A Night of Surprises

Elara sat in Damien's car, the faint scent of leather and his cologne filling the space. The quiet hum of the engine was the only sound between them as they drove through the city. She stole a glance at him, trying to read his expression, but as always, Damien was unreadable.

"So," she finally said, breaking the silence, "are you planning to tell me where we're going, or do I have to guess?"

Damien smirked, keeping his eyes on the road. "You'll see soon enough."

Elara sighed dramatically. "You know, most people would at least give a hint."

"Where's the fun in that?" he replied smoothly.

She crossed her arms, leaning back in her seat. "Fine. But if we end up in some horror-movie scenario, I'm blaming you."

Damien chuckled. "Noted."

They drove for a while longer, the city lights fading as they moved towards a quieter part of town. Elara started to wonder if she should be worried, but when Damien finally pulled into a well-lit area, she gasped in surprise.

The car came to a stop in front of a beautifully lit riverside venue. Soft music played from a distance, and the place was bustling with people dressed in elegant yet relaxed attire. The atmosphere was lively, yet intimate.

Elara turned to Damien. "A… riverside festival?"

He nodded, getting out of the car before walking over to open her door. "I thought you might like it. It's a mix of everything—music, food, a little bit of art."

She stepped out, taking in the scene. "This is… unexpected."

"Good unexpected or bad unexpected?" Damien asked, watching her reaction closely.

Elara smiled. "Definitely good."

His expression softened, and for a moment, it looked like he wanted to say something, but instead, he simply gestured for her to follow. "Come on. Let's check it out."

They walked side by side, the warmth of the festival embracing them. Elara took in the sights—the twinkling string lights hanging between trees, the street performers captivating small crowds, and the scent of delicious food wafting through the air.

"I didn't know you were into festivals," she said, glancing at Damien.

"I'm not, usually," he admitted. "But I figured you might enjoy it."

Elara felt a strange warmth spread through her chest. Damien was the type of person who usually kept to himself. The fact that he went out of his way to bring her here… it meant something.

"So, what do you want to do first?" he asked.

She scanned the area, her eyes lighting up as she spotted a game booth. "Oh! That ring toss game looks fun."

Damien followed her gaze, a small smirk appearing on his lips. "You think you can win?"

Elara scoffed. "Obviously."

"Alright," he said, leading the way. "Let's see if you can back that up."

They approached the booth, and the vendor, an older man with a kind smile, handed Elara a set of rings. She narrowed her eyes at the stacked bottles, calculating the best angle.

She tossed the first ring—miss.

The second—close, but still a miss.

Damien chuckled beside her. "Confident, huh?"

Elara shot him a glare. "I'm just warming up."

On her last attempt, she took a deep breath, focused, and—

The ring landed perfectly around the bottle's neck.

"Yes!" she cheered, raising her arms in victory.

The vendor laughed, handing her a small plush bear as a prize. "Good job, miss. You got lucky."

Damien shook his head, amused. "Not bad."

Elara hugged the bear to her chest. "See? Told you I could do it."

"Alright, alright," he conceded. "Your turn to pick what's next."

They wandered through the festival, stopping to try different foods and watch live performances. With each passing moment, Elara felt herself relaxing more, enjoying Damien's presence in a way she hadn't expected.

After a while, they found themselves near the riverbank, away from the main crowd. The water reflected the festival lights, creating a breathtaking view.

Elara let out a content sigh. "This is nice."

Damien glanced at her. "Yeah. It is."

She turned to face him, suddenly feeling a little nervous. "So… why did you invite me here?"

He was quiet for a moment before replying, "I figured you could use a break. And… I wanted to spend time with you."

Elara felt her heart skip a beat. She wasn't sure what to say to that.

Before she could overthink it, Damien reached out, gently adjusting a loose strand of her hair. "You look… happy tonight."

She swallowed, suddenly hyper-aware of how close they were. "I am."

His fingers lingered for a second before he pulled back, clearing his throat. "Good."

Elara let out a small laugh, trying to ease the tension. "You know, you're kind of surprising."

Damien raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"I don't know… I just never expected you to be the type to enjoy things like this," she admitted.

He smirked. "Maybe I'm full of surprises."

She chuckled. "I guess I'll have to stick around to find out."

Damien's eyes flickered with something unreadable before he looked away, a small smile playing on his lips. "Yeah. Maybe you will."

As the night continued, Elara found herself wondering—was this just a friendly outing? Or was there something more beneath the surface?

One thing was certain—this was a night she wouldn't forget.