Ups and Downs

"Oh, thank you." I smiled as Harry handed me a large stuffed bear he had won at a game of ring toss. I must admit I was quite impressed as I've never seen anyone actually win at the game, but my excitement at his feat was cut short when I noticed Blake's frowning face.

"What should we do next?" Harry asked with a handsome smile plastered on his face.

"The haunted house looks fun. What do you think?" I offered quickly, making sure to include Blake.

He smiled, "Anything you want, beautiful."

I rolled my eyes and hid my reddening face behind the bear. It has been a long time since a boy, anyone, had called me beautiful. My boyfriend didn't do it anymore, preferring the more poetic 'hot stuff' and 'babe'.

So there I was, walking into a haunted house with two boys, one of whom was a girl, and neither of which were my actual boyfriend. The darkness was intercut by the usual glow in the dark paint and some spooky lighting. A spooky ghost on a string greeted us as we walked in with a bad recording of a ghostly wail. We had more fun making fun of the cheesy effects than we were frightened by them.

As we walked further in though the designs at least started getting better, I was marveling at the detail on the wolfman costume when it suddenly roared and moved to grab me. I jumped back behind Harry and laughed at myself as the wolfman scurried past us into a false wall.

The creatures that were once terrible props were now replaced by actors who played their parts extremely well. Twice someone came running at us with a bloody gardening tool or knife and I hid behind Harry's larger frame. He for the most part seemed undisturbed by any of what he saw.

Meanwhile Blake was trying to put on a brave front I could tell but more than once I felt him grabbing my hand when something would jump out at us.

The hallway suddenly narrowed and we found ourselves **** into a single file line when suddenly hands burst through the wall grabbing at us. I shrieked of course and tried to use Harry as a shield who simply picked me up on his back and ran the rest of the way to the exit.

Thankfully it was a short run but I was definitely appreciative of the effort. "I wasn't that scared!" I told him as he teased me.

"Oh come on! Every time something moved you were trying to jump on me like Yoda."

"Well you make a great meat shield, what can I say?"

"Wow!" He held a hand over his heart as if I mortally wounded him. "Is that all I am to you? After I saved you and your bear?" He held up my prize in one hand and I realized I had completely forgotten about it, which made me realize... Blake was nowhere around.

"Where's Blake?"

"I thought she was behind us." We looked around the immediate area and couldn't see him anywhere.

"We better go look for him."

Harry and I began our search calling out his name. Well...I called out for Blake and he called out for Whitney. I know Blake was just a character she made up just to help me out but...I couldn't help feel like what Harry was doing was wrong. So I suggested we split up to cover more ground.

After several minutes of looking I found Blake at the miniature shooting gallery angrily blasting away at wooden targets. "Hey." He grumbled as he let loose three shots.

"Hey? I've been looking all over creation trying to find you and all you can say is hey?"

"I guess so." He shrugged.

"What's going on with you?"

He shrugged and missed another duck before setting the gun down and opening his wallet.

"Hey." I grabbed his slender wrist and **** him to look at me, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing?" He lied, and not very well.

"No, something's wrong. Don't be the typical guy and not talk about it."

"Just wanted to shoot some ducks." I let go of his wrist and let him pay for another round of BBs.

So I watched him quietly off to the side, shooting the small rifle in angry fashion until once again he was empty and had to buy another round. Taking pity on him I took him by the shoulders. "Here, rest it in the crook of your arm." He let me adjust his body, "Close one eye, line up the shot, open it. And just take a long, slow breath." I wrapped my arms around his waist, feeling his diaphragm rise and fall.

His first shot missed, but his next three did not. His final shot unfortunately did but he at least had done well enough for a small prize. A cheap green plastic ring with a plastic ruby inside.

He frowned and handed it to me. "I know it's not a bear but…here."

"...I love it." I smiled and finally he met my eye.

"You don't have to say that. I know it's a piece of ju-" I don't know what came over me but suddenly I kissed him. "I love it." His smile lit up the whole carnival and I couldn't help but kiss him again. I'm not sure how much time had passed but I know I was never wanting it to end, even as I felt him pull me closer.

We held hands as we walked away from the shooting gallery. After a few minutes of walking in silence I noticed a young boy, about seven or eight, crying, "Hey little fella are you okay?"

He shook his head, "I-I wanted-I tried to win a monkey at the fish game but I couldn't do it. It's not fair! I never win anything."

"I'm sure you will, would you like to play a game right now? If you can guess the number I'm thinking of between one and a million I'll give you a prize. Ready?"

The boy paused and considered the best number he could think of, "Twenty?"

"That's it! Wow you got it in one! Great job!" The boy wiped his eyes and smiled. "You win the grand prize!" I handed him my bear and his face lit up.

"Really?!"

"Yeah, man. You won it fair and square." He smiled.

"Bret! There you are!" I turned and saw a man in tight leggings and a blouse approaching, pulling his-her purse over one shoulder. "Thank God you're okay. You can't run off like that, sweetie!" She kissed and hugged her son before looking up at us, "Thank you so much for finding him! I was going out of my mind trying to find him. I'm Phillip by the way."

"Michelle, this is Blake, and it was no problem mi...no problem."

As they walked away I heard the man asking about the bear and Bret proudly proclaim he had won

[it.

As

](http://it.As) we were walking away ourselves Blake finally spoke up, "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Running off like an idiot."

"You're not an idiot but why did you run off like that?"

He shook his head, "It's stupid."

"Doesn't sound like it if it made you upset."

"....I was jealous."

"Of what?"

"The way you were holding on to Harry, cause he's a big guy who can win you prizes and you feel safer with so…I took off."

"He is a big guy...and as such he makes a good shield if something was to attack us. Come on, he's as big as both of us combined. Who would you sacrifice to the monsters first? Me or him?"

"Definitely him." He chuckled.

"Then yeah, I just...got scared even though I know consciously it was all fake but my instincts kicked in I guess and they said hide behind the big guy then run." I laughed nervously at my own stupidity, "And hey, I felt you doing the same to me so if anyone should be upset it should be me."

"What? No I wasn't."

"I felt you back there, grabbing my hand every chance you got."

"First off, I'll always grab you every chance I get. Secondly, my instincts said to pull the beautiful girl out of danger." I slapped his arm lightly and this time we both laughed.

"Do you really think I'm beautiful?"

"Of course."

I shifted as I worked up the courage to speak, "I think you're beautiful too...but I guess... handsome tonight is the better adjective." Blake took my face in my hand and gently pulled me to him and we kissed softly one more time.

Our kiss was interrupted when Harry walked up, "Looks like you found her."

"I did."

"Well, I was getting hungry and thinking maybe getting some pizza at Figaro's, would you like to join me?"

"I don't think so. Thanks though."

Harry frowned for a moment, "That's cool. Maybe some other time. I'm still gonna head out though...so... you two have fun and be safe."

"Thanks, you too."

"Cya man."

Harry nodded to Blake and left, I felt a little bad for turning him down, not something that ever gets easier.

Blake and I spent another half hour at the carnival, just the two of us. We had some funnel cake and played some more games and laughed about how terrible we both were at them before finally heading to my house.

Sitting in my driveway once again I couldn't help myself but to kiss Blake which has escalated into a full on make out session.

When we stopped he finally asked me a question, "So... what do you think of Blake?"

"He's a dork...but apparently I like dorks." He smiled and we kissed again.

"Would you want to go out again?"

"With Blake...or Whitney?"

"Your call."

I thought for a moment, trying to keep my guilt from crushing me...I really wanted to say yes but what would that mean about who I was? "Yeah. I'd like that." I'm screwed.