His first parade
1793 Words
*Tabitha*
I have just changed into the ridiculous flower costume I have to dance in today and now I walk into the nearest break room. I stop in my tracks, my mouth kinda popping open at the sight in front of me.
The half n***d man turns at the sound of the door slamming shut, and it only makes the sight even better. My eyes instinctively run over him. It is Birk, the newest Cartoon hero, come to life ... if he was over 190 cm and totally ripped ... holy s**t that is a hot body.
“Oh hi”. He flashes me a brilliant smile. “Sorry for the striptease, but it was too hot with the shirt under the costume”.
“Don't mind me ... I am not complaining”. I feel my cheeks flush slightly. “I mean, it’s totally okay with me”.
He chuckles softly, it’s a very cute sound. I know who he is ... he is that actor, Aiden Lee, but I had no idea that he was this hot. His biceps are huge and his chest bulging over a tight stomach. “Thanks I guess”.
He picks up a tank top and, to my great regret, pulls it on, covering up his body. I breathe in deeply and step over. “Hi I’m Tabitha ... one of your dancing gold coins”.
“You certainly are ... a gold coin I mean”. His eyes quickly scan me, as he takes my hand, shaking it. “Nice to meet you, I am Aiden”.
“I kinda knew, it’s very exciting to have real stars working here”. I try breathing deeply, but I can’t control the way my heart is fluttering.
He is still holding my hand, hiding it completely in two huge hands. “Thank you, even though the two other guys are probably more stars than me”.
“Well you are the only real fairytale prince”. How old is he ? Much older than me I am sure.. but I happen to prefer older men.
“Oh I like you”. He winks at me, making the butterflies erupt in my stomach. “I like you a lot”.
He finally let go of my hands to pull back on his costume. I have no idea what to say, but I am quite sure my heart was just stolen away.
“So how long have you been working here ... in the park ?” He looks at me curiously.
“Well a couple of years, but mostly holidays and weekends”. I breathe in, knowing I have to be honest here. “After the summer I am going back for my last year of highschool”.
And I can see it in his eyes, the realization of my age and the interest instantly dying, turning to pure friendliness. But give me some time.. I can make him forget the age difference. “Oh high school ... So you want to keep working here after school or do you have other plans ?”
“Well.. seems like I am going to be a lawyer”. I try sounding positive about it.. I mean it does sound like an interesting career and everything.. it’s just not my dream.
“You don’t really sound like that is what you want to do”. His warm eyes, looking into mine, like he is reading me. “So what do you want to do ?”
I bite my lip, wondering for a moment if I should tell him this. “I want to be a performer, a dancer mostly”.
“So why don’t you go for it ... follow your dream ?” He sits down on the couch's armrest, looking like he is truly interested.
“It’s not easy”. I weigh my words. “And ... my mom has struggled most of my childhood, being a single parent, working here, she wants me to have an easier life with a better career”.
He nods. “I get why she feels like that ... but you need to go by what you want.. not what your mother wants ... it’s your life and you need to be happy, also five years from now and twenty years from now”.
“You are right”. I sigh. “I ... I just don’t want to disappoint my mom, she has sacrificed a lot for me”.
He gets up, placing a hand on my shoulder, making the butterflies flutter. “Meditate on it ... search your heart ... and you will know what is the right thing for you, your mom will understand”.
“I hope you are right”. So he isn’t only handsome and sexy, he is also smart and kind ... this man can’t be single. “So how do you wife ... ?” He shakes his head. “Girlfriend maybe ... ?” He shakes his head again. “Hmm dog ? No one, who misses you while you are here ?”
He chuckles lightly fiddling with his costume. “I see what you did there ... not too subtle though, but yeah ... no wife, girlfriend or dog waiting at home ... we better get to the parade now”.
*Aiden*
“Sure ... we better yeah”. She walks towards a door. “This way is the shortest”.
I follow her out the door and down a hallway. Admittedly, she is a very pretty girl, and at first I had felt attracted to her, but as I realize she can’t be more than 18 tops, well I see her as a kid basically ... and her ... I guess that was flirting ... It just makes me a bit uncomfortable.
Okay I guess it is flattering to have girls young enough to be my daughter still finding me attractive. But ... Well mostly when it happens I guess it is more about who I am and not me personally.
“Here you go ... your float and your princess”. She makes a motion towards a mechanical float with a ‘The soldier and the magic tinderbox’ theme and my princess already standing up on the front of it.
“Thank you my dear”. It’s kind of a reflex that I take her hand, kissing it. The look she gives me, tells me that maybe I shouldn’t have. Honestly I am not sure I want a love sick teenager on my tail for the next two months.
I get up on the float, introducing myself to the princess, who is very pretty and seems nice, but doesn't speak much English.
A man comes up, attaching a safety belt around my waist, it is locked into a bolt in the floor. “Seriously, I need a leash ?”
“Safety ... the rules require it”. He just says, moving on to make sure that everyone on the floats has a safety leash on.
Finally the parade starts moving, slowly sliding through the gates and out in the park. Tabitha is dancing in front of the float, along with 2 other girls dressed as coins and 3 guys dressed as the magical dogs.
People are standing along the street, watching, yelling, singing along and just looking so happy and excited. I am smiling and waving the best I can. The looks on the kids' faces is definitely worth doing this.
But hearing the kids call out for me … or my character, stretching their arms up towards me. I start feeling trapped up here.. I want to be down there.. meeting them.
I quickly look around, then I unclip the safety leash. The princess looks at me with huge eyes. “You can’t do that ... dangerous”.
“I’ll be okay”. I lean in, kissing her cheek, making the kids yell even louder. Then I walk to the edge. The float is moving so slowly I can jump off, landing easily on my feet.
People gasp and I see that the cast members who are standing by the sides, keeping the crowd away look at each other, like they are wondering what to do, but I just smile at them and walk over to the closest kids.
I am shaking hands, giving high fives and even a hug to a little girl in a wheelchair, who is crying with happiness, almost setting off my water works.
The music, the crowds and the atmosphere.. it just gets in your blood. And without even realizing, I start goofing around, teasing the dogs ... flirting with my princess on the float and when the parade stops for a moment I grab Tabitha and start twirling her around, dancing down the street.
She is giggling and the crowd starts clapping along. When the parade starts moving again, I bow to her and let her go back to her assigned dancing. She really is good, she definitely should pursue dancing.
When I see we are reaching the end, I jump back on the float, waving to the crowd and blowing kisses as we drive out of sight.
Alain, the man in charge of the parade, comes stalking over. “Aiden ... pour diable alors ... you can’t just jump off the float ... the safety is not ...”.
“Relax Alain, It’s okay ... I just want to meet the crowd. I got it under control”. I smile at him.
“You need to follow the ... rules ... yes ? Stay on the float”. He makes large hand gestures towards the float.
I shake my head. “Listen, I want to ...”.
“You were amazing”. I am almost tackled, when Tabitha almost jumps into my arms and I kinda have to catch her. “They adored you ... and you are such a great dancer”.
I gently put her down. “Thank you sweetie”.
Alain sighs very theatrically, then he shakes his head and walks off.
Tabitha laughs softly. “I think you’ll get your way, you seem good at that”.
“So do you”. I give her a small smile, but she ain’t getting it with me. “Gotta run, see you around”.
“Yeah, see you Aiden”. I can feel her eyes on me as I hurry to get changed.
- Writer
