hapter 50
Logan
The beach stretched out before us, endless and calming, as Emily and I walked side by side. The day had unfolded like a storybook, but not the typical prince and princess fairytale.
It was one where I wasn’t sure whether I was the hero or the villain She had been so open with me that day, more than I had ever expected. The orphanage, her cause, was all so deeply person to her, and yet she had let me in. Even though I didn’t fully understand what I was walking into, It still felt like a connection.
Now, we were alone together, and it felt like we were in a bubble, the world quiet around us. It had been a while since I had felt. this calm. I was surrounded by the sound of the waves and the distt Inn of life around us, but here, walking side by side with her, there was nothing but the occasional quiet sound of our footsteps in the sand
Emily glanced at me with a small smile, the breeze rattling her hat Her eyes had this light in them now, not the heaviness they sometimes carried. She had been talking, mostly about the orphanage, the kids, and her vision for thern. Underneath her words, I could feel something else, something unspoken.
“What’s going through your mind?” she asked suddenly.
“Nothing,” Thad answered because that was easier than admitting everything
She had raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. “Right. Nothing.”
“Okay,” I corrected myself. “I was thinking about how you have actually been guarded with me. Today, you let me in.
A light sparked in her eyes, and she had looked away for a second, her gaze lost in the horizon. “I wanted you to see what’s important to me.”
I had nodded, silently acknowledging how much I appreciated it. “I do. I wish I had your trust earlier.” I’d lost her trust in me for a moment. It felt like a strong step forward now.
“Well, you earned it,” she had said, glancing back at me, and there had been something in her eyes that almost made my chest tighten.
Before I could respond, she had stopped in her tracks, her gaze fixed on something up ahead. I had followed her line of sight and spotted a glowing ferris wheel in the distance, its lights shimmering in the evening dusk.
“Look, a carnival,” she said, excitement creeping into her voice. “Let’s go!”
I had started to protest, to say that we didn’t need to keep doing things like this, the dates for the sake of our contract, but I stopped myself. Instead, I gave her a small smirk.
“I didn’t realize you were the carnival type.”
Her eyes had flashed with a teasing gleam. “I’m full of surprises.”
For the rest of the walk, I couldn’t help but think that she was right
The camival was vibrant and filled with flashing lights, music, and the scent of fried food. It was crowded, but in a way that felt cozy, like we’d stepped into a world where nothing mattered but the next ride or snack.
Emily had looked like she was having the time of her life, darting between booths, grabbing food, and pulling me along by the hand whenever something had caught her eye.
“Come on!” she had urged as she tugged me toward a stand selling funnel cakes. “It’s not a true trip to the carnival without funnel cake!” TH
I shook my head. I’d never seen her so excited. I’d never seen her smile like that.
I couldn’t resist the smile on her face, so I bought us a powdered sugar covered stack of fried dough for us to share. We walked
+25 BONUS
away from the stand, laughing as we both took exaggerated bites was stupidly sweet, but it had made her happy.
That was enough to keep me there, in the moment. Her laughter g in my ears, and it felt like we were two kids, free from all of our responsibilities.
“We should do this more,” she said, between bites, wiping sugar from her mouth.
I was already starting to think about how complicated everything was going to get, about how I couldn’t let myself fall into this, but I had pushed the thought aside. For tonight, I’d focus on what was right in front of me.
Emily.
We made our way to the Ferris wheel, and as we approached, felt the tension in the air shift. It was different now. It was the kind of date that made my pulse race, and not because of the rollercoaster of emotions I was riding with her.
2/2
