So I've been on holiday and I always seem to become inspired to write this story (don't ask why) and yes, I have ANOTHER chapter for you :) I hope that I'm forgiven for making you guys wait for literally five months for something new xD enjoy!
Please vote and comment! <3
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Arriving, I pay the taxi driver and briskly walk towards the barricades that block the side-road where the fair is held for this month. It moves around different parts of London throughout the year. They would finally pack up at the end of summer and come back the following year. The end of winter was approaching, so we were one of the first to receive the fair's privileges.
My eyes search the front of the fair, where people are queuing for wristbands. They lock onto a figure leaning against a lamppost and I smile broadly. Hurrying towards him, I take in his appearance. Dark sunglasses hide his auburn eyes and his hood is thrown up loosely, so it once again displays the messy array of curls dangling over his forehead. I realise then that he has a blue streak through his fringe. It melts very nicely into his hair, but he must've recently dyed it because I hadn't noticed it before. Maybe I was just ignorant and hadn't been paying attention? Charcoal jeans match his black hoodie and white tshirt, black high-tops finishing his look.
Lukas pushes his hand through his fringe, folding the blue amongst the caramel-chocolate combination. He abandons his lazy posture against the lamppost and reaches out for me, pulling me into a hug. I don't resist and breathe in his scent. Cologne reaches my nostrils as he gently pushes me back, breaking the embrace all too quickly. "See, I knew you wanted to come and see me." He states, arrogance in his tone as he smirks, playing with the two metal rings in his lip. I wonder what it feels like to kiss someone with a lip ring?
Riley. Stop being a creep. Lukas is your friend.
I then realise that I haven't spoken once since he greeted me. I awkwardly fumble for some words.
"I had nothing better to attend." I say and he just shakes his head with a little laugh. Grabbing my hand, he leads me into the queue. How can he be so casual about physical contact? I mean, we're not dating. It seems weird that he's so nonchalant about affection. Or am I just reading too much into it like I always do?
His hand squeezes mine softly as he lets go and I almost miss the warmth of his grip, even if it did seem strange. He pays the woman in the booth, even though I insist I don't need him to fund my wristband. She fastens them around our wrists and we scan them, opening the barrier.
"So what do you want to do first?" He asks, putting his hands into his pockets. I can sense his eyes focusing on mine, even though his sunglasses shield his vision. Why is he wearing sunglasses? It's not particularly warm. I look up to him, and that's when he pulls the sunglasses back and studies my face.
"What?" I ask, feeling the blood rush to my cheeks as he continues to scrutinise my features. And that's when I understand. I hadn't bothered to cover the bruise on my face. He abruptly stops, causing me to slow my gait. He pulls me closer by my waist and lifts his hands to my face. I wince as his thumb graces the bruise on my cheek, even though his touch is soft. "It's nothing...I promise." I say, his hands cradling my now hot face. I feel so embarrassed. He raises his eyebrows.
"What happened? Who did this to you?" He asks calmly, and that's what scares me. There isn't pity or anger in his voice and it is immediately unsettling.
"Just leave it. I'm fine. We came here to have fun right?" I say, batting his hands away and straining a laugh. I walk away a few paces and he releases my waist. "I'll race you to the dodgems!" I begin to run and I look over my shoulder. He wiggles his eyebrows and breaks into a run after me.
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We queue for the dodgems and climb into a car each when we pass the barrier, scanning our wristbands. We face one another and buckle ourselves in, as the official checks everybody has their seatbelts on. "I am so going to beat your ass." I threaten, gripping the steering wheel.
"Oh it's on." He challenges, his face laced with concentration. The ride begins and our cars lurch forward as a bell dings. I see Lukas smirk as I turn left, speeding away as he chases me.
