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The following day, the air at the amusement park buzzed with the sound of laughter and distant screams from thrill rides. Gabriella walked with a deceptive lightness, wearing a knee-length, cute pink gown that contrasted sharply with the coolness she projected. Her hair was loose, the ends of her freshly cut layers dancing lightly in the wind. Beside her was Lara, a vision of carefree style in a cute yellow top and white shorts, looking utterly adorable.
"Honestly, Gabby, why are you bringing me along for your date?" Lara grumbled, though a hesitant smile played on her lips. "I don't want to be a third wheel."
Gabriella's cool gaze didn't waver. "Didn't you say you wanted to go out with me?"
Lara hesitated. "Yes, I did. Only us. But you're bringing me on your date with Jake."
"Why are you calling it a date? It's nothing like that," Gabriella insisted, her voice clipped. "It's a casual meeting."
Lara smiled silently, an knowing look in her eyes. "Oh, right."
They continued walking, Gabriella still carrying an aura of cold detachment. Midway down the main path, they saw Jake. And he wasn't alone. The person with him was Ronnie.
Lara's face instantly brightened with a genuine smile. Gabriella, however, felt a flicker of annoyance. Jake spotted Gabriella first. A genuine, admiring smile spread across his face as he took in her beauty for a second, but it vanished when his eyes landed on Lara. Ronnie, in contrast, waved enthusiastically at Lara.
They closed the distance. Jake removed his cooling glasses, his expression turning sharp. "Why did you bring your friend?"
"Why did you bring yours?" Gabriella countered instantly.
Lara was about to dart toward Ronnie, but Gabriella grabbed her hand, holding her firmly in place.
"I didn't," Jake said, gesturing toward Ronnie. "He came by himself."
Lara spoke to Gabriella, a hint of plea in her voice. "You guys enjoy. I don't want to interfere. I'll go with Ronnie."
Ronnie leaned in, whispering into Jake's ear. "Bro, don't worry. I'll keep Lara busy. You enjoy your date." Jake managed a small, almost imperceptible smile.
Lara and Ronnie walked away quickly before Gabriella could object. Jake grabbed Gabriella's hand, his grip firm. "Let's go." He was dressed casually in a black T-shirt and trousers.
Gabriella was momentarily shocked by his presumption—he was acting like her boyfriend. She shoved his hand away. "I came here because you blackmailed me, not for a date," she snapped.
Jake smirked. "Anyway, you came. Let's go." He grabbed her hand again, and this time, she didn't fight as they headed toward the Rollercoaster.
They sat together in a car, with Lara and Ronnie settling into the seats behind them. For the first time in a long time, the exhilarating speed and drops made Gabriella forget herself. She and Jake both shouted and laughed, truly enjoying the thrill. Lara loved it too, but Ronnie was absolutely terrified, his face pale and eyes wide.
When the ride stopped, Ronnie was visibly shaky and exhausted. Lara, energized, looked at him with amusement. "Why were you so afraid? It's just a ride. Even I, a girl, wasn't scared. You…"
Ronnie's eyes widened. Before he could react to the tease, he bolted toward the restroom to vomit. Lara, biting back a laugh, followed him.
Jake and Gabriella walked along the side of a store. "Do you want anything?" Jake asked.
"No," she replied.
Then, Gabriella's gaze caught sight of a little girl playing with a Water Bubbles Gun. She watched, mesmerized. Jake noticed where her attention lay.
"I'll come back. Stay here," he said.
Gabriella murmured an acknowledgement, still watching the little girl and her brother play. Suddenly, a Water Bubbles Gun appeared right in front of her, held by Jake's hand. She looked up, a faint smile touching her lips. Jake had brought one just for her.
She took it, surprised, and a mischievous, almost evil smile spread across her face. She immediately used the bubbles gun on Jake, and he ran. She chased him, their game a stark contrast to her earlier coldness. Eventually, Jake snatched the gun and used the stream of bubbles against her.
Exhausted, they collapsed onto a bench, laughing.
Suddenly, Jake's tone changed, becoming deeper and more sincere. "I didn't expect you to enjoy playing with that water bubbles gun so much. I haven't seen you this happy before."
Gabriella paused, feeling the genuine concern in his voice. He had considered her feelings for the first time.
Jake quickly broke the intensity with a tease. "You always look so cold, I never expected this toy could make you smile."
Gabriella smirked. "Because you don't know the real me." She placed the gun on the bench and started to walk away.
Jake immediately followed, grabbing her arm. "Are you upset?"
Gabriella removed his arm firmly. "No."
Jake smiled, accepting her mood swing. "Let's go."
"Where?" she asked.
