Fade Into You

Chapter 6

Faye's POV

I had never felt this happy before in my entire life. The excitement never seemed to run out. Every little thing I did made me think about him, and I caught myself smiling constantly. I was on cloud nine.

Even my family noticed the weirdly cheerful shift in my mood. They grew suspicious and, to my horror, decided to ask Jake about it—the last person I wanted involved. Thankfully, Jake didn't say a word. He didn't know anything, and I needed it to stay that way.

Jonathan hadn't stopped texting me. He FaceTimed whenever he could, and just seeing his handsome face light up my phone screen sent my heart into overdrive. Hearing his voice alone was enough to keep me smiling like a fool.

The next morning, I got ready for school faster than usual. I barely touched my breakfast; I was too jittery with anticipation at the thought of seeing Jonathan again. The butterflies in my stomach were in full swing.

When I drove into the school parking lot, it was already buzzing with students gathered in small groups by their cars, talking and laughing. 

I pulled into the reserved spot Jake and I shared—one of the perks of being tied to the Royal Mafia—and stepped out, flipping my long hair over my shoulder as I shut the car door.

But the moment my heels hit the pavement, I noticed something... off.

People were staring. Some even pointed. My brows furrowed as I glanced down at my outfit, wondering if there was a stain or something out of place. 

But everything looked perfectly normal. Still, their lingering eyes and hushed whispers followed me all the way to the school entrance.

Sure, I was used to the occasional attention. Being part of my family came with that. Envy and gossip were part of the everyday routine. But today felt different—the stares were sharper, more curious. Almost... shocked.

I pushed open the double doors and walked briskly down the hallway toward my locker. Once I reached it, I punched in the combo and began unloading my bag. I was too focused on the confusion swirling in my head to notice the figure leaning on the locker beside mine.

I nearly jumped out of my skin when I spotted him.

"Shit! You nearly gave me a heart attack," I gasped.

Jonathan smirked. 

"My bad, princess. So, what are you doing after school today?"

I shrugged, slinging my bag over my shoulder. 

"Not much. Why?"

He fell into step beside me as we started down the hall. A second later, he reached for my hand, intertwining our fingers. My heart skipped a beat, and I swore I was about to pass out from sheer excitement. 

More glances and whispers followed us, but Jonathan didn't seem to care. He looked at me like I was the only person in the entire school worth noticing.

"Wanna go to the amusement park with me?" he asked casually.

I blinked in surprise. 

"The amusement park? Seriously?"

I didn't take him for the type.

"I heard it's fun," he said. "And it's the perfect spot for a second date. So... what do you say?"

Second date. Was this really happening?

I grinned. 

"Alright. But you better promise it'll be fun."

He winked. 

"Trust me, babe—everything's fun when I'm involved."

We stopped outside my homeroom. I turned to face him, smiling up at his annoyingly perfect face.