---
A dodgem car brawl later, we both jokingly argue over who lost. I'll give him this, Lukas gave as good as he got. I'm pretty sure I have awful posture from the amount of times he sneakily crashed into the back of my car with his own. He picks up a sparkler and hands it to me, taking one for himself and we begin to scrawl our own names in white light. He draws a heart in the sky, an arrow passing through it and my own heart explodes with butterflies.
We share candy floss as we walk past the game stalls, oversized animal toys hanging from the ceiling of the interiors. Lukas pulls me over to one with three stacks of tin cans lined up. I laugh as he pays for a round of tennis balls, handing me three and keeping three himself. "Okay, you aim for the third stack of tins, I'll aim for the first and then we'll join forces for the middle stack." The middle stack had bigger tins and more rows.
His brow furrows and I realise the playful look on his face, his smile widening as he pulls his arm back and fires it into the set of cans. They fall to the ground and he pumps his fist in the air in triumph. I giggle and he leans on the counter, waiting for me to throw. I breathe steadily and draw back my arm. I throw the ball and hit the target, but only half of the tins fall. I try again and knock the rest down. "Maybe one day you'll be a pro like me." He says sassily, sticking his tongue out at me. I laugh and punch his arm jokingly. We both stand in the middle of the counter and throw our last tennis balls in unison. They all hit but one tin can remains. Lukas has run out and I hold the last tennis ball. He looks at me and nods reassuringly. I throw it as hard as I can, impacting on the tin and knocking it down. Lukas lets out a shout, running towards me as the bell dings, a winner being announced. He bundles me up in his arms in the excitement. I grin and he takes the massive teddy bear, handing it to me. "Even though I wanted it myself all along, you can have it." He chuckles and I hug it to my body. He smiles warmly at me, linking his arm around my waist.
---
The sky is darkening and stars pepper the night by the time we've made our way around the fair, joining the different rides and participating in the challenges. Lukas carries the large teddy bear on his shoulders like it were a child, and I stay close to his side. I point at the Ferris wheel located in the centre and we advance towards it. We leave the teddy bear at the bottom of the ride steps with one of the officials. Lukas climbs into the seat, which swings slightly with the sudden weight, and I join him. The man locks the bar over us, fastening us into place and I sigh happily. I never thought a man I met in the park could be so generous and sweet to me. My first impression was that Lukas was very reserved, and whilst cocky, he'd seemed morbid. A different side was showing tonight though, and I dare to say that I kind of like it. A lot.
He curls his fingers around my own and I let him, squeezing gently. He removes his sunglasses as evening has crept upon us, and his eyes light up his face. The moon reflects those beautiful milky hazel orbs as he looks at me. "Thank you for coming here with me. You don't understand how happy I feel in your presence." He says, and I see blush colour his face as the lights of the Ferris wheel betray his emotions. I smile, putting my head on his shoulder. He lies his cheek on my hair and strokes it gently.
"Next time I'm paying." I say, my breath clouding in the black sky. I feel him vibrate with suppressed laughter at my comment and I draw back, staring up at him. "What?"
"Money doesn't buy happiness sweetheart." He smiles, laying his arm at the back of my seat.
"Wait. Is this a date?" I ask, my eyes searching his.
"If you want it to be." He replies, resting his head on his hand as his body is angled in my direction, tattoos visible as his hoodie sleeve rolls up slightly.
"I think one of us already established that at the beginning." I say with a little laugh.
"Or one of us just didn't know it yet." He leans forward and presses his lips to mine as we reach the top of the Ferris wheel. I am startled at first, but relax as he kisses me. This is all very quick, but I find that it is right and that I want to reciprocate. He holds my face as he breaks his lips away, the rings bruising against my bottom lip.
So that's what it feels like.
YOU ARE READING
Sweetheart
Mystery / Thriller"The screams all sound the same. But yours? Yours are so much sweeter." When Riley Hewitt meets Lukas Levine, she finds an unlikely friendship hidden beneath their individual flaws and issues. Meanwhile, tabloids are promoting the search for a vici...
