𝗚𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘆-𝗢𝗻𝗲

𝗚𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘆-𝗢𝗻𝗲:
Wing Truck

❅𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘆-𝗢𝗻𝗲❅

"Five more minutes."

I laughed slightly, rubbing my tired eyes as I laid up from her warm body, "I haven't done a morning run in so long, Mazin," I pointed out to her.

"Morning lasts until twelve," Mazin said, subtly pulling me down closer to her.

Which earned another tired laugh from me, lightly nudging her away, "I really need to do this run," I said, even if I definitely wanted to stay in bed with her.

But it's Monday, and this would be a productive start to my week.

And I've been eating... not the best recently.

I definitely need to get up and moving today to work it all off.

"Fine," Mazin suddenly sighed, lying up from the bed with the most adorable frizzy blonde hair, "I'll work out with you then."

I smiled slightly at her, "I motivated you hm?" I said, reaching up to gently tuck her soft hair behind her ears.

"Yeah," Mazin said, glancing down to my lips before she inevitably leaned forward and kissed them, "I also don't like being away from you so."

My smile grew as she pulled back from the brief kiss, "I don't like being away from you either," I whispered, running my hands down to her shoulders that I gently squeezed.

Mazin hummed, leaning forward to briefly kiss my lips again, "We should head downstairs before I change my mind and hold you hostage in this bed," she murmured, pulling back slightly to meet my stare.

"We should go then," I said with a wide smile, sliding out of bed with her following behind me.

We headed into the bathroom first, brushing our teeth before we changed into something more suitable for working out.

Luckily, Mazin had a pair of black leggings and a long-sleeve shirt I could wear.

She opted for a pair of leggings too, but with a matching sports bra that managed to distract me entirely.

But luckily we chose separate activities, so I wouldn't be too distracted.

I ran on the treadmill while she focused on strength training instead.

Her home gym was really nice too—especially the surround sound speakers that she hooked her phone up to.

I managed to run six miles in an hour, and by the time I was done, I was dripping with sweat and beyond ready to shower.

Mazin volunteered to shower in one of the guest bathrooms while I took my own shower in hers.

Even if I argued with her about it the entire way to her bedroom.

But once she has her mind set on something, it always seems to happen.

So I ended up showering in her bathroom and changing into a comfy grey short-sleeve shirt and black sweatpants that were from Mazin's closet yet again.

Meanwhile, Mazin wore a black sweatshirt with matching sweatpants, already starting breakfast by the time I was done showering and getting ready.

And instead of waffles or cinnamon rolls, she had begun making us turkey bacon and eggs.

Which I was excited to eat given how unhealthy I had previously been these past few days.

It's like Mazin knew what I wanted the mood of the day to be, and this was perfect.

Especially with the avocado she added on the side.

It was the best way to start my day, especially since I had a lot I wanted to get done.

First, I wanted to clean my apartment and then I needed to plan everything for tomorrow's exam.

Then there's a Christmas Carnival that Mazin invited me to this evening.

Apparently, everyone was going, even Nelli was already informed by her parents.

We had managed to catch up over FaceTime while I cleaned my apartment.

Meanwhile, Mazin had some things to handle with Tahir while I handled all of my own things.

And to say separating from each other was hard would be an understatement.

But, having separate lives and independence is healthy.

Something Mazin kept repeating over and over again when it was time for her to leave and meet Tahir.

She managed to hold off on texting me for a couple of hours before she inevitably called me to check-in.

And hear my voice as she claimed.

But eventually, I had to get off the phone with her and not call Nelli back either—my phone had to be in another room so I could properly focus on preparing for the exam.

Luckily, I was able to get it planned within two hours.

Even if it put me behind schedule.

I was barely even halfway ready when Mazin texted me that she was on the way.

I had to quickly pull on a festive Christmas outfit, which consisted of a silky soft green dress and white Gucci stockings.

The dress was long-sleeved and came up to my collarbone, covering my body modestly.

I paired it with a pair of comfortable white Chanel flats, wearing light makeup and my long dark hair down.

Mostly because I knew Mazin liked it a lot when I wore my hair down.

"There she is," Mazin said as soon as I walked out of my bedroom, "Looking beautiful as ever."

She was seated over at the kitchen island, wearing a black turtleneck with baggy jeans.

Her blonde hair was down with natural makeup on her face, wearing layers of tennis chains along with a matching bracelet and a ring.

"Thank you," I whispered, walking over to her as she stood from her chair, "Did you miss me?" I joked.

"Oh one hundred percent," Mazin didn't hesitate to say, gently grabbing my waist as soon as I stopped in front of her, "It was really hard being away from you today."

I smiled, running my arms around her neck, "It was really hard being away from you too," I whispered, leaning up to press a fleeting kiss to her lips.

"But we were productive," Mazin said, leaning down to kiss my lips back, "And now we get to spend all night together," she murmured, kissing my lips yet again.

