“You mean like real magic? Like in the stories?” Lily’s eyes widened, her pizza forgotten as she stared at Ethan, completely captivated.
“Something like that,” he said, lowering his voice as if sharing a secret. “Around Halloween, the magic in the air around here gets stronger. Strange things start to happen—things that can’t be explained. Some people think it’s just the town’s way of reminding us that there’s more to the world than what we can see.”
Lily gasped, her imagination clearly running wild with the idea. “That’s so cool”
We continued that way, sharing stories and pizza in the fort, a relaxed ease settling over us beneath the twinkling fairy lights. But, as the night wore on, the inevitable end began to creep in.
“Ethan,” Lily said, her voice tinged with a hint of sadness, “can we have a sleepover? I don’t want tonight to end.”
He sighed softly, smiling down at her. “I know, Lil, but Mom’s already on her way to pick you up. But don’t worry—we can have a proper sleepover next time, okay?”
Lily’s face lit up again as she turned to me with a cheeky grin. “Vinnie, you have to come to the sleepover, too! We can braid Ethan’s hair again and make him wear a face mask!”
“I wouldn’t miss it for anything.” I laughed, touched by how much she wanted me to be a part of their world.
Ethan chuckled, shaking his head as he ruffled Lily’s hair. “You two are going to be trouble together, I can tell.”
Lily stuck her tongue out at him, giggling. “You love it!”
Ethan grinned, glancing over at me with a softness in his eyes that made my heart flutter. “Yeah,” he said quietly, his voice full of warmth. “I really do.”
The night was winding down, the fort dismantled, and the remnants of the pizza feast neatly tidied away, yet the air still hummed with the magic of the evening, and I could feel the warmth of the memories we’d created lingering in the room like the soft glow of the string lights.
A sudden knock at the door broke the comfortable silence, and Lily’s eyes lit up. She hopped up from where she’d been sitting, giving both me and Ethan big hugs before bouncing toward the door. “Next time, right, Vinnie?” she asked, her voice filled with hope and excitement.
“Absolutely,” I promised, returning her hug with a warm squeeze.
Lily’s grin was pure joy as she turned to Ethan, her eyes gleaming with mischief. “And next time, you have to let me put even more glitter in your hair. And some more bows, too.”
Ethan, who still hadn’t had a chance to remove any of Lily’s handiwork, looked comical, with his usually tousled hair now a chaotic mix of glitter, pink bows, and tiny clips, the glitter catching the light every time he moved, shimmering like a halo of sparkles around his head. A particularly enormous pink bow perched right on top, almost like a crown, while the rest of the ribbons were scattered haphazardly throughout his hair, adding to the absurdly charming look.
“I’m still finding glitter everywhere, Lil,” he teased, his voice filled with mock exasperation. “I think I’ll be sparkling for days.”
Lily giggled, clearly proud of her work. “You look pretty, Ethan. Like a fairy prince!”
At that, I couldn’t hold back my laughter, my gaze moving from Lily’s beaming face to Ethan’s glitter-covered hair. “She’s not wrong,” I said, trying to keep a straight face. “Youdolook like a fairy prince. A very sparkly one.”
Ethan rolled his eyes, but there was a fondness in his expression as he looked at both of us. “I guess if it makes you two happy, I’ll keep the look for a while longer,” he conceded, though he couldn’t hide the small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
Lily clapped her hands in delight. “Yay! Next time, I’ll make sure you’re even prettier.”
“I can hardly wait,” Ethan groaned, ruffling her hair. “You’re lucky you’re cute, kid.”
“I know!” she chirped, sticking her tongue out at him before running off to grab her things. She returned with her backpack and jacket just as Ethan opened the door.
Standing there was Ethan’s mom, her smile warm and welcoming. She had the same kind eyes as Ethan, with a few strands of gray threading through her brown hair, which was pulled back into a loose bun. She wore a knitted jumper, jeans, and a big coat that seemed to swallow her small frame, but there was an undeniable strength and kindness in her demeanor.
“Hi, sweetheart,” she greeted Lily, crouching down to give her a big hug. Lily squeezed her mom tightly before pulling back with a grin.
“Mom, guess what! Vinnie’s coming to our next sleepover!” she announced, bouncing on her toes.
Ethan’s mom’s gaze shifted to me, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. “So, this is the famous Vinnie I’ve been hearing so much about.” She straightened up, offering me a warm smile. “I have to say, Ethan mentionedyou were pretty, but you’regorgeous. I can see why he’s been crushing on you.”
Heat rushed to my cheeks, and I shot a quick glance at Ethan, who looked thoroughly embarrassed, his ears tinged with red. “Mom . . .” he groaned, clearly mortified.
“What? I’m just telling the truth!” She reached out to give Ethan a playful nudge before turning back to me. “By the way, I’m Caroline. It’s lovely to finally meet you, Vinnie. I have to say, I’m not sure why Ethan’s been hiding you. I had to hear about you from Laura, of all people.”
Ethan immediately groaned, rubbing the back of his neck. “Mom, I wasn’t hiding her. I was just trying to avoid situations likethis,” he muttered, embarrassed.
