[A/N: story uses their Chinese names]

Looking up...               Blue sky

Looking down...          Metallic tracks

Up...                            Cool breeze on blue plush

Down...                       Rusted hinges and dirty sand

Up...                            Eyes open to a blue blur

Down...                       Glints of shaky-cam silver

    Screams

    Laughter

    Pressure on my knuckles

           A strong, warm hand over mine

I try to look to my right but all I see is a jittery jumble of pearly teeth and blackest of black hair.

My heart was in my throat when we faced the metal track below, and then in my gut when we looked skyward. Even so, I smiled to myself. Niu Nai's hand was tightly wrapped over mine. I didn't care about the scenery.

When the rocking became more of a light sway, I again looked to the girl seated next to me. She faced forward but I could see curled at the corner from laughing. As her nervous laughter yielded a calmer adrenaline-boosted grin, she turned to face me. Her white smile always seemed to knock the wind out of me. I was a masochist, getting on a carnival ride like this when my heart already beat so fast just by looking at my friend.

The Pirate Ship finally came to a halt and we stumbled out dizzily among loud and chattering young adults. Before I completely regained my balance, Niu Nai grabbed my wrist and seemed to be dragging me off through the crowd.

"Can we do the Tilt-a-Whirl next?" she shouted over the background noise. The grin plastered across her face was charmingly child-like. Her eyes were like two glistening chocolate candies melting in the sun. As excited as she was, I needed a break from all the spastic movement.

"Can we take a breather?" I asked.

"You're not going to spew are you?" Niu Nai stuck an accusing finger in my shoulder.

"No. I just need a little break. Let's get a drink?" I suggested.

"Okay, only if we can get cotton-candy too!" I couldn't avoid the smile she always brought to my face. She really was like a big kid.

I bought her purple cotton-candy. She mushed pieces of it between her fingers before consuming it. I watched her cherubic face chomp it down as I sipped my cherry slush. A cool breeze ruffled through the tips of her hair. Just watching the strands of hair flit back and forth sent my heart a-flutter. I couldn't tell if she liked me the same way. Sometimes she seemed flirtatious and sometimes she'd touch me like she had in the Pirate Ship. On the other hand, she also sometimes seemed like she only liked me as her "bro". I wished she'd make a more obvious move because I was embarrassed to do so myself, thinking I'd misinterpreted her cues. If they weren't cues at all, I'd look pretty stupid.

"Zhe Qiao, do you want some?" Niu Nai was aiming her purple fluff at me. I tugged off a piece and let it melt on my tongue. It was sickly sweet but married the flavor of my slush perfectly.

When our snacks were finished, we lined up at the Tilt-a-Whirl. I loved it when she led me by the hand each time the line moved up a foot or two. Friendly or romantic? These were moments I wished she'd be more clear.

She was so cute when we sat down in the curved shell of the red