"That was fun, let's do it again!" I laughed while getting out of the last room that led us to the exit.

"Are you crazy? It felt like you were clinging onto me for dear life, I'm never doing that with you again," he rolled his eyes at me.

"Me clinging onto you? Are you kidding?" I laughed while we met Landon and Zoey.

"How was it?" Landon asked.

"It was fun, I liked it," I shrugged, "But Nick didn't," I snickered.

He rolled his eyes while Landon laughed and headed out of the place with Zoey by his side.

"Aw, what's wrong? Nicky-Nick got scared?" I teased while standing in front of him, on my toes to seem a little taller.

He poked my side with a smirk, making me squeal and jump back.

"Now what?" Zoey asked as we walked outside.

"House of Death," Nick sighed.

"No!" Zoey whined.

"Nick, that's next to a real cemetery, we're gonna come back with real spirits attached to us," I huffed.

"Doesn't that only open in October anyway?" Landon asked in confusion.

"Not when it's been rented out," he huffed, "A gift from William's dad. Take it or leave it," he shrugged.

"Let's just go," I shrugged, "It's a waste of money otherwise, no?" I asked while heading to the car.

"You just enjoyed Nick being scared shitless," Landon laughed while getting in the car.

Nick glared at him while flipping him off as he got in the driver's seat. It's literally five minutes away so we got there pretty fast.

"Let me go with Landon this time," I laughed.

"So I can humiliate myself in front of you, no thank you," he walked in with Zoey while Nick and I followed.

"Who goes first?" I asked while staring at the entrance of the maze.

"Let's split up, this entire thing is fifteen-thousand-square-feet, we have to fo this one at the same time," Nick shrugged, "Through the entire maze, find the tunnel, go through that and then the bus," he explained.

"What about the DJ?" Zoey frowned.

"No one's paying for that," he said as we entered the area and began walking through the cemetery.

"Holy shit!" Zoey screamed a few feet behind Nick and me. Her and Landon had started ten minutes after us, that way we're still working in pairs.

"Oh, my God!" I screamed, jumping up and grabbing Nick's arm.

"What?" he asked while looking at the ground.

"I swear somebody just touched my foot," I looked around.

"Emma," he cleared my throat, "That was your shoelace," he bit back a laugh.

I huffed and rolled my eyes while he kneeled down and tied them for her. It's his habit. "Thanks," I smiled. About five minutes later, I felt the same thing again. "Nick, I swear that wasn't my shoelace!" I shrieked. "God!" I screamed at the person who popped up in front of us.

"We're almost at the tunnel, let's just keep walking," he chuckled. Five minutes later, we made it to the tunnel and my god this thing is tiny.

"Can you breathe right in here?" I asked.

"Yeah, why?" he asked in confusion and suddenly seemed nervous that he was gonna suffocate and die in here.

"You're not gonna die here, Nick, I'm just asking," I laughed.

"Emma?" he asked while looking at our locked hands.

"I'm not planning to let go," I mumbled, "What if you run out and leave me in here?" I arched an eyebrow at him.

"I was just gonna say we're almost done," he chuckled.

"Finally, there we go," I sighed as we finished the whole thing. "Now we wait," I sat down on the bench while he sat beside me. We were both a little flushed and tired from all the screaming and jumpscares so we took a breather. Throughout which he just stared at me. Like an idiot.

I really wanted him to kiss me.

"Are you just gonna keep staring?" I laughed while turning to him, "I feel you looking at me. What?" I asked, pushing him lightly.

"Nothing," he shook his head.

"Nick," I gave him a pointed look.

"You have a wish," he brushed the eyelash off my cheek and placed it on the back of my hand.

"Take it," I shrugged, holding it up in front of his face.

I hope he wishes for me.

He blew it off and kept staring at me the whole time.

"Remember what you said, you wouldn't slap me," he said while leaning in slowly. I began leaning in too but we were interrupted when Landon and Zoey walked out.

