' The most eligible bachelor is taken!'

read the most recent newspaper headlines. It wasn't much of a surprise to Danni. He knew that soon or later , the engagement of his cousin Triston and Asia was going to hit the headlines. He took partial credit for bringing these two together even though it was all planned out by his grandpa , the famous matchmaker of the McCallan family - Haden McCallan. He knew that it was his turn to get married by all the hints his grandpa was throwing into his lap, the way he twistes all the topic to his marriage. Danni was on his way to celebrate the second last day of the year 2017 with his family and the newest addition to it , Asia and her sister Alice, over dinner . Remembering Alice is like a living horror to him. Though she just turned eighteen three days ago, she still held a tight gasp on his charms. Being four years older than her was even more of a disadvantage! She was the only one who could resist his charms and make him go through her way. Their first meet was like a ball thrown straight at his face. She looked like a lost lamb in the den of wolfs during the party hosted by his grandpa for his retirement. Feeling pity , he took his precious time to mingle with her ; walked over, a small tap on her shoulder from behind and the next thing he knew was he was laying on the floor. She threw him off his feet and into the ground and to say he was just embarrassed will be just an understatement. His thoughts came to a halt when the gates to the big mansion opened before him . There, a long lane lead to the front door of the mansion. He could feel the warmth oozing from inside. He parked his car and entered the mansion and walked straight into the dinning room. He could hear the laughing and merry voices inside. He walked inside to see everyone seated at the table, probably sharing embarrassing Stories of new couple he guessed. He greeted his parents and went over to greet his favourite grandparents. His eyes scanned over the table looking for a seat. At that moment he knew, that he was late , too late. The only free seat was next to Alice. Seeing his dreaded expression Alice couldn't help but raise her eyebrows mockingly. Alice was the adopted sister of Asia. Nobody knows the details very well about Alice, just that she is adopted by Asia, lived with her step-parents before and so mad about books. They where her fascination, her escape zone. Somethings are kept locked up in Alice, things that caused her so much pain and misery. Alice was born into a wealthy family, a happy family who upon some business clashes chose to divorce and shared her time living with them equally. Her parents chose to continue their own separate life by jumping onto a marriage respectively they thought was true to its wordings. Sometimes she thinks that she was the only reason why her parents corporated very well with each other during their company duration. All of it came to an end when they died mysterious in a accident and she was left to be taken care off by her step-parents who coincidentally teamed up in the name of "her legal guardians" The poor child was only twelve years old when this happened. She was first relieved by the fact that her step-parents cared for her before she overhead them talking about the assets written off in her name and how it becomes active only after her sixteenth birthday. Lucky for her, Asia was just in time! Since then she has been working as an intern for her own company and trying to found out who caused the accident of her parents. The only clue it led to was a mysterious man known by the Mr. Amusement, a secret partner of the recent project her parents worked with. Its been so long and with the help of Asia she has slowly calmed herself away from revenge. Danni slowly slid into the seat Alice so graciously offered him. Before they could scratch each others throats, the head of the family silenced them all for the prayer. With all of their eyes closed no one noticed the scheming eyes that Danni cast upon Alice. "Look ! Isn't it the rug kitty ? All wet and naughty , sitting innocently on the dinning table after all the things she done to me!" Danni couldn't help but tease her. For all the times they met, he has never seen her wear a dress that too ,a colour as bright as red. Though it looked so good on her he would never give his appreciation. " Oh looks like that knock-out i gave you at the party has damaged your brain and can't function properly anymore. Care to join me for a new session?" She whispered back with a smug. She always felt embarrassed by the way she knocked him out at the party that she ran like hell to her sister and tried to pretend that it never happened. She felt the very same embarrassment when she saw him trying to spoil her sister's date that day, that she whipped him away by his ear to the library without any second throughts. After clearing out the misunderstandings she could say that he made a very good reading companion untill he began to argue with her about the comic book characters. After that , all their meetings end up in insults and clashes yet somehow they always enjoyed it. Slowly everyone opened their eyes and raised their glasses to toast a drink to the new couple and to the new year to begin. But grandpa, the sly fox, had other plans! "Alice, its nice of you to visit this old man after months of nagging! You know that i have been pushing this topic for quite a long time, waiting for you to turn eighteen." Triston and Asia knew what was coming next, everyone seated there knew; once the fox lays his eyes on someone he wouldn't let go till his job is done. Alice felt a cold shiver down her spine. Oh ho, something bad is going to happen! She smiled reluctantly back at him. Danni was amused to see Alice uncomfortable, squirming in the seat, her hands white and pale from holding the table edge tightly. " Asia told me how blant your dating life is. I have found a few blind dates for you tomorrow. Triston, Asia and you and your date can go to the amusement park for a double date." Danni laughed out loud, earning a pinch on his thigh and a death glare from Alice. " I'm sorry, i didn't mean to be rude; but grandpa are you seriously talking about

