She couldn't believe it.
Eyes stared back towards the evening sky, mind in a cloudy state, Coraline found herself walking in front of the gleaming lightposts of Ashland with countless of people screaming in the background
She begun to realize that their destination lead them to a Carnival
"Wow these people didn't want to sleep at all..." A voice from beside her cause her to went back to the reality that was not alone
Turning her head back to face the person, her eyes greeted with an optimistic set of hazel irises
"This one heck of a date we have now, isn't it?" He chuckled and scratched his head awkwardly
Ah right...
She's on a date, with him
Back at the Christening, the confession and sharing their first kiss, she thought that was the end of it, she thought that date thing was just a lovey sick o joke they like to tease about
She remembered now back then, how he tried to showed up himself in the middle of the night with nothing but a mess of not even minding the crude oil runing on his face and with the awkward stuttering, shaking and almost not blurting out the word "date" if she didn't attempted to ask again
But in the end
She still said yes
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"It sure is pretty loud here..." Coraline chuckled as they continued to walk beside the foodstalls on the other side of the carnival when a sudden form of question shaped inside her mind, she raised her brown in wonder towards him
"But why are we even here in the first place, Wybie?"
But the young mechanic could only let out a small smirk and pushed his hands inside his pockets, playfully docking his head ad if his reply was in a whisper whem he went closer towatds her ear
"You'll know soon enough..."
Now that made her even more curious then before, watching how he went to watch at his wristwatch he smiled
"We still have two hours left, come on! Let's go grab something to eat while we wait" reaching out his arm for her with a slight grin on his face, she couldn't help but to laugh at his gesture
"Now you're talking..." she chuckled, wrapping her arm on his as they strode towards for their quest of finding dinner
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They decided to settle down with warm noodles and hotdogs for the chilly night, good thing they brought jackets to warm themselves up while waiting, as soon as their order finally set on the table, Wybie let out an amused laugh when he noticed how Coraline had gobble down everything without shame that even the owner of the stall couldn't help but to took a glance and warmly at the oddly looking couple just enjoying themselves
Sipping the noodles, the meal finally filled her stomach in content, letting its warmth spread on her body, now she had no longer had to worry about the cold that much anymore
She halted and took glance at the people around her, doing the own business as they talked and sat around the place, the view had always made her feel relaxed in some way, added with Wybie's company, the two chatted, take turns in questions as they more to get to know each other as time pass by
And everytime he would try to enact everything that happened during her absence, Coraline couldn't help but to smile at his silly gestures
"Hoo boy, if you only knew how affectionate Kubo and Agatha would be, they could even beat Romeo and Juliet..." He chuckled along with her, circling the hot cocoa on his hand before taking a sip
"I heard Kubo visited his grandparents back in Japan?" Coraline asked in wonder
"Two of them actually, Kubo brought Agatha with him to meet his family..." Wybie replied, munching the remaining hotdog on his plate
"Awww how sweet..." she softly smiled at thought when Wybie snickered, snapping his fingers as he took a sip of his drink
"told ya..."
"I mean, it's pretty obvious that they'll gonna end up together, they're very talkative towards each other back in highschool..."
"True, especially how he tried to give her a chocolate on valentines day..."
Valentine's Day?
Coraline halted at the thought, back in highschool during that event, the only memory that she had remembered was her and wybie giving rudolf a taste of his own medicine, infiltrating the jock's bag with all sorts of slugs...
But never in her mind that Kubo had done that to her knowledge
"Wait, how did you know that though? I didn't remember Kubo did something for valentines day..."
Her question made the mechanic to flinch in suprise, as if something she and he had accidentally opened an old abandoned story just about to be unfold
Wybie took a hard gulp on his drink and placed the cup gently on the table
"I um, after I helped Kubo giving Aggie the gifts...he kinda wanted to return me the favor.." he muttered, awkwardly scratching the nape of his neck, as his eyes travelled from the people walking, urging himself if he wanted to say the next few words
But the look from her eyes, she could tell that she was patient, and eager to wait for his answer
And that made him to build up the courage to finally say it
"He....H-He wanted m-me to confess my feelings for you as well..."
He quickly shut his mouth, taking a small glance on her reation, he stayed quiet, staring at her wide eyes
Even herself couldn't understand what was happening...
"But you haven't..." she remarked
"I tried, but I kinda stopped..."
