The Tribute (an Aiko Story)

 13/25

The park was crowded with people. The carnival was in town and the meadows were littered with fairground rides. Aiko spotted Liza by the carousel holding a big stick of pink candyfloss and skipped over to meet her friend, her pace only slowing at the sight of Liza's boyfriend, Jay, in tow. Still, Aiko smiled warmly and took a handful of the cotton candy. Liza's hand snapped to her wrist and something unsaid passed between the two girls. The balled up cotton candy blew away on the breeze.

“Do you see?” Liza grinned and pulled Aiko's attention towards the carousel. A single figure clung to one of the colourful horses on the otherwise empty ride. The creature was dressed in an extravagant lolita dress and a huge pink wig hung over a clearly sweating brow. “Do you recognise him?” Liza asked. “Not the boy himself – he was just someone I spotted taking cotton candy from little kids so I allowed him to 'steal' some from me. I mean the tableau. It is one of yours – from back in Japan. I saw it on your blog. You tricked a boy into stealing your candy on Valentines Day and put him on a carousel. Now, I have done it too – just for you!”

“For me?” Aiko gave a rare blush. She remember the boy back in Japan well – Rob. Seeing the new boy riding the horse, clearly in the throes of candy addiction brought back a wave of happy memories. “Oh, Liza...” she whispered and embraced her friend in a tight hug.

Carter watched the scene from his mount – his thighs trembling around the plastic saddle. He had already debased himself letting that girl powder him and stuff him into this ridiculous dress for another taste of that candy but he was sweating again – craving again. He feared what he would have to do next.

He didn't recognise the Japanese girl but her arrival couldn't be good. Two tormentors was surely worse than one. He just didn't understand why he had been singled out for such torture. He was a volunteer for crying out loud. Just taking tickets and stamping kids hands so they could go on the rides. That guy with the girl who had dressed him had demanded a freebee and he had politely explained the money was for charity. Then the girl had smiled sweetly and suggested he tried her charity and offered him some of her candyfloss. Why hadn't he said no? If he had, he wouldn't be in panties right now.

Carter watched the girls hug and found himself hoping the new girl also had candy. He noticed the other boy was also watching them – the one the girl had called Jay. Presumably he was her boyfriend – so then why was he staring so intently at the other girl?