|CHASING VERONICA|

|CHAPTER FIVE|

“What?” Veronica blinked, trying to pull herself together.

“You’ve got that look in your eyes,” Sarah teased, noticing her distracted expression. “Is it the festival, or is there someone else here you’re into?”

Veronica, her heart still pounding, quickly shook her head. “No, nothing like that,” she said, though her voice was a little shaky. She forced a smile. “I’m just... thinking.”

She didn’t dare glance back at him. She couldn’t, not with the heat rising in her chest again, a mix of attraction and fear she couldn’t understand.

“Alright, suit yourself. But hey, I’m going to grab some fried dumplings. You want in?” Sarah asked.

“Yeah, sure,” Veronica replied, her voice a little too casual as she tried to brush off the strange, fluttering feeling inside her.

Her friends moved ahead, but Veronica stayed behind for a moment longer. She couldn't help but look back at him.

The mysterious guy was walking away, heading toward the exit of the festival, his tall, broad figure cutting through the crowd like a lone wolf in the wild. He was back to his stone-cold self, the energy he had briefly shown fading into nothingness.

Veronica’s heart was racing as she tried to tear her gaze away. But the image of him—his bare chest, his tattoos, and that brief, fleeting warmth—stayed with her. She couldn't explain it, couldn't shake the feeling that he was someone she was supposed to understand, even though she was scared to try.

The rest of the evening seemed to drift by in a blur of light, music, and laughter. Veronica found herself pulled into the chaos of it all, her worries about the mysterious guy slowly fading as she joined in the fun with her friends. They spent the next hour hopping from one food stall to the next, trying everything from candied apples to sizzling corn on the cob. The warm, comforting aromas wrapped around her like a blanket, and for a while, Veronica allowed herself to be lost in the simple joy of the moment.

Sarah and Jack were already talking about the next booth they wanted to check out, and Alex was trying to win a stuffed animal at the carnival game, his competitive side fully awakened. Veronica couldn’t help but smile at the sight. She was happy—truly, she was—but that constant pull in the back of her mind, the one that had been there since she saw him, still lingered.

Every now and then, her eyes would wander, scanning the crowd. Was he still here? Was he still near the racecourse? Was he still... watching?

She would glance around and shake herself out of the thought, diving back into the laughter and the chatter with her friends. The festival was too vibrant to focus on just one thing. Yet, even as she lost herself in the night, she could feel the nagging pull to find him again. But she didn’t.

Soon, her friends decided to head toward the open field, where the lanterns were being released into the sky. The glowing paper lanterns drifted upward like little wishes escaping into the dark night. Veronica watched in awe as the lanterns ascended, twinkling with an ethereal glow. There was something magical about it—the peacefulness of the scene, the way the world seemed to stop and hold its breath for just a moment.

But the magic was short-lived.

As the night began to settle and her friends started to say their goodbyes, Veronica felt a tug at her heart—one that she couldn’t explain. She made her way toward the exit, her mind finally ready to return to the quiet of her apartment. The night had been fun, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing.

And then, just as she was about to leave the festival grounds, she saw him again.

There, at the far end of the festival, parked near a row of food trucks, was a black motorcycle. The engine was purring softly, the sleek design of the bike almost blending with the night. He was standing next to it, pulling on a white T-shirt—one that hadn’t been there before. It looked fresh, still soft from being folded in his bag. As he tugged it over his head, Veronica couldn’t help but notice how the faint outline of his abs seemed to show even through the fabric. His dark hair tousled in the wind, and for a moment, the festival’s lights danced off his chiseled features, giving him an almost otherworldly look.

She hesitated, watching him from the corner of her eye. She’d never been fond of motorcycles. The loud engines, the reckless sense of freedom—it wasn’t her thing. In fact, she’d always found them a little terrifying. But now, standing there in the dark, with him preparing to leave, something about the bike seemed... different. She didn’t know if it was the way he moved, or the tension in the air, but her stomach flipped. Maybe it was because he was connected to it.

Her pulse quickened as he slipped the white T-shirt on, and just as he did, he swung a leg over the bike. He revved the engine once, the sound vibrating in the night air. The moment was too surreal—too out of place. She watched, still rooted to the spot, as he glanced over his shoulder.

For a split second, Veronica could have sworn he was looking right at her.

Her heart skipped a beat, and her body stiffened. She froze, feeling the weight of his gaze on her, her stomach twisting with a sudden, inexplicable mixture of fear and excitement. Had he been watching her all this time? Had he noticed her watching him?

But no. He turned back, his focus shifting back to his motorcycle, and without a second glance, he kicked the engine into gear and sped off. The sound of the bike roaring into the night was like a jolt, snapping Veronica out of her daze.

She stood there, her breath shallow, her pulse racing. What had just happened? Had he really been staring at her? Or was it just her imagination?

She glanced around, but the festival was beginning to wind down, the last lanterns floating into the air. There was no sign of him now. Just the faint hum of the night around her.

It couldn’t have been him, she told herself, though a strange, unsettled feeling still lingered in her chest. He was just some guy on a motorcycle, nothing more. I was just overthinking it.

But deep down, Veronica wasn’t so sure.

As he revved the engine of the bike, Veronica's heart pounded in her chest. She stood frozen, her breath caught in her throat, as she watched him—watching him watch her. For a moment, it felt like everything else around her had faded away, leaving just the two of them in this strange, electric bubble.

She couldn’t look away, her body tense, her mind racing. He had to have seen her by now, right? That look, that brief, piercing glance—he was staring straight at her, wasn’t he?

And yet, just as quickly as the moment came, it was gone. He turned his gaze back to his motorcycle, pulled the helmet onto his head, and kicked the bike into gear.

The engine roared to life, slicing through the cool night air, and with a swift motion, he sped off into the darkness, leaving her standing there, breathless.

Her mind kept returning to him—the way his dark, intense gaze had locked with hers, the way he had seemed so close yet so out of reach. And now, with the festival winding down, the space between them felt even wider.

But one thing was certain: he was watching her.

And whatever this was—whatever this connection between them was—it had only just begun.