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Fair

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Chapter 24: Fair (Ronan's POV)

I woke up the next morning when the tent shook a little in the wind, making the entire thing rattle. I rubbed my eyes open, looking over at London who was still sound asleep beside me. I looked down at where she had her arm thrown across my waist while I had one kept under her head. It was numb but that wasn't important. I eased it out from under her and checked my phone for the time. It's nearly nine. "London," I mumbled, brushing her hair out of her eyes.

She stirred, tightening her hold on me.

I took in a breath, lifting her arm from the mostly healed but still healing wound. "London, we should get back. It's almost nine."

She groaned, rubbing her eyes open and looking at me. She watched me in confusion before mumbling a small, "Ah," in realization. "I forgot we slept here," she chuckled softly, both of us sitting up. "Are we going back?" she asked, pulling the hood over her head and just sitting there, her eyes still half-closed while she absorbed and processed the morning.

"We should. You told your dad you'd be back by nine, right?"

She nodded numbly. She stared at me while I packed up everything, my sleeping bag included. She was still sitting in her sleeping bag, half asleep.

"London? Are you even awake?" I laughed, kneeling in front of her.

She squinted at me.

I leaned forward, tilting her chin up before pecking her lips.

She straightened up, blinking her eyes open after that and clearing her throat. "I'm awake now." The sleeves fell past her hands while she grabbed her bag, packing up the blankets and while she did that, I packed up her sleeping bag and then climbed out, putting my shoes on after dusting them and shaking the sand out of them. She followed, doing the same, and then we both packed up the tent, putting it in the second duffle bag. She linked her arm with mine, both of us slowly walking out of the beach, taking small steps.

We both probably looked crazy. Half asleep, hoods pulled over our eyes, multiple bags in our hands. We look like drug dealers who got high at the beach and passed out.

"Do you want to stop by Black Marina for breakfast?" I offered.

"I should get home," she replied, "I told Dad I'd be there, I have to check on his meds too."

I nodded in understanding as we neared our houses. We stopped in front of her house, turning to each other.

She took one look around before going on her toes, pouting. I smiled, leaning down and kissing her.

"Wow, di nuovo?" Wow, again? Shit. Nonna.

We both pulled away and London covered her face behind a hand while I turned around and saw my grandparents coming out of the car. Mom must have stayed home and gotten the house ready for them while Dad went to pick them up.

"Your grandma probably thinks the worst of me in these kinds of situations," London mumbled.

"Ciao!" Nonno grinned, climbing out of the car and walking over with Nonna, both of them pulling me into tight hugs one at a time.

"London!" Nonna gushed, squeezing her tightly in a hug.

She stumbled a little, letting out a shy laugh while hugging her back. "Hi, Nonna," she smiled softly. "Hi, Nonno."

"Ciao, tesora," he grinned back, calling her darling, giving her a quick side hug.

"Dove eri?" Where were you? Nonna frowned, staring at me while keeping one arm around my waist.

I rested one arm around her shoulders. "La spiaggia," I answered. The beach.

"Un appuntamento con la tua ragazza?" she teased. A date with your girlfriend?

"Può essere," I smiled. Maybe.

"Sfacciato," she sang, pinching my cheek, making me wince. Cheeky.

"Come stai?" Nonno asked London, pinching her cheek too. How are you?

"Bene. Tu sembrare bellissimo," London grinned. Good. You look handsome.

"Giovane?" He lifted his brows. Young?

"Certo," London laughed. Of course.

Dad walked over, holding Nonna and Nonno's luggage, and told them in Italian that London and I had to freshen up.

I turned to London. "I'll see you later? For the fair tonight?"

She nodded, smiling at me. "Bye."

"Bye," I mumbled, watching as she walked up to her porch, unlocking the door and closing it behind her.

"Lei è così carina," Nonna smiled at me as we walked in. She's so pretty.

"Lo so," I nodded. I know. While walking past the kitchen, I glanced over at their house.

Her dad was making breakfast and she gave him a quick hug and kiss on the cheek before going up to her own room, probably to freshen up. I began going up to my room but stopped when Nonno asked me where I was going. "Fare la doccia," I called out behind me. To have a shower. I walked into my room, closing the door behind me and dropping all the bags on the floor in the corner of the room. I went to my window, pushing it open and she did the same once she saw me.