Her brows knitted it confusion
"But why? I would have said yes if you did-"
His eyes widen in shock as he looked at her
"Wait...really?" He asked again in disbelief but seeing those stares, she wasn't were lying
"You mean, you had-"
"Yes...I had always been.." she replied within an instant
He breathe and let out a frown
Wybie smiled nervously, hands folding as he looked at her
"Well, it actually also the day that you wanna...you know..go.." he implied
And that finally struck her
The day that Wybie had tried to confess to her...
Was also the day she told him that she'll be leaving to New York...
A sudden realiztion had struck on her like an arrow had pierced through her body
After all this time....
No wonder his behaviour suddenly shifted drastically...
She wanted to say more...
She wanted to fix everything that they had done from the past
Until Wybie tapped the spoon on the table to disrupt the silent, bringing back his usual grin once again and stood up
"Pshhh it's all good now! We're still here...taking a date- ish right now, so we better enjoy ourselves for tonight, don't we??" He nervously chukled as he towered her
But it wasn't enough
Coraline knew that he was trying to shove off the topic, when it comes of reading his gestures, he never changed on that one single bit
She had no choice but to take his words for a while or else they both ended up getting more upset if this conversation would turn up into a heated argument...
Well it is a date..it it should have been enjoyable for the both of them
"Yeah, you're right.."
Smiling back at him, Coraline stood up, both hands wave towards the vendor and place an extra tip for the meal, to the vendors relief
their feet had finally let them went towards the busy shops in the carnival
All sorts of vendors shouted in unison as soon as the two stepped into the square, presenting their products in every people they could gain attention to, some would try to write on cardboards and set some of their samples on the side, they laughed when they noticed how the other couples frustratingly competing each other on the clawing machines
"You know, Marie could beat them on that one..." Wybie remarked causing Coraline to look at him in desbelief
"Woah, really? Who taught her that?"
he proudly pointed himself with a smille, receiving her small chuckle
"Marie and I used to go places like these after I brought her from school..."
Image of them playing immediately sent toward Coraline's mind in instinct
"Awww how sweet...you know, I had always thought that if you had a sibling, you'll be the best brother..." she nudged his shoulder "no wonder you could be a little protective towards Agatha, Winnie and Neil.."
Wybie smirked, crossed his arms when he suddenly nudge her arm as well
"I thought you said that I was dangerous when it comes to kids? Not to mention, you're upset about me giving Marie a Taser on her birthday..."
Coraling halted and crossed her arms
"I never that you're bad at everything, you're the best when it comes to hanging out with kids but you're just the worse gift giver.."
Wybie lughed as soon as he saw the frown on her face
Looking at his contagious smile, Coraline couldn't help but to chuckle along with him
As whne the two finally calmed down, they head on and continued to walk down the square, reaching towards the fountain, she smiled at the other people flipping coins through the water while some began to wish in silent
when out of nowhere, Wybie let out a frown
"Oh darn it I forgot something on my motorcycle!" He exclaimed, scratching his head in annoyance before looking towards Coraline
She quickly smiled and patted his back
"That's alright, we could go back and get it.."
He stopped and scratched his head
"Oh wait no, you don't need to come along with me..we'll up getting tired..could you wait for me here then, Jonesy??" He asked with a cold sweat
Coraline nodded her head understandably, With a smile of relief, Wybie quickly hurried his pace away from the crowd, leaving Coraline standing by the fountain, watching the other people walking pass through her, minding their own business and enjoying their time
It's been a while since she had this moment like this...
"What an odd couple wearing such odd charms like these...." a voice from behind made her to flicnhed in surprise, turning her head, her gaze was greeted by an old lady with soft smile on her face
Hearing someone calling them as a couple was strangely new for her ears, usually...whenever people most especially close ones would saw them, it was always just been as the "troublemakers"
And for the very first time, a stranger had finay saw them as a couple....
Coraline smiled back and waited as she watched the old lady slowly adjusting her body sat beside her on the cooling fountain, seeing how she struggled to move, Coraline assisted, slowly and gently letting the old woman to sat comfortable before going back to her seat as well.."
