A smirk tugged at his lips. "You''re adorable, you know that?"

    Silence again. Then, a small embarrassed sound that made him grin.

    "Shut up," she muttered.

    Ethan stretched his legs out, resting his free hand behind his head. "So, what''s the real reason you called?"

    Lila hesitated for a second before speaking, her voice quieter this time. "I just... thought we could talk. You kind of disappeared after our texts. And then, when I saw you today, you barely said anything."

    Ethan exhaled slowly. She wasn''t wrong.

    He hadn''t exactly been avoiding her, but he also hadn''t actively reached out.

    Business had been on his mind, and personal relationships... well, they hadn''t been his top priority.

    Still, hearing the slight disappointment in her voice made something stir in his chest.

    "I''ve been busy," he admitted. "A lot going on."

    She hummed. "Yeah... Zack mentioned something about you investing in the resort?"

    He raised an eyebrow. "Zack?"

    She hesitated. "Well, not directly. My friend overheard him talking to someone at the club about it."

    Ethan shook his head. "That man talks too much."

    Lila giggled. "He''s fun, though. You two seem close."

    "I wouldn''t go that far," Ethan muttered, but the thought made him smirk slightly.

    Zack was a loudmouth, but he was genuine.

    There was a brief lull in the conversation, then Lila''s voice came through softer.

    "...So, are you free tomorrow?"

    Ethan arched an eyebrow. "Are you asking me on a date?"

    Silence.

    Then — "N-No!"

    He laughed, enjoying how easily flustered she got. "You sure? Because it kinda sounds like you are."

    "I was just — ! Ugh, forget it!"

    He could hear her trying to hide her embarrassment, and it only made him smirk harder.

    "I''m free," he said, cutting off whatever excuse she was about to make.

    A pause. "...Really?"

    "Yeah. Where do you wanna go?"

    Lila hesitated. "You''re making me decide?"

    "Well, you''re the one who called me, pouting about how I didn''t talk to you," he teased.

    "I WASN''T POUTING!"

    "I would''ve paid."

    "I know, but this way, you owe me one."

    That caught his attention. He tilted his head. "Oh? What exactly do I owe you?"

    "I don''t know yet. But I''ll think of something."

    Ethan chuckled, shaking his head. "Alright, fair enough."

    They walked toward the entrance, scanned their tickets, and stepped inside.

    The moment they entered, Lila''s face lit up. She took a deep breath, looking around with excitement. "Wow... it''s been forever since I''ve been to one of these."

    Ethan glanced around. "So, what''s first?"

    Lila turned, eyes landing on the biggest roller coaster in the park. She pointed. "That one!"

    He raised a brow. "You serious?"

    "What? You scared?"

    "Of course not," he said smoothly, "but I didn''t expect you to pick the most intense ride first."

    "Might as well start with a bang."

    "Alright then. Let''s go."

    The line wasn''t too long, but as they inched forward, Lila''s confidence wavered slightly. She watched as the coaster zoomed past, twisting and flipping at ridiculous speeds.

    Ethan noticed the way she gripped her sweater sleeves. "Second thoughts?"

    Lila straightened up immediately. "N-Nope. Totally fine."

    "If you scream, I''m gonna remind you about this moment."

    "I won''t scream," she huffed.

    They finally got into their seats, pulling the safety bars down.

    The ride operator did a quick check before the coaster lurched forward, slowly climbing the first steep incline.

    Lila tensed beside him. Ethan, meanwhile, was completely relaxed.

    He turned slightly. "Still not scared?"

    Lila swallowed. "N-Not at all."

    The coaster reached the top. A brief moment of silence. Then — a sudden drop.

    Lila''s scream cut through the air.

    Ethan burst out laughing, the rush of the wind roaring past them. She instinctively grabbed his arm, squeezing tightly as the coaster twisted and turned at insane speeds.

    By the time they reached the end, Lila was panting, her grip loosening from his sleeve. He smirked. "You were saying?"

    She turned to glare at him, face flushed. "Shut up."

    Ethan just chuckled as they stepped out of the ride.

    After that, the day flowed naturally. They went on more rides — some crazy, some calm — and even played a few carnival games.

    Ethan was ridiculously good at them, easily winning a stuffed wolf plushie for Lila, which she begrudgingly accepted.