IMPORTANT: For those who already read Realize (27) within 24 hours of its upload, I would advice you to read the last part of that chapter again because I added several phrases in Maxine's mind. That is all. :)

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When Todd and Maggie passed a Cotton Candy Booth, she stopped to stare at it. Todd stopped too, following where her eyes were focused at.

“Cotton Candy was the first thing we ate after we decided to go out,” mumbled Maggie dreamily.

Todd looked from the candy to Maggie.

“Do you want one?” he asked.

“Yes, please,” she nodded, grinning.

He walked over to the booth and bought one. He handed it to Maggie as soon as he returned to her side.

“Thank you. Do you want some?” she inquired, offering the Cotton Candy to him.

“No.” He shook his head. “I'm fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah.”

“If you say so,” she murmured.

Her eyes wandered around as she ate the Cotton Candy. Just then. something from the crowd caught her eye.

Someone was watching them.

From the look of it, someone had been following them. When she fully turned her head to see more clearly, the person quickly hid.

The corner of Maggie's lips curled up. “Interesting.”

“What is?” asked Todd, having heard what she said.

“The roller coaster,” she lied smoothly. “Do you mind if we ride it?”

“No.”

On their way there, Maggie saw a big attractive pink poster that says:

THE LOVE LAKE

Do you want to have a once-in-a-life-time romantic experience with someone special in your heart?

If you do, then ride the LOVE LAKE!

This gives the opportunity for you and your special someone to feel the magic. . .

“Ooh, let’s try that ride,” said Maggie excitedly, pointing at the pink sign that lead to the Love Lake.

“No,” refused Todd flatly, as soon as he laid eyes on it.

“Please?” she pleaded.

“No.”

“Come on, just one ride.”

“Absolutely not.”

“This is the last thing I'll ever ask of you.”

He stared at her for a long moment.

“Trust me on this one,” she persisted.

He looked from the pink sign to her. He sighed and shook his head.

“All right,” he finally gave in.

“Yay!” she beamed, pulling him toward the entrance.

One by one, the couples climbed onto a pink boat. Each couple had a boat to themselves, Todd and Maggie faintly overheard the staff telling another couple that it was for their privacy.

“How humiliating,” said Todd quietly, climbing onto the pink boat with Maggie.

It took a moment for him to realize that he was to row the boat around. And so, he grabbed the paddles and rowed the boat toward the cave.

When they were inside the cave, their jaws instantly dropped.

It looked more like a Planetarium than a cave. There were stars everywhere. There was a single big shape formed above by the stars.

It was the shape of a heart.

Todd hadn't even noticed that he stopped rowing. The boat suddenly pulled itself, following the current.

“You’ve changed,” blurted Maggie, after a long moment of silence.

Todd noticed a bit of disbelief in her voice.

“So I have,” he shrugged.

“Is it . . . because of . . .?”

“No, it’s not because of what happened,” he replied quietly but clearly. He hesitated before saying, “Someone came recently into my life and immediately played an important role in it.”

“Sounds dramatic,” she commented lightly, a little amused.

“Irritating, more like.”

“You look like you're having fun, though.”

There was a moment of silence, then Todd smiled.

“At times,” he said quietly.

“Is the person a She?”

Another silence.

“Perhaps,” he murmured.

“I wonder who that is,” she said, with a slight skeptical tone.

He observed that she didn't sound like she was wondering. She sounded like she already knew who it was, but chose not to dwell on it more.

After a few moments of silence, there was a grayish orange light ahead. In no time, they were out of the cave. The grayish orange light became reddish orange, which meant it was already sunset. Though, it was slightly dark because of the clouds that were slightly covering the sky.

Maggie abruptly grabbed Todd’s hand, and they ran through the exit of the ride. He had no idea why she ran, but he just followed her. They stopped in front of the Ferris Wheel to catch their breaths. When their breathing was even, Todd spoke.

“Maggie, what –?”

He instantaneously stopped talking when he became aware that Maggie was leaning up closer to him.

She closed her eyes and mouthed his name.

He didn’t know how to react. He knew what was coming. He knew that she was about to kiss him. But he wasn't quite sure exactly what to do about it.