I smiled even wider as she pulled back, "We do," I said excitedly, feeling beyond ready to do carnival activities with her.

Mazin hummed as she gently squeezed my waist, "I've been thinking about this all day," she said as she naturally began guiding us over toward the door.

"I just can't wait to see all the different booths," I admitted as we exited my apartment to head downstairs.

And during the elevator ride, I named off all of the booths and games we had to do.

Which Mazin agreed on only if I ate carnival food with her tonight.

It didn't take much convincing since I kind of already wanted to eat numerous things at this carnival.

The only issue was that I haven't been super mindful of what I've been eating—but it's the holidays and we did a really good workout this morning.

I just knew we would have to do another one early tomorrow given I wanted to at least eat funnel cake and fried Oreos.

Also, hot chocolate.

I definitely need hot chocolate.

Which is something I determined during the ride over to the carnival.

Mazin also insisted that we try the wings too, which she and Tahir seem to both really like.

It honestly wasn't surprising when we ran into Tahir and Alena over at the wing food truck upon entering the carnival.

"How did I know you would already be over here?" Mazin said as we stopped in front of them, keeping her arm around my waist.

"Because T can't do anything before he has the wings," Alena joked with her, glancing over to Tahir who was still chewing the bite he took of the chicken wing. 

Which looked really good. 

Like so good that it made me want them right now. 

But I can't eat and then walk around, it's so uncomfortable. 

"We're going to stop by here again before we leave," Tahir said as he took another bite of the chicken wing. 

And I couldn't help but smile slightly, finding his seriousness to be entirely amusing. 

He's probably the only person I know who loves wings to this extent. 

I mean, stopping at the wing truck twice in one night is probably the most hilarious thing I've ever heard. 

"Right... well, you have fun with that," Mazin suddenly said, eyeing him in a way that made me laugh slightly—even as I followed her as she guided me away by my waist. 

Tahir didn't even manage to say anything given he was focused on eating, but Alena did wave at us as we walked away. 

And as we passed the different booths, we quickly noticed Ronan and Nelli further down—playing a game where they threw white beanbags at snowman-painted cans. 

They looked... really good together. 

But not in a friend way. 

I could easily see something had shifted between them. 

Especially with Ronan standing behind her to help her aim her bean bag. 

His hand was very low on her waist. 

"You better make sure that's a winning shot," I warned Ronan as we approached them, knowing how seriously Nelli takes this game. 

"You guys made it," Nelli said with a smile, immediately lowering her hand that Ronan had previously been guiding. 

I smiled as we stopped in front of them, "Only a little late as usual," I joked, leaning into Mazin's side, which naturally made Nelli glance back over to me with a growing smile. 

Mostly, because she knows we're dating now. 

"Nels had us get here early," Ronan said, earning a playful eye roll from my best friend. 

Meanwhile, I raised a brow at the nickname he used, glancing between the two noticeably. 

Which Mazin seemed to do as well, smiling slightly when she glanced over to me. 

And I could tell our minds were in the exact same place as our eyes held one another for a moment.

A very long moment actually. 

"Do you guys always stare at each other like this?" Nelli suddenly asked, causing Mazin to suddenly glance away from me. 

"I always stare at her," Mazin casually said, now walking over to one of the free spots at the booth, "Baby come here, I want to win you something," she told me, smoothly changing the topic away from them. 

Which confused me because I was about to call them both out. 

But it seems Mazin was more or so the opposite. 

So I followed her lead, walking over to her as she handed the man a hundred-dollar bill and picked up one of the white bean bags. 

It only costs five dollars per turn, so I assume she was donating most of the hundred dollars she gave him. 

Especially since she didn't need numerous turns—or even a second turn to hit down the stacked cans painted as snowmen. 

She had done it all with ease on the first try, knocking each can down one by one with focus and concentration. 

All I could really do was watch almost wordlessly, finding her actions weirdly attractive. 

Especially since she won me the highest prize, given the lack of cans she missed in one turn. 

I got the cutest Reindeer stuffed animal. 

"Thank you very much," I said with a happy smile, hugging the stuffed animal to my body. 

"Anything for you," Mazin said, leaning down to press a soft kiss to my cheek. 

I hummed contently, leaning into her side as we walked past Nelli and Ronan. 

Who were now playing a second round—mostly so they could have zero misses and win a nice stuffed animal too. 

"Have fun lovebirds," I subtly called over my shoulder as I walked off with Mazin. 

Which easily made Nelli flick me off with a narrowed look while Ronan awkwardly cleared his throat. 

"I was waiting for you to say something like that," Mazin murmured in amusement, guiding us to the nearby Ferris wheel. 

I shrugged with a smile, "She's my best friend, so it's only fair," I determined as we stood in line for the Ferris wheel. 

