//Saaaammmee -except I have no love life lol//
Xio’s mouth opened and closed. She had no idea how to reply. Had she felt this way before with the other guys she had dated? She didn’t think so. This was special. She kind of liked it and the way it felt. “Y-you’re doing everything right,” she told him firmly. “But geez you two…” she shook her head, suddenly giggling uncontrollably. She was so embarrassed all she could do was laugh.
Garrett watched happily. He had no idea why these two thought they might not work out. He saw a relationship perfect for them. They’d last a long time. “Alright, Alright you two. No more flirting. Finish up so we can make it on time.” He said with a sigh. He had already finished.
//lowkey can see Xio and Kai getting locked in a small space together at the haunted house fam.//
(Lol, me and my girlfriend are two of the most awkward people ever it's not even funny)
"What! We're just having fun and teasing. Which, by the way it's easy to tease you but cute too." He chuckled and looked to Gary, giving him a two fingered salute, "Yes sir, no more flirting, got it." He grinned and went back to eating. Luckily there wasn't much left so he finished it quickly.
(Honestly same)
//Ahaha. I’m just awkward in general.//
Xio felt her head spin and her heart leap. She was so easy to tease. She was both an author and completely gullible. Not only could she believe situations, she could see them play out in her head. That made for a few graphic scenes at times. “You’re so mean.” She joked, kicking him once again.
Garrett laughed softly, watching as the two continued eating. Xio finished last. She was having a hard time processing everything. Kai had just admitted to flirting with her, which she kinda already picked up on, but did he mean it? She found herself praying he did.
Soon, the three were heading back out, their meal paid for and finished. Xio had gotten her sushi and had eaten it happily, offering some to Kai. Her father hated fish so she tried to avoid asking him. “I’m so full.” She whined, leaning against Kai teasingly.
Kai held his hands up in defense, "I know I know. Sorry, I'll try not to tease you so much in the future. Cross my heart and hope to die." He made a criss-cross over his heart then slung an arm around Xio, "You shouldn't have eaten so much then. Don't complain about how full you are when you could have stopped eating at anytime." He flicked her nose playfully.
“You get so… attractive though… it’s like you know how to use my weaknesses against me.” She complained. She couldn’t decide what was better: suffering for a little to see him act a certain way, or be able to remain cool around him. Xio hummed happily at his words, laughing softly when he flicked her nose. “But you don’t understand, my food was enchanted so it was so good I couldn’t stop.” She joked, finding his hand and slipping her own into his.
“Look forwards to that date Xio, he’s a keeper.” Garrett called over his shoulder, climbing into the car and starting it up.
Kai gave her hand a squeeze resting his chin a top her head for a moment, "As much as I hate to say it, I don't think your food was enchanted. Magic doesn't exist." He smirked and gave her a wink, knowing fine well it was a lie, "I'm glad you like me Gary! I like you too!" He called back.
“Aww. But if it did exist you better believe I’m going to keep it in my life for as long as I can.” She told him slyly, planting a teasing kiss to his jawline. She knew that was going far but she wanted to give him payback for flustering her earlier.
Garrett nodded, smirking. Xio rolled her eyes. She knew they’d get along. Her father had really taken a liking to him. “That’s good.” Gary said softly, laughing.
Kyle's eyes lit up with happiness and he kissed the top of her head back, "I'd do the same. Only the magic that I love comes in a different form," He leaned down to whisper, "And that's you." He smiled softly at her.
She grinned like an idiot, hiding her face with her hand. Hell this kid was perfect. He knew how to make words sound better. “You’re making me blush…” she mumbled, resting her head against his shoulder and humming softly. She could once again smell his vanilla fragrance. It drove her crazy to sit silently and notice all of the little things that attracted her to him. She almost couldn’t bare it. Was it a sin that she wanted to bury her face in the crook of his neck and be held in his arms?
Kai chuckled, twirling a strand of hair around his finger, “Good, that was part of the point of telling you. The other was just because I could and I mean it.” He smiled softly down at her, even though in the position they were in she couldn’t see it.
