Chapter 12
AMELIA
The sun had barely clawed its way over the ocean, gray light creeping through rain-streaked windows. Everyone else in the house was still asleep, sprawled and tangled in the aftermath of too much liquor.
I padded barefoot through the kitchen, the hush broken only by the distant hush of the tide.
I poured a glass of water, hands shaking, and stared at the bruises blooming faintly on my wrist. Proof I hadn’t dreamed him. Proof of my own recklessness.
The storm had finally spent itself, leaving the world washed raw and aching. Mist drifted over the dunes, blurring the line where land met sea, everything liminal and half real.
It felt like the inside of my chest. Uncertain, empty, and desperate.
I pressed my forehead to the cool glass of the window, watching the pale suggestion of waves.
I remembered Colorado. I remembered the way I’d watched Caiden through glass, his eyes wild and wounded, both of us waiting to be rescued and knowing no one was coming.
That hunger wasn’t just for food or freedom.
It was the ache for touch, for someone to drown out the terror, even if it meant drowning in them.
The fair was alive with color, sound, and the intoxicating scent of popcorn and sweets. Bright lights flashed against the sky, illuminating the faces of the crowd that swarmed like bees to honey.
The sky had turned to a blend of gold and orange, a prelude to dusk.
I stood at the entrance, the excitement buzzing around me, but inside, I felt a storm brewing.
We kept our moment in the fort private. We didn’t tell the others about our trip down the tunnel, or about my panic attack triggered by the suffocating darkness.
The way Caiden soothed me, how gentle and patient he was, stuck with me. But now that we were back in reality, he had gone back to his distant and brooding demeanor.
“Amelia! Come on, let’s go!” Sabrina called, her voice cheerful and inviting. She grabbed my hand, pulling me into the throng of people. I couldn’t help but smile at her energy; it was infectious, a bright spot in the tumult of my thoughts.
As we moved through the crowd, I caught sight of the Ferris wheel towering above, its lights twinkling like stars. The sight was beautiful, and for a moment, I let myself feel the thrill of it all.
“Look! We have to go on that,” Sydney exclaimed, pointing to the giant wheel, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
“Yeah, let’s do it,” Shane chimed in, pulling Sabrina along.
I stood back for a moment, watching them, my heart racing. The truth was, I wanted to enjoy this trip and forget about everything that had happened in Colorado.
But every time I glanced at Caiden, it was hard to shake the memories.
“Are you coming or what?” Caiden’s voice broke through my thoughts, and I turned to see him standing there, hands shoved deep into his pockets, a frown on his face.
“Yeah, I’ll be there,” I replied, forcing a smile. But inside, the conflict churned. I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of knowing how much his presence affected me.
As we approached the Ferris wheel, the lights twinkling like a constellation of stars, I felt the thrill of enthusiasm pulse through the group.
We split up into two groups and climbed into one of the cars, and as the wheel began to turn, I caught a glimpse of Caiden sitting across from me, while Sydney sat next to me.
He looked up, his eyes sparkling with admiration, as he observed the sight. It made my heart race. There was a softness in his eyes just now as his gaze drifted across the scenery, and I couldn’t help but cling to that softness.
“Hold on tight!” Shane called as the wheel started to ascend, and I felt the rush of adrenaline as we climbed higher. The view of the carnival below was breathtaking, the lights twinkling like fireflies in the darkness.
“This is incredible!” Sydney squealed, her excitement bubbling over.
“Yeah, it’s not bad,” I admitted, trying to focus on the moment, but my gaze kept drifting back to Caiden. He was sitting there, a slight smile tugging at his lips as he watched the world below. It made me feel things I didn’t want to feel, things that scared me.
“Amelia,” he said suddenly, breaking the silence. “You’re not scared, are you?”
“Scared? Of what?” I shot back.
“Of heights,” he replied, a teasing edge to his voice.
“Please. I’m not scared,” I said, but the truth was, I felt a knot tightening in my stomach. I hated how easily he could provoke me, how he still made me feel like that scared girl from school, the one who had wanted to disappear.
As the ride reached the top, I felt the wind whipping through my hair, and for a moment, I closed my eyes, letting the thrill wash over me. The world below faded away, and I tried to focus on the exhilaration of the moment.
As we began our descent, the carnival lights blurring into a kaleidoscope of color, Caiden’s gaze returned, and he smiled at me, his eyes holding the same softness as when he was admiring the view.
My heart leapt. It was just him and me, sitting here beneath the sky, our eyes were lost in each other.
But the magic of the moment shattered as the Ferris wheel shuddered to a halt. The carnival's cacophony returned, halting the intimate silence that fluttered between us.
He offered a hand as we stepped out, his touch lingering a fraction too long. The warmth of it lingered on my skin.
“That was so great!” I heard Sabrina tell Shane as she clung onto him, they walked ahead of us, Sydney following, while Caiden, Alex, and I followed at the back.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been on one of those things.” Alex slowed his pace until he was walking next to me. “Did you enjoy it?
Still staring at Caiden’s back as we walked, I nodded. “Yeah, I loved the view from the top. I don’t go to many carnivals either, so I know what you mean.”
Alex playfully bumped his shoulder into mine. “I’ll have to brush up on my carnival game skills to win you something.”
Heat rose to my cheeks as I blushed, flattered by the comment. A nervous laugh escaped my lips. "Oh, you don't have to do that," I mumbled, suddenly self-conscious under his playful gaze.
The bright lights of the Tilt-A-Whirl reflected in his eyes, making them sparkle. He grinned, a mischievous glint in his gaze. "Challenge accepted," he declared. The path ahead was illuminated not just by the carnival lights, and we kept following the group to the next activity.
Caiden turned his head and tossed Alex and me an irritated glance. I glared at him right back. If he wanted to act like he didn’t know what he wanted, then so be it.
As we approached various game booths, Alex and I wandered to a booth where you had to shoot water at targets. He walked up to the stand and showed the employee his wristband.
“Alright, young man, when the timer starts, just start shooting. Good luck!”
Alex picked up the gun and began to shoot the targets. He got one, missed another, and another. “Damn, this is embarrassing.” He chuckled, but I could see he was distraught with himself.
“It’s okay, you really don’t need to win me anything.” I tried to give him a convincing smile, but he persisted.
“No, I’ll keep trying. For you.” He grinned and kept shooting, but kept missing, only hitting a small amount.
Trying to lighten the mood, I chuckled at the pitiful attempt. “Looks like you need to take target practice lessons.”
He laughed with me. “Yeah, I overestimated myself.”
There was a sensation that somebody was staring, and when I turned, Caiden was standing near Shane, watching us. Just when I locked eyes with him, the timer beeped, and Alex stepped back.
“Darn. Maybe I’ll try a different game.” Alex set the gun down and began to look around at the different booths. Just when he was about to start moving, Caiden walked towards us, his face hardened.
“Alright, let me try.” He pushed past Alex and showed the employee his wrist, then picked up the gun.
“Don’t be too bothered when you lose, man. Shooting these targets was harder than I thought.” Alex approached Caiden, who responded with a shrug and a bored look.
“Unlike some people, I’ve got experience in target hitting.” He smirked, a flash of something in his eyes.
The timer started, and Caiden's movements were fluid, precise. Each shot found its mark; a steady stream of water hitting the targets with almost unnerving accuracy. He finished with a success.
A smug grin replaced the bored expression. Alex stared, momentarily speechless, then let out a low whistle. "Show off," he muttered, good-naturedly, but the underlying challenge hung in the air.
“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.