"HOLY SHIT."

MY eyes move away from Ian's face and I see the guy standing beside him, the one who exclaimed placing a hand over his chest.

"What are you doing standing over here? Trafficking shadows or what?" He asks shooting my accusing wide eyes. "God you scared me. Jul, didn't she scare you? Like those ghost pole things. Who stands at the entrance of the freaking alley?"

I turn away from the rambling friend back to Ian. He looked shocked to say the least. I too I'm really surprised to see him here and now. Of all towns he could have been going to. Of all times to take a walk and bump into each other. If this isn't fate, it could be a really awesome, blessed coincidence.

Ian asks, "What are you doing here?" Just at the same time, I ask, "Jul?"

His eyes snap to his friend, who is a head shorter than him. "Stop calling me that."

His friend looks down guiltily. "Sorry, man. Force of habit."

Ian looks at me and takes in the perplexed look on my face. "Really awful nickname." He explains and I nod, even though I barely get it. "What are you doing here, Roxanna?"

"I told you, I'm taking a walk." I tell him, switching off the call that was still on.

"Taking a walk?" Ian asks pulling me to his side and looking around. "Alone? Do you have any idea how dangerous these parts are?"

"You know this babe?" The friend asks before I can answer, eying warily like he still thinks me a ghost.

"Yea. She's my girlfriend." Ian says absentmindedly still looking around with furrowed brows like he's expecting a masked man with a gun to just jump out.

"Whoa!" The guy practically shouts into the night air, looking shocked. I don't know whether to be complimented by his surprise or insulted.

But I'm not thinking of that right now. Girlfriend? I blush and smile painfully. That's the best thing I've heard all day. Proud of my new upgrade and desperate to flaunt it, I turn to the friend, stretching my hand out.

"Anna."

He looks at my face, then drags his eye to my hand. My eye twitches and I really think he's going to reject my hand but then he takes it with his left hand in an awkward firm grip. "Zion."

Reluctantly, my eye move to his right hand, wondering why he didn't use that as manners, curtsey and etiquette demand. I couldn't control my reaction. I was too surprised to actually give it some thought and a gasp escapes my lips.

Zion snorts. "What? Never seen a one hand guy before?"

I blush in embarrassment, mentally shaming myself for reacting the way I did. I had no idea. The shirt sleeve was hanging limply there and even though I saw it before, my mind didn't go to a missing hand. I don't even know what my mind went to. I clear my throat. "Sorry. Nice to meet you."

He nods freeing his hand from mine and tucking it into his pocket, looking away from my face. I take the opportunity to really look at him. He's a head shorter than Ian and I'm about half an inch taller than him. His short spiky brown hair, fit his pretty face really well. I guess the talk about hot guys having hot friends is really true. Zion is really good looking, he has light stubble over his face and he's amongst the few people that I know would really pull off a beard and mustache. When he looks back up at me, I catch his hazel green eyes and look away.

"Ian, I think your girlfriend is checking me out." He states, his lips tugging up.

"I'm not." I deny.

He smirks. "Was. Starting to rethink your decisions huh babe?"

"Shut up." Ian says, playfully shoving him back. "What's there to rethink?"

Zion gasps, "hey hey, this is clearly her first time seeing an amputee. You never know the feelings a one hand guy can stir up in girls." He winks at me.

Ian rolls his eyes, and I blush. "I really wasn't."

"Dude, I'm freaking proud of you man." Zion says bouncing a little, then turning to me. "No offense, but when he talked about a girl, I imagined a homeless hipster."

Ian scrunches his face up as I giggle. "Why on earth would you imagine a homeless hipster?"

"I don't know man, point is. This is a total grade up." Zion says, blatantly checking me out. "Not that there's anything wrong with hipsters but you don't look homeless and you're freaking beautiful."

I smile, bending a little in mock courtesy. "Thank you. You're not bad yourself but I can't say what I imagined because," I turn accusingly at Ian. "Ian never talks about you."

Ian smiles sheepishly and Zion sighs, bending his head glumly and kicking his foot on the ground. "You know, being a one hand and all." He sniffles. "Who'd want to talk about you?"

I actually pout in sadness and pity until Ian playfully shoves him again and he burst out laughing. "Shut up." Ian sighs, turning to me. "Don't listen to him, he's a drama queen."