"You're such the charmer." She murmured with a laugh. She watched her father drive, his shoulders sagging. "I can't say I don't enjoy your compliments because they honestly make me so happy." She poked at his side once more.
The building they had turned into the year-round haunted house was indeed an old factory. The building looked ominous and a little sketchy to Xio but seeing how excited her father was, she seemed to relax. "Alright, you two. Lets hurry in." Garrett said with a laugh and a grin.
“I know, and you’re the only person I’m thinking of charming,” Kai grinned and poked her back in the side before climbing out the car. He took her hand once she was out and shut the door with his foot smoothly, “Ready to get scared?”
“I feel so honored.” She giggled. She gave his hand a squeeze and hummed happily. “I’m honestly not. I know you’ll probably scare me more.” She teased.
Garrett was already at the entrance, handing the woman in the booth their tickets.
Kai chuckled, “It’s possible. When you least expect it I’m gonna make you scream the loudest you ever have.” He said, leading them over to the entrance.
“That sounded a little dirty.” She said with a grin. She followed him with a sigh, staring at the entrance as they moved along to the first few rooms.
Kai chuckled deeply, “It might have been intended that way, or maybe not.” He shrugged, “You’ll never know.”
Xio gasped softly, shuddering at the thought. It made her less afraid and more… interested in him. “That is, if you can make me scream.” She laughed softly, her hand tightening around his.
As they made their way through the first few floors, a guide explained the rules. At anytime you could tap out by using the glow stick they had given you. The closest worker would lead you to an exit and you could leave. Xio snuck her glow stick back in the bin. She wasn’t going to even be tempted to tap out.
The second they were set free to wander, Garrett had all but disappeared. His hearty laugh could be heard from a few floors away. Xio had tried to keep up with him as best as she could but often found herself being dragged into different rooms by the staff.
She was small, so she was an easy target.
“Your dad really likes this place, doesn’t he?” Kai raised an eyebrow as he watched the older man hurriedly disappear from the two of them. Not that he minded, he liked spending time alone with Xio.
“He loves it. He loves all things paranormal or scary. You should hear him talk about ghosts. Man he’s convinced they’re real.” She said with a soft laugh, jumping at a few notices coming from the curtain ahead. She didn’t like them.
He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, "If ghosts are real I'd find a medium so I could talk to Maria," He muttered, keeping his eyes open for any jump scares, "But they aren't so there's no point."
Xio fell silent. He was right. They weren’t real. She gave him a reassuring nudge. She had no words to give to him but offered her presence for comfort.
Xio nearly jumped out of her skin when a man popped out with a metal pipe screaming in gibberish. Her face paled beyond what it had before and she felt sick. She immediately turned to Kai, burying her face in his chest and shivering.
When the man jumped out Kai cursed under his breath before he chuckled and turned to Xio. He wrapped her in his arms and kissed her head and rubbed at her back, "Damn, I wish I was as scary as you man, good job!" He grinned before looking to Xio, "You right, beautiful?"
The man seemed a little disappointed he didn’t get Kai but with a content nod he moved on to the next room. Screams could be heard from that one as well. “Metal pipes…” she shivered, looking as if she was going to say something before she shook her head and looked up at him. “I’m alright.” She murmured as she rested her cheek on his chest. He was so warm. “We should keep going.”
Kai frowned a little. He'd have to remember that little fact in case it came in handy. He sighed and nodded, "If you're sure you're okay then yes, we should keep moving." He kissed her head one more time and gave her a small squeeze before leading them into the next room.
“I’m good!” She said firmly, smiling at him. This one was yet again a fake. She gigged slightly, looking around this room. All manners of fake blood and gore laid around. Xio bit her lip. She could probably tell Kai how each and every blood stain came to be. But she would wait to tell him that.
Her psychotic state of mind would have to be hidden until she got to know him better. Jeremy already knew. She wrote crime novels sometimes. Not often but sometimes.
