Chapter 138 Chapter 138
“Don’t argue, please.” Valerie said, standing in between them, but they continued to glare at each other over her head. “We’re wasting time here, let’s try another one of the rides before the park closes,” she added, and that finally caught the demons’ attention.
The sky was already changing colors, turning from blue to violet since the sun would set soon. The spooky Halloween decoration spread throughout the park looked a lot more convincing now, the pumpkin lanterns glowing in soft orange light. The air had cooled significantly, making Valerie shudder. Maxwell noticed and wrapped his arm around her, pushing her into his chest. She smiled gratefully, carrying her kitty in one hand while he took the other one to warm it up.
“How about we end the date with a ride on the Ferris wheel?” Esther proposed.
“So cheesy,” Vaughn chuckled.
“Don’t act as if you weren’t looking forward to it.” she giggled and winked.
“Alright, let’s go. It’s just around the corner,” Valerie said. The Ferris wheel stood out from the other attractions, its flashing, colorful lights making it appear like a beacon in the dark. It looked magical from the ground, and she couldn’t wait to see the brightly illuminated park from above.
“Did you have a nice day?” she asked Esther as they walked towards their destination.
“Yes, the rollercoasters were the best part.” she chirped.
“What about you?” Vaughn asked, watching them from the corner of his eye.
“I’d say we’ve grown closer,” Maxwell answered without giving any details, winking at Valerie, who blushed.
“Aren’t you the cutest?” Esther gushed, Valerie’s blush darkening. “You must have had fun without us,” she joked.
“Yes, we had,” Valerie grinned, hugging her plushie. Maxwell snorted in amusement and glanced at her with warmly sparkling eyes. He squeezed her hand, his thumb brushing over its back.
They arrived at the entrance of the Ferris wheel, and thankfully, not many people were in line, so they were able to get in immediately. Maxwell insisted that they take a gondola on their own, smirking as he pulled Valerie into the next one he saw. She barely got to say anything to Vaughn and Esther, and then they were already gone.
He made sure to have her sit next to him and engulfed her in his arms. She blushed, leaned her head on his shoulder, and relaxed as the Ferris wheel began to move, their gondola ascending towards the night sky. Valerie curiously peered out the window, but seeing how high up they were, she flinched back slightly. The shining lights of the amusement park were dazzling, looking gorgeous and reminding her of tiny stars. From up here, everything looked so small. Fascinated, she couldn’t tear her eyes from the sight.
Maxwell’s chuckle made her turn her head, and she was surprised at how close he was all of a sudden. With his sky-blue eyes meeting her brown orbs, he leaned in to seal their lips in a sweet kiss. He wasn’t impatient this time, and wasn't pushing her. Very softly, his lips moved against hers, reminding her of the fluttering tender touch of a feather. He could be very gentle when he wanted to be, caressing her cheeks carefully like she was made of glass.
Her heart was pounding in elation when their lips parted, though they stayed close, leaning their foreheads against each other. “Thank you for today,” she smiled. “I’ve had a lot of fun. We should… go on dates more often.”
He grinned. “If my sugar wants to, we can do it all the time.”
She nodded vigorously, happiness blooming in her chest. However, when she looked at him, she came to see something unusual. “Maxwell, you’re glowing.” she said, shocked that her boyfriend was randomly radiating light like a glowstick.
“So what?” he grumbled, looking a bit flustered when he crossed his arms.
“Tone your magic down before anyone notices,” she reminded him, since the gondola was moving towards the ground already.
“Nobody’s here, though,” he said and shrugged.
“Why exactly are you glowing? I don’t think I’ve ever seen that happening,” she mumbled suspiciously and leaned closer to him, their noses almost touching.
“No reason,” he said slowly and avoided her curious gaze. A red hue spread over his cheeks, making her squeal internally.
“Are you happy?”
“Maybe.”
She giggled and hugged him tightly, his magical glow engulfing her. He let out a sigh, followed by a chuckle, and embraced her, locking his arms behind her back. As she sat snuggled into him, she sensed the warm feeling of joy within her heart, originating from him.
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Tired from the exciting day at the amusement park, Valerie overslept the following morning, but since it was Sunday, it didn’t really matter. She never wanted to get up when she was cuddled up to Maxwell’s body, relishing in the sense of safety and warmth that his embrace gave her. His clinginess didn’t exactly make it easier to leave the bed either, and so they ended up lazing around until it was almost noon. Only then did she finally decide that she needed to get up.
Trudging to the bathroom, she took a quick shower and put on fresh clothes consisting of a much too large hoodie she’d stolen from Maxwell, and comfortable leggings. Since it was fall, she preferred wearing warmer clothes, and Maxwell owned lots of cozy hoodies. Convenient.
She brushed her long black hair, taking a look at her face in the mirror. Her cheeks were rosy, reflecting her happiness. She had been over the moon since she got to spend so much time with him, and she sometimes still couldn’t believe that it was all real. With a smile on her lips, she pulled up the long sleeve of the hoodie and uncovered the white star on her wrist that glowed softly whenever Maxwell was close by. Tracing its outline with her finger, she watched it glimmer.
However, she was suddenly torn from her thoughts when the doorbell rang, announcing a visitor. Surprised by this, she left the bathroom and went to the front door. She didn’t expect any guests, but since she already sensed a familiar trace of fire demon magic, she had a hunch who was standing in front of her door.