“Not bad, Baxter,” Shane called as he approached us, clapping him on the back. “Looks like you still have some skills.”
Caiden pointed to one of the prizes. The employee handed Caiden a pink, stuffed unicorn. He turned, holding it out to me, his eyes finally softening. "For you," he said, his voice a low murmur. The way he looked at me sent a jolt through my system, a reminder of the connection we had forged in that dark place.
It was a gorgeous, and quite realistic unicorn; the fur texture was incredibly soft. “Thank you, Caiden. You didn’t have to do that.”
He shrugged, acting as if it wasn’t a big deal. “I wanted to see if I could do it, and figured I might as well take the prize.”
There was a hidden sincerity in his voice. His nonchalance may have fooled everybody else, but not me, this was intended. It meant something.
“Why the unicorn?” I inquired, running my hand along its soft fur.
“Maybe I’ll tell you one day.” He grinned at me, a warmth spreading through his eyes. We were in our own bubble again, and we momentarily drifted away from everybody else.
Alex interrupted, diverting my attention from Caiden before anything more could occur. He stiffened, retreated, and glared menacingly at Alex.
“I found a cotton candy booth, you want to get some?” Alex motioned to a nearby booth, where a man was handing out sticks of pink cotton candy.
My gaze flickered from Caiden to Alex, the unicorn clutched in my arms. After a few moments, I nodded, feeling the tug of hunger. “Sure, sounds tasty.”
Alex led the way towards the booth. “Two sticks of cotton candy, please.” He handed the employee some cash and took the cotton candy.
He handed me one–the pink fluff held a delicious fragrance. The sweetness was a welcome distraction, though the lingering warmth of Caiden's gaze still hummed beneath the surface.
Alex, oblivious, chattered about the upcoming fireworks display, his words a pleasant background noise to the unspoken conversation still playing out between Caiden and me.
The cotton candy melted on my tongue, but the memory of Caiden’s gift, the carefully chosen unicorn, remained a persistent, delightful sweetness.
“You’ve got some cotton candy fluff on your lip.” Alex pointed out, but before I could wipe it off, he took his finger and wiped it for me with a napkin.
The movement was sudden and surprising, but it was sweet. My heart pounded as he stared at me, then my lips, then back to my eyes.
He moved closer, and I leaned in.
Before I could fully register what I was doing, his lips landed on mine. They tasted pleasant, a mixture of mint and candy. The kiss was short, slow, gentle.
He pulled back and smiled.
“That was unexpected,” I whispered, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.
With a sheepish grin, he rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah. I couldn’t resist. You looked so cute standing there.”
As I was about to reply, I noticed Caiden standing close by among the others in the group. His gaze, like the moon's eerie glow in the evening twilight, was fixed on me. He said something to Shane, then stormed off in the other direction.
A wave of guilt washed over me. Caiden’s reaction hung in the air like the lingering scent of cotton candy.
Alex, oblivious to the shift in atmosphere, chuckled, his hand brushing lightly against mine. Suddenly, the sweetness of the stolen kiss felt tainted, the carefree joy replaced by a knot of uncertainty.
I shook my head to clear away the storm of thoughts. I shouldn't feel guilty; Caiden and I were just friends, no longer enemies, but not lovers. We were caught in a whirlwind, teetering between fury and passion, unable to find a stable ground where we could touch down and rest.
But, until we figured it out, I would try to enjoy my time here, even if it meant kissing Alex. But I couldn’t deny the fact that Caiden’s anger hurt me.
Later that night, we lit a bonfire behind the beach house. The stars glimmered overhead like cold diamonds, and the waves rolled in slow and heavy, their silhouettes swallowed by darkness. Lamplights dotted the sand, but it was the fire’s glow that held us in its raw pull.
I crouched by the flames, staring at the sparks that leaped like angry fireflies. My stomach tightened into knots. So hot, so prickly, I could almost feel it burn.
Beside me, Caiden sat on a log, shoulders rigid, eyes fixed on the dancing tongues of flame. The heat hit me, but it did nothing to thaw the chill coiling in my chest.
Shane collapsed onto the sand with a whoop. “Grab a seat, you two! Best night ever.” He patted the spot between us, but I stayed planted where I was. Caiden didn’t budge.
