Chapter 162.
Chapter Fifty–One: Scavenger Hunt
Kiara, at the age of Seventeen
Four days before her eighteenth birthday
Kiara POV:
Why was I always weak when it came to Jayden and Kayden? It had taken everything in me to avoid them the last couple of days after what they had done with the whole Aiden drama. To top it off, JJ and Rex even thought Kayden and Jayden were right and that Aiden was bad news.
Yeah, okay, it was weird to see Aiden’s reaction toward Kayden and Jayden and my feelings toward them. I had known him for years; he had never been like that. Rex was hell–bent on believing, and so was JJ, that Aiden had feelings for me more than that for a friend.
Yeah! Bullshit!
I would’ve noticed, right?
Anyhow, I was doing just fine, minding my own business and keeping my distance from all the oppressive males in my life, which included beta Tim and gamma Chris. It was fine growing up that they all had something to say or give advice, but now it was getting out of hand. Like seriously, I was almost eighteen. As much as I appreciated their concern and love but I’m very capable of differentiating right from
Wrong.
And, then, boom, Kayden and Jayden walked in, and all that hard work in avoiding went to waste. All that anger was gone the moment they were in front of me with those doe eyes that begged for my forgiveness. And, to make it worse, I could actually pick up on their emotions, which was a first. If there was a doubt in mind that they were my mates, it was practically gone, but then again, being the cautious person I am, I didn’t want to believe that thought one hundred percent because come my birthday in four days and they weren’t my mates, that would be gut–wrenching.
And here we are now, doing something I couldn’t believe was possible in a thousand years. Kayden and Jayden had set up a scavenger hunt. To say I’m mindblown would be an understatement of the year. They gave me the first clue and said if I could solve each one, which were three in total, they would take me on another date.
The first clue was a cryptic riddle written in Kayden’s elegant handwriting,
‘Where dreams come alive on a big white screen, and once upon a time, two kings watched a queen.”
11 L
I frowned at the clue, trying to decipher its meaning. They watched met with amused smiles, clearly enjoying my bewilderment. I bit my lip, my eyes narrowing at them.
“Can I get a hint?” I asked.
Their grins widened.
“Where’s the fun in that?” Kayden retorted.
After a few minutes of futilely trying to solve the riddle, a realization hit me. The theatre room! That’s where we had watched our first Disney movie together when I was nine years old. I still remember the day like it was yesterday. They were so confused and now to think of it bored but they watched whatever I asked them to. I reached towards the theatre room, with a smile playing on my lips, just remembering the time.
The second clue was at the theatre, tucked inside the DVD case of the very first Disney movie we had watched together. The clue was a bit more complicated,
‘An echo of triumph, a moment of pride, where a scholar’s determination did not hide.”
Triumph?
pride?
When realization dawned, this one wasn’t too hard as I thought. I remembered the auditorium where I had won the final test for my scholarship when I was twelve. The thrill of that day still brought a smile to my face. My family had surprised me that day, it was also the day I had met Aiden.
When I reached the auditorium, I looked around but I couldn’t find the next clue. It wasn’t on the podium or the scoreboard. When I reached the seat where I had all those years ago I found it taped under the same seat I had sat in years ago during the announcement of the scholarship winners, which was the third and final clue. I couldn’t help but feel the growing love towards Kayden and Jayden, they had even remembered where I sat. The look that was in their eyes that day had made winning all the more worth it. They were so proud. Shaking my head while a smile played on my lips I opened the clue and it read.
‘A warrior’s spirit, a warrior’s heart, you were taken care of from the
start.‘
Now, this one was tricky. Several places came to mind, but the phrase. ‘taken care of made me think of the room where Kayden and Jayden had tended to my wounds after I had won my match for the final test in the warrior scholarship.
As I raced towards that room, my heart pounding in my chest, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of anticipation and excitement. The clues. weren’t just random; they were milestones in my life, moments that Kayden, Jayden, and I had shared. It was touching and incredibly thoughtful.
When I finally made it to the room, I was out of breath, and my heart
61.85%
was pounding from the running and anticipation. But the look of pride and warmth in Kayden and Jayden’s eyes made it all worth it.
“Congratulations, love,” Jayden said, pulling me into a hug.
Love?
The word gave me butterflies. Jayden had never called me that before.
“We’re sorry, sweetheart” Kayden added, joining the embrace, “We’ve messed up, and we’ll make it up to you.”
Sweetheart?