"And here I was trying to save them the awkwardness," Mazin said, running her hand up my back as I leaned into her side. 

I laughed, "Yes, I could tell," I said, knowing she had actively tried to skip over the obvious connection Nelli and Ronan have, "But it was just too hard to resist." 

Mazin hummed, "Nelli's probably pissed off now," she said, chuckling as we moved up in line. 

"As her best friend, it's my rightful duty to piss her off," I determined, even if I knew I would get an earful later from her. 

"Yeah, I would've done the same to T," Mazin determined as we moved up in line again, easily making it to the front. 

"Exactly," I said as we walked past the ride operator to get into one of the open clear pods. 

And once we were inside and settled, the person standing by gently closed the door—causing the ride to slowly drift us up. 

That's when I settled deeper into Mazin's side, resting my cheek against her chest as I stared out of the clear plexiglass around us. 

It was peaceful and quiet between us as we slowly but surely floated to the top, admiring the carnival from afar. 

The lights below us were so bright and illuminated under the dark sky as people walked excitedly between each of the booths. 

"So the Christmas trip is coming up next week," Mazin suddenly said, gently playing with my hair. 

I relaxed deeper in her arms, even if my heart managed to race in my chest at the sudden topic. 

"Christmas trip?" I whispered, pretending that I needed more clarification. 

But I knew where she was going with this.  

"It's the one we do in Aspen," Mazin reminded me of the trip that I never used to be allowed on when I was younger. 

But only so I could spend the holidays with my own family. 

Now... I'm not sure if I'll be spending Christmas with my dad. 

Aspen might be a nice way to distract myself from everything going on with him at least. 

Apparently, the Moretti's used to go to St. Moritz long before Aspen became a thing, but they changed the trip to Denver instead. 

I'm not sure what happened, but Lena and Tazmin never give more details other than the fact that St.Moritz might be the last place they ever step foot again. 

"Virelai," Mazin whispered, easily jerking me away from my thoughts. 

I suddenly laid up from her chest, "Sorry, I zoned out," I quickly told her as I met her stare. 

Mazin shook her head, "You're good baby, I just wanted to know if you're coming," she said, gently tucking a piece of my stray dark hair behind my ear, "Otherwise I can't physically be in another state without you." 

I smiled slightly at her genuine words, "I would love to come," I said, staring down into her dark eyes that never once wavered from mine. 

Mazin immediately smiled, "Good, that's really good," she murmured, leaning into me for a kiss. 

Just as the Ferris wheel halted at the top. 

"So good," I whispered against her lips that I kissed back, gently running my hands up her arms.

And as we deepened the kiss, time managed to freeze over for one short moment—sitting above it all in each other's arms. 

Her lips were so warm against mine, her hands gently running up my back and pulling me in for more. 

It was one of those moments I would always replay in my head. 

I actually was already replaying it as the Ferris wheel moved again, causing our lips to slowly disconnect, leaning into each other for a hug. 

The comforting silence remained between us as we soaked in the last moments of the Ferris wheel. 

Until soon we were getting off, deciding to walk around a little more. 

We managed to find Omara and Nadia over at the hot chocolate stand when we stopped to get our very own cup. 

And then Tahir convinced Tazmin and Lena to get caricatures done, which we all stayed to watch given how hilarious it was. 

Nelli and Ronan managed to stop by us all to see how the insane picture would turn out, holding the stuffed animal that I wasn't the least bit surprised they won. 

Marie and Vic managed to be with them, even if Vic was hilariously side-eyeing Ronan the entire time. 

The air felt so light, and full of laughter once Tazmin and Lena's caricatures were done. 

We all even managed to take a digital picture of it to have for safekeeping—and Tahir even joked about sending out Christmas cards of the caricatures. 

Which was hilarious. 

Just not to Lena who gave him a look that was enough to make the topic quickly get dropped. 

Then Tahir had managed to swiftly switch over to the wing truck, convincing us all that it was time to eat. 

Even if he had already had a basket of wings to himself. 

But that didn't seem to matter given he got another basket when we all ordered—meanwhile, Mazin and I ordered a few different wings to try together. 

She also went ahead and grabbed our funnel cake as we all waited for the wings to be done. 

Tazmin even went with her to grab her and Lena a funnel cake too. 

I also specified fried Oreos, even if I knew I wouldn't have any room left in my stomach for them. 

But I at least needed one bite. 

Luckily, Mazin was able to get a four-count of the fried Oreos so we wouldn't have so much left over. 

And the funnel cake was really big, so we ended up offering half of it to Nelli and Ronan. 

Then we all found a spot to sit down at the picnic tables, setting the different baskets of wings and tater tots down with the funnel cakes and fried Oreos. 

I swear we all looked insane for the amount of food, but not a single one of us cared. 

We were all so wrapped in our different conversations, basking in the night for what it was.