XIV

Danielle pulled into the parking lot, the neon lights from the carnival rides reflecting off the sleek surface of her Bugatti Chiron.

The distant hum of excited voices, ringing bells, and cheerful carnival music filled the air. She shifted the car into park, drumming her fingers against the steering wheel before glancing at her passengers.

Riley, as expected, was practically vibrating with excitement in the back seat. Maya, on the other hand, sat in the passenger seat, arms crossed, looking like she was already regretting every life decision that led her here.

Danielle smirked. "You look thrilled to be here, Blondie."

Maya shot her a glare. "I could be at home, watching something actually entertaining. Instead, I'm here, surrounded by overpriced games and creepy clowns."

Riley gasped dramatically. "Maya! This is a magical experience! It's all about fun and childhood wonder!"

Maya turned to her best friend, deadpan. "I am a child, Riley."

Danielle chuckled under her breath before opening the door. "Come on, let's get this over with before you two kill each other."

They climbed out, the cool night air carrying the scent of funnel cakes and cotton candy. As they made their way inside, Danielle shoved her hands in her jacket pockets, her gaze flickering around the carnival. It had been a while since she'd been to one of these. Not really her thing.

But then, this wasn't really about her, was it?

"Okay!" Riley clapped her hands together. "First stop: games!"

Maya groaned. "Oh, please, let's waste all our money on rigged carnival games."

Danielle smirked, already leading the way. "What, scared you'll lose?"

Maya scoffed. "No, I just don't see the point in throwing perfectly good money at something I know is designed for us to fail."

"Sounds like an excuse," Danielle said.

Maya narrowed her eyes at her. "Oh, you would love this, wouldn't you?"

Danielle just grinned. "Only if I win."

They stopped at a booth where oversized stuffed animals hung as prizes. The game? Classic ring toss. Simple enough. Danielle handed the guy running the booth a few bills, grabbing some rings.

Maya crossed her arms. "I hope you love disappointment."

Danielle tossed the first ring. It missed.

Maya grinned. "Oh, this is already the best night of my life."

Danielle rolled her eyes but kept going. Another miss. Then another.

Maya leaned in smugly. "I told you—"

Danielle didn't let her finish. On the next toss, the ring landed perfectly around the bottle.

Riley squealed. "She did it!"

Maya's smirk dropped. "...Lucky shot."

Danielle turned to her with an infuriating grin. "Say that again?"

Maya huffed. "Lucky. Shot."

Danielle ignored her, turning to the guy behind the booth. "I'll take that one." She pointed to a large plush tiger, and when the guy handed it over, she casually tossed it to Maya.

Maya caught it, blinking in confusion. "What—?"

Danielle smirked. "For you."

Maya narrowed her eyes. "You think bribing me with a stuffed animal is gonna make me tolerate you more?"

Danielle shrugged. "Maybe."

Maya stared at her for a long moment. Then, to Danielle's surprise, the blonde mumbled, "Thanks," before hugging the plush tiger close.

Danielle felt something flicker in her chest at that but quickly smirked again. "Don't get used to it."

Maya rolled her eyes but didn't let go of the stuffed tiger.

Riley, meanwhile, was practically bouncing on her feet. "Okay, okay! Next, the Ferris wheel!"

Danielle glanced at Maya, raising an eyebrow. "Scared of heights?"

Maya snorted. "Please. I'm not scared of anything."

"Good." Danielle smirked. "Then you won't mind sitting next to me."

Maya hesitated. Just for a second.

Then she lifted her chin. "Fine."

Riley giggled. "This is the best night ever."

As they made their way toward the Ferris wheel, Danielle glanced at Maya out of the corner of her eye, watching the way she clutched the stuffed tiger.

Maybe this wasn't such a bad way to spend a Saturday night after all.

---

The three of them stepped onto the platform as the Ferris wheel slowed, lights glowing against the night sky. The ride operator gestured toward an empty cart, and before anyone could say anything, Danielle placed a hand on Maya's back, guiding her forward.

"After you, Blondie," she said smoothly.

Maya gave her a look but stepped inside, sliding over to make room. Danielle followed, dropping onto the seat beside her, legs stretching comfortably in front of her. Riley climbed in last, settling across from them with an excited grin.

