Author's POV
A month had come and gone in the blink of an eye. During that time, Evie focused intensely on two things: preparing for her final exams, and quietly researching her cousin — Daphne's daughter. She studied her every move: where she went, what she ate, who she was around, the places she liked, even the ones she didn't. Evie knew revenge wasn't a sprint — it was a slow, calculated march.
Today was the day. The seniors' final exam day. The school hall buzzed with tension, the kind that wrapped around your chest and didn't let go. Evie's mother, Astrid, had taken the day off from her grueling job at the textile factory just to see her daughter off. She stood at the gates when Evie walked in, wearing a warm smile that barely masked her nervousness.
Ten hours later, the exam hall doors burst open.
Students spilled out like survivors of a battlefield — pale, exhausted, some crying, some throwing up from the pressure, and one girl even had to be carried out after fainting during math. But Evie? She walked out calm, quiet confidence in her step. She wasn't sure if she'd scored perfect marks, but she knew she'd done her best — and sometimes that was enough.
"Mommy! Were you really out here for ten whole hours?" Evie called as she spotted her mom waiting at the same spot.
"Of course. Where else would I be?" Astrid said, beaming as she took her daughter's hands in hers.
"How do you think it went? And be honest — nerves get the best of us," she added, her voice laced with concern.
Evie smiled and shook her head, "I think I did great, Mommy. You'll see — I'll get into the best university in the world." Her voice didn't shake.
Astrid sighed with visible relief and touched her daughter's cheek. That one moment of pride was everything to her.
Just then, a familiar voice called from behind. "Hello, Auntie!" Charlotte's bubbly voice rang out. She waved enthusiastically, and next to her was Ender, grinning as usual.
"Afternoon, Aunt Astrid," Ender said with a respectful nod.
"Hello, you two! It's been a while," Astrid replied warmly.
"Yes, and I miss your cupcakes," Charlotte said with a playful pout. "Anyway, we were wondering if we could borrow Evie for a few hours?"
Both Evie and her mother turned to her with identical looks of confusion. "What for?" they asked at the same time.
Charlotte paused awkwardly before nudging Ender forward. "Your turn. Convince your future mother-in-law and girlfriend why she should come with us," she whispered.
Ender chuckled nervously under their double stare. "Well, we planned a surprise for Evie. You know… just something small, something fun. This might be the last day the three of us are together. I leave at midnight for university prep, and Charlotte flies home tomorrow morning. We didn't want to leave without a proper goodbye."
Astrid frowned slightly, her motherly instincts kicking in. "Is it safe?"
"Yes. I promise, it's perfectly safe," Ender said, flashing his signature charming smile.
She thought for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. But she has to be back by eleven."
"Deal!" Charlotte and Ender said in unison.
Evie blinked, finally speaking up, "Umm, hello? Anyone going to ask me if I want to go?"
Charlotte smirked and grabbed her hand. "Because we knew you'd say yes." She tugged her along without waiting for another word.
"Bye, Mommy! I'll be safe, I promise!" Evie called out, waving as they hopped into a small, beat-up car Ender had borrowed from his older brother.
The moment they arrived at the amusement park, it felt like all the tension of the past month melted away. Neon lights flickered in every color imaginable, the scent of fried dough, popcorn, and cotton candy filled the air. Laughter rang out from every corner, blending with the mechanical hum of rides and the occasional thrill-seeker scream.
Their first stop was the Ferris wheel.
Ender made sure to time it perfectly so that when their seat reached the top, the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of gold, pink, and lavender. Evie rested her head on his shoulder, and they sat in peaceful silence. He laced their fingers together.
"Beautiful," Ender said softly.
Evie smiled. "The sunset?"
"No. You."
They both blushed, neither daring to look the other in the eyes — but the silence that followed said more than words could.
Then came the roller coasters. Charlotte screamed the loudest, dramatically acting as if she was about to fly off every seat. At one point, she accidentally knocked off her glasses and they spent twenty minutes with a park worker trying to retrieve them. Next was bumper cars, which Evie was hilariously bad at. Charlotte kept circling her like a shark, ramming her every chance she got. Ender just cruised calmly, avoiding the chaos like a smug, driving god.
They laughed until their faces hurt. Played rigged carnival games and spent way too many coins trying to win a stuffed bear that Ender finally got by slapping the machine and startling it into dropping the prize. He gave it to Evie, who named it "Smackie."
Of course, fun had to have its limit. When Charlotte tried to sneak into the "Staff Only" room to find the source of the cotton candy machine, they were promptly kicked out of the amusement park. A security guard escorted them to the exit while Charlotte protested, "I was just exploring!"
Once outside, they didn't let it kill their night. In fact, it made it even better.
They danced in the middle of the sidewalk to music blasting from a nearby street vendor's speaker, spinning and laughing under the night sky like they were invincible. Charlotte used her old-school camera to take goofy pictures of Evie and Ender kissing, her jumping on Ender's back, and the three of them making ridiculous faces.
They bought mango slices, spicy street kebabs, and fresh milk tea from a food cart, sitting on the curb and watching strangers pass by. For a moment, life felt big, wild, and free.
Eventually, the night wind grew cooler and Evie's watch blinked 22:45. Time to go home.
Ender walked her up the path, just the two of them now. Charlotte stayed at the bus stop, singing softly to herself and fiddling with her camera. At the gate of Evie's house, they paused.
"This was the best night of my life," she said quietly, holding onto his hand.
Ender nodded. "Mine too."
They stood in silence for a second, then Evie leaned in and kissed him — soft, warm, full of promise and goodbye.
"When you land, call me," she whispered.
"I will," he replied, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
Then, slowly, she stepped back and walked inside.
Ender waited at the gate until the lights turned on in her house, and only then did he walk away, hands in his pockets, smiling like a boy who just saw his entire world in one night.