Facade of Love

Chapter 309 Sharpshooter
Life had been a whirlwind lately, so I just had not had the chance to hang out with Sweety.
After saying hi, I wheeled Charlie through the Riverside Night Market, where the night buzzed with life and laughter. I was a bit
worried the crowds might bum Charlie out since he was in his wheelchair. Even though he was tall enough to be at eye level with
some of the shorter folks while sitting down, getting around was not easy for him.
In addition, he was the kind of good–looking that turned heads, and sure enough, people kept sneaking peeks at him, some even
trying to snap secret photos. He seemed not to like that much, often dodging the camera’s eye.
The street was alive with vendors selli
all sorts of goodies.
I was loving the vibe and asked, “Are you hungry? Have you seen anything fun you want to try?
”
–
He shook his head, his expression unreadable. Although he did not look upset, I guessed he was okay.
We stopped by a shooting game. Charlie peered curiously, “What’s this about?”
“Oh, that?” I pointed. “Pop eight balloons for ten bucks, and you can pick any stuffed animal. from that mountain of fluff over
there to take home.”
He nodded, giving me a sideways glance, “See anything you like?”
I paused, then caught on that he meant the toys. I looked over and grinned, “That Strawberry Bear’s pretty cute. Wanna give it a
shot?”
He was silent. The boss, noticing we were hanging around, was super welcoming and had already passed a toy gun to Charlie
with a grin. “Try your luck, dude. Win a toy to make your girl’s day.”

Charlie grabbed the gun and flipped it around with one hand, his moves as smooth as a pro. Before we could even blink, the
sound of balloons popping filled the air–pop, pop, pop.
The boss’s wall of balloons had a big gap all of a sudden, and he looked totally taken aback. He must not have expected Charlie
to be a dead shot. His expression went from shock to worry in a flash.
It made sense. These game stalls were scared stiff of running into a hotshot. It was like asking for trouble.
Smiling, I kept my surprise in check and said to Charlie, “Wow, you’re like a sharpshooter. Have you ever done this before?”
He did not answer. Instead, he looked up at me and asked, “Did you ever try shooting?”
I shook my head. “Nope.”
The next thing I knew, he had grabbed my wrist, pulled me over, and my hand was on the gun, aimed at the target. I am not sure
how he did it, but he guided my finger to press the trigger a few times, and just like that, the last few balloons on the wall went
kaboom.
The boss, trying to keep his cool, said with a strained smile, “You two are quite the marksmen.
Wanna keep going?”
Charlie did not say a word. Instead, he turned to me, “Are you up for more?”
I shrugged with a laid–back smile. “Sure, if you’re down, so am I.”
He quirked an eyebrow. “Not into shooting?”
I told him. “Most girls aren’t, but it’s fine. You’re good at it, and it’s kinda fun to watch.” He gave me a small smile, returned the
gun to the boss, and said, “I’ll take the red bear.” As he spoke, he casually slipped a bill to the boss.
With a relieved look, the shopkeeper handed me the Strawberry Bear, then took the money and started to give me change.
Charlie spoke up in a low voice as he did, “Keep the change.” I quickly grabbed the change from the shopkeeper before he could
react and said with a smile, “Thanks!” I shoved the Strawberry Bear into Charlie’s arms and nudged him out the door. Charlie
looked at me, puzzled.

I pressed the money back into his hand and sighed. “I get that you’re loaded, but could you try to play by the rules of us regular
folks? You can’t just toss money around like that. Do you have any idea how much stuff this money could get? Let’s not waste it,
okay?”
He chuckled, “Is there something you want to buy?”
I was about to say no when he returned the money to me. Realizing he would not take it, I said, “Just hang out here for a
second.” I guided him to a table in the rest area and, making sure he was holding the Strawberry Bear, I added, “I’ll be back in a
flash. Keep Strawberry Bear for company and stay put, alright?”