2. Tilly

2

TILLY

I ’m hanging out with Chloe at the carnival, and we’re having so much fun! I needed this before we dive into another semester at college. The atmosphere is electric, with vibrant lights and the scent of sugary treats wafting through the air.

“Isn’t this just the coolest?” Chloe gushes, her green eyes sparkling with excitement. She grabs my arm, practically dragging me toward the spinning teacup ride. “C’mon, Tilly, we have to go on this one!”

I laugh, allowing her infectious enthusiasm to sweep me up. “Alright, alright, you convinced me!”

A surge of childlike glee fills me as we sit in the oversized teacups. Chloe and I have been best friends since we were kids, and moments like these remind me why our bond is so strong—we share an ability to embrace the simple joys in life.

The ride starts, and we’re soon whirling around, giggling uncontrollably as the world blurs into a kaleidoscope of colors. “Woohooo!” Chloe hollers, her fiery red hair whipping in the wind.

When the ride finally slows to a stop, we stumble off, dizzy but grinning from ear to ear. “That was a rush!” I exclaim, steadying myself against her shoulder.

Chloe nods, her cheeks flushed with excitement. “Worth the line! Now, what’s next? Ooh, I hear the Ferris wheel calling our names.”

We make our way through the bustling crowd, and I take a moment to soak in the sights and sounds around me. The carnival is truly a magical place filled with wonder and possibility.

Chloe and I get in line for the towering Ferris wheel, chatting excitedly about which ride to hit next. That’s when I sense a presence beside me—a sleazy-looking guy with greasy hair and a leering grin.

“Hey there, pretty lady,” he says, stepping too close. “A knockout like you shouldn’t be ridin’ alone. How about you ditch your friend and come with me instead?”

My nose wrinkles as he stinks of alcohol. “Sorry, I’m not interested.” I try to turn away, but he reaches out and grabs my arm with a clammy hand.

“Aw, don’t be like that, baby. I can show you a real good time.”

Before I can react, Chloe steps between us, her green eyes blazing with fury. “Get your fucking hands off her, you creep!”She shoves him hard in the chest. “She said she’s not interested, so back the hell off!”

The guy stumbles back but quickly regains his footing, raising a fist. “You’re gonna regret that, you little?—”

Suddenly, a tall figure appears, seeming to materialize from the shadows. My mouth dries as he’s gorgeous, with chiseled features, ice-blue eyes, and intricate tattoos snaking up his muscular arms. Without a word, he grabs the creep’s raised fist and, in one fluid motion, clocks him squarely in the jaw.

The guy crumples to the ground, out cold.

I stare at the mysterious stranger in shock, my heart pounding. He turns to face me, a smirk playing on his lips, before turning on his heel and melting back into the crowd.

“Hey, wait!” I call after him, pushing past Chloe to try and follow. “Who are you? Why did you do that?”

But he’s already gone, swallowed up by the sea of people. I scan the crowd desperately, but there’s no sign of the enigmatic, tattooed stranger.

“Tilly?” Chloe catches up to me, grabbing my arm. “You okay? That was crazy!”

I shake my head slowly, still in a daze. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just...who was that guy?”

Chloe shakes her head, her brow furrowed in confusion. “I have no idea. But he saved our asses from that creep.”

I scan the crowd again, but the tattooed stranger is nowhere to be seen. It’s like he vanished into thin air. A tingling sensation goes down my spine as I recall those piercing blue eyes and the casual way he took down that asshole with a single punch.

“Earth to Tilly!” Chloe waves a hand before me, snapping me out of my daze. “You still with me, girl? ”

“Y-Yeah, sorry,” I stammer, tearing my gaze away. “I was just...never mind. Let’s get out of here.”

Chloe nods in agreement. “Good call. I could use a break from all the chaos anyway. Maybe we can grab some food for the walk home?”

My stomach rumbles at the mention of food, reminding me we’ve been going nonstop since we arrived. “You read my mind. I’m starving!”

Looping her arm through mine, Chloe guides us away from the Ferris wheel toward the tempting aroma of funnel cakes and hot dogs. “This is what we need after that crazy encounter.”

As we order our snacks from one of the vendors, I glance over my shoulder, half-expecting to see that striking face in the crowd again. But the carnival bustles around us, a kaleidoscope of sound and color, giving no hint of the mysterious stranger.

We find an empty picnic table to devour our food. Once we’ve finished, we head out of the carnival and call it a night.

I grip Chloe’s arm tightly as we make our way down the darkened street, my heart thudding in my chest. Every rustle of leaves or flickering shadow makes me jump. My nerves are still frayed from that creep at the carnival.

“You alright, Tills?” Chloe asks, giving my arm a reassuring squeeze. “You seem really on edge.”

I force a shaky laugh. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just...that guy freaked me out, you know?”

Chloe nods sympathetically. “I don’t blame you. He was a total dirtbag.” She shoots me a sly grin. “Lucky for us, that mysterious hottie showed up to save the day, huh?”

Heat rushes to my cheeks at the memory of those piercing blue eyes and chiseled jaw. “Y-Yeah, I guess so.” I swallow hard, trying to shake off the sense of being watched. “Still, it was really weird how he just...appeared out of nowhere like that.”

A twig snaps behind us, and I whirl around, my heart leaping into my throat. The street is empty, save for a stray cat scurrying across the road.

“Tilly?” Chloe’s brow furrows with concern. “What’s up?”

“N-Nothing,” I stammer, forcing myself to keep walking. “I just thought I heard—never mind. I’m just being paranoid.”

Chloe studies me for a moment before slinging an arm around my shoulders. “Well, how about this? My parents are out of town this weekend. Why don’t you crash at my place tonight?”

Relief washes over me at the invitation. “You sure? I don’t want to impose...”

“Are you kidding?” Chloe scoffs. “Girl, after our night, I could use the company. Plus, I’m too lazy to go to my place if you’re not coming with me.”

I manage a small smile, leaning into her side gratefully. “Okay, you twisted my arm. A sleepover sounds perfect right about now.”

I can’t shake the feeling that we’re being watched as we approach Chloe’s house. I keep glancing over my shoulder, my skin prickling with unease. But the street remains silent, giving no hint of any other presence.

I’m just being paranoid as Chloe unlocks the front door. That guy from earlier must have gotten under my skin.

Still, even after we’re inside with the door locked behind us, I can’t quite relax. My mind keeps drifting back to those intense blue eyes and the casual, almost ruthless way that stranger took down the creep like it was nothing.

Who was he? And why did he help us?

The questions continue to nag at me as Chloe and I settle in for the night, curling up on the couch to watch a silly rom-com and stuff our faces with snacks. But no matter how hard I try to lose myself in the cheesy plot, I can’t get rid of the nagging feeling that I’m missing something—some crucial piece of the puzzle surrounding that enigmatic, tattooed stranger.