Chapter 4

Night fell, and fireworks began to shoot up from the gradually quieting amusement park. The colorful bursts of light were like countless comets streaking across and illuminating the dark sky. Naomi had cheered up considerably, her eyes sparkling as she exclaimed in delighted surprise, "I thought they only lit up fireworks for festive occasions! Why did they light them today?" Logan eyed her lovingly, a grin tugging on the corners of his lips. Winona knew he had arranged for the fireworks show; she saw him texting nonstop while they were getting ice cream earlier, presumably to set up the whole thing. However, Naomi did not stay until the end of the surprise fireworks show that had been elaborately planned for her. Halfway through the show, she got a call from Edmund, who said something on the other end that made her face light up. She ignored Logan's attempts to get her to stay and left on her own. Logan watched Naomi leave until she had vanished entirely from his sight, looking so disappointed. His expression was as dark and grim as the burnt-up fireworks on the ground. He seemed upset that he had worked so hard the entire day, only for the woman of his dreams to be intercepted by someone else. Without warning, he kicked the box of fireworks that had yet to be released into the sky. When Logan turned around, his eyes, full of anger and disappointment, met Winona's calm ones. It wasn't until they had locked gazes that he remembered she had been here the entire time, and he quickly hid all his inappropriate emotions. He hurried toward her and pulled her into his arms. "Aren't the fireworks pretty, Winona?" The fireworks blooming across the sky spelled out the letters "N" and "A". Winona hummed mildly in response, then shoved Logan away. Logan froze. Worried that she might have sensed something, he frantically explained himself, "Today, I—" But Winona did not give him the chance to explain. He could spare the pretty, self-righteous excuses. She feigned nonchalance and put her hands together. "They say if you wish upon fireworks like you do with shooting stars, your wishes will come true. Let's make a wish." Logan went along with the convenient excuse. He said his wish out loud, presumably to cover up the pains he had taken to cheer Naomi up today. "I wish to stay with Winona forever and ever, and that we'll save up enough money after graduation and get married." Winona had heard these wishes many times before, and she had always teared up. But this time, she felt nothing. She just closed her eyes as she quietly made her wish. "I wish Logan and I would never see each other again after I leave him." When she was done, she opened her eyes to find Logan staring at her with amusement. "Why didn't you tell me what you wished for, Winona? What was it about?" Tearing her gaze from him, Winona smiled. "Wishes won't come true if you say them out loud." Winona made time to sign the paperwork on campus, then headed to the shop where she worked part-time to tender her resignation. The manager accepted her resignation and told her to see through her last shift for the day. She worked the entire morning and made dozens of deliveries. By the end of it, her head was spinning from the blazing sun. Winona's first order that afternoon was a delivery to a prestigious address. She set down her helmet, which was burning hot from the sweltering heat. The heavy order weighed her down, and she strained to knock on the door. A few minutes later, the villa front door opened, and a familiar voice sounded. "Coming!" She looked up to find a pair of familiar eyes staring at her. The eyes widened at the sight of her, various emotions flickering through them. Uneasiness, surprise, and panic flashed across Logan's face like a montage.