Page 63 of Charmed, I'm Sure

Miles is blinking through the cloud of rainbow glitter as the crowd cheers, and then bursts into a round of applause. His hair sparkles like a disco ball as the glitter clings to it, still pink from the hex that he loved. It’s clinging to his eyelashes, dusting his dimples, and even coating his ruffle sleeves.

And somehow, amongst the glitter, pie chunks, and chaos, he looks absolutely thrilled.

“Did you see that!” he exclaims, standing up with his arms wide open, taking a bow. “I called it. Totally hexed.”

I snort, unable to combat his infectious demeanor. “You look like you’re auditioning for the lead unicorn in our Samhain festival.”

“That might be the best compliment I’ve ever gotten.” He points at me and winks.

All the children gather around him throwing glitter back into the air, raining him in even more of it. As if he wasn’t covered in enough, I even see a witch wink before she opens a glitter cloud above the crowd. They all cheer in excitement as they start a glitter dance-a-thon. Right in the center, like one of the children, is Miles. He’s laughing, free, and purely in his element.

Lady Bandit scrambles out of my bag as she runs over to join in the fun. Nyx sits by my feet as we stare at the glitter chaos in horror,stepping back every so often to avoid collateral damage.

I should hex him. I should walk away. Instead, I live in the moment. The one moment I grant myself to revel in his sunshine, a smile across my face to the point my cheeks hurt, but I can’t seem to stop myself.

I’m perfectly content to watch from the sidelines, which is more than anyone has gotten from me. I think I’ve managed to succeed at going unnoticed until I see Miles’s head pop above the crowd like some kind of crazy meerkat. His hair is drenched in glitter, some of it smushed along his cheeks, and I think I even see some along his eye lashes. His grin is lethal, and I already know that when that dimple is fully popped, my time has come.

He jogs over to me, glitter trailing behind him like his own version of a rainbow. “Bellamy,” he shouts over the fiddle and children’s laughter. “You’ve been chosen.”

“Nope,” I say as I back up slowly. It’s not happening. Whatever wild idea he has. It’s a no for me. “I don’t know what this is, but you and your tiny glitter cult can countme out.”

Before I can turn away, flee the scene, his glitter-coated hand wraps around my wrist, warm and unrelenting.

“Come on,” he says with a gentle tug. Like the literal mad man he is, he pulls me along behind him as I stomp my feet each step. “The scavenger hunt is starting. You and I are a team!”

“Let go of me,” I grumble,attempting and failing to tug my arm free. Damn wolf strength. I dig my heels in, but the cobblestones betray me. One wrong step and I’m stumbling forward, only for him to wrap his damn glitter-covered arms around me.

He swipes his thumb across my cheek as I do nothing but blink at him. Too caught up by my clumsiness and the fact that it feels good to be in his arms.

“There,” he whispers, his eyes scanning across my face. “Now we match.”

Nyx groans from my feet, his little black heart struggling with the mushy sentiments. Lady Bandit chitters before she climbs up his leg to pop her glitter-covered head in between us. Sir Hops-A-Lot appears on Miles’s shoulder only to roll his eyes at the mess he came in on. And me? I’m realizing that in the two weeks that Miles has come into my life, it’s been full of excitement, humor, and more peoplejoining my inner circle.

He turns and tugs me to the starting point of the scavenger hunt. To think a week ago, I was forcing myself to walk with him, but now, I want to do this.

I realize, as the first giggle slips past my lips, that this is the first time I’ve actually enjoyed Samhain.

Children are dashing past us, costumes flying behind them as they clutch their glittery hands around the paper. Their excitement is almost a tangible thing floating in the air. Laughter and tiny voices float around us as we walk the path to each of the clues.

I was never the little girl who grew up dreaming of the family she would create. Choosing baby names long before I’d even met the person I’d have them with. No, that was Elora’s department. She has a scrapbook somewhere, ask her if you don’t believe me.

But, with Miles next to me, and kids running around us, I can’t help but let myself imagine for a small second what it would be like. If the curse wasn’t lingering over my head, if I could love so freely, is this what my life would look like?

He doesn’t need my words, he doesn’t need me to spell it out for me. No, Miles just wraps his arm around my shoulders, pulling me into him. Grounding me before my thoughts can spiral. He doesn’t call attention to my turmoil, instead standing with me in it.

I look up, my eyes scanning his profile. He’s beautiful and gentle.

He notices. He always notices. “What,” he asks softly.

I shrug, trying to brush off the feelings welling up inside me. “I’ve never…done this? The scavenger hunt, the games, the festival.”

He tilts his head, a warm smile on his face, and that damn dimple threatening to ruin me. “Why not?”

I force a smile, pretending it’s never bothered me. “Never felt wanted or invited. Nobody wanted the dark witch who dresses in all black at their fun, bright event. The other kids weren’t allowed to hang out with me, let alone talk to me. So while a group of kids would show up each year to take Elora, nobody would ever show up for me.”

He pulls us to a stop, twisting me to face him as he grabs my hand. He brings them up between us as he gently kisses each knuckle.

“I promise to be your forever date to every single holiday, festival, or celebration this quirky town comes up with.”