Page 54 of Below the Barrel

Maliah and I step out of the van, two camera guys trailing behind us, capturing every moment like we’re some kind of reality TV couple. I take in the scene around the park: brightly coloured stalls, neon lights flickering to life, and the buzz of excited voices filling the air. The scent of pupusas and fried plantains wafts over from the food stands, making my stomach growl.

Maliah’s eyes widen as she takes it all in, her expression caught between wonder and amusement. “I’ve never been on a date somewhere like this,” she says, mostly to herself, but I catch it.

A slow grin creeps onto my face. “You just called it a date.”

Her cheeks flush instantly. “No, I didn’t! I just—” She fumbles, her flustered reaction making her even more adorable.

“You did,” I tease, leaning in a little closer, ignoring the way the cameramen behind us inch closer. “But don’t worry, I’ll make it the best date ever.”

She glares at me playfully, but I can see she’s trying to hide her smile. That blush? Yeah, that’s fuel to my fire. I’m going to make sure tonight is one for the books.

We start wandering through the park, and I slip into full-on carnival boyfriend mode. First stop: the games. I spot a simple ring toss booth and nudge her. “Think you can beat me?”

Her competitive side kicks in, and before I know it, we’re both chucking rings at bottles. I’m aiming with laser focus, but it’s not long before she wins a small stuffed iguana. Maliah holds it up, triumphant, as if she’s just claimed the championship trophy. I pretend to be bitter about it, but seeing her smile that big? Worth the fake defeat.

“Not bad,” I say, giving her a playful nudge. “Now let me show you how it’s done.”

I manage to win her a small cotuza—a stuffed toy resembling the cute little agouti, a rodent native to El Salvador. It’s tiny, but I figure it won’t take up much room in her suitcase. She giggles when I hand it to her, but the look in her eyes tells me she appreciates it more than she’s letting on.

And then she surprises me. “Your turn,” she says, tossing a ring at another booth and, after a few tries, she wins me a stuffed torogoz—El Salvador’s national bird. Its vibrant colours are bright against the fading sunlight.

I take the bird from her outstretched hand, feeling a strange warmth spread through my chest. It’s just a stuffed toy, nothing big. But knowing she put the effort into winning it for me? That’s a different kind of feeling.

“Guess we’re even now,” I say, giving her a grin, though I can’t shake how good it feels to be on the receiving end of something from her. Not just anyone—it’s Maliah.

As we continue through the carnival grounds, my eyes drift to Maliah again, and damn, she’s stunning tonight. She’s got this effortless beauty that just pulls me in without even trying. Herhair, those golden waves, flow down her back and catch the light from the neon signs around us. They move with the breeze, soft and wild all at once, and I have to resist the urge to reach out and run my fingers through them, especially because I know we’re being filmed for the world to see.

She’s wearing a simple but perfect outfit. A white sundress that clings in all the right places and flares out as she walks, giving her that easy, carefree look. The fabric moves with every step she takes, like it was made to be worn in the warmth of this carnival night. Her skin has this golden glow under the sunset, and the contrast of the dress against her tan makes her stand out even more.

But it’s her eyes that get me every time. Those big, blue eyes, brighter than the lights of the park, wide with excitement as she looks around, taking everything in. She’s got this infectious energy tonight, like she’s a kid in a candy story, and it makes her even more beautiful. When she catches me staring, she raises a brow, the corner of her mouth lifting into a smirk.

“What?”

“Nothing,” I lie, because how the hell do I explain that she’s the most beautiful thing I’ve seen all night? Even in this whole vibrant, colourful carnival, it’s her that keeps pulling my attention.

She shakes her head, probably thinking I’m just being weird, but I don’t miss the light pink that dusts her cheeks. That little blush, the way she tries to hide it, makes her even harder to look away from.

As we wander through the park, choosing games to play and passing by food stalls, a feeling of pride settles over me. Everyone around can see her—how amazing she looks—and she’s here with me.

TWENTY

MALIAH | LA LIBERTAD, EL SALVADOR

We’re sitting on a bench,finishing up the last of our food, and I have to admit it’s been a while since I’ve felt this carefree. The air is thick with the scent of grilled meats, sugary churros, and popcorn. I take a bite of my arepa, savouring the crispy outside and the warm, cheesy filling. Koa’s munching on some skewers, his eyes sparkling as we laugh over how competitive we were at the ring toss earlier.

The sun’s starting to dip lower now, casting this warm orange glow over everything. It feels like time’s slowing down, just a little. We talk about the games we’ve played, the ones he won me stuffed animals at, and how he claims to have a secret technique for every single one. I roll my eyes, but it’s hard to hide my smile. There’s something about tonight that feels…different. Almost like we’re tiptoeing closer to something more, but neither of us is ready to call it that and that’s perfectly fine for me.

“Hey,” Koa says, breaking into my thoughts. “Do you want to go on the Ferris wheel? Escape these cameras for a bit?” He nods over to where the wheel is lighting up, colourful lights flashing as it spins slowly in the distance.

I freeze for a second, trying not to let the spike of anxiety show on my face. I hate heights. And that thing looks massive.

“Uh…” I glance at it, then back at him, trying to think of a way to say no without sounding like a loser.

“You scared?” He smirks, raising an eyebrow, like he’s daring me.

“Of course not,” I lie through my teeth. I think I manage to sound casual, but inside, I’m freaking the hell out.

He studies me for a second, his face softening. “It’s okay if you don’t want to go, Princess. But if you’re up for it, I promise we’ll be fine. I’ll be right there with you.” His voice is gentle, reassuring, and somehow that makes it worse.

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