“Hey guys,” Jack said laughing along with the rest at their behavior. “Not sure if you’ve met already, but this is Lexi.”

The guys gave their names and nodded hellos. That was all the introduction they afforded her before they were ready to attack the rides. “Let’s hit the Bumper Cars before the line wraps around the park,” Seth said edging towards the far side of the field.

“Bumper Cars? No way. I’m never riding Bumper Cars with you assholes again. Ya’ll gang up on me every time,” Luke complained. “Can we just do something like the Scrambler?”

Seth rolled his eyes. “Don’t be such a fag, Luke. We would never pick on you. How old do you think we are?” This coming from the guy who just snagged someone else’s tickets.

After finally convincing Luke to join them, the group moved over to get into line for the Bumper Cars. Jack sidled up to Lexi. “We actually do gang up on Luke,” he whispered in her ear, laughing. “Better make sure you join in on the fun. His reaction will be well worth it.”

Of course, he was right. Luke instantly began pummeling anything he could get his hands on, even knocking over a tiny blonde in his angst. His friends’ laughter only egged him on further.

Jack slung his arm across Lexi’s shoulders as they doubled over in a fit of giggles. “I cannot believe him,” she said wiping away tears of laughter.

“He is a riot,” Jack confirmed watching Luke try to take a swing at Seth who ducked under his half-hearted blow easily. “Why don’t we get you something to rot your teeth,” Jack suggested pulling her away from his friends who had begun to brawl outside of the Bumper Cars and directing them towards the cotton candy machine. “So tell me, Lex, what do you normally do on Friday nights?”

She shrugged. “I hang out with my roommate or Olivia, go downtown, see movies, game nights, dinners, fraternity parties,” she added at last.

“Cool. I like to do all of those things,” he said with an easy-going smile.

“Fraternity parties?” she questioned raising an eyebrow.

“Mike’s in a fraternity. So, yes, even fraternity parties. Probably not as often as my freshman year though.”

Lexi snatched a piece of the sweet pink cloud and stuck it in her mouth as they walked towards the Ferris wheel. The sticky goodness dissolved almost instantly leaving a trail of sugar across her lips. Jack’s eyes had zeroed in on the traces of the candy still on her lips. She licked them experimentally tasting a mixture of her lip gloss and sugar. “You’re such a mess,” he said indicating where she had missed a spot. His eyes gave away other thoughts.

The Ferris wheel line had already begun to wrap around the edge of the giant machine. The two placed themselves at the back of the line and continued their conversation. “What’s your major?” he asked plopping a piece of the cotton candy into his own mouth.

“As of today, I’m undecided,” she proclaimed cheerfully.

“An indecisive one, I like it.”

“I’m not indecisive. Just open minded.”

“Same thing.”

“Well, what’s your major, Mr. Decisive.”

He shook his head. “I’m not decisive, just practical. I’m Pre-Business, likely going to the accounting route. Not so sure though.”

Lexi wrinkled her nose. “Eww. I’ll forestall practical. Thank you!”

His laugh boomed out of him. “Yeah, it’s what I’m good at.”

“At least there are a lot of jobs out there for you. Not much a person can do while being undecided and what I really want to do has only a few more jobs than that,” she said shrugging her shoulders helplessly.

“And what is that? What do you really want to do?” he asked giving her a very serious meaningful look.

Lexi considered not telling him for an instant then gave in. “Gymnastics.” Her eyes glazed over at the thought of being able to fly through the air, jumping effortlessly from a spring board, weather-worn calluses coating her hands from the uneven bars.

“That’s awesome. Have you talked to the Gymnastics Team here? If you like it so much, you should try out,” he said enthusiastically.

She shook herself out of her cloudy visions. “No,” she responded solemnly.

“Why not?”

“You don’t just try out for the Gymnastics Team here. They’re amazing. If they don’t recruit you, then you have no chance. No walk-ons. Nothing.”

“How do you know that? Were you recruited?”

“No, I wasn’t,” she said a bit sharper than she had intended, the bitterness sneaking into her voice.

“Oh, well, I know one of the gymnasts. I bet she could talk to the coach. Even if you can’t be on the team, you could probably practice with them.” The glance she gave to him was as if she were approaching a Martian. “Ok, maybe not,” he said raising his eyebrows and taking another bite of the cotton candy to prevent himself from speaking again.

“Even if I could get to talk with the coach, there would be no way she would let me practice with them,” she stated matter-of-factly.

“Never know until you try,” he said swallowing the remaining bit. “Here we are.” Jack handed the man four orange tickets, and ushered Lexi into a big swinging yellow bucket with the number twenty-five plastered against the back.

Lexi felt weightless as the machine cranked them around in an endless circle. They rotated three or four times, Jack shaking their bucket back and forth until he rattled the whole ride. A large girl with too tight jeans and a way too tight shirt rode in front of them threatening him the whole time. “Calm down,” she said putting her hand on his knee. “We don’t want to get kicked off.”

“I know the guy who’s running it. No way we’ll get kicked off,” he said throwing his arm across the back of the bucket seat, but stopping nonetheless.

As they made their final rotation, the ride crawled to a stop leaving Jack and Lexi on the very top of the ride looking out across the open fields. Jack’s arm fell from the seat back and landed gingerly across her shoulders. She allowed him to pull her into him, her head falling into place between his shoulder and neck. She sighed contentedly, gazing out across the night sky filled with twinkling white stars burning in the distance.

They spent the next several hours perusing the carnival life. He even won her a huge teddy bear from a darts game. She held it tightly as they made their way towards the exit with the rest of the crowd. A plump associate stuffed two green t-shirts in their hands as they stepped across the threshold. The distance back to the dorm felt like only seconds compared to earlier in the evening. Jack skidded to a halt in front of the hill that led up to the dorm entrance.

“Do you want me to park and walk you up?” he asked turning his warning blinkers on again.

“No, not necessary. Thanks,” she said grabbing her purse from the floor and raising it to her shoulder. With shirt and bear in hand, she popped the door open.

“Hey, wait,” he said putting the car in park and darting around to the other side.

He reached her, immediately pulling her into him. She slid her arms up around his neck feeling him press up against her. He picked her up letting her legs dangle when he stood up straight. “I hope you don’t mind, but I couldn’t leave without a hug,” he said squeezing her a little tighter.

“Oh no,” she breathed, “I don’t mind at all.”

Jack placed her back on her feet, and she stared dreamily up into his eyes. He bent down planting a light kiss on her cheek before straightening up once again and making his way back to the driver’s side. Lexi waved as he barreled down the road leaving her standing there breathless. It had definitely been a date.

*****

The next few weeks went by in a blur. Lexi and Jack were together as much as humanly possible. When he was working at the coffee shop, she could be found studying across from his counter. When her classes let out, he was waiting for her outside the old brick building with a steaming cup of her favorite brew and a moist slice of pound cake or a blueberry muffin. She became a regular in their household staying up late into the night playing video games. His roommates didn’t mind her coming over, mostly because they loved the look on Luke’s face when she kicked his ass at Mario Kart.