22
"How old are you again?" I asked Liam.
"Twenty-six. Why?"
I pointed to the sign in front of the building we were standing in front of.
"I think you missed a few words in that sign," I said.
He followed my finger and laughed.
"Just because it's a science center for kids doesn't mean adults can't enjoy it," Liam said.
"What made you think of a science center for our first real date?" I asked. "Not that I'm complaining. I'm sure it'll be fun. But I was expecting something a little more…"
"Adult?" He exaggerated a leer. "X-rated?"
"Mature."
He just grinned.
Once we'd given our tickets to the attendant Liam took a map and tugged me along eagerly.
"Come on," he said. "You're going to love this."
Our first stop was at one of those static electricity orbs that makes your hair stand up on end. Liam took the bullet and stepped up, letting me be the first one to laugh at the other. His long-ish hair stuck out in all directions. I suppressed a grin.
"You look like a lion with a straggly mane," I told him.
When it was my turn, my hair was too long for all of it to properly float in the air like his had, but it was enough to cause a tangled mess. Liam teased me as I grumbled and fought to smooth down the strands afterwards.
Out next stop was what I called The Bubble Room. It was filled with floating bubbles and foam in all manner of shapes and sizes. In the middle of the room stood a foam machine shaped like a cannon that could be let loose on unsuspecting victims. One setup was large enough for a fully grown adult to stand in the middle of a plastic ring and be encased in a bubble the size of their entire body.
We spent a good twenty minutes blowing bubbles at each other and chasing them to pop. Liam blew a handful of foam in my face and I shrieked out loud. I got him back by smacking a handful of cold, wet foam under his shirt and onto his bare skin. I enjoyed his startled jump and high pitched yelp. The two of us made more noise than the kids.
Then there was the crazy perspective room, a room with a giant robot arm you could maneuver yourself, a room with a huge sandbox and wind machine to demonstrate air currents, and more.
I was having more fun than I had in a while. I didn't have to put on a show of being cool, of being self-possessed. I didn't have to be the one to tell others to calm down and act like professional adults. I was able to let loose, to be just like a kid myself.
At one point, I stopped and watched Liam. He was playing with an old time Morse code machine, frantically tapping the buttons with glee as he pretended to send an important message.
My heart swelled in my chest. I hadn't felt this free in years.
I went to him and asked what he was doing.
"Sending Gael a message that there was another dire emergency," he said with a wicked grin.
"We are not sneaking off to have sex in a children's science center." As much as the idea of it sent a thrill down my spine.
We spent nearly three hours hopping from room to room when Liam looked at the time on his phone and slowed us down.
"This place has a lot of exhibits, but there's one in particular I think you'll love," he said. "It's the real reason I brought us here."
Intrigued, I followed as he guided me through the building. He stopped in the middle of a hallway just before we reached a set of double doors.
"Close your eyes," he urged.
"That's putting a lot of faith in someone who tried to smother me with bubbles."
