The Rocky Road Pact

Chapter 16: I Want Candy

"Why are we here?" 

Part of me was annoyed he drove us to the fair. I had a headache where that skank pulled my hair, the side of my face throbbed and I felt humiliated. I just wanted to go home and lick my wounds. 

But the other part of me was intrigued. And a bit excited. I loved the fair.

I always tried to get Brandon to go when it was in town, but he never would. He called it juvenile.

"Of course it's juvenile. It's the county fair," I'd say, exasperated. I'd even try to pout to get my way. "You're no fun," I'd say, crossing my arms. But he was immune to my pestering. There was always something more intellectually stimulating to do; an art show at the university or a foreign film screening in the city. 

I liked doing those things, at least at first. He was a few years older than me and I'd never gone to those places before. I felt very adult, in my black and white dress, high heels and hair teased up to the high heavens. But now that I think about it, all we ever did was stuff he wanted to do. Grown up, sophisticated stuff was alright. But sometimes, I just wanted to eat candy apples and ride the ferris wheel.

"Figured you could use some fun in your life. You're always so tightly wound," Tommy said. "Let's go," he said, extending a hand.

What did that mean? The extended hand, and the comment. Tightly-wound? I was just a person who was driven and determined, that's all. I had plenty of fun. Although, I couldn't remember the last time I did.

Reluctantly, I took his hand and he took off running, yanking me forward and making me yelp in surprise and laughter.

The fair was always set up in the Legion parking lot, near the ocean at the end of South street. The warm midnight wind lifted my hair back from my face and soothed my hurts. I breathed it in, trying to keep up with Tommy who was booking it to the centre of the fairground.

"We're closing, Bud." The cigar-chomping guy in the ticket booth took a quick glance at us both. "Half price if you want to stay a half hour or so."

"Two bracelets," Tommy said and threw some wadded bills on the counter. The guy snapped the plastic bracelets on us and the fairground was ours.

Literally. There was no one else there.

The realization hit me and at once I was happy and free. "Let's go!" I grabbed his hand again and this time I was dragging him to the ferris wheel. I screamed with fright when he rocked it at the top when we were stopped and punched his shoulder to get him to stop, but secretly I loved it.

The whole town was spread out before us and the ocean glittered in the moonlight. Something was nagging me in the back of my brain; something was happening and I struggled to figure out what it was, or name the sensation I was feeling.

We didn't talk much, just roamed the fair like a couple of kids. My stomach hurt from laughing at the bumper cars. He just wanted to drive around in circles and I wanted to smash things. I chased him around, trapping him against the sides while he tried to get away. 

"You're vicious, Davies," he'd say, trying to get away and I'd smash his car sideways. He was right, I needed to have some fun and this was the best time I'd had in a while. It wasn't even a boy-girl thing. When he took me by the hand or wiped a blot of mustard from my face with a napkin while we wolfed down hot dogs, it felt like the most natural thing in the world. 

"So you're really into that Brandon guy, huh?" he said, balling up his napkin and firing it into the trash. We were sitting on a bench, watching the rides blink off one by one as the fair shut down for the night. I'd moved on from the hot dog to cotton candy and now a double scoop of pistachio ice cream. 

For a moment, I almost said 'who?' surprising myself. I also realized it was the longest I'd gone without thinking of my ex boyfriend in a long time. "He's my soulmate," I shrugged.

"You don't even know what a soulmate is. Who gets engaged at 17 anyway," he asked, turning to face me. His shaggy blond hair reached the shoulders of his tattered jean jacket. "That's dumb."

"I do," I said defiantly. Who was he to judge? "Well, I did. Anyway, it's none of your business."

"Since you asked me to sleep with you, I guess it's my business," he shrugged. He counted on his fingers. "Five times."

I closed my eyes and shrank with embarrassment. I would never live this down. 

"That stupid pact was nonsense. I'm not used to drinking, and I totally got bombed. I don't even remember writing it," I said, which was only half true. "Forget about it, OK?"

"You really don't remember me, do you?" We were having such a good time and suddenly he turned so serious. His eyes searched mine; curious and something else. Hurt? 

But how could that be? Aside from the odd snarky bantering, we'd never had a harsh word. I didn't really know the guy.

"Of course I do. I met you in grade ten when you moved to town," I said. What was he going on about?

"No. I moved here long before that, in grade four. I just didn't stay."

Grade four? I racked my brain but I he was right. I couldn't remember him at all. 

"Never mind. Let's do it," he said, getting up and dusting crumbs from his leather pants. Which fit mighty good in all the right places. I was so distracted, I catch his drift at first.

"Do what?"

"The Pistachio Agreement," he said, pointing to my ice cream cone. I froze.

"Do you mean the Rocky Road Pact?" My heart was racing. Whatever I was thinking the night I was drunk and came up with that stupid idea flew out of my mind. I never imagined it would become real. That I would do—that— with him.

"Are you still game? Because it's totally up to you. But I'm in if you're in." He sat back down beside me, closer now. 

The way he looked at me was dark and intense, like he could see my innermost thoughts and I could feel myself blushing. Before I could think too much about it, I nodded,  frozen in place as he took a bite of my ice cream.

He leaned towards me, mischief in his eyes and my heart pounded. The last fairground ride was snapped off and the lights seemed to go out all at once. Every nerve in my body was on high alert and I held my breath, wondering what would happen next. 

His full lips were so close to my neck, I could feel his cool breath on my skil. I felt slightly dizzy, melting like the ice cream dripping onto my dress and he hadn't even touched me yet. I closed my eyes, willing him to make contact until finally he did. 

His lips were cold on the heated skin just under my ear, followed by the icy swipe of his cool tongue. Despite the sticky heat of the summer night, I shivered, sparks of fireworks exploding in my blood. 

His voice was silky; as warm as his lips were cool. 

"Okay. But if we're going to do this," he said, low in my ear. "We're going to do it my way."