Strangers to Mates

Chapter 13: Eventful

"So, was it a good idea?" He asked unsure as he came to stand by my side.

"Defiantly." I say ginning even bigger if that was even possible. "C'mon, let's go."

I grabbed Raymond's hand and dragged him to the front gates, excited. I watched him pull out the envelop he grabbed before we left and pulled out two tickets from it. It dawned on me as we walked through the gates that that was the thing James dropped off. Aw, that was so cute, it made me smile sweetly. So far it seemed like Raymond put a lot of effort in planning today.

"So where do you wanna start?" I asked him.

"You get to chose." he stated.

"Oh! Let's go on the drop." I said already dragging him in that direction.

I was surprised that the line wasn't as long as I thought it would be. Don't get me wrong it was still kinda long, but the last time I went to a carnival, I was five at the time, but we had to wait almost an hour. But it was totally worth it. I heard Raymond chuckle beside me as I bounced on my toes, getting more excite the closer to the front we got. After what felt like forever we were finally next and I couldn't stop smiling. I remembered when I went on it for the first time, when I was at the top I regretted it because it was so high but when we got off I didn't care about the height, it had been so much fun. I didn't scream until they did that thing where they go up a bit and down a bit then back up. When we stopped at the top I looked down which was the biggest mistake ever, it was even higher than the one I went on when I was five. I covered my face with my hands right before we dropped back down to the ground. When we got off my legs were wobbly but I still loved that ride.

"Yup, that is how you start the day." I said partly to myself.

I felt my footing become more stable as Raymond come up beside me, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. I gave him a sweet smile wrapping mine around his waist, hooking my thumb in his back pocket. We walked around for a while when we came by an ice cream stand. I poked him in the side and asked,

"Can we get some?"

"You do realize that than that'll be your lunch right?" he asked looking at me to make sure.

"Does it look like I care?" I said with a straight face, but cracked a smile and exclaimed, "Oh they have cookie dough ice cream!"

He shook his head smiling and bought two cones, one with cookie dough for me and rookie road for himself. We took a seat on the nearest bench and begun to eat our ice cream.

"How's yours?" I asked before licking mine.

"Delicious." He said.

An idea came to mind and I casually put my arm behind Raymond then tapped his other shoulder. Oh my gosh he fell for it, he looked the other way, but of course I didn't let the opportunity pass. I leaned over and licked his ice cream. The sad part being when he turned back he accidentally got ice cream all over my nose. I playfully glared at him but of course he was laughing at me anyways.

"Fine, two can play that game." I said and caught him off guard and shoved my ice cream into his cheek.

"That was dirty." he said but he was obviously trying not to laugh.

"Payback's a bitch." I stated teasingly, shrugging my shoulders.

"That's not even fair, mine was an accident and you're own fault." he excused.

"You still laughed." I protested.

I watched him roll his eyes as he grabbed a napkin, gently wiping the ice cream off me before doing the same to himself.

"So where to next?" Raymond asked once we'd finished our cones.

"Um well, we have to go on the scrambler, carousel, the pirate ship, and the Ferris wheel, but we can't do that one till it's dark so we can do the cliché kiss at the top." I started.

"So all the rides, pretty much." he said.

"Almost. And we have play a lot of games and go through the fun house." I finished.

"So where do we start?" he asked looking around.

"With the closest thing than continue towards the back." I said simply walking towards the closest game.

We must have played at lease seven different games and still didn't win before going on the pirate ship and carousel. When I was five I'd ride the horses, and part of me still wanted to when we went on the carousel but I was happy that I sat with Raymond on one of those bench chair things. We sat close together, holding hands and just talking like we did everywhere else we went. I enjoyed myself so much and was happy that we still had a couple more hours till it got dark. Next we went on the scrambler and it was such a thrill. It went so fast. I loved it, which of course made Raymond look at me like I was crazy. We played so many more games after that just for the fun of it. But they were so insanely hard. By the time we went to get some food for 'dinner' I'd won three games, winning coupons for the candy shop, which I was very happy about, and Raymond won two stuffed giraffe, one purple and one orange, along with a gift card to the 'gift shop'. When I asked him what he was going to buy he wouldn't tell me.

"What do you want to eat?" he asked at we came an area where most of the food booths were.

