Rani came to the amusement park alone. A dark-haired slip of a girl in a loose yellow dress, she was swiftly swept away by the current, becoming just another face in the crowd. The strong smell of carnival food made her wrinkle her nose. Perhaps it was too greasy for her tastes.
She drifted toward wherever people gathered. It was not a domain she could enter, yet she clung to the fringes of their world, peering with wide eyes at the rides and games.
A boy won his date a prize. The stuffed animal was handed down to the smiling girlfriend. A child ate an ice cream cone, smearing chocolate across his face. Under the privacy of the boardwalk, a young couple kissed passionately.
Rani's people-watching continued even after she sat down, observing the passerby from a bench along the waterfront. She leaned forward, her hand on her cheek, the glow of electric lights shining in her eyes and warming her pale face.
Of course, she would have to find someone tonight. She couldn't go home hungry. But it was still early, and for now she was content to stay in the margins.