the Alice

? I don't know who that unlucky man is but i do pity him already" Danni said trying to keep a straight serious face yet failing miserably." And a double date in an amusement park that too at new year's eve? Oh god, i wonder which guy is so miserable to agree to this arrangement?" With a gleaming eyes that said the fish has hooked onto , their grandpa replied, " you all know that Buttler Smith has two sons. One will accompany her during day and the other during night. I think they are both a good match for her!"

Oh no.

Danni thought.

You are wrong about those guys grandpa. Mr. Smith's younger son is about his same age yet a massive playboy who has gotten into countless trouble amd the oder one is already a lot older than the eighteen year old Alice by a good twelve years !

" Don't you think the oldest one is too old for Alice? And Jacob is a cave of troubles." Danni raised his opinions. " And more over amusement park dates are a cliché now. Alice ha-" " Don't worry, its just an introduction for Alice to dating life. You are a partner of Amusement.corp.in so do you think the amusement parks you invest in is stupid idea? Without these cliché dating ideas how do you think you earn your money? Say no more, i have decided it and Alice hasn't rejected it. Danni, tomorrow you need to drop her off at your newest amusement park and pick her up after her date is over. See you after your date dear child, Don't lose my face " From the tone of his grandpa Danni knew that the last part wasn't a request but an order. Poor Alice has no voice to raise. She nodded her head and went along with their plan. The rest of the dinner went as well as it should be and after a few hours of pointless chatters everyone retired to their own respective rooms. ******************** At the break of sunlight , Alice was woken up by Asia, nagging her to get all dressed up for her date which didn't start until 10:00am or so. Very reluctantly, she got to up do her morning business , got dressed up in the floral dress her sister

oh so wisely

chose for amd and walked downstairs to fill her stomach up before that day's events began to unfold. By the time Danni got to the table everyone was already there, waiting for him to join the breakfast occasion. An unfamiliar form was seen sitting at the table; at a close distance he realised that it was Alice. She look different than her normal attire and so innocent than the red one she worn yesterday. Its not an everyday scene to see Alice all dressed up with her hair down to their natural flow. Danni along with Alice drove off behind Triston and Asia after their breakfast which as usual ended with insults thrown at each other. Their ride to the park was unusually quiet. Alice got off the car upon reaching their destination and Danni seeing how uncomfortable she looked offered to stay with her till her date comes. Not long after, grandpa called him to inform that the youngest won't be able to join her for their date and he has to lead her safely to Asia.

Oh so I'm on a babysitting duty? Great

!

He thought. He was conveying the message to her when the oldest one, Jack came running to meet them. " I'm so sorry but I'm a bit busy with some other work so i have to take a rain check on the date . Sorry!" he disappeared as fast as he came after breaking the news to them. Danni looked over to Alice to see her both relieved and disappointed. " What a douche bag, right? You okay? Please dont cry because i don't know what to do if you do." This earned a little giggle from her. " So what next? Do you want me to stay or ....-" He was cut of my her nodding head , indicating no. She tells him that she is gonna enjoy the rest of the day in the amusement park by herself. Seeing that she is firm in her decision, he rode off with his car. Alice tried so hard to keep a straight face after being ghosted on her first date. Not wanting to spoil her sister's date , she slowly dragged her self to a nearby bench and started reading a book she unconsciously brought with her.

Ah a life savior!

At the same time, Danni entered a café to order himself a cup of hot coffee when he saw Jake having another date after taking a rain check on Alice. He couldn't control himself before he hit Jake right in his face for being a douche to Alice. Paying for his own coffee he exited the café and rode back to the amusement park he left her. Upon reaching , he was glad to see her reading a book ,so focused , by a nearby bench. He walked over to her, promising himself that he would give her the time of her life that she won't ever forget, a memorable new year! Alice lost her focus when she saw a shadow blocking the light. She slowly looked up to see Danni and before she could enquire what happened he explained everything that happened in the café and how he promised himself that he would give her the time of her life that she won't ever forget, a memorable new year. Seeing that she herself has no other plans of spending the time she agreed to him and thus their adventure began! After collecting a lot of tickets for the rides, their first stop was the smash bottles counter. Alice won a bubble head while Danni lost very

heroically

to her.