The Haunted House and the Kiss that Wasn't
In the Haunted House, Lara and Ronnie were moving through the dark, their nerves frayed. They were both genuinely scared, jumping at every noise. When a terrible ghost suddenly appeared in front of them, Ronnie instinctively pulled Lara into a tight hug.
Lara blushed, her heart hammering against his chest. She pushed him away. "Are you a man? Why are you fearing? You're supposed to lead your girlfriend."
"Is it a crime if men fear, huh?" Ronnie stammered, still slightly breathless with fright.
"Let's move," Lara said, and they continued, closer than before.
The Couple Game and the Digital Heist
Jake and Gabriella arrived at the game side. A host was inviting people to join a Couple Game. "Come, we are holding a Couple Game! The winners get brand new Couple Bracelets!"
"Shall we, Gabby?" Jake asked, a challenging glint in his eye.
"No," Gabriella immediately refused.
The host, assuming they were a couple, urged them, "Come, young couple!"
"We aren't," Gabriella said sharply. Jake quickly signaled to the host that his 'girlfriend' was just angry, and the host smiled sympathetically.
Jake gave Gabriella a gentle push into the game area. The host explained the rules: they had to break balloons by hugging each other. They had to place a balloon between them and crush it. The couple who broke the most balloons would win.
As the game started, a balloon was placed between Jake and Gabriella. Jake immediately pressed, crushing it with his chest. Gabriella, initially uninterested, suddenly saw her chance. This was the opening she needed.
They broke the first two balloons faster than any other couple. As Jake pressed down, focused on the game, Gabriella subtly slipped her hand into his trouser pocket, took his phone, and quickly deleted her blackmail video. She smiled an evil, triumphant smile.
"Push harder!" Jake urged, bringing her attention back to the current balloon.
Gabriella pushed. The balloon broke, bringing her close enough that she could feel the heat radiating off him. He blushed slightly, and she felt a faint blush on her own cheeks. Seizing the tiny window of closeness, she quickly slipped his phone back into his pocket.
They both focused on the game, breaking balloon after balloon. After a while, the host declared them the winners and handed them the prize—two matching bracelets.
"Congratulations! Put the bracelets on each other!" the host announced.
Jake grabbed Gabriella's hand and gently secured the bracelet around her wrist. Everyone cheered. He stared intensely into her eyes as she took the matching bracelet and secured it onto his wrist.
The host explained the special feature of the prize. "These bracelets will react if both come within a certain limit of area!"
As if on cue, the bracelets on both Jake and Gabriella's wrists blinked a white light simultaneously. They both looked down, equally surprised.
The Giant Wheel and the Hidden Truth
Lara and Ronnie were enjoying the sunset view from the Giant Wheel. The golden light of the setting sun caught Lara, making her dazzling in the sun rays. She was talking, smiling warmly, utterly beautiful. Ronnie was gazing at her, not hearing a word she said, mesmerized by her glowing pink lips.
He leaned in, intent on kissing her.
Lara stopped him, placing her hand gently on his chest.
"Is that wrong to kiss? Of course, we're lovers, right?" Ronnie asked, confused.
"It's too fast," Lara whispered.
"We've been dating two years!" Ronnie insisted.
Lara's gaze softened with a deep sorrow. "But I don't remember the past because I lost my memory. Give me time."
Ronnie moved away, his smile disappearing. He was deeply upset but tried not to show it. "Of course, Lara," he said, forcing a smile. Lara gazed at him, knowing he was hurt.
The Vengeance
In the Garden area, Jake and Gabriella were sitting on a bench, sharing popcorn.
"Are you still worried because you lost your best friend?" Jake asked, his voice unexpectedly genuine.
Gabriella turned, staring at him.
Jake continued, his expression sincere. "I can understand your pain. If something happened to my friends, I couldn't even imagine it." Gabriella watched his sincere face—the first time she felt he had truly considered someone else's feelings.
"What was his name?" Jake asked.
"Kevin," Gabriella said, her voice barely a whisper.
"Oh. What happened to him?"
Gabriella stared into his eyes, her face changing in a second from its normal composure to a cold mask of fury. Her eyes began to turn red with vengeance.
Your friend, Raina, killed him, she thought, the words burning behind her eyes. Whoever is behind his murder, I won't leave them. Even you.
"Why are your eyes red? What happened?" Jake asked, concerned.
Gabriella smirked, turning away. "Nothing. I have to go."
Jake stood up. "Let's wait for Ronnie and Lara."
"They already left," she said coldly. "She texted me."
Gabriella walked away, leaving Jake sitting on the bench, completely confused by her sudden, dramatic shift in mood.
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