The Unlucky Turn by Mark Twain 257

“Hello?” Callahan’s deep voice came through the receiver.

Leilani pursed her lips and asked softly, “Do you… have time right now?”

There was a pause on the other end, followed by the sound of a chair scraping against the floor.

“I do. What’s wrong?”

“I was thinking…” Leilani paused, her voice growing quieter. “If you’re free today, I’d like to ask you to go to the amusement park.”

The line went quiet for two seconds.

Callahan seemed surprised by the sudden suggestion, a hint of unexpectedness in his tone. “Now?” “Yeah,” Leilani whispered. “Do you… want to go with me?”

This was the first time Leilani had actively asked him out. It just so happened that he was free. When Leilani called him, he was in the middle of packing.

A low chuckle came from the other end of the line, Callahan’s voice deep and gentle. “Okay. Wait for me.”

Twenty minutes later, Callahan’s car pulled up at the entrance of the amusement park.

When he got out, he immediately spotted Leilani standing near the ticket booth. She was wearing a light blue dress today, her hair slightly curled and resting on her shoulders, making her skin look luminous. As the sunlight fell on her, she seemed to glow, looking both cool and radiant.

Callahan’s gaze shifted, and his pace unconsciously quickened.

Hearing footsteps, Leilani turned around. The moment she saw him, the corners of her lips lifted slightly. “You’re here.”

Callahan walked up to her, his gaze lingering on her face for a few seconds. Suddenly, he reached out and gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “You look beautiful today.”

Leilani’s ears burned under his gaze. She awkwardly looked away, not daring to meet his eyes. “…Let’s go. If we wait, it’ll get crowded.”

Callahan chuckled softly. He didn’t tease her further, simply taking her hand and leading her toward the entrance.

The amusement park was buzzing with noise. Colorful balloons and cheerful music interwove to create a lively atmosphere.

Leilani and Callahan walked side by side through the crowd. neither spoke, but their clasped hands never parted.

“What do you want to ride?” Callahan asked, glancing sideways at her.

Leilani looked around, her gaze finally landing on the towering roller coaster in the distance.

18:55

Callahan followed her line of sight and raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah.”

Leilani watched the people screaming on the roller coaster, revealing a rare, childish sense of anticipation as she looked at Callahan.

Callahan found her expression adorable and laughed lightly. “Alright. Let’s do it.”

The roller coaster was always one of the most popular attractions in the park. The line was long, but neither of them felt impatient.

Leilani looked up at the winding tracks and suddenly spoke softly. “I’ve never been on one of these before.”

Neither Leilani nor Callahan had ever been to an amusement park.

Leilani hadn’t gone because she was adopted by a rural couple and grew up in difficult financial circumstances. Aside from school and helping with housework, she never had the opportunity to go out and play.

After returning to the Sloan family, she worked constantly to pay for her tuition and living expenses. An amusement park was something she had never even considered.

Callahan, on the other hand, simply hadn’t gone because he had been mature from a young age and wasn’t interested in such childish thrills. That was why he had been so surprised when Leilani invited him on a date to the amusement park.

Callahan glanced at her. “Scared?”

Leilani shook her head. “I don’t know. That’s why I want to try.”

18:55

admin