris wheel started to move, causing the carriage to rattle a bit, but it couldn't knock Susie from the truth that had been haunting her for the last month. All the awkward moments, all the dreadful dates, all the fake smiles and happy couple act were still there... But she just didn't want to do them with Bernard anymore. This wasn't something that she wanted. She and Bernard had planned everything together, their marriage and kids an entire lifetime together. It's not that she didn't want them, she did, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she didn't want them with Bernard anymore.

And she knew that Bernard didn't want them either. It was time to face the truth which both of them had tried so hard to avoid.

"We don't love each other anymore, do we?" Susie spoke.

"What do you mean? I still love you." Bernard could not even look at her when he said that.

"Don't fibber Bernard."

"No, I don't."

"Then why did you give me this necklace?" She asked.

Now Bernard could not speak... He was lost in his thoughts, trying to find an answer as he knew this time he had to be truthful.

"Because I thought that it would bring us together again," he replied sadly.

"I don't think a necklace can bring us together, Bernard. This is something that was going to happen eventually," Susie said apologetically.

Bernard knew what was coming next. They were only teenagers when they had fallen in love and, in no way were they the same people they'd first fallen in love with. Life didn't work the way they had thought. They had changed so much over the years that their love couldn't survive it. Gerry was right; they did not love each other anymore and now was the time to face it. Bernard had to agree that it was the right time to finish what they had. To part with sweet memories rather than sour.

"We're breaking up, aren't we?" Susie only nodded to his question.

She undid the chain around her neck and gave it back to Bernard.

"Give it to the girl who will be yours forever, Bernard. Because she is out there somewhere, you've just got to find her."

"And you will find your Mr Right out there too."

Maybe our love was not meant to last forever. But I'm glad that I met you.

After that, no more words were said. They shared one last hug and kiss before the Ferris wheel stopped. Susie left the ride while Bernard stayed on and kept looking at the chain. However, before Susie could go home, there was one place she had to go to. The jewellery stand was still open and there was one ring that interested her. It was a silver ring with a flower bud on it. To everyone else, it was an ordinary ring that had a pretty pattern, but to Susie, it had a meaning. The bud and Susie had only one thing in common. It was the fact that they were still growing. Susie still had a lot to learn about life and love. Now she had only learned her first lesson. She had learned to let go of what she thought she wanted. There was still lots to learn.

They were blissfully happy when they first started dating, but the flames of their love burnt out long ago. Only she did not want to admit it. Now she could look forward to what was out there in the world and to the many lessons that she was about to learn. So after losing the love, she realized that nothing good could last forever, but she will always cherish the time that she had spent with Bernard. But now, without him, she would look for what she wanted.

After the carnival, Bernard went home at eleven. He parked his car opened the door and went inside. He saw that Gerry was watching TV. Gerry saw Bernard and asked him, "Bernard, how was your day with your girl?"

"We broke up. It didn't work out," Bernard answered him.

He looked upset and, did not want to talk to anyone. Slowly, he went up to his room. Gerry did not ask him much about it.

As he went up, opened his room and went to change. Gerry called Isabella, but she did not answer the phone. So he too went to sleep.

The next morning, Fiona woke up, made tea for Olivia and herself, and drank it outside on the balcony.

Suddenly, Olivia's phone started ringing. It was Gerry.

"Hi Gerry, Are you coming to school today?"

"Yes, I will tell you something when you come to school, we have a lot to discuss today."

"Alright," said Fiona.

As Fiona drank her tea, Olivia went to her room to take a shower. Later she heard Fiona singing, and told Fiona, "Fiona, you sound so happy today!"

Fiona only smiled at Olivia. Suddenly she heard the doorbell and quickly went down with her bathrobe covering herself.

It was windy. She went to check who was there at the door. As usual, it was Isabella.

Isabella had brought breakfast for Olivia and Fiona. But Fiona was still having a shower. So Isabella packed their breakfast to take it to school with them.

As they reached the school Olivia and Fiona unpacked their books and got ready for class.

Fiona saw Bernard, and said, "Hey Bernard."

Bernard did not say a word; he looked dull and upset. Even when Olivia looked at him, he did not smile.

During a lunch break at noon, Olivia, Fiona, Isabella and Bernard met in the canteen to plan their tour. Soon Olivia came up with something.

"Hey guys, let's go to a Greek Island."

"Why?" Bernard questioned.

There I know of a lodge where we can stay."

The lodge name is D'Andrea mare Beach hotel in Rhodes- Timokreontos, You get all the facilities there. There are a lot of exotic locations nearby that we can visit. We'll click pictures and have loads of fun. Oh, that's nice!" Fiona said.

There was silence as they all looked at each other, and stared at Olivia.

"Hey, guys, what happened? You didn't like the plan or what?" Olivia asked.

"We think we should proceed with this plan," all of them said.

They were all so excited and happy that they were finally going somewhere.

As the class was nearly over, Fiona walked outside and suddenly saw a shadow. But still kept walking, ignoring it. Suddenly the trees started shaking and the clouds were turning grey. A gloomy aura surrounded her. She started panicking and increased her pace and then in the swift breezes, she heard a whisper "Fiona."

She stopped and turned, her body started to shiver. She ran towards the college, stopping in front of the language building. She waited for Isabella to finish her classes. As it was already five, she was hoping Isabella would soon come out.

Seeing Fiona, she went right up to her and asked her, "Fiona, are you okay?"

"Yes, I am. But can you drop me home please?" Fiona asked Isabella and gave a faint smile.

Isabella did not say a word. She only looked at Fiona and thought that there must be something wrong, but did not want to pry.

Isabella asked Fiona to wait. "Fiona, I will bring my car right here. Wait here and don't leave."

"Isabella, please come fast," said Fiona.

As Fiona kept waiting, she did not want to turn around. She knew Jacob was looking at her. Fiona didn't even talk. She ignored and started talking with Isabella and Olivia.

Her hands were numb. But finally, she gathered up the courage to turn around and ask, "Jacob, what do you want?"

"Fiona, I miss you. I want you and I can't stay without you."

Fiona stood still and did not speak a word.

"Fiona, why are you ignoring me?"

"Jacob, please leave me alone."

Fiona got into Isabella's car and she did not say a word more. She knew that Jacob was following her….

She couldn't shake him.