Midnight Petals | Halloweentown

Chapter Eleven

chapter eleven | tranquility

She waited by the front door, pacing back and forth through the doorway as she anxiously sipped her RedSkull; nerves were wracking her brain, and she couldn't help but think that maybe she was making a mistake.

Natalie leant against the door, her arms crossed over her chest as her eyes followed her friend's movements slowly.

"Stop pacing, Vana. You're gonna be okay."

"But what if-"

"Nothing's going to happen. " The pink haired troll sighed, rubbing her friend's shoulder reassuringly. "Remember, it's Ethan."

"Yeah, that's my problem." She muttered, before a knocking on the door grasped their attention.

Natalie opened the door, sending her former friend a look that screamed "Don't fuck this up", before letting him inside. His oceanic eyes landed on Levana, and it was as if the entire world had vanished and only they remained.

Her black hair was curled, half-up and half-down, and her makeup was flawless. The pale orange dress fit her like a glove, and something sparkly on her chest caught his attention; he smiled when he'd realized that she'd chosen to wear the heart necklace he'd given her for her birthday when they were younger.

The girl's amber eyes observed his appearance, thankful that she hadn't overdressed; he was waring an orange dress shirt, the top three buttons undone, black dress pants, and a pair of black boots that she'd bought him in the human world. Different rings complimented his hands, and he looked completely different than he had last time he was dressed up.

Last time, he was wearing a whole suit because Edgar had forced him to. But, now.. he was finally able to dress however the hell he wanted to. And Levana was not complaining.

He handed her a bouquet of red roses, his eyes flickering to the vase that held the year and a half old rose. 

"You look breathtaking," he breathed, smiling as she placed the bouquet into the vase on her dresser. 

"Thank you, E." She spoke, her tone sweet and genuine as she turned back to face him. "You don't look too bad, yourself." She joked, causing the two of them to chuckle before intertwining their fingers and leaving the dorm.

"Use a condom!" Natalie reminded, earning wide-eyed looks from her friends before closing the door. Her laughter could be heard as they continued down the hall, causing the duo to laugh nervously with one another.

They exited the school, the cool September air kissing their skin as they wandered to their date spot; Levana still hadn't figured out where they were going, but she didn't seem to care as much as she thought she did. Just walking with Ethan would have been perfect for her, as long as she was next to him again.

Her gaze traveled upwards, the brightly shining stars reflecting in the pools of amber that resided around her pupil; the moon was shining, illuminating the darkening castle grounds as they approached a large opening.

"We're here," Ethan smiled, grasping her attention from the stars; she looked ahead of them, eyes widening at the sight. 

In front of them stood a dark oak gazebo, fairy lights strung around the perimeter, and a table in the center; in the distance, she caught sight of a blanket laid out next to a pond, with a few stones anchoring it down.

"This is beautiful!" She smiled, looking to the inky haired boy with a wide smile; her eyes were practically glowing with joy. Just as he went to respond, Levana darted toward the gazebo. "Come on, slow poke! I'm starving!"

He laughed to himself, smiling as he caught up with her and pulled her chair out for her to sit. He sat across from her, both still smiling so much that their cheeks began to hurt; with a snap of his fingers, their cups filled with wine (and a water option if they didn't feel like drinking), and their plates filled with food that Ethan would not have been able to afford to buy.

Levana looked at him with wide eyes, "E, you didn't have to do this."

"Oh, don't start, Vana." He smiled, "You know you deserve the best."

"Who's the cheeseball, now?" She smirked, causing the boy to playfully roll his eyes, taking a sip of the red wine he'd conjured. He'd noticed the glint in her eyes as she watched him drink, a glint that he'd only seen once.. almost two years ago. 

"Yeah, yeah." He chuckled, before the duo transitioned into lively conversation and dinner; the stars twinkled as they spoke, and it almost felt as if time had stood still, just for them. As if they were the only people in the world that mattered at that moment and, to each other, they were.

...

The duo lay on the blanket, watching the stars glisten above them and listening to the fish occasionally splash through the water of the pond; dinner had gone better than either of them believed it would, and they had moved to the blanket when they'd finished.

The purple skyglow contrasted the pure white stars scattered about the dark canvas, the full moon kissing the world and blessing them with such a wondrous sight; the sky reflected on the water, the trees whispering among themselves as the slight breeze whisked through their branches.

Ethan's arm was wrapped around Levana's waist, his other one resting behind his head as the girl's head resided on his shoulder. The raven haired boy had found himself incapable of removing his smile, the sense of tranquility that overcame them that night overpowering his senses as they lay there in such a blissful silence.

"I missed you, E." Levana whispered, her gaze remaining locked onto the sky, "Like, seriously. I was fucking lost without you."

Ethan took a deep breath, placing a gentle kiss to her forehead; she could feel her cheeks heat up, and the smile that had conquered her lips only grew wider as she finally looked up at him.

"Yeah, same thing happened to me. I missed you too, Lev."

They lay there, smiling at one another in the pale moonlight that illuminated the cool September night. Their gazes flickered between each other's lips and eyes, both parties feeling goofy at how nostalgic that moment had been for them; the memory of their first kiss flashed through their minds, as if they were reading the other's, and they moved closer until their lips enraptured one another's.

The kiss was innocent, passionate, just like it had been that first time; the tranquil feeling grew heavier, and neither ravenette wanted to move from that blanket. Ethan sat up, leaning over Levana in order to get more comfortable, and he never broke the kiss in the process.

When they finally broke apart for air, they smiled at one another before Levana cuddled up into Ethan's side once more.

That's when Levana knew that she felt even stronger for him than she'd ever realized.