"Turns out I didn't forget all the Italian you taught me," she smirked.

"Pity, I had good ways to teach you again," I retorted.

She rolled her eyes while smiling. "I'm going to freshen up. Bye." She threw me a kiss in the air before closing her window and disappearing into her bathroom.

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"Andiamo!" Dad called out from the front door. Let's go!

Nonna and I stood up from where we were sitting on the couch, Nonno came out of their room and Mom came from the kitchen with her purse. We're all getting ready to go to the fair. My parents and grandparents decided to come in the car, Ryan is joining them. It felt weird calling him Ryan again after all these years but I got used to it over the week.

London and I are walking to the fair and meeting Damon and Verena there. Everybody always attends the fair with their families but of course, ends up hanging out with their friends. Our car drove past us and I locked my hand with London's, both of us lingering outside her house.

I chuckled, taking in her attire.

"What?" She went on her toes, staring at me.

"You look cute," I replied, kissing her.

She smiled against my lips, kissing me back. "It's been years since you called me cute," she pointed out.

"Yeah?"

She nodded as we fell into a walk, our steps in sync. "There was pretty, beautiful, gorgeous, breathtaking, other fancy words. Rarely ever was it cute. What makes me look cute?"

I looked at her from head to toe. "The headband," I concluded, glancing at the thick white band going over her head.

She chuckled, looking at me. "You look cute too," she said, leaning into me.

"How come? I don't think you've ever called me cute," I laughed.

"I definitely have. At least in my head. But you don't usually dress like this, that's all. You always look cuter in winter," she replied. "Even in school."

"You look cuter in winter too. Especially in hoodies. Well, my hoodies," I clarified.

She grinned to herself and we kept walking. It got more crowded as we neared the fair, hearing the loud music, chatter, and laughter. We got there, bought our tickets, and headed inside. For the first half an hour, we both walked around with our families, getting some snacks, explaining to Nonna and Nonno what each of the games and rides were, and then when we came across Damon and Verena, we went off with them. We got some cotton candy and then went off to play some of the games.

"What do you want to play first?" Damon asked, looking at the rest of us.

"We can start at the beginning of the fair and work our way up," Verena shrugged.

So we neared the entrance, starting at the first game. Ring toss. London was about to eat a piece of cotton candy when Damon grabbed her arm and pulled her closer. "Let's play in teams. I call dibs on London, she always wins at ring toss."

She looked between Damon and me and then shrugged, eating the cotton candy. "Okay."

That puts me with... Verena. I turned to her. "Are you good at ring toss?"

She eyed the game, the prizes, the rings and then shook her head. "No."

London and Damon stifled their laughs while paying for their turn, deciding to go first. Damon went first and won a jar of candy, London went next and won a Winnie the Pooh stuffed toy. She turned to me, waving with the toy's arm. "Good luck winning," she sang teasingly.

I pulled out my wallet and paid, letting Verena go first, who won... nothing. And she didn't like that, so she chose to use up my turn too and still won nothing. She huffed, walking ahead while whining to Damon as London and I trailed behind them.

"How?" I asked. "How the hell are you friends with her?"

"She's not that bad once you get to know her," London chuckled, linking her arm with mine. "You can keep Winnie," she offered, holding the toy out to me.

I took it, holding it in my arm.

She smiled as we walked to the next stall.

It was balloon and dart. We just don't have guns in Runville, it isn't a thing. Except for the police, of course. So despite most places using guns, even if they're just paintball guns, we use darts. A paintball station is a whole different area at the end of the fair.

"I'm playing with London," I said in advance before we even reached the stall.

Damon looked at me over his shoulder knowingly.

"Each person gets five darts. Who's up first?" The man running the stall asked.

"We'll go first," Verena shrugged. Verena popped one balloon. Out of five.

"Unfortunately, you need to pop at least three to win," the man smiled.

She rolled her eyes, stepping aside to let Damon take his turn. He popped three and chose the toy Verena wanted, handing it to her.

London and I glanced at each other before I stepped up to take my turn, popping all five. London popped four and we won another toy and a little tiara. London laughed, taking it and putting it on my head. "You look like a princess."

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Chapter 24

They're a couple whose outfits compliment each other and there's nothing better than when that happens

next chapter: princess