"How about fries?" I asked when it was the first thing that came to mind.

"Sure. To drink?"

"Coke please." I said nicely.

"Alright, go find a picnic table while I go buy." I watched him walk away and went to sit down.

Five minutes later he came back with two bottles of coke and what looked like a large fries. We quickly ate the food, still managing to talk even so. After not long we're heading towards the fun house. I convinced Raymond to buy me some pink Cotton candy so that I could quickly 'eat' it before we stepped into the fun house.

Turns out the fun house here was more like a fricken haunted house. It scared the crap out of me and I kinda sorta might've punched someone in a costume. I swear it was an accident, it was a reflex, but no, Raymond still had to laugh so hard that I had to practically drag him to keep him moving. He was still laughing when we came out. When he finally calmed down we decided that he'd stop in the gift shop while I stopped in the candy shop. According to him we had to hurry for some reason that he still wouldn't tell me. Seven minutes later we both walked out of the little make shift stores and I had a bag with peach rings, sweetish berries and another with sweet tarts in it. He handed me a small paper bag and I gave him a questioning look.

"Open it." he told me.

Inside I found a thin leather bracelet with two words etched on the inside.

"'Don't forget'." I read them out loud.

"Ya. Like don't forget today, or any other special days we have together." He said with a sheepish smile.

"Everyday is special." I mumbled quietly, smiling.

"What was that?" he asked, having not heard me because I spoke to quietly.

"Nothing. Help me put it on?" I asked sweetly.

He took it from my fingers and wrapped it around my left wrist. I smiled down at it, lightly touching it. It was perfect, very me and so cute. I dropped my hand, placing it in his and said,

"C'mon, it's dark, let's go on the Ferris wheel" He nodded his head and we went to stand in line.

We didn't wait long before getting on and only stopped a couple times before stopping at the very top.

"Wow, you can see everything. It's all so beautiful from up here." I said in an awe voice.

I felt his eyes on me but he didn't say anything.

"You're going to miss it." I told him still not turning to face him.

"I see the only thing I need to." he said and I finally faced him.

"Oh, starting the cliché kiss thing with that line. Good." I complemented.

"Well it's true." he said softly, "I can go on and on if you want."

"Oh just shut up and kiss me already" I said as he started listing off cute little things that never seemed to end.

He instantly kissed back and I brought my hands up, locking them behind his neck, he pulled me closer to him. Breaking away, I leaning my forehead against his.

"Now I know why it's cliché." I whispered.

"And why's that?" he whispered back.

"Because it's amazing." I simply stated.

Suddenly our seat jolts and we're heading back down. After a couple more stops we finally got off and started walking back to his truck hand in hand.

"So where are we going now?" I asked as he sped off in the direction of our house.

"The house but then we're going somewhere after we get there." He said not taking his eyes off the road.

"And you're not going to tell me anything else about this place that we're going to?" I questioned, knowing the answer.

"Where's the fun in that?" he asked pulling up to the house.

He took my hand, leading me through the house and out the back door. I gave him a questioning look and he gestured for me to go behind a tree as he did the same. Okay so we were running some where, the question being where. We both came out in wolf form and clothes in our mouths and he told me through the mind link to follow him, which I thought was a bit of a give in but didn't say so. We ran for an hour and twenty minutes, I think. Once I came back out changed he told me that he wanted us to walk the rest of the way. We came to the edge of the forest and the view in front of me was amazing. It was the lake that he told me about, but that wasn't what made it so amazing. All around it were lanterns, dimply lighting the area. It was so pretty to watch some of the lights reflect of the water.

"It's amazing but how did you-" I asked but he cut me off.

"All I had to do was plan it and get a little help from a certain to be beta of mine"

He went behind a tree and grabbed two bags, tossing one to me. Inside was a towel and my favorite bathing suit. 'Oh that's why', I thought remembering when earlier in the week Raymond asked me which was my favorite. It all made sense now.

"I thought since that we haven't had a chance yet and you really wanted to that we could now."He explained.

I came and stood right in front of him and said, "You are so thoughtful, you know that?"

"I try." he said with a hand over his heart, making me roll my eyes.

We went behind trees, changing again but for different a reason this time. There was a chilly summer breeze in the air making me quickly wrap the towel around my body. I found Raymond dropping his towel on the ground with dark swim shorts on before turning to face me.