"You're such a nice and headstrong girl..And I see that your partner has one of those charms dangling on his too..." the old lady muttered, making the blue haired lady to look at her in wonder, turning her head downwards on the seeing stone that the old lady has been referring to
"How do you know this is a charm?" Coraline asked, showing the pendant
"My husband and I used to make these..." the old lady sadly smiled as she brushed her fingers on the cold smooth surface of the stone
"Because we believe that it could ward off evil energy....and seeing that you two had worn those things...I assume that you both had been through something than none of the other couple does..." she asked in wonder
Leaving Coraline in a snicker at the bitter memory that she and Wybie had faced together
With just one look of the stone, every memory is clear to her mind
Her reunion in Ashland, learning about the curse, their conflicts towards each other...and the battle from the other world that each of them had witnessed their almost deaths, left them scarred for life
It would have never been the same for them anymore
Everything is a big danger to them, as if everything that they had dreamt of having a good and steafy life was buried down with reminder that evil forces are still lurking and ready to pounce at them in any minute
And now they had to carry that reminder at each stepping stone they had to walk on
The old lady didn't said anything and only placed her hand on Coraline, with a soft smile she patted her head and slowly stood up, moving ber weak legs away from the young florist, just in time Wybie had finally arrived towards the fountain with a heavy huff from hurrying himself
"Seems like you had company while I was gone..." he smiled as be watched the old woman continued to walk away amongst the crowd, until she was no longer on sight
Turning his wristwatch he flicnhed to notice that the time he had set on was near close to meet its duration
"It's almost time!" He flinched
"Time for what??" Her brows knitted
It was until her eyes widened when she felt a warm palm had wrapped around hers
With a one quick grin, Wybie turned his face towards her, showing him the small reciept of somewhat tickets on a carnival ride that he went back and took from his motorcycle
"We go up.."
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And as to what she had wondered, they found themselves sitting on one of the capsules that the ferris wheel had provided them on, as the ride went into a circular motion, it was slow and steady, and not that much as terrfying as the rest of the rides that could make everyone scream on the top of their lungs but it was rather the oppoaite feeling
A relaxing and calm moment, an opportunity that she had wanted to clear her mind for a while
Turning her gaze towards Wybie sitting on the other seat, her view on his figure was cleary visible on that angle, back slouched and hands folded in steady position, his gaze was cleary not focusing on the current situation but as if there was something that troubling his mind for quite a while
"So...this is what you meant of going up huh?" She blurted out to cut the silent and disrupted him from his thoughts
And with a single tone of her voice came out from her mouth, his attention immediately went towards her
He smiled and stretched his arms
"Well...I mean, that was just the first part..."
"A first part??" She wondered, resting her arms on the window
"You'll see..." he chuckled
Rolling her eyes at his mysterious plans for tonight, Coraline couldn't help but to wonder about their conversation back at the food stalls and how his actions suddenly shifted to dismiss it off...
She stood up, gathering her courage through it, tucking a strand of her hair as she slowly went to approach herself towards Wybie as much to his own wonder, luckily that the seat was enough for two people, Coraline took the opportunity and sat beside him without a word as he understanday scooted himself jusy enoigh for her to fit in...
And that is when he noticed how her body slightly began to tilt at his side, Wybie breathe in for a moment before reaching out his arms that had given her a way to let herself lay back on his chest
She could felt every small vibrating movements he took, his breathing ups and downs even his nervous breath upon the situation they were in right at the moment
But Coraline never said a word...only listened at the sound of his heartbeat and the stiffnes of his hand that rested on her shoulder
She smiled on how careful he was, unlike the one that she had experience back in New York whom she dated back, being impatientand attempted to force her things that she clearly didn't want to, fortunately she would manage to avoid them, BARELY....
without to his realization, Coraline had gently pulled his arm closer to hers, letting it resting on her warm coat, he could felt the warmth spreaded across his cheeks when she began to trail her fingertips on his palm as she examined the visible scars that he had occured fixing cars and exposing himself through sharp metals inside of each and every engines
"You better becareful next time you work, you dork..." she told him
"I-is...something the matter, Jonesy?"
Her eyes perked up in surprise for he had been the first to start a conversation
"Hmmm? Oh nothing... it's just that...I didn't expect about this whole thing..."
"The...Whole thing?"
"Us, being a couple..." she muttered as her hands continued to giving him enough warmth on his cold and nervous ones
"And I could see that you're definitely nervous..." she chuckled, nudging herself even closer to him
Wybie smiled at her sudden gestures that he immediately understood that it was no question that Coraline had finally been comfortable enough to be affectionate like this
It must have been because no one would caught them at this moment, letting them share their own privacy and personal affection towards each other without disrupting them
Either way, they both agree to be who they really be at this very evening...
Wybie gently rested his head on hers as he watch her still holding his other other hand and hummed and let his arm that rested by the window wrapped around her waist, hugging her close...