I smile, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Are you done freaking about my safety?"

"You don't understand, this place isn't a place for someone like you."

I pout. "I can handle myself you know."

Ian eyes me saying, 'can you really?' I glare and he smiles. "Okay, maybe but--"

I cut him off by placing my finger over his lips. "I get it, it's a good thing I ran into you then, isn't it?"

"A great thing." He says putting his arms around my waist. I move closer putting my own hands around his neck. "I never thought I'd see you here."

"Me too. I'm so glad I left the party."

Ian moves to speak but Zion cuts in. "If you guys are about to kiss, you should know that it's really hard to get a girlfriend in my state. And being a third wheel sucks."

Ian rolls his eyes – again, but goes ahead to place a kiss on my forehead. "Where's the hotel you're staying in?"

"Straight ahead." I say and he holds my hand, steering us to start walking. I halt. "Wait, you're not planning on taking me back, right?"

"I am. It's late and you really shouldn't be walking around on your own."

I pout, "then I'll walk around with you. I don't want to go back right now, everyone is still partying and I'll be alone."

"Roxanna..."

"Don't be a grouch Ian, when your girl wants to spend time with you. You don't say no." Zion speaks dropping the phone he was typing on back into his pocket. I grin at him, I'm starting to like him.

Ian glares at him, "fine but we can't just be walking around aimlessly."

"This use to be your hometown, right?" I asks pecking up.

I see his jaw tick. "Used to."

"Oh, you can take her to your house." Zion says snapping his fingers, Ian glared at him and he burst out laughing. "Ah, wait, its almost all ashes. But on the bright side, it'll be a great tour."

"Zee, I'm gonna punch you."

Zion mock glares, "now you don't call me that." He phone rings and he brings it out, glancing at the caller and switching it off. "Bye man, see you later. And a good place for a midnight date is the carnival sight. See, I'm being helpful." He turns to me. "See you later, babe."

"Bye." I say and he spins around, walking away. My eyes linger on the empty space where his hand is supposed to be and my heart clenches. I wonder what happened to him.

"So, you want to go back to your hotel, right?" Ian asks giving me a hopeful smile.

I smirk, "no way. Not after I heard the word, car-ni-val."

"Darn, Zion." I smile as he starts moving forward, away from the hotel.

"I like him. How long have you two been friends?"

"Since ten years old." Ian says, then smiles fondly. "He's one stubborn kid, you know. Always have been, always will be."

"Just like you?"

He smiles, "hey, I'm not stubborn."

"So he says." I tease, then the smile drops. "Has he always..."

"Been one handed?" Ian completes, holding me tighter. "No, that happened to him a year ago."

Silence falls between us and even though I'm curious how, I don't dare ask. Something tells me, it's not Ian's place to tell and he's not gonna like talking about it at all. I don't think I'll be able to talk about a tragedy that happened to my best friend, especially behind he or she's back.

"So, every weekend you sneak back into your former hometown? Talk about home sickness in a whole new level."

Ian smiles, shaking his head. "It's not sneak in, I actually drive in." He smirks and I roll my eyes. "And I also wouldn't call it home sickness. The last place I want to be is here."

"Than why are you here?"

"I told you. I have things to sort."

"Things like?" I probe and by his expression I know I'm not going to get an answer.

Breath, baby steps Anna. One step forward, three steps back.

"Here we are!" Ian exclaims in an overly excited voice, probably trying to make up for ignoring my question.

I look at the carnival in front of me and my smile drops, all previous expectations sinking down to my stomach. "Its closed." I whine, taking note of the quite dark place.

"Yea." Ian says, looking over the place. "Now see how dumb Zion can be?" I just pout in response and he purses his lips at me, walking around the place.

I was really looking forward to a carnival time with Ian. There's nothing like bonding over cotton candles and teddy bears. I watch Ian find the gate slash entrance and crouch down in front of it, removing a bobby pin from his hair and letting the long locks free, falling against his face. Hot.

I chuckle walking towards him, "you wear bobby pins?"

He turns to look at me. "Of course, I'm bent down in front of a lock about to do something that might earn me jail time and the one question you ask is if I wear bobby pins." He smiles, returning back to the huge padlock holding the chains in place around the gate. "Yes, Roxanna. I wear bobby pins. How else do you think I keep this-" gestures to his hair, "- in place?"

