The car ride didn't last forever, but it felt like one of those "something is about to happen" kinds of forever. Ethan driving slowly, and me watching normal cars.. walked calmly pass us.
Ethan didn't say where we were going, I asked him three times.... but he either shakes his head or ignore me quietly.
I tried asking again this time more annoyed.
"Still don't know where we're going."
But he just smiled.
That smug, calm smile.
"…You're enjoying this," I muttered.
"Very much," he replied.
I narrowed my eyes.
"…Annoying."
He glanced at me.
"Still coming with me though."
"…Unfortunately."
He laughed softly.
And I hated how much I liked that sound.
When we finally arrived—
I blinked.
"…Oh."
It wasn't a restaurant.
It wasn't anything fancy.
It was an amusement arcade + night fair mix.
Bright lights everywhere. Game stalls. Music. Food stands. People laughing. Colour everywhere like the night itself was refusing to be quiet.
Ethan stepped out first, opened my door like it was normal.
I got out slowly.
"…This is what you called 'not a restaurant'?"
He nodded.
"Yes."
I looked around.
"…This is chaos."
"Yes."
"…You planned chaos."
He smiled slightly.
"Yes."
I sighed.
"…Of course you did."
The moment we stepped inside—
it got louder.
Alive.
Too alive.
"Food first," Ethan said.
"I agree with that for once," I said immediately.
He looked at me.
"…For once?"
"Don't push it."
We moved through stalls.
The smell hit first.
Sugar. Fried food. Spices. Everything at once.
My brain immediately forgave the world.
I pointed.
"I want that."
Ethan didn't even ask what "that" was.
He just paid.
"…You didn't even look," I said.
"I trust your chaos."
"That's your first mistake."
"It's your charm."
I paused.
"…Don't say things like that so casually."
He smiled.
"I'll consider it."
We ate while walking.
I stole fries from his tray.
He didn't stop me.
Then I stole more.
He still didn't stop me.
"…You're very passive today," I said.
"I'm observing."
"…That sounds creepy."
"It's not."
"It is."
"It's strategic."
I squinted.
"…You're weird."
"You already knew that."
Then we reached the games area.
And that's when things went downhill in the best way.
"Let's try that one," I said immediately, pointing at a ring toss stall.
Ethan followed my finger.
"…That one is statistically rigged."
"So?"
"…So we're going anyway?"
"Yes."
He sighed.
"…Okay."
Ten minutes later:
I had zero wins.
He had one.
He looked at me.
"…You're not very good at this."
I stared at him.
"…I am emotionally distracted."
"By what?"
"You."
That shut him up for exactly two seconds.
Then he smiled.
"…Fair."
We moved to another game.
Basketball shooting.
I tried.
Missed.
Missed again.
Missed with confidence.
Ethan took one shot—
swish.
I glared.
"…Show off."
He shrugged.
"I didn't do anything."
"You exist too confidently."
We kept going like that.
Laughing.
Arguing.
Stealing snacks again.
I hit him lightly when he teased me.
He didn't even pretend to be offended.
At one point, I pointed at a giant plushie booth.
"…I want that one."
A massive plush bear.
Too big to be normal.
Ethan looked at it.
Then at me.
"…That is bigger than you."
"Exactly."
"…Why?"
"Because it's emotionally necessary."
He paused.
"…That's not how physics works."
"It is in my world."
He paid again.
Of course he did.
The game was simple.
Throw balls.
Hit targets.
Win plushie.
Easy.
Except it wasn't.
Not for me at least.
I missed.
Missed.
Missed again.
Ethan leaned slightly.
"…Do you want me to do it?"
I narrowed my eyes.
"No."
"…You're losing."
"I'm building character."
"You're building disappointment."
"I'll build violence next."
He laughed.
Then took one ball.
Threw it.
Perfect hit.
Then another.
Perfect again.
Then another.
I stared.
"…I hate you."
"You don't."
"I do a little."
"You don't."
Final throw—
He won.
The giant plushie was handed over.
And I immediately grabbed it.
"…Mine."
Ethan blinked.
"…Technically I won it."
"I provided motivation."
"That's not how that works."
"It is now."
We walked away with the plushie.
Me hugging it dramatically like I had just achieved life success.
Ethan walking beside me, hands in pockets, looking way too satisfied with himself.
"You're smiling too much," I said.
"I won."
"…You bought it."
"I still won."
I rolled my eyes.
"…Smug."
"Yes."
We sat near a quieter area after that.
Away from the loudest crowd.
Just lights.
Soft music.
Food still in our hands.
I leaned back slightly.
"…This is actually nice."
Ethan glanced at me.
"It is."
I looked at him.
"…You planned this, didn't you."
He thought for a second.
Then nodded.
"Yes."
"…You're dangerous."
"Only slightly."
We talked after that.
About everything and nothing.
School.
Prom.
Nena being terrifyingly competitive.
Luca being clingy.
Mark being Mark.
And Liam somehow always existing in chaos.
Ethan laughed more than I expected.
And I realized I liked hearing it.
At some point, it got quieter.
Not silent.
Just… softer.
We were sitting on a bench now.
Plushie between us.
Lights flickering in the distance.
Music far away.
Ethan looked up at the sky.
Then back at me.
"…You're okay?"
I nodded.
"…Yeah."
A pause.
"…Are you?"
He nodded.
"Yes."
Then added—
"…I like this."
I blinked.
"…This?"
"You."
A beat.
"…Us."
My heart did that annoying thing again.
The one I didn't know how to control yet.
I looked away quickly.
"…You say things like that too easily."
He smiled.
"I don't say them unless I mean them."
Before I could respond—
BOOM.
Fireworks.
Suddenly.
Bright.
Exploding across the sky like the night had decided to interrupt us on purpose.
I flinched slightly.
Then looked up.
"…Oh."
Colours everywhere.
Red. Gold. Blue.
Reflecting in everything.
Ethan tilted his head slightly.
"…Bad timing."
I nodded slowly.
"…Very bad timing."
But neither of us moved.
We just stayed there.
Watching.
Quiet now.
The plushie between us.
The noise of fireworks above.
The world loud again.
But somehow—
it felt like everything had paused just enough to breathe.