"Was it a bad thing thing?" He asked her, eventhough he could not able to see her face, Wybie knew that she was smiling underneath
"You made my night amazing Wybie, there is nothing for you to feel nervous about..." she whispered and halted a for a minute
"though...about what you said back then...about the confession, I know it's been a long time but I'm sorry if I didn't realize it sooner..I just thought that I am just your average hotheaded best friend that you had to awlays had to drag away from every mess..." she snickered at her last phrase
"It seems that we had both the same feelings back then..." a frown plastered upon his face when he realized something
"You know...back at the food stall, about what I just said to you...I've been wondering about it..." he sadly sighed, gripping his palm tightly on her hand while watching the glowing moon radiating its luminesence light through the evening sky
"I wondered what would have happened if I let my wrecking nervous self set aside and went through with my confession...maybe things would have turned out different for the both of us... we would have already filled those missing six years, together..."
"Maybe we don't have to experience those bitter memories at all..." Wybie sadly closed her eyes, buried his face on her blue shade of hair and hugged her closer in surprise
"Maybe we didn't have to end up through that hospital and almost meeting our deaths..."
But Coraline did not say anything, only to feel the same remorse as his, for the fact that he was right...
It could have been different...
"And probably I could hug you like this everyday and every moment I needed you here by my side.." he sadly chuckled, still not letting his arms move away, wondering to himself if Coraline would have also agreed to his thoughts
"But then...I also thought about the curse back then...." he continued "if it didn't exist in the first place, I wouldn't have the thought of shoving you away just to keep you safe...eventhough I should have told you everything...but the guilt and the reminder that I was the one who started this whole curse, was my fault..."
The florist didn't said anything but waited on his next words however, her gaze were no longer glued on his hand any more
Instead, their eyes had finally met once again
But both of them couldn't be able to read what their gazes had meant
"I'm sorry for wasting those six years without you, Coraline..."
He rarely called out her name like this and this immediately at that moment his words was serious
Wybie smiled weakly as he studied her face before closing his mouth shut, he doesn't know what her thoughts or reaction would be after bearing this but even so, Coraline was always been the first person to make him realize of things
However, this time, he did not expect her to smile at him
"You didn't wasted it, Wybie.." she cleared him out, clunging his hands tightly as could as if trying herself to keep him away from falling down to his guilt
"it wasn't your fault if you just wanted to save that man's life...as matter of fact, you risked everything, down to that stranger, your grandmother, to me and to everyone else.." she told him calmly "maybe you were right...things would be different, but then..I had my own mistakes too..we both shove each other's out..I let myself trying to fit in from a place that I shouldn't even be there..not realizing that I am hurting my best friend too..."
"We thought that we could handle it ourselves and that's one of the mistakes that we believed in..." he answered back weakly as Coraline nodded
"And if it wasn't for all what happened...I don't think we could even broke the curse...the curse is what makes us come together, Wybie..."
Slowly as her hand went towards to cupped his cheek
"Those six years didn't waste us...it made us both even stronger..." she smiled
Living inside the guilt and regret, he never thought
"It's just six years Wybie...we could make more years of memories than that and we are starting right now..." she whispered "if this is all what it takes for finishing the curse, I'm taking it as long as you're here...with me.."
Her words fluttered his heart as he could finally seen that they had forgave each other
And he had forgave himself as well...
And Wybie was contented enough to hear it from the person he cares about
His smile finally came back once again, kissing her hand with such pure joy and affection
"Thank you..."
They stayed silent in such pure bliss that no words were needed to say how greatful for their significant other had both entered their lives
And she was right
This just the beginning of their journey, tha start of creating new memories together
That is when the sky had finally lit up several lights pass through the sky
And Wybourne could clearly saw those Amber irises shimmered from the view that she had witnessed
"There's a meteor shower!" Coraline whispered as she stood up from her seat, closing her body at edge of the window to look at the view that she'll rarely get to see in a clear distance and lucky enough that they were at the highest position amongst other people
Wybie smiled as he walked behind her, holding the cold metal rails, joining in watching the light showered through the sky
"And lucky enough, my estimation for the meteor to arrive and this ferris wheel to spin around is just the right calculated time for us to have the perfect view..." Wybie smiled as he looked down on his wristwatch before looking back up the sky again
Coraline chuckled in amusement on how his mind works
"Wow..."
"You really are a genius, did you know that?..." she whispered, he smiled and both looked up watching the lights showered from above
"It's beautiful isn't it, Wybie?"
Wybie couldn't deny to that, but he couldn't help to look at her face as she asked that question
As if, there is more beautiful than what he had saw than those flying burning rocks from above
He smiled as he adored her face in enthusiasm
"Yeah, it is..."
