80s Band Imagines

🧡Tommy #6- Cotton Candy Nights

The air was thick with the smell of fried dough and caramel—the kind that clings to your hair and hoodie long after you've gone home. It was the scent of summer distilled into sugar and grease, of childhood memories and teenage dreams. June had been counting down to this night for weeks—her first carnival actually being with Tommy.

They'd talked about it in the way couples talk about things that feel like promises: casual, excited, and just a little dreamy. She'd pictured them holding hands between rides, laughing with powdered sugar on their cheeks, maybe even winning one of those lopsided plush bears neither of them really needed.

It started that way.

They got in two rides—one of those spinning contraptions that left her dizzy and breathless, then the tilt-a-whirl that made her laugh until her stomach hurt. Tommy had held her hand the whole time, grinning like they were kids again.

As they stepped off, Tommy checked his phone and lit up. "Hey—Kyle's here. He said they're heading to the rodeo in like ten minutes. You wanna go?"

June blinked. "The rodeo?"

"Yeah, it's part of the fairgrounds. He said it's supposed to be good tonight—barrel racing, live music after."

She hesitated. "I mean... sure. If you want to."

Tommy was already walking toward the ticket booth. "I'll grab us tickets."

June followed, still smiling, though something in her chest felt off-kilter. She'd imagined this night as theirs—just the two of them. But she didn't want to be difficult.

While Tommy waited in line, June spotted Mia and Sara near the carousel. She waved, and they came running over.

"Hey!" Mia said. "We're about to hit the swings. You coming?"

June glanced back at Tommy, who was still chatting with the ticket vendor. "I've got a few minutes. I'll meet you there."

She rode the swings with them, then the bumper cars, laughing so loud she almost convinced herself she was having fun.

Then her phone buzzed.

Tommy: Hey, we're at the beer garden now. Come find us.

June frowned, typing quickly.
June: I can't get in. I'm nineteen.

Tommy: Oh. Right. Just hang out by the fence—it's next to the music stage.

A fence. Like a dog. She didn't reply.

When she reached the beer garden, it was exactly as she pictured—tall, metal, and completely shutting her out. She could hear the music from inside, see people swaying with plastic cups of beer, the glow of the string lights overhead. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't what she'd come for.

She stood there awkwardly for a minute, watching Tommy smile and laugh with Jess and Kyle. Then Tommy spotted her and excused himself from the couple, going to meet June.

"Hey baby, how were the rides?"

"Fine. They're fun."

"Great. I was just gonna have a beer or two with Jess and Kyle. I'll text you, okay."

"Okay, have fun."
She half-smiled.

"I will. Love you."
Tommy kissed her forehead before disappearing back into the beer garden.

June exhaled hard, pulled out her phone, and texted Mia and Sara again.
Still around?

They were. She met them near the midway and rode a few more things, but every time they passed the beer garden, her eyes flicked toward it, half-expecting Tommy to be leaning over the fence looking for her. He never was.