Be Mine, Always

Chapter Four

Xander’s POV~8 years ago

        The lights of the carnival were blinking and strobing in the dark of night, music shook through the fair grounds and the sound of screaming kids rang in the air. 

        Summer was thick in the air and the girl in front of me was a vision in shorts and a flowery yellow crop top, gold sandals snaked up her calves and her pale blonde hair was tied in a braid with two curling strands sticking to her sweaty neck. 

        It took a month to convince Melody to go on a real date with me, she kept acting like our private lunches were dates and while I valued the serene time with her, I wanted to take her somewhere. Finally, she agreed to go to the fair with me. And it was sweet agony to wait all week to take her out on Saturday night. 

        Her dad gave me a long talk about respecting his one and only daughter and made sure I understood she was to be returned in one piece at 12:30. 

        It was worth it when Melody walked down the stairs of her house, sandals making a soft clapping sound against the polished wood of the stairs. She was breathtaking and I was startled out of my ogling when her dad clapped me hard on the shoulder and motioned for the door. 

        Melody giggled as I stood, tossing darts at balloons, hitting ten of the twelve targets. At least I still won a prize, she laughed as I slipped the toy ring onto her finger and bit her lip when I slipped my fingers into hers as well. 

        “Is this where you take all your dates?” She asked, nudging my shoulder. 

        Even in my white tank I was still hot, the humid air had the soft material sticking to my stomach, and sweat slid down my neck. “Nope, just you.” I grinned and she smiled in return. 

        Things had become more amicable between us over the weeks. Although, she still thought it was a douche move for me to lay claim to her the moment I saw her. As she liked to say, “Only fae men can get away with the possessive shit, and you sir are no fae man.” I chuckled under my breath and she tugged me toward a rollercoaster. 

        Oh hell no. 

        “Aren’t you hungry?” I asked, squeezing her hand and slid my thumb over her pulse in her wrist, attempting to distract her. 

        She shook her head, oblivious to my ministrations and suddenly we were being locked into a doom machine. Oh fuck. 

        I grabbed her hand again and looked at her, panicked. “Melody, I have to tell you something…” 

        My words were cut off as the ride click click clicked up the metal tracks until we were at the pinnacle and then we were falling and I was screaming, crushing the slim hand of a girl I was trying to impress as we fell through the air and were whipped around for a solid two minutes. 

        When we came to a stop I yanked Melody from the platform and she laughed as I hauled her in line for some greasy and questionable carnival food. 

        “You’re scared of rollercoasters,” she asked incredulously. 

        I glared at her and she doubled over laughing. “You know if the roles were reversed, I’d be comforting you after such a harrowing experience,” I grumped, crossing my arms over my chest. 

        She giggled and shifted to stand in front of me, her hands caressing over my shoulders and arms. “Such a fancy word! And I’m sorry.” She didn’t look the least bit sorry and I fought the tug of my lips. She slid her hands around my neck, leaning against me, patting my head and caressing down my back.