"Finally, oh, I'm so tired," Zoey groaned, sitting between Nick and me, resting her head on my shoulder.

Nevermind.

I cleared my throat as we all stood up from our seats. "Lunch, anyone?" I asked while glancing at the time on my phone.

"Lunch is at The Deck at Island Gardens, it's a little more than five minutes away," Nick shrugged.

"I'll drive," Landon shrugged.

Nick tossed him the keys and Zoey sat shotgun, leaving us with our awkward silence at the back. I texted him and he looked at it, reading over the text multiple times before he realized he actually had to reply.

'Were you gonna kiss me?'

Yes, I still have his number. I'm surprised he still has mine.

'No, why? Did you want me to?' he typed out.

'You still have my number?' I changed the subject, dodging his question.

'You still have mine ;)'

He looked up at me and I rolled my eyes at him, putting my phone away.

His phone began ringing and he groaned. "Yes, Liam?" he rolled his eyes, "We'll be there in like two minutes," he huffed before hanging up.

He is such an asshole. Someone remind me why I like him.

-----

We were all currently at lunch, enjoying our food and drinks, talking, eating, laughing, while I was slurping at my empty glass that had nothing but ice in it.

"Quit doing that," Nick pulled my glass away.

I huffed and got back to my fries with a pout. He rolled his eyes and placed his glass of iced tea in front of me. I grinned at him before beginning to sip on it. He rolled his eyes and looked ahead to see my mom and dad looking at us with a creepy, knowing smile.

"What?" he asked in confusion.

"Nothing," his dad chuckled, whispering something to his mom that made her laugh and nod in agreement before they acted like they didn't just whisper about him right in front of his face. He looked at them weirdly before sipping on the iced tea he gave me.

"Hey!" I smacked my hand.

"Just because I gave it to you, doesn't mean it's yours," he gave me a pointed look, "But it is," he sighed in defeat handing it back to me before stealing a fry.

"Look at you, sharing your food and being all nice," I teased while laughing at him.

"I gave that to you because you wouldn't stop slurping on the ice in your glass. It's annoying," he rolled my eyes.

"Bet," I scoffed.

He gave it to me because he wanted to be nice and noticed that I wanted more iced tea but because I am an immature child, I wasn't gonna ask for another glass.

He poked my side and I jumped, grabbing his hand. "Don't, I'm eating!" I exclaimed while laughing. He only did it again. I tried ignoring it and sitting still but I am the most ticklish person in the world. I am ticklish everywhere. Underarms, neck, stomach, under her feet, inner thighs.

I used to get really ticklish whenever Nick would kiss my neck and I would always laugh and ruin the moment. Then he'd have to kiss my lips to shut me up.

"What?" I asked when I caught him staring.

I want him.

"Nothing," he shook his head before getting back to eating.

I looked at him weirdly before looking at his dad who was sitting in front of me. I arched an eyebrow at him and he did exactly what my mom had a few days ago. Point to both of us and looked at me with an impressed look, holding up his hand in a thumbs up.

I pointed to Nick and myself in confusion and he nodded. I rolled my eyes while shaking my head, scoffing to myself.

He looked at me in confusion, almost as if he were asking why.

I pointed to Nick, then to myself, then made a heart and broke it.

"You know I can see you, right?" Nick turned to me, stealing another fry.

"Then act like you can't, Nick," I rolled my eyes.

He chuckled while shaking his head before turning to Landon and talking to him.

Matt pointed to Nick, then made a heart, and then pointed to me. I pointed to myself then made a heart while shaking my head before pointing to Nick. Matt pointed at me, made a heart then pointed at Nick.

"No," I laughed.

"Yes," he nodded encouragingly.

'Rachel?' I mouthed.

He scoffed and rolled his eyes and holding his hand up with a thumbs down.

I laughed while shaking my head.

If his family doesn't like her, then they won't last.

I hope.

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Chapter seventeen