Ella avoided Alice for the rest of the week, even after getting an earful from Kyra. Charlie kept showing up, wanting to hang out, but Ella turned her away. The weekend rolled around and it was time for her date with Leon at the amusement park.

"What should I wear?" Ella asked Charlie, who was busy on her phone, as Ella stared at her wardrobe. "You know, if you're not going to help, then please go."

"No, no, no... I'm here to help. That one." She blindly pointed at a dress.

"That's it; time for you to leave." Ella tugged on Charlie's arm and pushed her out of her room. "Go home if you want to chat with your husband." She closed the door.

Knock, knock.

"Charlie, go home."

Knock, knock.

"What now, Charlie?" Ella opened the door to find Leon. "Oh, I'm sorry... I thought it was—"

"Charlie, I know. No, she's over on the couch still texting." He pulled a gift box out from behind him. "I got you something to wear on our date."

"Really? Thank you, but you didn't need to do that."

"I wanted to." He urged her to take it.

"Thank you."

"I look forward to seeing you in it." A slight blush touched his cheeks, and he headed off.

Ella set the box on the bed and took a deep breath, preparing for the worst. He's a young guy and wants to see me in it; that can't be good, right? She flicked the lid off and looked inside. It was a light pink flowy summer dress with flowers on it. This is not what I was expecting. She held it up to herself and looked in the mirror. It's more of a reserved yet playful type of dress. This will work for a date at the amusement park. Well, maybe I should wear something under it just in case.

She changed into her new dress, did up her hair and light makeup, and left her room to find Leon waiting in the living room casually dressed in a t-shirt with an open shirt over it and jeans. Simple, but it suits him.

"You look... so cute..." He cleared his throat and composed himself. "Shall we?" He offered her his arm.

"Thank you." She took his arm. "By the way, where's Charlie?"

"She said she had something important to do and ran off."

"Oh, okay." Totally thought she was going to try to join me...

Outside, a grey Porsche pulled up in front of them. Zeke got out and handed Leon the keys. "Are you sure you don't want me to drive you there?" he asked.

"This is a date to an amusement park, Zeke, so no, I'd rather drive us"

"Okay... Call if you need anything." He stepped off to the side.

Leon opened the door for her and made sure she was buckled in before rushing to his side. His hands on the wheel, he smiled at her and then took off.

Leon safely pulled into the packed parking lot, got out, and immediately opened the door for her.

I'm surprised he didn't speed or anything. Is he normally like this, or is it all for show?

He took her hand, and they headed into the amusement park together.

"So, what do you want to do first? If there are any rides you want to go on, I suggest going to those before the food stalls," Leon said right after they passed through the entrance gate.

"Okay, how about that first?" She pointed up at a monstrous rollercoaster with multiple loops.

Leon nodded awkwardly. "Sure, let's go." Hand-in-hand, they lined up for the rollercoaster. When they got to the front of the line, Leon tensed up.

"Are you okay? We don't have to go on this if you don't want to," Ella whispered to him.

"No, I'm fine," his voice hitched slightly.

He's afraid to go on the ride? Kinda cute, but why an amusement park then?

They sat down on the rollercoaster, safely locked in. Leon took a few deep breaths.

"We'll be okay," Ella assured him.

"I know... Still terrifying," he mumbled to himself.

After the rollercoaster took off and gained some speed. Ella screamed and raised her arms in the air as it went down on a steep slant. Leon gripped the safety harness tightly the whole time, not a peep from him.

"Wow, how'd you not scream?" she asked, laughing and wiping away a tear as they came to the end of the ride.

"Ha..." Leon wobbled as he got out of the rollercoaster, his legs feeling like jelly. 

Ella took his hand and pulled him off to the side to sit on a bench. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why would you think otherwise?" He forced a smile.

"I have to ask, are you afraid of heights?"

"Nope; I'm fine on planes. Heck, I've been on too many flights for my liking, so it's not that. You feel the speed so much more on these, especially when you're plummeting towards the ground..."

"You didn't have to ride the rollercoaster."

"But I could tell you wanted to, so I ended up wanting to as well. It's just as bad as I remembered," he sighed.

"We don't have to go on those rides, you know?"

"But it's an amusement park."

"There are other kinds." She pointed at the bumper cars. "How about those? Or over there." She pointed at the go-karts.

"I don't think I want to ram you with a bumper car, but you want to race me?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Why not? Think you'll lose?"

"You're asking for it now." He smirked. "Let's go for it."

They headed towards the go-kart track. Ella looked up past it and slowed down, her eyes on the Ferris wheel. The last time she had ridden one, she was with her first boyfriend.

"Ella? Is something wrong?"

"What? No..." She shook her head.

He looked over at the Ferris wheel in wonder. Why was her expression sad? Was it that she wanted to ride it, or something else? "We're next. Time for you to lose."

"We'll see about that."

"Care to make this extra interesting?" he asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Loser has to... do something for the winner."

She frowned at him.

"Within reason, of course, but the loser will owe the winner a favour that can be requested sometime down the line." He held his hand out to her. "What do you say?"

She hesitated.

"Afraid to lose?"

Her eye twitched. "You have a deal." She shook his hand. Both of them ready with their helmets, they got into their go-karts.

She took a deep breath, gripping the steering wheel tightly.

3...

2...

1...

They both sped off, gaining a quick lead on the two other people racing with them. They rounded the second corner neck-in-neck and went full throttle on the straightaway. By the third round, the other two were already too far behind to win the race. Ella practically drifted around the last corner and just barely pulled ahead to pass the finish line first.

"Yes!" she cheered after coming to a stop. She pulled her helmet off and stood. "You owe me a favour."

"Do a victory pose." Leon pulled his phone out and aimed it at her.

She made a V with her fingers and smiled, her helmet held under one arm.