"This is gonna be so much fun!" Riley beamed, bouncing slightly in her seat as the bar lowered over their laps.

Maya scoffed, arms crossed over her chest. "You say that now, but wait 'til we're at the top, and this thing stops moving."

Riley rolled her eyes. "You are such a baby."

Danielle smirked. "She's got a point, Hart. You do look kind of nervous."

Maya turned her glare on Danielle. "I am not nervous."

The Ferris wheel lurched forward, lifting them higher off the ground, and Maya's hand instinctively shot out, gripping the edge of the seat.

Danielle glanced down at her fingers, barely suppressing a smirk. "Not nervous, huh?"

Maya yanked her hand back and scowled. "Shut up."

Danielle chuckled, resting her arm along the back of their seat. From across the cart, Riley just watched them with interest, her head tilted slightly like she was figuring something out.

They rode in silence for a few moments, the carnival noise fading as they rose higher and higher. The city stretched out beyond them, lights blinking against the dark sky.

Riley sighed happily. "This is so magical."

Maya turned to Danielle, deadpan. "Can you believe I'm in a love triangle with that?"

Danielle smirked. "Trust me, Chirp. If anyone knows what it's like being trapped in something ridiculous, it's me."

Maya raised an eyebrow. "That so?"

Danielle just shrugged, looking out over the city.

Riley, oblivious, continued gazing at the view. "I bet everything looks different from up here," she mused. "Like... bigger, but also kind of small?"

Danielle hummed in agreement. "Yeah. It's like looking at a picture instead of being in it."

Maya glanced at her, the comment catching her off guard. "You actually think about stuff like that?"

Danielle smirked, glancing at her sideways. "What, you think I just spend all my time flipping my hair and walking dramatically down hallways?"

Maya pretended to think about it. "I mean... yeah."

Danielle chuckled, shaking her head. "You really don't know anything about me, do you?"

Maya opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, the Ferris wheel jolted—suddenly stopping at the very top.

Riley gasped excitedly. "Ooooh, we're at the top!"

Maya, gripping the seat again, let out a breath. "Great. Love that for us."

Danielle glanced at her hand before casually placing her own over it. "Relax, Blondie," she murmured, voice softer now. "We'll be back down before you know it."

Maya hesitated, looking down at their hands. But she didn't pull away.

For the first time that night, she didn't have a sarcastic comeback.

Maya stared down at their hands, her fingers still curled around the edge of the seat but now covered by Danielle's. The warmth of her touch sent something strange through her chest—something unsettling and unfamiliar.

She should have pulled away. She should have made a joke, something sarcastic, something to deflect. But she didn't. Instead, she swallowed, forcing herself to look up at Danielle's face.

Danielle wasn't smirking anymore. She was watching Maya carefully, her usual cocky exterior softened just a little.

Riley, still oblivious to whatever was happening between them, leaned forward in excitement. "Do you guys think we could see my apartment from here?" She turned to Danielle. "You have to admit this is magical."

Danielle tore her gaze away from Maya, her smirk creeping back in place. "Sure, Sunshine. Totally magical."

Maya exhaled, finally forcing herself to move. She slid her hand out from under Danielle's, pretending to brush off imaginary dust from her jeans. "Yeah, real fairytale moment. What's next? A prince gonna come flying up here to rescue us?"

Danielle smirked. "Sorry to break it to you, Hart, but I don't think a prince is coming for you."

Maya shot her a look. "Wow, thanks. Way to crush a girl's dreams."

Danielle leaned in slightly, lowering her voice just enough that only Maya could hear. "Maybe you don't need a prince."

Maya's breath hitched. She knew it was wrong. Deep down Maya knew this was very wrong, she was in a situation-ship with a nice cowboy.

She opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, the Ferris wheel jolted back to life, lurching slightly as it started moving again.

Maya let out a very undignified yelp, grabbing onto the nearest thing—Danielle's arm.

Danielle barely contained her laugh. "You sure you're not nervous?"

Maya scowled, reluctantly letting go. "I hate you."

