“Alex? Where are we headed?” I curiously asked him as he drove down the streets of downtown.

“Just wait and see!” He exclaimed over the loud music coming from his radio. I sat back in the passenger seat and watched each turn he made, when it clicked.

“We’re going to the carnival aren’t we?!” I, gleefully, asked Alex as I faced him.

“I take it you’ve either never been or haven’t been in a while?” Alex, smugly, said while keeping his eyes on the road.

“It’s been quite some time. I used to come all the time with my dad. I’m almost certain that all my stuffed animals that I own have come from this carnival,” I, excitedly, told him as the carnival grounds came into sight. Alex pulled into a spot in the parking lot and we quickly exited the vehicle and hurried our way to the ticket stand to purchase our tickets. When it was Alex and I’s turn to get our tickets I pulled my wallet out to grab my debit card to pay for mine, when Alex beat me to the punch.

“Two entry tickets and two unlimited wristbands,” Alex told the woman behind the glass window while handing her his card.

“Alex, that’s not necessary I can pay for my own,” I told him while signaling to my wallet.

“Elle, I asked you on the date, I’m paying,” Alex said as he waved me off. I stubbornly placed my wallet back into my purse and crossed my arms over my chest. Alex turned to me with the tickets and wristbands in his hands and the smile on his face fell. “Seriously? You’re upset that I wouldn’t let you pay?”

“Maybe…,” I muttered while snatching my ticket out of his hand and walking over to the entrance.

“If it makes you so mad that I wouldn’t let you pay then I’ll let you buy me dinner, how’s that sound?” Alex yelled after me. I turned around with a smile on face while I waited for him to catch up.
“Sounds perfect! Now come on, I know which ride I want to go on first!” I told him and grabbed his hand, dragging him to the big, green roller coaster. The roller coaster that made me get over my fear of the contraptions. We jumped in line and after a short wait we were seated front row on the ride and I looked over at Alex, who had a nervous expression on his face. “Scared?” I said to him and he slightly nodded his head.

“I’m not a big fan of roller coasters,” Alex, quietly, whispered to me, trying to protect his manly reputation.

“You’ll be fine. Just close your eyes and pretend you’re flying…like Peter Pan,” I whispered to him and wrapped my hand around his, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

“As long as you’re my Wendy,” Alex stated to me, more at ease, as the cart started to chug up the first climb.

--

“That was so much fun!” Alex exclaimed as we ran out the exit of the tenth roller coaster we went on. “Why have I never liked roller coasters before?!”

“Because you’ve never looked at them like I do,” I said to him as we walked down the area where all the food booths are placed, trying to find something to eat.

“Yeah, you’re right. Now buy me dinner,” Alex joked as he pulled me over to one of the vendors where we ordered nachos, funnel cake and two sodas, and went to take a seat at an open table after he, thankfully and willingly, let me pay without putting up a fight.

“So I guess when we go on future dates I’m going to have to specify that you won’t be spending a dime won’t I?” Alex questioned as he took a bite of the cheesy food in front of him.

“What makes you think there will be other dates?” I told him, trying to stifle my laughter.

“Oh come on! I know you’re having fun with me right now, so you will definitely be going on future dates with me!” Alex exclaimed with his mouth full, and normally I would be appalled by it but I was actually finding it…normal. This was a nice feeling for once.

“Hey Alex?”

“Yeah Elle,” he said, swallowing his mouthful of nachos.

“Why did Rian tell me to be careful with going out with you, to not let you hurt me?” I quietly asked, almost unsure if he heard me or not until I looked at him and hurt was written all over his face.

“He said that?” Alex asked and I responded by nodding my head, and fiddling with the paper to my straw. “Well, I guess it’s because of my reputation I have at school. I mean you know people refer to me as the manwhore of Delaney, because yeah, I’ve slept with a handful of girls and I flirt with anyone that has boobs and a vagina.”

“Why do you do it? Sleep around,” I asked him, gaining confidence in wanting to know these answers.

“To be completely honest, I don’t know. I bet you’re expecting some kind of sob story that a girl in middle school broke my heart, or my mom walked out on my family leaving my dad heartbroken, and some people have even said it’s because of Tom’s death that I can’t make anything last. But, I don’t know why I do it because a girl has never broken my heart, my parents are happily married and Tom’s death has nothing to do with my sexual needs,” Alex, openly and honestly, professed to me and although I should probably be mad that he didn’t know, I couldn’t be because I knew he was being truthful with me. “And to be totally honest, I don’t sleep with all those girls like people think I do. I mean yeah I’ll kiss them, flirt with them and sometimes make out with them but I very rarely sleep with them. I’ve slept with a small handful of them, like 5 girls.”

“Why not?”

“As fun as it sounds, I really don’t want to contract an STD,” Alex said and I couldn’t help but burst into a fit of laughter. “Come on Ms. Giggles, let’s go play some games. I want to add to your collection of stuffed animals,” Alex said while tossing away our trash and reaching his hand out to help me up.

After countless attempts of Alex trying to win me a prize, we had played every game on the fair grounds and walked away with nothing. Just when I thought Alex was going to give up I saw one game I knew he would succeed in. I grabbed his hand and dragged him over to the booth, ignoring all the questions he was asking me.

“Hi little lady, would like to play our round of Don’t Forget the Lyrics!” The man at the booth asked me and my face lit up.

“No! But my friend does,” I said while pushing Alex forward.

“Elle what if it’s a song I don’t know!” Alex said while pulling his wallet out to give the man the money.

“Then you can say you tried!” I told him while standing next to him and patting his back in an encouraging fashion. Alex shook his head at me but reached his hand forward to spin the wheel of songs, when it stopped the man pulled the envelope off the wheel and read it to himself. He then looked at Alex and snickered.

