Falling Into Oblivion

Chapter 54

We step out of the cab, and the cold slices through the air, making me scrunch my nose and instinctively try to cover my face with my hair. I hear a soft chuckle beside me, and I look over to find Aiden, his expression warm and amused as he watches me.

"You're adorable," he whispers, leaning closer.

Before I can respond, he grabs my wrist and gently turns me around to face away from him. I'm caught off guard as he digs into my backpack. What did he put in there? I don't remember packing anything extra. He handed it to me before we left, casually mentioning that he put the thermoses inside.

I turn back around to meet his gaze, but he doesn't give me a moment to speak. Instead, he pulls out a scarf and wraps it around my neck. My heart skips when I realize it's my scarf—the one I thought I had left behind in my room.

"Told you to bring a scarf, but you wouldn't listen," he teases, a playful smirk dancing on his lips as he secures the fabric snugly. "I knew you'd freeze; you always do."

I can't help but smile, feeling a flutter of warmth not just from the scarf but from his thoughtfulness. "Okay, okay, you win this round," I admit, pulling the scarf closer around me.

Aiden's eyes twinkle with mischief. "Just remember this next time you think you know better."

"Yeah, yeah," I retort, rolling my eyes, but the affection in my voice betrays my irritation. "You're not going to let me forget about this, are you?"

He shakes his head, the teasing in his grin widening. "Never."

It should piss me off, but instead, I can't help but smile from ear to ear.

"You guys coming?" Belle yells out for us, glancing back as the others continue toward the bonfire.

"Yeah, we'll be right there!" I call back, still wrapped in the warmth of Aiden's scarf and the moment.

Aiden gives me a playful nudge and a wink, urging me to move. "Come on, let's go."

As we walk toward the bonfire, the scent of burning wood fills the air, mingling with the crispness of the night. Laughter and chatter echo from the group gathered around the flames, their faces illuminated by the flickering light.

"This looks beautiful," I say, my excitement bubbling up.

Aiden glances over to me, his expression thoughtful. "Yeah, it does."

"You're not even looking," I reply, nudging him playfully. He rolls his eyes, but I can see a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"You're stupid," he laughs. I ignore that comment, he always feels the need to insult me, I don't even pay attention to that anymore.

As we reach the bonfire, the warmth envelops us, chasing away the chill from the evening air. Belle, Kai and Amina are already chatting with some locals, their faces flushed with excitement.

"Finally!" Amina beams, waving us over. "Bring over the hot chocolate!"

"Yeah, yeah, calm down," Aiden says, his tone brightening.

I spot Dylan nearby, laughing with his friends, and I can't help but smile. As I make my way over, Aiden lingers behind, talking to Belle and Amina.

"Hey, Lyra!" Dylan calls out, his smile warm and easy. "Glad you're here too."

"Yeah, some locals invited Belle and Amina," I explain, shrugging casually. My eyes flicker over to his group, noticing their friendly grins.

"Why don't you call your friends over?" Dylan suggests, motioning toward the fire. "Is everything fine between them now?"