Danielle just smirked, stretching her arms behind her head like she had absolutely nothing to worry about. "Nah, you don't."

Riley, still watching the lights below, sighed dreamily. "I knew high school was gonna be the best time of our lives."

Maya rolled her eyes, but for the first time since the ride started, she wasn't gripping the seat anymore.

And she definitely wasn't thinking about princes.

As the cart continued its slow descent, Maya exhaled, finally allowing herself to relax. Maybe it wasn't that bad. Maybe—just maybe—she had overreacted.

She snuck a glance at Danielle, who sat beside her looking perfectly at ease, arms stretched behind her head like she was lounging on some beach instead of fifty feet in the air.

The sheer confidence of it was annoying. Maya had no idea how someone could look so smug doing absolutely nothing.

Danielle caught her staring. "What? Miss me already?"

Maya scoffed, crossing her arms. "I was just wondering how someone's head could be that big and still fit inside this cart."

Danielle grinned. "You were looking at me, though."

Riley, still completely missing the tension in the air, let out a dreamy sigh. "Isn't this great? Just the three of us, taking in the view, bonding—"

The Ferris wheel came to a stop again, this time near the bottom. The ride operator unlatched the bar, stepping back to let them off.

Riley hopped out first. "That was so fun! Let's do it again!"

Maya stepped out next, stretching her arms above her head. "Yeah, no thanks. I like my feet on the ground."

Danielle followed, shoving her hands in her jacket pockets. "You held on to me, Hart. Pretty sure that means you love Ferris wheels."

Maya whirled on her, pointing a finger. "That was a moment of weakness. Doesn't count."

Danielle smirked, stepping just a little closer. "Sure it doesn't."

Maya opened her mouth to argue, but Riley grabbed her arm, effectively dragging her away. "Come on, Maya! We still have so much left to do!"

As they walked away, Maya glanced over her shoulder. Danielle was still standing near the ride, watching them leave, her expression unreadable.

And for some reason, Maya felt it. That look. Like it meant something. Like maybe, just maybe, she wasn't the only one feeling whatever this was.

She shook her head, turning back to Riley. Nope. Not going there.

It was just a Ferris wheel. Just a stupid ride.

That's all.

Maya definitely wasn't thinking about it. Nope. Not at all.

Except maybe a little.

She stuck close to Riley as they made their way through the fair, ignoring the occasional glance Danielle sent her way. It wasn't a thing. Just a stupid ride. A moment of weakness. That's it.

"Okay, what's next?" Riley asked, eyes scanning the glowing carnival signs like a kid in a candy store.

Maya shrugged, hands in her pockets. "Anything that doesn't involve heights or trusting metal contraptions operated by some dude named 'Big Al.'"

Danielle, who had been walking just a few steps behind them, smirked. "So no more holding onto me for dear life?"

Maya groaned, spinning on her heel. "Are you seriously still talking about that?"

Danielle took a slow step forward, leaning in just enough to be annoying. "You tell me, Chirp."

Maya crossed her arms. "I will throw cotton candy at you."

Danielle raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "And I'll catch it. Then what?"

Maya scowled. Danielle always had to have the last word.

Riley, once again oblivious to whatever was happening between them, grabbed both their wrists. "Okay, you two! Let's put all this energy into something fun! Like bumper cars! Or face painting! Or—" She gasped, her eyes lighting up. "Fortune telling!"

Maya groaned. "Oh no."

Danielle tilted her head. "Wait, that actually sounds kinda fun."

Riley clapped excitedly. "See? Danielle gets it!"

Maya turned to Danielle in disbelief. "You get it? I thought you were supposed to be cool."

Danielle smirked. "Maybe I'm full of surprises."

Maya opened her mouth to argue, but Riley was already pulling them toward the fortune teller's tent.

"Come on!" Riley beamed. "Maybe she'll tell you something interesting, Maya."

Maya rolled her eyes but let herself be dragged along.

Danielle walked beside her, nudging her arm. "Scared of what she might say?"

Maya shot her a look. "Not scared. Just don't believe in all that destiny nonsense."

Danielle hummed. "Guess we'll see about that."

Maya had no idea why those words made her stomach flip.