Chapter 130
When I turn to show Liam my photography skills, I catch himn scrolling through his own camera roll – full of newly taken, suspiciously candid shots of me.
Needless to say, I nearly launched his phone into the clouds.
But that’s behind us now. I’m back on solid ground, being dragged toward the sleek white car that I didn’t even realise he rented honestly, at this point I might as well be a designer handbag he carries around.
The car looks like it costs more than my entire life.
I still don’t understand how Tessa wants to be this rich. Or how anyone can. Isn’t it exhausting?
Then again, I’m not really one to talk. My parents have enough money to buy a small country. And the attitude to match.
I’m excitedly buckling in, if I could, I would be swinging my legs and giggling like a little kid promised candy. It feels good be back on the ground.
“So,” I say, grinning over at him, “where to next, Mr. Calloway?”
“Take a guess, love.”
“Hm… are we getting food?”
“Nope.”
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Chapter 130
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“A water park?”
“If it was two months earlier, maybe.”
“An aquarium?”
He gives me a look. “What do people even do there? Search for SpongeBob?”
My lips pull into the biggest frown I can manage. “What’s wrong with looking for SpongeBob?”
He’s fighting a smile. I can see it in the way his mouth twitches. “Nothing, if that’s your thing. I’m sure I could find you a
SpongeBob centre. T–shirts. Balloons. A life–sized mascot, too. Just say the words and it’s all yours.”
“No thanks,” I say, pulling down the sun visor and flipping open the mirror. I check my reflection and, thankfully, my anxiety didn‘ t melt my mascara. “I’m more of a Squidward girl.”
Liam laughs, finally. “Crazy enough, that checks out.”
“And there’s nothing wrong with aquariums.”
“Sure,” he says, in the exact tone of someone who absolutely doesn’t mean it.
I give him a look. “You’re one of those people who thinks fish are boring, aren’t you?”
“I just think if I wanted to watch someone stare blankly through glass while doing nothing, I’d go visit my father.”
I snort. “Wow. Therapy is going to love that one.”
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Chapter 130
12A6 Nourers
“Already paid for my next four sessions.” He flashes me a grin. “Anyway, we’re not going to the aquarium.”
“Then where?” I ask, already getting suspicious.
He taps the wheel. “You’ll see.”
Which is exactly the kind of answer that makes me want to jump out of the car. But the city lights are getting closer, and even though I’m still recovering from the whole floating in the sky with nothing but a basket and good vibes situation, I feel a flutter of excitement.
“I swear, if this is another near–death experience, I’m reporting you to HR.”
“We don’t even have HR.”
“Exactly. Suspicious.”
When he finally pulls up in front of a neon–lit building squeezed between two quiet cafés, I can’t stop the grin that spreads across my face.
“Oh, I’m going to destroy you.”
Liam scoffs. “What happened to your growth arc? No more humble pie?”
“You can just admit defeat now. It’s not unmanly. It’s pretty noble, in fact.”
“God, you really know how to talk trash for someone who still flinches when the air fryer beeps.”
We step out of the car. He waits until I’m beside him before
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lacing our fingers together and pressing a kiss to the back of my hand, lingering a second too long before tugging me to his side, the smile on his lips is cruel.
“Don’t go crying when you lose, alright? You brought this on yourself. I’ll give you one warm–up round, but after that, you’re on your own.”
–
Inside, the arcade is everything it should be — loud, bright, chaotic. Games beep and flash from every corner. There’s a faint smell of popcorn and my victory in the air. Or maybe that’s just me being delusional.
Or realising my potential as a seer.
I turn to Liam, already scanning the room for my weapon of choice. “You ready?”
“For you to embarrass yourself? Absolutely.”
Challenge accepted.
EMILIA
The thing about being incredibly good at something is that no one sees it coming when you decimate them.
Especially not smug, tall, completely–soft–on–the–inside boys who talk like they invented charm and arcade games.
“You’ve played this before,” Liam says flatly, staring at the Dance Dance Revolution machine like it just personally betrayed
him.
I shrug, failing (barely) to hide my grin. “Maybe. Once. Twice. Seventeen times. Who’s counting?”
Chapter 130
He narrows his eyes. “You lured me in. You knew you were going to win.”
“I warned you. You didn’t listen. That’s not on me.”
“You baited me with false vulnerability.”
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