23. Alex
The weekend had just begun, and Aubrey and I were already having a blast at the carnival.
The woods were alive with the hum of excitement, littered with students milling about under a canopy of vibrant, twinkling lights.
Banners and flashing signs from various booths lined the paths, while the sweet smells of cotton candy and buttery popcorn filled the air.
In the distance, the Ferris wheel stood tall, its lights spinning in a mesmerizing dance, casting a soft glow over the festivities.
Amidst our laughter, Christopher suddenly appeared in front of us, looking slightly bashful as he greeted Aubrey with a hint of nervousness, “Hey, Ree. Having a good time tonight?”
“Yeah,” Aubrey’s grin faltered for a moment.
“Alex and I have been having a great time. How about you? How’s the swim team’s dunk tank going?”
Christopher’s gaze flickered briefly to me before settling back on Aubrey.
“It’s going well. We’ve raised a good amount for the team already.” He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, hands shoved deep in his pockets.
“Hey, if you’re not too busy later, we could…maybe catch up?”
Suddenly, Sutton’s voice cuts through the sounds of laughter and carnival music.
“Hey, guys! Want to be the first of the night to give our booth a try?” she says with a smile, her tone warm and inviting.
Aubrey and I exchange glances before grinning widely.
“Are you saying we get to be the first ones to shoot arrows at your cool LED setup?” Aubrey asks, practically bouncing with excitement.
Sutton’s eyes shine, her blonde curls bouncing with each enthusiastic nod.
“Exactly! But we’ve got to hurry before the crowds get here!”
Aubrey grabs my hand, practically dragging me toward Sutton’s booth.
“Sorry, Christopher!”
I glance back to see Christopher’s expression falter for a second, but he quickly recovers with a small, resigned smile and a nod.
As we weave through the carnival crowds, I can’t help but wonder what he was about to ask Aubrey.
At the booth, Sutton waves us toward a glowing installation that’s unlike anything I’ve seen before.
The LED setup is like a futuristic maze, with bright, shifting lights and neon targets darting across the walls.
The targets appear for only a moment before zipping away, challenging each shooter to be quick and precise.
I notice Camden standing near the booth, and I do a double-take.
His hair, which had been a striking shade of bright pink, is now a platinum blond.
It’s a sharp change, almost like a completely different person.
Camden hands us each a bow and a quiver of arrows, his face impassive as the dazzling LED targets flash before us, each one racing to the next.
Sutton explains the rules.
“You only get one shot, but each target has a different prize attached. Some are more valuable than others.”
“The top prize being a date with me,” Camden adds with a wink, wiggling his eyebrows.
Aubrey rolls her eyes and sticks a finger in her mouth, pretending to gag, which makes me laugh.
“Sutton, I know you Legacies have your trust code and everything, but can you give me a clue as to which targets I should steer clear of? I definitely don’t want to end up on a date with my own cousin. Can you imagine how awkward winter break would be if that happened?”
Sutton chuckles.
“Sorry, it’s all randomized digitally.”
“Well, that sucks,” complains Aubrey.
“But,” she adds, raising a finger.
“Once a prize is hit, it’s off the table and can’t be won again. And since you two are going first, your chances of getting Cam’s target are pretty low.”
I look up at the hundreds of targets glowing on the board—some larger than others, some smaller—emitting beautiful rainbow colors that could probably be seen for miles in the dense woods.
“Alright, who’s going first?” I ask, turning to Aubrey with a challenging grin.
She smirks back, already nocking an arrow as she steps inside the game.
“Watch and learn, everyone.”
Aubrey takes a deep breath, drawing the bowstring back to her cheek.
Her eyes thin in concentration as she aims at the dazzling array of targets.
With a soft twang, she releases the arrow.
It arcs through the air, a fleeting shadow against the brilliant lights.
Thwack!
The arrow finds its mark, striking a medium-sized blue target near the center above her head.
The LED display flashes, and a triumphant jingle plays from hidden speakers.
“Great shot!” Sutton cheers, as the screen changes to reveal her prize.
“You’ve won…two complementary passes to the latest art exhibit in town!”
“Awesome job,” I say, extending my hand for a celebratory high five.
Aubrey beams, slapping my hand enthusiastically as more students start to hover.
“Thanks! Your turn now. Let’s see what you get.”
I grab an arrow from the quiver, my palms suddenly sweaty.
The pressure’s on.
“This should be entertaining,” I hear Camden mutter to Sylvester and Bishop as they walk over, carrying the fizzy science drinks that Aubrey and I had tasted earlier.
Wonderful, now I have an even larger audience.
I take a deep breath, trying to ignore the eyes on me.
The targets on the LED screens flash and zoom across the walls in rapid bursts of color—bright reds, neon greens, and electric blues.
They dart in and out of view, some hanging suspended in midair, others sliding quickly across the floor.