I crouch down beside him. "I didn't think boys wear it." I watch him, concentrate on jamming the pin into the lock. "Are we breaking in?" I whisper.

"Yea." He whispers back for no reason at all.

"Wow, I didn't think you're capable of this. Mr don't snoop around my computer." I tease, bringing my face closer to him.

Ian smiles, "I'm doing this for you. I can't exactly let you go back with that pout now, can I?"

I blush, feeling giddy. "Is this your first break in?"

He snorts. "Yea. Is that obvious?"

"No, I actually think you're doing great."

A ghost smile plays on his lips. "Or, you just like me too much to pick on my flaws."

"Yeah, that's probably that." I admit. "You suck at this."

We stay silent as he continues to struggle with lock. A sheen of sweat even appears and I decide to call it.

I place a hand on his shoulder. "It doesn't matter if we get in or not, you know. It's the thought that counts."

Ian doesn't reply, biting his lip in absolute concentration. We finally hear a click and both turn to each other with surprised eyes. He rattles the lock and it comes off.

"Oh my gosh!" Ian exclaims throwing his hand into the air and giving me a high five. I burst out laughing at his genuine happiness and relief. "It's the thought that counts, huh?"

I smile, "well--"

He drops the chain rolling his eyes. "Have a little more faith in your boyfriend, okay?"

I blink having forgotten about the new relationship status. If Ian notices my reaction, he doesn't show it. Instead he opens the gates and walks in, leaving me to trail behind him, which I do. The place is dead quiet, call the electronics shut off with no life in sight. I sigh. "We got in but what could we possibly do in here?"

Ian thinks over it. "Wait, right here."

I watch him leave in confusion and I stand there, trying to name all the booths I could see. The carnival already passed through our town earlier this year and I didn't even attend it. Now I was here, stuck in an Ian and me carnival. Its the best thing ever. Ten minutes pass by and I'm starting to think Ian ditched me or got lost. Just when I start walking, hoping to start searching for him, I hear a loud rumble that very much startles ten years old of me. After the rumble, the first light I see are the lights on the ferries wheel, then one by one, the booths and engine start coming on, lighting the whole place up.

I watch in awe, shock and amazement. My jaw hanging open at the beautiful environment.

"You like?" I hear Ian's voice from behind him and I wipe around to face him.

"I like?" I ask back, then jump into his arms. "I freaking love."

He chuckles holding me firmly. "Well, have your fun before someone in authority spots the light and come for us."

"Thanks, Ian." I tell him sincerely looking into his beautiful eyes.

Our palms connect and he looks at my fry fingers as he links them, with his eyes still on them, he speaks. "So, remember how I called you my girlfriend?"

I gulp and nod.

"I'm sorry about that." My stomach sinks and I frown. He turns to look at me, "you deserve to be asked not just a declaration."

"Oh."

He turns back to our fingers, his cheeks colouring red. "I don't have flowers or chocolates right now and at the risk of being beheaded by my principal..." He trails off, and I'm over here painfully fighting a smile.

Ian looks back at me, his eyes – look – stripping me bare. "Roxanna, would be my girlfriend?" He gulps and I detect fear and anxiousness in his eyes.

Which puzzles me, why would he be anxious? Is he really scared I'll say no? Damn, he obviously doesn't know how much I like him.

I move closer until our bodies are practically touching. "At the risk of getting disowned..." He smiles and I do too. "Yes, Ian. I think I'll love to be your girlfriend."

"You think?" He asks raising a brow.

I smirk, "kiss me."

He smiles, "think is good enough."

And the distance between us evaporates as he kisses me. Our hands stay linked and I'm pretty sure our hearts are trying to do the same.

----------------------------

Eeeeeeeeeeek

I love them and Ian is the most mysterious, complicated character I've ever created, I love him! Things would keep unfolding, he won't remain a mystery forever. And... a new character was introduced – Zion.

Funny story, that's the name of the guy I had a crush on for three solid years and in the end, I find out that he sees me as a sister *pulls hair out*. He doesn't have one arm but I'm friends with someone who does and this character is one after my heart. ❤

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