He didn't like her the way it was before. They were only friends now, and nothing more. He thought she knew that. In fact, he was sure that she knew it. So how come she was doing this? She was only going to hurt herself. And yet he couldn't bring himself to stop her, afraid that she would be humiliated.

Well, he better think fast because in a matter of seconds, there's no going back on whatever decision he makes.

He narrowed his eyes, thinking of what to do. His eyes wandered over Maggie's shoulder and saw someone watching them while sitting on a bench.

He realized, to his surprise, that it was Maxine.

His lips broke into a smile, forgetting about his current dilemma.

How cute, he thought. She really doesn't know how to be discreet. And what on Earth is she wearing? Odd, but she looked nice.

He was too focused on Maxine that he frowned when he saw her eyes get wide. He assumed that she was shocked about something. Hmm. About what, though?

That made him remember his dilemma. It only took one look at Maggie, whose face was an inch closer to him, to know that this was what shocked Maxine.

And at that very second, he knew what he had to do. He couldn't believe that he even considered it.

Swoosh!

He dodged just in time.

Maggie quickly opened her eyes. She saw that Todd was suddenly beside her, not in front of her. Her expression molded into part surprised and in disbelief. She stared at him, but he was focused on something far away. She followed where he was looking and saw Maxine.

Maggie slowly smiled, realizing something – something she had a hunch on for quite a while.

“Thank you for today,” she told Todd.

Todd seemed to have come back to his senses when she spoke.

“Oh, right,” he said, turning his eyes to her and realizing that Maggie was still there. “Maggie, I – I’m sorry.”

“What are you apologizing for?” she laughed gracefully. “It's all right. I understand.” She smiled one last time and walked away from him.

He couldn't speak, frozen to the spot. He could only watch her walk away. Until he noticed that she was walking toward the place where Maxine was at.

☺ ♪ ☺ ♫ ☺ ♪ ☺

“Hi!”

Maxine jumped in surprise. She rapidly shook her head, she hadn't realized that she was sitting on the same spot for some time now. She was too shocked to move because of what she had just witnessed. She was even out of it for a while there.

She looked up to see who woke her up from her own little world, and her eyes landed on Maggie who was smiling happily at her.

Maxine's eyes turned into perfect circles. She quickly got to her feet.

“You – here! — I just – um — what . . . ?”

Maggie giggled. “I knew all along that you were following us, Maxine. So I played a nasty trick on you. I apologize for that. I knew how you feel about Todd. Or at least, I wanted to make sure I was right.” She paused, looking thoughtful.“What surprised me was Todd, though. His expression certainly changed as soon as he saw you.”

Maggie’s words slowly sunk in Maxine’s mind.

Only moments ago, her heart finally broke apart after seeing Maggie reaching up to kiss Todd. She was so shocked and hurt that she was unable to move. She thought that everything she feared was finally happening.

It quite scared her.

And now, Maxine found out that Maggie knew all along that she was following them.

Maxine closed her eyes in embarrassment. She got caught doing something mortifying . . . and sort of desperate.

But then, Maggie said that what surprised her was the way Todd’s expression changed when he saw Maxine? What was she trying to imply by that?

“What do you mean?” wondered Maxine out loud.

Maggie didn't answer. She only smiled at Maxine.

“I’m going to walk you home.”

Maxine turned and was startled to see Todd. Her heartbeat automatically accelerated. But he was looking at Maggie, which meant he was talking to her. That made her a little sad.

Maggie shook her head. “There’s not really a need to do that. I'll be fine,” she assured him. “See you at the party!” she added as she waved goodbye to them.

Todd nodded. “See you later, then.”

“See you,” Maxine managed to mumble.

The two of them watched Maggie turn to a corner and went out of sight. They stood there for a moment, not speaking. Until finally, Todd turned to Maxine. She reluctantly looked at him.

They stared for what felt like ages.

“Let’s go back,” he declared, walking ahead. “It’s getting late.”

Maxine automatically followed. She blushed furiously, thinking that she was caught in the act of spying.

This is beyond mortifying, she thought. But – why won’t Todd say anything? I would think that he’d love to say something in a situation like this. He doesn't even look smug . . . Goodness! He's probably mad! What if he is?!