"Awesome... You won that fair and square." He set his helmet down and approached her. "I can't believe I lost." He laughed and pulled her in for a hug.

"Whoa." She jumped slightly. "Should you be this happy I won?"

"I'm happy you didn't take it easy on me, and I think it's awesome how you went around that last corner, although a bit dangerous. Please don't do that while driving otherwise... or ever again."

"I promise I don't normally do that..." I can't believe I pulled a move like Sebastian. Ugh... That prick... She cringed at the bitter taste in her mouth.

"Okay, good." Sensing her distress over it, he kissed her forehead.

"Oh..." A light blush tinted her cheeks.

"How about we move on to some of these booth games?"

"Okay."

"They seem to be getting along well," Charlie said as she watched Ella and Leon alongside Alice and Kyra.

"Way better than when I last saw them." Alice pushed up her sunglasses and slurped on her slushie.

"You two... You're more suspicious because you're dressed like that, you know that, right?" Kyra asked as the other two hid behind a sign with binoculars in their hands and their hoods pulled up.

"But you can spy on people in regular clothes," Alice argued.

"Why are we even spying on them still? As Charlie said, they're getting along well; we don't need to stalk them."

"But what if something happens and we're not nearby?"

"She's not a child; she'll be fine. How about we actually enjoy the place? I haven't been here without my kids in so long..." Kyra sighed. "I want to enjoy it my way this time."

"We came here for Ella!"

"And she's fine, so let's go find some good food to munch on. I'm starving." Kyra walked away, tired of their antics. She knew if they needed her, they'd call, and they knew she'd come running.

"Can you believe she beat him in a race?" Charlie asked. "Maybe I should race her..."

"Please don't," Alice begged her. "Something is bound to go wrong if you do that."

"But it'd be so much fun! And I know you love to have fun."

"I don't like to put my life on the line."

"You're not one of the drivers; you'd be fine."

"The sidelines aren't that fun... They're moving. Let's go." Alice grabbed Charlie's arm to drag her along.

"As much fun as it is to stalk our friend in secret, I think Kyra is right about enjoying the amusement park while we're here."

"You want to abandon the mission, too?" Alice peeked over her sunglasses at her.

"No... but can we at least stop at a few booths while they're lingering right there, too?" Charlie pointed at a booth nearby with a shooting range. "I'll even win you a stuffed animal."

Alice glanced over at the booth and her eyes landed on a cute polar bear cub. "Aww, I want him." She pointed at the polar bear.

"Then you shall have him!"

After eating at various booths and winning a bunch of prizes, Ella's hands were full of bags.

"Let me carry them for you," Leon offered again.

"How about we put them in the car?"

"How about I put them in the car, and you sit over here on the bench and rest your feet for a bit? I imagine any kind of heels, no matter if they're shorter, make your feet extra tired."

Did he notice my sluggishness, or was he just assuming? "Okay, I think I'll take you up on the offer." She handed him the bags and sat down on a nearby bench, stretching her neck out. This place is so busy... I wonder if the girls came to keep an eye on me. She scanned the crowd for her friends, but didn't see any of them.

"Ella, is that you?"

She froze at the familiar, silvery voice, and her heart rate skyrocketed. No way... It's not possible... She stared down at her hands, pretending not to hear him and hoping he would think it was someone else. A pair of black loafers came into her view.

"Ella?"

She couldn't help but look up at him, gripping her hands in her lap. He looked the same as he did all those years ago. His black hair was perfectly styled and dark eyes that seemed to pierce into her. "Sebastian?" She swallowed hard, barely able to squeak out his name.

"It really is you." His eyes widened. "I can't believe we'd run into each other here, of all places."

"Yeah... Funny how things work out." She gritted her teeth and plastered on a fake smile.

He sat down beside her on the bench and leaned in close. "If must've been fate; I've been thinking about you lately, and poof, here you are." His eyes trailed along her. "You're looking good, as always."

"Thanks..." I guess... Leon... Please come back soon. She leaned away from him.

"So, what brings you here?"

"I'm on a date."

"Really? And he left you here alone where other men can prey on you?" 

"Prey on me? You make it sound like I'm some defenceless lamb or something." That's the way he'd prefer me to be, isn't it?

"Aren't you?" He wrapped a lock of her hair around his finger.

"No, I'm not." She pushed his hand away, her own trembling.

"I'd never leave you alone like this." He sighed and brushed a hand through his hair.

Because you're a controlling prick!

"How about you ditch the new boy-toy and come back to me?"

That's it! "Boy-toy?" She held up her left hand to show off her ring. "We're in a serious relationship, not fooling around."

His expression dropped. "We were engaged once; things change. It also means things can change again."

"You... You haven't changed at all, have you?" she huffed.

"Why change when I'm already awesome?"

I wish I could deck him right now, but... She shuddered. I know he's stronger than me... "It's been a long time, Sebastian; most people change with time."

"Are you sure you have? Because you seem like the same woman I wanted to marry back then... Well, your looks have matured a bit; you don't have chubby cheeks anymore. And you're much sexier."

Ew... Please... Where is Leon?

"Charlie, Charlie, Charlie." Alice tugged on her arm as she watched Ella. "Who is that? Doesn't Ella look uncomfortable?"

"Hmm? Where'd Leon go?" Charlie asked as she glanced over.

"I think he went to the car because he took all the bags with him. But never mind that. Shouldn't we go help her?" Alice pointed at Sebastian. "I don't like the look he's giving her. And look how close he is to her."

"Doesn't he look vaguely familiar?"

"Maybe, but I don't remember meeting him."

"No, I mean from a picture or something."

"Really? I don't know." Alice used her binoculars to get an up-close look at his face. "I don't like the look he's giving her... maybe we should intervene."