It’s almost like they have a mind of their own, slipping out of reach just as I think I’ve lined them up.
I try to block out the distracting flashes of lights and the murmur of the crowd, and instead focus on the swirling patterns in front of me.
Targets materialize from the walls, moving in unpredictable arcs, some slowing down as if to taunt me, others zipping by at lightning speed.
They flicker like neon ghosts, changing shapes—circular one moment, square the next.
The whole room feels alive, like it’s pulling me into its maze of shifting targets.
With a steady hand, I nock the arrow and draw back the bowstring, my fingers tingling with the familiar tension.
My focus narrows as I pick out one target—a small, glowing red orb hovering near the top of the screen.
It’s fast, but not too fast, a perfect challenge.
The others blur into the background, their movements almost hypnotic, but my aim is locked.
“You’ve got this,” Aubrey whispers encouragingly.
I release the arrow, watching it fly towards the board.
For a moment, I think it’s going to miss completely, but then—
Thwack!
The arrow hits its mark, striking the red target dead center.
The board erupts in a dazzling light show, accompanied by a triumphant melody.
“Whoa! Nice shot!” Sutton exclaims, her eyes wide with surprise.
I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding, a grin spreading across my face.
The LED display flashes, and I lean forward, eager to see what prize I’ve won.
The screen changes, revealing my reward.
“Congratulations!” Sutton exclaims. “You’ve won a…date with…Sly?” she says, her voice filled with shock as his name appears on the screen and the audience erupts in some cheers, but mostly disappointment from the surrounding females.
Wait, what?
“Did you put all of our names in the drawing?” I hear Sutton ask Camden, her tone uneasy.
“I thought it was just going to be your name?”
I swallow hard as I turn to look at Slyvester, whose expression is a mix of surprise and amusement.
He raises an eyebrow at me, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips.
“Well, would you look at that,” Sylvester drawls, taking a few eager steps closer.
His eyes sparkle with excitement as he surveys the game with a grin that could light up the entire carnival.
“Looks like fate’s got a little surprise in store for us.”
Camden coughs and shifts uncomfortably, casting an apologetic glance at Sutton, whose disapproval seems to weigh heavier on him than the entire world.
“Uh, yeah…I might’ve improvised a little to make things more interesting. Didn’t think it’d actually be this big of a deal.”
I feel my chest tighten as I process what just happened.
A date with Sylvester?
Is this some kind of joke?
I glance around, looking for any sign that this is a prank, but the serious faces around me confirm it’s real.
“So where should we go for our date, babe? I’m up for something exciting,” Sylvester says playfully, giving me a flirty wink.
Bishop, who appeared uninterested earlier, now has an expression that could wither the entire forest surrounding us with just one look.
Aubrey, sensing the shift in the atmosphere, steps forward.
“Wait a minute, this doesn’t seem right. There must be some sort of mistake.”
Her cousin shrugs casually, unfazed by her concern.
“No mistake. The system’s designed to be foolproof. It’s running on over 20,000 watts of power, with a system that tracks targets in real-time. Once a prize is hit, it’s locked in.”
“Sounds complex,” Aubrey says, her tone less skeptical and more curious.
“How’d you manage to get this approved by Maxwell?” Her eyes glint with a touch of humor.
“I mean, it wasn’t until a few years ago that she even started allowing the Ferris wheel.”
Camden grins, clearly amused.
“Oh, you know. A little charm, a lot of persuasion…and maybe a well-timed donation or two.” He grins, leaning casually against the nearest pillar.
“But hey, she’s come a long way. The Ferris wheel? That’s practically ancient history now.”
“Well, isn’t this convenient? The Legacies get everything they want, including a game that practically runs itself.”
Camden shakes his head.
“It’s not like that. We’re not just getting everything, Aubrey. We’re running the show ourselves. The system’s connected to our own power grid—completely separate from the rest of the carnival setup. We can tweak and adjust the power flow as needed, make sure everything’s working at full capacity without taking power from everyone else.”
Aubrey’s lips curl.
“Impressive. You must feel so important, running your own little power grid. Let me know when you’re actually doing something that matters .”
Camden is clearly unfazed by her jab.
“Hey, someone’s got to keep the lights on. Sorry your idea was almost good enough.”
Before Aubrey can respond with another retort, Sylvester slings his arm casually around my shoulders, his confidence radiating off him.
“Looks like it’s meant to be for us.”
I don’t flinch at the weight of his arm around me.
In fact, I keep my posture relaxed at the unexpected turn of events.
“Yeah, looks like it,” I say, my voice steady.
Bishop steps forward, his jaw clenched so tightly it looks like it might crack.
“This is ridiculous,” he growls, his glare cutting straight through Camden.
“You can’t just add people’s names without their consent.”
Sylvester’s arm tightens slightly around me, a subtle shift that’s hard to miss, but he smooths it over quickly.
