The ride back to the city was a quiet one. The group had left the old village at dawn, the air thick with the unspoken memories of the past couple of days. Sera leaned her head against the car window, watching the scenery blur by as they made their way down the winding roads. The soft hum of the engine was the only sound that filled the space.
Ethan and Emma were sitting in the front, quietly discussing where they should stop for breakfast. Nicole sat next to Sera, his presence palpable, even though he hadn't said much since they left. Sera's thoughts kept drifting back to the hike, to the way Nicole had caught her, and to the quiet conversation they had shared.
Something had shifted between them—something neither of them could put into words yet. And now, with the trip behind them, Sera couldn't help but wonder what would happen next.
Would they go back to being enemies? Or had the weekend changed things for good?
****
Just as they reached the city outskirts, Emma's voice broke the silence. "Hey, look at that," she said, pointing towards a sign on the side of the road. "There's an old carnival up ahead. It's open for the weekend."
Sera raised her eyebrows. "A carnival? I haven't been to one in years."
Ethan's eyes lit up. "That could be fun! What do you guys think? We've got the whole day ahead of us."
Nicole glanced at the sign, his expression unreadable. "Carnival?"
Emma turned in her seat, grinning. "Come on, Nicole. It'll be a nice break from all the serious CEO stuff. You might even enjoy yourself."
Sera laughed softly, sensing Nicole's hesitation. "Why not? We're already here. It could be fun."
Nicole met her gaze, his dark eyes considering. For a moment, she thought he might refuse, but then he surprised her. "Fine. Let's go."
Sera blinked in surprise. She hadn't expected him to agree so easily, but she was glad he did. Maybe this would be a chance to continue whatever had started between them in the village.
****
They pulled into the gravel parking lot and stepped out of the car, greeted by the faint sound of carnival music drifting through the air. The place looked like something out of another time, with brightly colored tents, ferris wheels, and the smell of popcorn in the air. The carnival wasn't crowded, just a scattering of families and couples enjoying the warm afternoon.
Ethan immediately ran towards the game booths, dragging Emma along with him. Sera chuckled as she watched them go, then turned to Nicole, who stood beside her, arms crossed, looking slightly out of place.
"This isn't exactly your scene, is it?" Sera teased, bumping her shoulder against his arm.
Nicole glanced down at her, his expression still serious. "Not exactly."
"Well, you're here now. You might as well try to enjoy it." Sera smiled up at him, then reached out and grabbed his hand, pulling him towards the booths. "Come on, let's find something fun to do."
Nicole didn't resist, and for some reason, the fact that he let her lead the way made Sera's heart flutter. His hand was warm in hers, and for a moment, she wondered if he was feeling the same unspoken tension she was.
They walked through the carnival, the bright colors and lively atmosphere a stark contrast to the cool and polished office world they were used to. Sera found herself relaxing, the weight of the last few weeks lifting off her shoulders.
She spotted a booth where people were trying to win oversized stuffed animals by knocking down cans with a baseball. Her eyes lit up. "Let's try this one!"
Nicole raised an eyebrow. "You think you can win?"
Sera grinned mischievously. "Watch me."
She grabbed one of the baseballs from the vendor and took her stance. With a sharp throw, she knocked down two of the cans but missed the third. She let out a small groan of frustration but smiled anyway.
"Not bad," Nicole said, his voice soft with amusement.
Sera looked up at him. "Your turn."
Nicole shook his head. "I'm not—"
"Oh, come on," Sera interrupted, handing him the baseball. "You've got to try."
Nicole hesitated, then took the ball, stepping up to the line. With a swift, controlled motion, he knocked down all three cans in one throw.
Sera blinked in surprise. "Okay, now you're just showing off."
Nicole smirked slightly, a rare expression on his usually serious face. "I don't play to lose."
The vendor handed Nicole an oversized stuffed bear as a prize, and he turned to Sera, holding it out. "Here."
Sera's heart skipped a beat. It was such a small gesture, but coming from Nicole, it felt significant. She took the bear, her fingers brushing against his as she did. "Thanks."
As they continued walking through the carnival, the tension between them grew. There was a pull, a quiet understanding that neither of them could put into words. They stopped by a few more booths, shared a few more laughs, and by the time the sun began to set, Sera felt like they were in a world of their own.
****
As they passed by a small tent at the edge of the carnival, a woman dressed in vibrant robes called out to them. "Fortune telling! See what the future holds for you!"
Sera glanced at Nicole. "Want to see what your future holds?"
Nicole gave her a skeptical look but didn't say no, so she pulled him into the tent. Inside, it was dark, lit only by the soft glow of candles. The fortune teller sat behind a small table, her eyes gleaming as she motioned for them to sit.
"You two," she said, her voice low and mysterious, "are more connected than you know."
Sera felt a shiver run down her spine. She glanced at Nicole, who remained stoic, his eyes locked on the fortune teller.
The woman pulled out a deck of tarot cards and began shuffling them. "Let's see what the cards have to say about your journey."
She laid out three cards on the table, her eyes narrowing as she studied them. "Interesting," she murmured. "Your paths are intertwined, but there are obstacles. Trust must be built, and secrets must be revealed."
Sera swallowed, feeling a strange sense of unease. The fortune teller's words felt too accurate, too close to the truth. She glanced at Nicole, but his expression remained unreadable.
The woman's gaze shifted to Sera. "You are stronger than you know. But beware—sometimes the heart leads you into dangerous places."
Sera's stomach flipped. She wasn't sure if she believed in fortune telling, but there was something about the woman's words that struck a chord.
Before she could ask more, the fortune teller turned to Nicole. "And you… you carry a heavy burden. But be careful, for the walls you build to protect yourself may one day become your prison."
Nicole's jaw tightened, and Sera could feel the tension radiating off him.
The fortune teller smiled, her eyes gleaming. "That will be ten dollars."
Sera blinked, the moment broken, and pulled out her wallet. As they left the tent, the carnival lights seemed brighter, the air thicker.
Nicole walked beside her, silent and brooding. Sera knew the fortune teller's words had affected him, even if he wouldn't admit it.
"Do you believe any of that?" Sera asked quietly as they made their way back to the car.
Nicole didn't answer right away. When he finally spoke, his voice was low. "No. But that doesn't mean it wasn't true."
Sera's heart skipped a beat. There was something in his tone, something that made her wonder what secrets he was hiding.
****
Just as they were about to reach the car, Sera's phone buzzed. She pulled it out of her pocket and saw a message from her friend, Lucy.
You won't believe this, Sera. There's something you need to see. Call me as soon as you can.
Sera frowned. Lucy wasn't the type to be dramatic, so if she was saying something like this, it had to be important.
"What's wrong?" Nicole asked, noticing her expression.
"I'm not sure," Sera said slowly. "My friend just sent me a strange message. I need to call her."
Nicole nodded, his eyes dark with concern. "Go ahead."
Sera stepped away and dialed Lucy's number. The moment Lucy picked up, her voice was frantic.
"Sera, I'm so glad you called. I didn't know how to tell you this, but… you need to come home. Now."
Sera's heart raced. "What? Why? What's going on?"
"It's about your parents," Lucy said, her voice trembling. "There's been an accident."