“Oh, yeah.” Todd abruptly stopped walking, as though he forgot about something. He reached into his pocket and took out a small thing. He threw it to Maxine, and said, “That's for you.”

She didn’t catch it, so it hit her forehead instead.

“What is this?” she inquired, staring at the small gift-wrapped rectangular thing.

She took her time in opening it; inside was a silver charm bracelet with a single charm attached. The charm was a shiny multicolored diamond microphone.

“Wow,” she breathed out, in awe of its beauty. She looked at him and smiled brightly. “Thank you, Todd.”

He cleared his throat, his mouth suddenly dry. He ran a hand through his hair and looked away before she could notice his heated face.

“I thought you might like it,” he said quietly.

“I love it,” she whispered, beaming.

“Good,” he smiled.

Maybe he likes you, said a small voice in Maxine's mind.

“No . . .” she mumbled. She stepped backward, thinking about the possibility that the small voice said. “Absolutely no way,” she insisted.

She couldn't believe it. She didn't believe it. She wasn't going to let herself be lead on like that.

But then, she thought, it’s just a gift. Don’t make something out of it. Ugh, I'm such a girl by over thinking this. So I'm going to stop and just enjoy the moment.

When she least expected it, she tripped on a rock and fell backwards. Her buttocks hit the hard ground.

“Ouch!” she yelped.

Todd turned around and saw Maxine's current position. He burst out laughing, as he usually did when Maxine did something embarrassing.

“Your stupidity strikes again, Max,” he said through his chuckles.

Still chortling, he helped her get to her feet. And as much as she didn't like it, she accepted his help.

“Geez!” she snapped, patting her jeans clean. “I just fell down. There's nothing funny about it at all.”

“Oh, but there is,” he laughed.

“Yeah?”

“Yup,” he grinned.

She crossed her arms. “Then, please do enlighten me on what's so funny.”

“Your ludicrous face, when you were on the ground.”

“How very gentlemanly of you.”

“I know,” he smiled childishly.

She didn't want to admit it, but he looked so cute with that childish smile. Cute and handsome, Todd carried it quite well.

Despite what just happened was extremely embarrassing, she couldn't help but smile. She was gleeful at the fact that she could make him laugh like none other.

“Here,” he said, taking the bracelet from her.

He put it on around her right wrist, appearing oblivious at the fact that she was frozen. He was putting it on her on his own accord too. She didn't even ask for him to do it. It made her heart swell.

She could feel the heat coming from his body. His presence was so close, she felt as if she was going to faint. This close, she could smell his homey scent. Immediately, she felt secure. She had the sudden urge to hug him.

No . . .

She wanted him to hug her. But she knew that it was impossible. Never in a million years would Todd Samuels do that. Not to her, anyway.

Her eyes found his face . . . his perfectly sculptured face. She only noticed now that he had slight freckles along his nose. You had to be very close to actually see them. And he had such long eyelashes – like a girl's, but it suited him to contrast his muscular jaw. And his eyes . . . they were as blue as the clear daylight sky. She felt like she could be lost in them for ages.

Without warning, the blue orbs caught the brown ones.

Maxine's heart skipped a beat. She coughed as she swiftly looked away.

“There you go,” said Todd, letting go of her hand.

“Thank you,” she automatically replied.

There was a moment of silence.

“Well, we’d better go,” said Todd a-matter-of-factly. “Otherwise, we’ll be late for the party.”

Maxine groaned as she started to walk beside Todd, remembering that they've been invited to the Christmas party thrown by Maggie's parents.

If truth be told, Maxine was growing tired of parties. It wasn't that she wasn't used to going to that sort of events. In fact, when she was living in New Jersey, she attended something of these sorts, too. Not just too often, like in Manhattan.

Todd seemed to read her mind, for he said in an amused tone, “I knew that it was only a matter of time before you start to hate it.”

“I don’t hate it,” she disagreed. “I'm just not fond of going to parties. I mean, I don't see the point.” She paused and thought about it for a few seconds. “Although, I think it can be worth attending sometimes,” she added quietly.

She thought of only one person that was worth anything.

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I personally loved the scene when Todd put the bracelet on Maxine. I could actually feel the heat from just reading Maxine's thought about him. Did you feel it, as well? :D

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