“Nobody’s forcing anyone, man,” he says, his voice even, though there’s a slight sharpness lurking beneath it.
“It’s all in good fun.”
I exhale, pushing through the tension in the air.
I need to regain some space, some control.
Without thinking too much, I step out from under Sylvester’s arm, giving myself a bit of room to breathe.
“I’m looking forward to it,” I say, surprising myself with the words.
I’m not sure if I mean it, but I know I need to take control of the moment.
The truth is, I’m confused by all of it—especially Bishop.
He’s frustrating—infuriating, even.
Recently, he was the reason I panicked in the first place, purposely goading me on that boat, knowing I was terrified.
He baited me, teased me, and then just..
. let me unravel.
But then—when it really counted—he grounded me.
He calmed me down in a way no one else ever has.
He held me there, not like he pitied me, but like he actually cared.
Steady hands, steady voice.
No teasing. No jokes.
Just quiet support that made it almost impossible to breathe for an entirely different reason.
It’s the contradiction that messes with me most. One minute he’s pushing me over the edge, the next he’s the only one keeping me from drowning.
Yet right now, he looks like he could snap at any second.
It was like the calm, reassuring version of him from yesterday has completely disappeared, and in its place was this seething anger.
I didn’t know what to make of it—what to make of him.
“I mean, it’s just a game, right?” I add quickly, trying to push past the strange feeling in my chest. “And it’s not like I’m being forced into anything. I get it, it’s a carnival game, not the end of the world.”
Aubrey shoots me a look, but I give her a small, reassuring smile.
She doesn’t say anything, but I can tell she’s still unsure, maybe even a little annoyed by all the drama.
Bishop doesn’t seem to buy it, though.
His eyes turn to slits as he watches me, like he’s not quite convinced by my words.
He’s still looking at Camden with barely contained rage, but there’s a flicker in his gaze, a hint of something deeper I can’t quite place.
It’s almost like he’s trying to figure me out, his gaze searching for something.
But I won’t give him the satisfaction of knowing what I’m really feeling.
The truth is, I don’t even know what I feel.
One minute I’m mad at him, the next I’m…
I don’t know. Confused?
Frustrated? It doesn’t make sense, and I’m not about to let him see that.
I force a polite smile in Sylvester’s direction, not really feeling anything either way.
“I think we’ll have a great time,” I say.
His eyes light up with genuine excitement, clearly pleased by my words.
“That’s the spirit!” he exclaims, giving my shoulder a quick squeeze.
“I promise you won’t regret it.”
I feel Bishop’s gaze burn into me with an intensity that’s hard to ignore.
From the corner of my eye, I catch his fists clenched at his sides, but I don’t acknowledge it.
I keep my focus on Sylvester, as if Bishop’s glare doesn’t even exist.
“So,” I say, keeping my tone casual, “what did you have in mind for this date?”
His grin widens, his eyes lighting up with a mischievous glint.
“I’ve got a few ideas…”
“Cotton candy!” Aubrey suddenly cheers, her hand gripping my arm and pulling me away from the game.
“I’ve got to grab one before I’m due on stage,” she says, practically dragging me toward the stand with a wide smile.
Aubrey’s eyes brighten at the mention of her performance, her energy practically bubbling over as she skips toward the cotton candy stand.
“I can’t wait to see who volunteers. It’s always so much fun to work with new people!”
She’s been talking about it nonstop since we finished setting up, buzzing with excitement over including students outside the Actors Guild in the live performance.
As we approach the cart, my eyes are transfixed by the fluffy pink and blue clouds of sugar being spun before us.
Sylvester suddenly steps up to the vendor, flashing his charming smile.
“Four cotton candies, please,” he says, pulling out his wallet.
“You don’t have to—” I start to protest, but he waves me off.
“My treat,” he insists, handing over the money.
“Consider it a pre-date snack,” he adds, handing one to Aubrey and then to me, his grin widening as he passes it over.
I glance down at the sugary concoction in my hand, then raise an eyebrow.
“What will you do with the other two?” I ask, noting the two remaining cones still in his grip.
Aubrey has already started devouring hers like a wild animal.
“One’s for Sutton and the other for my parents,” he explains, his voice light.
“I dare you to watch my mother’s reaction when I offer her pure sugar,” he says with a smirk, gesturing over his shoulder toward the group of Legacy parents who are chatting casually in the distance.
It feels odd to realize they’re here—somehow I hadn’t even noticed.
But I suppose it makes sense, given who they are.
“Don’t you want one?” I ask, plucking a clump of soft, pillowy goodness from my own cone.
He bends down and takes a leisurely bite straight from my fingers, his eyes glinting.
“I thought we could share,” he says with a wink before jogging off to give the other sweets to his parents and sister.
He’s gone, and I can still feel the faint warmth of his lips lingering on my fingertips.
Aubrey perks a brow at me, her mouth too full of cotton candy to speak, but her expression says it all.