One More Time (Bremmy 1)

Chapterish 23

Brooks pulls me up to the worn and torn merry-go-round. Carousel? Whatever it is. I laugh as he pulls me up onto the spinning platform. Trix and Travis follow us. Travis lifts Trix onto a horse and starts kissing her in front of the crowd.

Zero cares in the world.

I catch Brooks looking at me and I shrug. We've gotten used to the two of them making out incessantly. Their affection is nauseating but part of me might miss it when I leave.

"I still can't believe you're leavingggg," Trix coos, sadly. Her hair floats behind her as the carousel spins. "How has it been three weeks?"

"I know. I know," I sigh, resting my head against my horse's pole. "Time flies."

"When you're... you know," she whispers so only I can hear. I can't help but grin.

"Stop it," I mouth. I can't help my smile on the inside.

"Let's plan your next trip home!" She squeals.

Travis rolls his eyes.

"Sounds like a good idea," Brooks says above me, squeezing my waist. "I'll plan mine too."

"Yea?" I raise my eyebrows.

"We can coordinate," Brooks grins.

Trix laughs with delight. "Great. So I am thinking once a month from now on, right? Not enough? We can do twice a month if you want."

"No way!" I laugh.

"Come on!" She insists.

"Trix," I laugh, rolling my eyes.

"Be easier if you just cave now," Travis says. He's laughing too, an obvious laugh.

Me, cave? I look up at Brooks behind me. Too late, Travis.

"Never."

Ferris wheel.

Funnel cake.

Games.

Snow cones and cotton candy. Yes, BOTH.

Live music.

Ferris wheel again.

Maybe we kiss on top the Ferris wheel.

Maybe we're that basic.

8:39 PM

Our group dissipates toward the end of the carnival. I'm grateful to be alone. Well, not alone. I'm angry at myself for wasting the last two days being mad at Brooks.

It is the last real night of summer. The heat is still sticky in the air and it makes us all the more tired and all the more dreamy. With it, the dusk brought fireflies and they twinkle overzealously, envious of the stars above.

The band strikes up a slow tune to help end the night. It is quiet and soft and oddly reminiscent of the 40s. Brooks pulls me onto the field and I lean against his chest.

The smell rolling off his skin is making me dizzy again. Or I'm being weak again. Goddamn.

"Stay." Brooks breathes into my hair.

"I already stayed an extra week." I remind him. "So did you."

Day 21 is tomorrow. Seattle is tomorrow. But I still have tonight.

I close my eyes. We need to enjoy the last song.

We're swaying on the field like some romantic comedy wannabes but hey it's working for us.

"Plus you leave in three days, don't you?" I ask.

"I don't have to be in NC until next month. Think of all that time. You know, maybe we can visit–"

"Let's not go there." I interrupt him. We must avoid this discussion. "We both have lives to get back to."

"I forgot. God forbid we have a real moment."

"I just don't like the idea of it," I tease, smiling. I can tell he is trying to resist.

"Ok. Ok. I'll drop it," Brooks says.

"Glad we're on the same page." I nod.

He just rolls his eyes and tightens his hands on my waist.

We danced into the night, until our shoes became one with the field, until the music died out and we became surrounded by nothing more than the still silence of night.

We walk hand in hand back up the hill to his truck. Brooks unfolds a sheet and spreads it to cover the metal. He hoists me up into the truck bed and I let my legs dangle over the edge. He sits beside me and puts his arm around my shoulders.

"You've been waiting to get me up here all alone, huh?" I laugh at him.

"You caught me." He tosses me his hoodie.

"Thanks," I say, catching it. I pull it over my head.

We can see the entire fair from the hillside: The lights of the Ferris wheel slowly moving around in a circle. The sound of dying carnival music breaks the silence between us. The remnant smell of funnel cake wafts toward us on the light breeze. The fairgrounds start to clear out with people trickling through the front gates –parents carrying kids and kids carrying their new stuffed animal prizes.

Here we are: The last night.