"Cold?" he teased

"No." I said dropping my towel beside his but a shiver ran up my body, giving me away.

"C'mon the waters warmer."

He took both of my hands, uncrossing them from over my chest and slowly backed up into the water, leading me in. He was right, the water was warm, it felt so good. We went in to the point where my feet could no longer touch the ground. Raymond let go of my hands and dove underwater. I had no idea what he was doing until I felt him tug on my feet. I took a deep breath joining him underneath before he could pull me under. These were the times that I was most thankful for the sight advantages we have being werewolves but it was still dark enough to not make out lots of details, just enough to know what was what, making me thankful for a different reason. Raymond was smiling when I saw him and I shook my head at his silliness. I swam away, teasing him and enjoying the feel of the warm water. I swam deeper into the lake so that I was all the way in the middle before I went up for air. I pushed the hair out of my face and looked around for Raymond but couldn't see him. Next thing I know I'm being lifted up and I let out a small scream from surprise. Of course, I should have known. Raymond had swam under me and now I was sitting on his shoulders. I rest my hands on the top of his head and roll my eyes even though he couldn't see me.

"Was that necessary?" I asked not even trying to get down.

"Obviously." He said with a smirk on his face.

"And let me guess, your not going to put me down?"

"Well not right now." He said, his smirk turning into a grin.

I sigh and play with his wet hair when I think of something.

"Hey Raymond, will you swim around with me on your back?"

"Cause you can't swim because?" but even as he asked that he let go of my feet letting me get move down and get on his back like I would for a piggy back ride.

I kissed his cheek in thanks and he swam around for a few minute. Suddenly he stopped, but before I had a chance to ask him anything he went under water bringing me down with him. Underwater he let go of me turned around to face me. I playfully glare at him but quickly had to go back to the surface since I barely had a chance to hold my breath. My toes just barely touched the ground and when I heard him come up I told him,

"That was mean." I could feel his body hovering behind me.

"I'm sorry darling." he mumbled as he feathers kisses on the back of my neck, down by the crook.

I instinctively turned my head the other way, giving him better access. Even underwater his hands left a fire as he traced lines up and down my forearm. When he stopped lightly placing kisses my wolf whimpered in my head. I turned slightly so I could see him better but before I could finish turning around he picked me up bridle style and I didn't have to look up to make eye contact anymore.

"Oh hi." I said slightly shocked.

He shook his head at me smiling and said, "Hi."

And then I did something really stupid and asked, "Um, what time is it?"

"Close to midnight." he guessed with a raised eyebrow.

"Okay."

I don't know why but suddenly I felt really awkward, maybe because we were really close and like almost naked. Of course the air around us wasn't awkward because it was so hard not for it to be comfortable when you're around your mate, but I was just awkward. I could tell he felt totally relaxed and of course my awkward side had to come out right now. He probably thought it was hilarious.

"So what's next on the list of things do to." I joked not expecting what he'd say next.

"Just one more little surprise waiting back at the house."

"Really?" Wow he had a lot planed.

"Ya, c'mon we should get back before it falls asleep." He said.

I gave him a questioning look but didn't say anything. I watched him walk out of the water but I didn't leave it.

"Will you bring me my towel?" I asked not wanting to get cold.

He chuckled and brought it over, wrapping it around me as I stood up.

"All good?" He asked and I nodded with a smile.

We went behind trees and changed quickly, well I did because I was freezing but Raymond is always quick. I tied my hair in a braid before putting everything back in the bag and shifting. I came out with all my things in the small bag in my mouth. Raymond and I ran back side by side and I loved the feeling it gave me. I was surprised to see lights on in the house but went and changed none the less. I pulled back on my black ripped skinny jeans and sleeveless band tee, fixing my braid before coming out with the bag in hand.

"Ready for your last surprise?" he asked as we walked back to the house.

"Of course." I say grinning, feeling giddy and curious.

I wasn't just feeling giddy because of the surprise. I was just so lucky that I had been paired with such a thoughtful person. Raymond's so amazing to me it almost makes me feel guilty for not wanting to find him before my birthday. But I was so happy that I found him when I did. I'm not saying he's perfect but he's perfect to me, even when he's being stubborn and annoying.

We walked into the kitchen and I dropped my bag.