My Stepbrother, My Enemy {BL}-Chapter 30: Like A Dream

•⋅⊰∙∘☽✼☾∘∙⊱⋅•

"Huh?"

The sudden burst of fireworks startled me, and I turned to look out the window of the ferris wheel cart. Colors exploded against the dark sky—golds, pinks, and deep purples blending together like some dreamy vision. I gasped, pressing my hand against the glass as the lights sparkled in my eyes.

"They’re beautiful," I murmured, the words slipping out without thinking.

"Yeah," Ethan replied softly.

There was something in his voice that made me glance back at him. He wasn’t focused on the fireworks at all. His eyes were fixed on me—soft, open, with the flickering lights outside dancing across his face. It sent a twist through my stomach, the air suddenly feeling too close, too warm.

My heart raced. All around us...the carnival noise, the exploding fireworks, the creaking of the ferris wheel—faded away, leaving just the two of us in a bubble of quiet.

He leaned in closer, almost whispering, "Can I...?"

I froze. "Can you what?"

"Can I kiss you, Noah?"

My breath caught, fingers gripping the edge of the seat to steady myself. My mind was spinning with a thousand thoughts, this was actually happening. Ethan Seymour, the guy I’d had a crush on forever, was asking to kiss me—and somehow, all I could do was nod.

He paused for a brief moment, almost as if waiting for me to change my mind. When I didn’t, he closed the space between us. His lips brushed against mine, soft and tentative at first, as if testing the waters. Then they grew firmer, warmer, confident and gentle.

My heart was pounding like crazy. Every thought vanished, replaced by the rush of him...the faint scent of his cologne, the sweet taste of the milkshake we shared earlier, and the way his fingers grazed my jaw, careful as if I might break.

The fireworks burst again outside, painting the sky in vibrant red and gold, and for a moment, I felt like time stopped. It was just us, two people in a ferris wheel cart, high above everything that had ever troubled me.

When he finally pulled back, his forehead rested against mine. Breathless and smiling, he whispered, "Worth the wait."

I couldn’t find the words. I just laughed softly, feeling nervous and giddy, my lips still buzzing. "You say that like you’ve been planning this."

"Maybe I have," he said, grinning. "Since the first time I saw you trip over your backpack in freshman year."

I groaned and hid my face in my hands, though I couldn’t help but smile like I was ridiculous. "That’s not romantic. That’s tragic."

"It’s both," he joked, and I laughed again, the sound almost lost in the echo of more fireworks.

For the first time in forever, I felt a weight lift off my chest. Maybe, just maybe, this was the start of something I had never expected.

Walking back from the carnival felt surreal. My heart had not calmed since the ferris wheel, and I kept pressing my fingers to my lips, half-expecting to wake up and find it was all just a dream. My first kiss...and not just anyone, but with Ethan freaking Seymour!

He walked beside me, hands stuffed in his pockets, that laid-back grin of his never fading. Every time our arms brushed, it sent a jolt through me. It was insane how giddy I felt—like I’d stepped right into one of those cheesy romance flicks Gigi loved, always calling them "energetically aligned."

"So," Ethan said after a beat, his tone light, "I was thinking... maybe we should make it official."

I blinked at him, my mind momentarily short-circuiting. "O–Official?"

He stopped, turning to face me with that crooked smile that completely messed with my ability to think. "Yeah. You know, me being your boyfriend. You being my boyfriend."

My heart leaped into my throat. For a moment, I thought I misheard him. "Y–you’re serious?"

"Dead serious," he said, his eyes softening as he gazed at me. "Unless you plan to break my heart after just one kiss."

I laughed nervously, my face heating up again. "You’re so dramatic."

"Maybe. But you didn’t answer."

The butterflies in my stomach turned into a whirlwind, and before I could stop myself, I blurted out, "Yes. I’d love that."

His grin widened, that genuine smile that made my knees feel weak. "Good. Because I wasn’t planning on taking no for an answer."

We continued walking, our hands brushing again until his fingers found mine. The warmth of his hand felt perfect in mine, and I thought my heart might explode from how fast it was beating.

When we reached Ridge Street, I slowed down. "You can drop me off here," I said softly. "I can walk the rest of the way."

He frowned slightly, clearly unsure. "You sure? It’s dark out."

I nodded, smiling to reassure him. "Yeah. It’s not far. My mom would freak if she saw me getting dropped off by a guy she all of a sudden." 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

I hated lying to him, but I had to.

That made him laugh. "Fair point."

For a moment, we stood there, the quiet evening enveloping us. Then, before I could say anything else, Ethan leaned in again. His hand found my cheek, and his lips touched mine—deeper this time, slower, and more assured. A kiss that felt like it was saying this is real.

When he finally pulled away, his voice was low, still smiling. "I’ll text you later, okay love?"

I nodded, feeling dazed at the kiss and him calling me love. "Yeah. Sure. Text me."

He shot me one last grin before heading toward his car. I stood there, watching him go, still trying to process everything. My first kiss. My first boyfriend. My heart felt like it was glowing, and I was pretty sure anyone who looked at me could see it.

As his car disappeared down the street, I hugged my arms to my chest, whispering to myself with a disbelieving laugh, "Maybe Gigi’s tarot cards were right after all."

The thought made me smile wider. For once, it felt like the universe—wild, unpredictable, and sometimes harsh, had decided to give me something good for once.