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The night ended up perfectly
just as what they had both wanted
Well, the experience of having heartfull talk is what makes it even more special
For this night had finally changed everything...
No more secrets, no more guilt and especially no one has to be alone again...
Drove on with his motorcycle in the middke of the night, the two walked side by side by the pink palace and towards his home, hands entertwined and faces filled with glee
Until they had finally went inside the house, both stopped upon reaching on Coraline's door
"Well this is it, we're here now.." he smiled
"Thanks you for tonight Wybie, I really enjoyed spending the time with you.." she muttered shyly while watching the mechanic to slouch himself embarassingly
"Oh it's nothing...I am just glad that we get to have a one on one talk together and you still get to enjoy it..."
The chuckled at the memory they had, taking the silent akwardly unsure on what they should do next, fortunately enough Coraline flinched as she remembered something
"Oh wait hold on, I wanted to give you something...." she muttered and quickly placed her hands on her pockets, roaming around through the thick fabric of the coat
Wybie raised his brow in wonder as soon as she let out a sigh of relief
And a pair of bracelet decorated with jaded stones around
"You're giving this...to me?" He asked in bewilderment as he carefully took the present
"I happen to met an old lady that knows about the seeing stones that we've been wearing...and after she had left, she gave me that, it was some sort of charm of protection....I uh..wanted to give you that as a thank you gift, for everything..."
The mechanic flushed in a spot, moving his eyes nervously before cluthing the bracelet tightly on his palm
"W-wow I..I didn't expect that..thank you...I'll take this gift and I'll wear this forever, Jonesy.."
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"Actually..."
"That wasn't just my gift for you though..." she answered with a sly look at him when she had noticed that Wybie had already widened his eyes in wonder
"H-huh?"
Unsure on what he would say anymore, he watched as Coraline avoided his gaze everytime her eyes would blink, as if she was trying to hold herself back on what to do something next
Her hands nervously shook to his surprise when she went in to clung on his jacket, tiptoed her feet and pressed her body against his
That is when things began to clear when she pressed her lips against his for another time
This was her last gift for him
And yet, everytime their lips met, it feels like it was the first time they shared their kiss back at the christening
Unlike the other couples, they don't usually this affectionate or as what they would often say...
But he couldn't deny that he liked it being this kind of intimate with her and now that they're both alone, even in just a short amount of time, they finally had the chance to be close with each other
Warmth spread across their bodies just as he pulled her in closer, wrapping his arms more tightly on her waist while her hands wandered on his shoulders and played along his curly locks, she breath in surprise when she began to felt the pressure on her lips, Wybie had kissed her passionately in return
Coraline immediately knew that he needed her as well and that they didn't have to say anything, they let their mouths tell on how they had felt, every moment and every sweet caresses they had received, it's enough for them to say on how much they missed and wished to be like this
Everything felt surreal
Time passes as they ran out of breath, Coraline let out a sweet and contented sigh from her mouth before their lips parted, her eyes flutters when she blinked to look him, he couldn't help but to felt attracted from the way her gaze landed on him
Wybie blushed at the thought that it was him that made her feel that way
"It's getting warmer here..." she whispered, fixing the folds on his jacket, the shade of red across her cheeks was visible to his eyes
"Y-Yeah....I could see why.." his breath hitched, causing Coraline to laugh at his reply and lightly punch his arm, as usual
Wybie watched her opened the door and turned her body to face him with a slight look of tease
"I'll be seeing you tomorrow, Mr. Lovat..." she chuckled
Rolling his eyes as he walked towards his room, Wybie teased back and nodded
"Goodnight, Ms. Jones..."
And with that final words, together they closed the doors and sighed in relief of everything that happened this night
And as to what they had expected...neither of them couldn't able to sleep properly but the smiles of their faces as they lay on their beds, thinking all the wonderful moments they had, their little dinner talk, the meteor showers and their kiss...
Coraline stared at the ceiling above her..moving her arms and touched the wall that has been connected towards Wybie's room
She wondered to herself if he too, was still awake...
Pulling the sheets to cover herself, Coraline forced her eyes to shut close but the smile from her face didn't change the slightest
And she was right
He wasn't as well...
He stayed there laying on his bed watching the black cat snuggled up with along the three fostered kittens that he found during on his work
He smiled as he looked at the bracelet that Coraline gave him, that he too as well, force his eyes to close and drifting himself to sleep for a reminder to move another day
Another day for them to work
Another day to spend
And another day to see each other
And that is what all it takes to keep them waiting each morning
For their new lives together was just the first chapter of making new and wonderful memories with others.....