The Blake Girl

The Carnival

Fourth of July meant a carnival at Hawthorne House - a private one complete with Ferris wheel, bumper cars, a massive roller coaster, and dozens of challenges and games. From his perch on top of the tree house, Jameson could see it all. He looked at his phone, Xander said one minute. It was more than a minute. "You are impatient." Finally. 

"I don't like to be kept waiting." I turned leaning on the fence.

"Which is exactly why I made sure to stop and get some food on my way." She said popping popcorn in her mouth.

"I'm sorry."

She gave me a look. "You're sorry?" 

"Yeah, I'm sorry."

She laughed, "For what?"

"I-I don't know... You've been mad at me for days."

"Mad at you?!" She made me sound ridiculous. 

"Well, yeah you haven't been talking to me."

She was quiet for a moment; it was impossible to even guess what she was thinking. "I haven't been mad at you I have just been caught up in my thoughts."

"What kind of thoughts."

Jameson watched as Julia's expression softened, her gaze drifting out across the carnival below. "Just... things," she replied vaguely, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Things?" Jameson prompted gently, feeling a pang of concern at the sadness in her tone.

Julia sighed, running a hand through her hair as she struggled to find the right words. "It's just... everything feels so complicated lately," she admitted, her voice tinged with frustration. "Between school, and... well, everything else, it's like I can't catch a break."

Jameson nodded in understanding, his own worries echoing hers in the back of his mind. "I know what you mean," he said softly, reaching out to gently squeeze her hand. "But hey, we're here now, right? Let's try to forget about all that stuff for a while and just enjoy the carnival."

They turned to leave but he stopped her when he heard voices. Emily and Grayson. "You don't have to carry me, Grayson."

"Be careful, Em."

I wanted to hear more of their conversation, but I could feel Julia pulling on my arm. "Jameson, we can leave." She whispered, I didn't want to leave them alone, but I knew what was happening. The same thing that happened at the party. Except she'd be kissing Grayson, my brother, not me. He wanted to leave so badly but he couldn't get himself to move.

"I'm going to kiss you, Grayson Hawthorne." Emily, her voice as clear as day. 

"What?" Grayson, stupefied. 

"Don't tell me no. I am so tired of no. My entire life is no. Just this once, can't the answer be yes?"Jameson waited, unnaturally still, for his brother's reply. It never came, and Emily spoke again. "When you're scared," she told Grayson, "you look straight ahead." 

"Hawthornes don't get scared," Grayson said stiffly. 

"No," Emily shot back. "I don't get scared. You're scared all the time." 

Jameson knew an opening when he saw one. He joined them Julia didn't seem to follow him. "I'm not."Scared. 

He didn't say the word, and Emily didn't need him to."You're not scared of anything," she told him with a toss of her hair."Even when you probably should be." 

Jameson looked at Grayson who was staring behind him, then back at Emily. "I'll kiss you," Jameson offered boldly. 

Emily stepped toward him. "Do it."He did. His first kiss—and hers. Emily smiled. And then she turned toGrayson. "Now you."Jameson felt his brother's eyes dart to his, but they didn't stay there long.