“Good luck, youngster,” the man told him as he hit play on the stereo. The tune that played from the speakers was familiar to both Alex and I. As Elton John’s voice danced around us in ‘Your Song’ I saw a look of confidence and concentration on Alex’s face as he waited for it to be his turn to guess the lyrics.

It's a little bit funny this feeling inside
I'm not one of those who can easily hide
I don't have much money but boy if I did
I'd buy a big house where we both could live

If I was a sculptor, but then again, no
Or a man who makes potions in a travelling show
I know it's not much but it's the best I can do
My gift is my song and this one's for you

And you can tell everybody this is your song
It may be quite simple but now that it's done
I hope you don't mind
I hope you don't mind that I put down in words
How wonderful life is while you're in the world

I sat on the roof and kicked off the moss
Well a few of the verses well they've got me quite cross
But the sun's been quite kind while I wrote this song
It's for people like you that keep it turned on

As Elton John finished singing those words the lyrics stopped playing and Alex’s voice rang out the lyrics.

“So excuse me forgetting but these things I do
You see I've forgotten if they're green or they're blue
Anyway the thing is what I really mean
Yours are the sweetest eyes I've ever seen

And you can tell everybody this is your song
It may be quite simple but now that it's done
I hope you don't mind
I hope you don't mind that I put down in words
How wonderful life is while you're in the world.”

I started clapping as he got every single word right and the man at the booth stared at Alex in awe.

“That’s surprising; you don’t look like you listen to Elton John. You look like an emo kid,” the guy said as he pulled down a black teddy bear and handed it to Alex.

“Thanks, but I only know it because of her,” Alex said, motioning to me with his head. I did a curtsey to the man before saying thank you and dragging Alex away. “Hey I was talking to him,” Alex mumbled.

“Yeah and you would never shut up, that’s why I dragged you off,” I told him, a smile adorning my face.

“Oh! I almost forgot, for you my dear!” Alex said while bowing down with the bear held out in front of him.

“Why thank you kind sir, you’re too kind,” I said to him in a fake British accent and I let a fit of giggles leave my mouth. He stood up and pulled me into a hug, he pulled away so he could look into my eyes and we stood there staring at one another. Just as we started leaning in closer to one another we heard Alex and mine’s name being called out in a high pitched voice. When we turned to see who was being a fool we saw none other than Jack Barakat running towards us.

“Great,” Alex muttered so only I could hear and I slapped him in his arm.

“What are you two doing here?” An out of breath Jack asked once he approached us.

“Just hanging out with one another, what about you?” Alex asked as he stared at his best friend.

“Mom dragged Joe, May and me here talking about how she needs to bond with us, some bullshit,” Jack joked and both him and Alex laughed. “You two on a date or something? I never pegged Eleanor as one that dates,” Jack nonchalantly said and I gave him a glare.

“A date or something,” Alex replied as he smiled down at me.

“Oh, that means I interrupted. Shit! Sorry guys, look I’ll see you all later! Have fun,” Jack said as he ran off in search for his family.

“He’s crazy,” I said to Alex who turned to face me, placing his hands on my waist.

“Yeah, now where were we,” Alex said as he leaned forward. I turned my face so his lips connected to my cheek. “Hey, why’d you deny it?” Alex whined.

“Your dear friend ruined the moment,” I told him as I pushed him away and started walking off.

“Why do you always insist on leaving me?” Alex yelled as he, again, ran to catch up with me.

“Because it’s fun making you run,” I told him, once he caught up to me he continued running and grabbed my hand, pulling me in the direction of the Ferris wheels. My eyes immediately got huge.

“No, no, no, no! Alex, absolutely not!” I yelled as I tried pulling Alex to a halt, but failed as we were pushed onto one of the carts and quickly rose so other passengers could load up. “Alex seriously, get me down,” I frantically told him as I looked over the edge.

“Why?” He asked, confused.

“I hate the Ferris wheel. We could tip over at any minute and die! You don’t understand, please Alex, I’m about to cry,” I pleaded to him as we slowly rose higher and as tears threatened to spill over.

“Hey, Elle, calm down. Close your eyes,” Alex demanded and after fighting the urge to do as he asked, I eventually closed my eyes. “Now pretend you’re flying, Wendy,” Alex said and I could almost picture the smirk on his face.

“Okay Peter Pan,” I said to him, slowly calming down as I pretended I was soaring through the night sky.

“Now this is my version of flying,” Alex whispered into my ear, which sent chills down my spine, making my body shiver. Luckily it was cold outside. Alex, feeling me shiver, slipped his hoodie off and handed it to me, which I thankfully put on.

“I like both of our versions,” I whispered back to him.

“Then open your eyes and take in the view.”

I slowly opened my eyes and as I looked out at the fairgrounds I saw the most remarkable view. The skyline of downtown Baltimore, in the night sky with stars illuminating our surroundings. I looked down and saw the lights from the fairs lighting up the ground, helping the fair goers find their children, favorite rides, fattening food or even the exit. “It’s beautiful,” I whispered and when I looked back at Alex I couldn’t tell what he was thinking as he stared at me, without any motions.

“You’re beautiful,” Alex said as our cart came to a halt at the top of the wheel, giving us the greatest view of Baltimore in the entire city. He placed his hand on my cheek and brought my face closer to his.

“Are you about to be cliché Alex?” I whispered, our lips just centimeters apart.

“Yes,” he whispered and after he said that he pressed his lips against mine. All it took was that one kiss to make fireworks go and butterflies swarm in my stomach.

“Hey Alex, you know how I told you I thought I liked you?” I said once we pulled apart and made our descent back to the ground.

“Yeah.”

“I like you now.”

Notes

Title Cred:
Song: Your Song
Artist: Elton John