Well in his version anyway.

Next they went over to paint balls, which Danni was really good at. He easily defeated Alice, who was sulking about the fact that he won a giant teddy bear while she won onky a small bubble head. They decided to play all the arcade games till noon which they did and slowly walked over to have lunch with their siblings after depositing all the prizes they won at the safe keeping desk. Though both of them were stubborn to admit it, they enjoyed each other's company very well when they are not throwing a pointless tantrums and insults. So far this is the best type of date they had even though it was not exactly "a date". The real couple and the "so called" couple split up , agreeing to meet them back at the car park. Next, Danni and Alice went over all the other rides such as the rollercoaster and the other anti- gravity rides which was hard for Danni. Danni tried so hard to keep his hold on his stomach but failed miserably after five to seven rides. They then decided to just browse around the food stalls and other land rides, till his stomach could hold its contents in own its own. The time slowly dragged by and by. It was nearly dark, a couple more hours to celebrate new year . They decided to get on the Ferris wheel and invite the other couple to join them. They started queuing up in the long line for the Ferris wheel , slowly chatting and eating street food. They were opening up to each other, the way she shared all her stories of her being fascinated with books , her miserable life with her step-parents and him , sharing his little secrets he never shared with anyone like how he likes to watch rom-coms when he is alone, how he was teased by his classmates for his middle name "fortune", how he was a secret partner amd invester of my amusement parks at the age of sixteen and all that when Alice interrupted him with a question he never expected, " do you know a Mr. Amusement? He was the reason why my parents where killed off in an accident" All the colour drained from his face.

He is Mr. Amusement well, technically he was, but after someone did nasty stuffs behind his sixteen year old's back and used his name to put all the blame on, he erased his identity forever. Looking at Alice he knew that it was time to let this identity go forever.

He was going to confess when the clock struck eleven forty. Alice was confused by the change seen in his face. She was going to enquire what was going on when her sister and her groom to be joined them. They all chatted for a while while Danni stood there silently and after a while walked over to the front informing them he'll be back. The couple didn't take this to their heart but Alice noticed the difference in his behaviour after opening up to him.

Did she say something she shouldn't have? Was she being so open to him that he thinks something else?

Her train of thoughts came to halt when he returned, informing them that he made arrangements to get a stop when the Ferris wheel comes to top exactly at midnight.

10 more minutes to go! It will be over Alice. Control....

The rest of the way to the Ferris wheel, the engagement couple chatted away while Alice gave Danni the silent treatment. Whenever he tried to express his concerns she avoided him so he agreed that it was best to talk to her while they reach the top. Slowly they climbed onto the Ferris wheel but got separated from the other couple. Now its just Danni and Alice. The ride slowly started its journey upward while Alice kept her silence thinking its for the best. Danni couldn't keep it together any longer, he opened uo his concerns. " Alice what's wrong? Please talk to me? " Seeing that she was still silent he walked over to sit opposite to her. He could see tears running down her face. Slowly she said, " i know that you think I'm a disturbance. So its better if we keep our distance from each other" Seeing that she misinterpreted his behaviour he said, " no its my fault . Yiu didn't do anything wrong. I enjoyed our so called babysitting date. Its just that the Mr. Amusement you talked about is actually

Me

. Well i was..-" He started explaining his side of story while she sat there dumbstruck. But after listening to him, she told her full version. Combining the two they understood that he was not at fault but was set up. Clearing the air of misunderstandings between them, they understood that their friendship was much more important. So at exactly twelve , when the clock struck , the Ferris wheel stopped at the top. The view of the city from above was a sight to behold, they looked like a sea of shimmering Stars and to add its beauty, the dance of the fireworks began its play. So there, at the top of the Ferris wheel they started their journey , at exactly twelve am, in the presence of the shimmering sea of city lights and starry night. Danni was happy to know that he somehow made her happy. He could feel some warmth in his cold heart after a very long time, yet failed to recognise it what is was untill their next meetings. Too bad the blooming need wasn't that easily recognised, yet she somehow , at that moment knew that , not only she has fascinations about books now she also has fascination with amusement! At the same time, the grandpa looked up the sky , hoping his plan worked. He knew that the fire has already been ignited but still need some time to spead like wild fire. He then retired to his study room to writer a letter to let Mr. Norton have an update on the ship-

"DAN-CE"

Minna Miriya Cemarajh 1st year b.voc food processing technology St. Teresa's college, Ernakulam