Howls of Cursed Fate

𝑩𝒐𝒏𝒖𝒔 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓

Savannah's POV:

Maybe the universe stopped hating me already.

Gideon and I walked side-by-side through Havenbrook Park, weaving in and out of the dappled sunlight that filtered through the trees. He was right, it was beautiful here. And I had a hard time focusing on anything else.

But why did Deon manage to take me especially here? How he could remember that this was like our last memory together, was beyond my understanding—especially when we'd started as he'd asked for my name weeks ago.

"Why is the weather so crazy," I muttered and he shot me a glare, changing into a smirk that I knew too well. "Bear, it's not because of me being crazy."

"But why are you giving me ideas, then?"

I bet that every heart in this world had to skip a beat when he chuckled.

"Shush."

The heat that hugged the town, made everything feel lazy and beach-worthy, and here I was finally for the first time enjoying my birthday in this early summer energy. But it left me wondering what was really going on—like the world itself was in on some dark heated secret.

"Wanna ice cream?" Gideon asked while we walked around a cute ice cream stand.

Was he really trying to keep the conversation going? I didn't mind being quiet with him for once after seeing each other every day lately. The walk was too beautiful to babble about stuff anyway.

I pushed my new sunglasses off my nose and gave him a look with a sigh. "I will have enough sugar from the cake today. We better walk more rounds before that."

"Okay," he shrugged, "it's your day. Just say what you would want, Sunny," We finally mirrored a smile.

But where did my real nickname go?

"Good." I kicked a pebble in my path, trying to focus on anything but the way Gideon's hand kept brushing near mine as we walked. He was close—closer than usual and it wasn't like hugging him all the time. There was something electric in the air, something I wasn't sure how to label.

Honestly, I had no idea what kind of game he thought he was playing. Ever since he'd shown up outside my school in his dad's fancy car, I couldn't shake the feeling that he was doing this for more than just a friend. Nor for my birthday.

His gestures—the gifts, cake, the way he showed me our old photo and the coffee with my most favorite seasonal flavor—were too carefully planned to feel casual. Maybe he stepped up the game because I was finally old enough, or because I remembered him. Maybe he had a bet with someone to keep me over the edge.

If he thought I was going to be easy to win over just because we had history, he had another thing coming. I wasn't some puzzle for him to solve just because we'd known each in the past. I knew people like him. It wasn't normal for others to try to befriend me lately—and Vivian and Theo were a different breed. None of my 'boyfriends' were ever serious about me, so I knew how this went.q

But, if I was being completely honest, I wanted to see how far Deon would go to impress me. To win this thing. And with each careful gesture, with each glance he sent my way, I felt myself slipping, just a little bit more, into this space he was erasing between us.

"Too warm for you?" he asked, breaking the silence, his eyes crinkling as he noticed me wiping the faint sheen of sweat from my forehead. He saw it—just nice.

I shrugged, smiling. "A little. And here I thought spring had some decency."

He laughed, his eyes pinned on me. "Spring? Decent? It's fickle... Just like someone I know."