Beauty and the Beauty (Lesbian Romance)

Festival • Part 1

The whole town smells of popcorn and candy floss on festival days. It was the first thing I noticed as I opened my front door earlier that morning, excitedly on my way to pick up Lena and Molly. We got closer to the town centre and the smell got stronger and stronger by the minute. Traffic wasn't moving so I decided to park and walk the rest of the way to the festival. Multi-coloured bunting lined the streets, and arrows pointed to the town centre despite the fact that everyone who lived in town had lived there all their lives and knew the centre like the back of their hands. The school's orchestra was playing from somewhere in the town square, but you didn't need to be close to hear the music. The three of us joined the chattering babble of people heading towards the square, Lena and I walking together with Molly holding her hand and dragging her along in her excitement. After a minute or so we broke out of the crowd, taking in the various stalls, food trucks and games in front of us.

"You weren't exaggerating when you said the town goes all out," Lena remarked.

"Pretty crazy, huh." I led the way to the drinks stand. "You have to try the strawberry lemonade!"

Lena smiled at me, ordering one for each of us.

"Come on come on I want to go see the rides!" Molly babbled, taking her drink from Lena and running a few steps in front of us, spilling some lemonade as she went.

"To the carousel!" I exclaimed, running to catch up with Molly, pulling Lena in tow. Molly giggled and ran to the gorgeous vintage carousel in the centre of the square. We watched the horses go by, each one unique, some bigger than the others, trying to choose which ones we wanted to ride.

"There, there! That one's called Molly! It's me as a horse!" As the ride came to a halt we ran up the steps. I lifted Molly the human onto Molly the horse and climbed onto the horse behind her. Lena sat next to her on the only black horse on the carousel. The ride began and Molly began to giggle, waving to her adoring crowd as she enjoyed the ride. It was fun to watch her but honestly I couldn't wait to get off of the ride so I could spend time with Lena again.

After what seemed like an eternity, the carousel finally stopped spinning. Molly had calmed down considerably after the ride and decided she was ready for something to eat, so we all headed to the food booths. I took in the atmosphere as much as I could. I loved the way reality felt slightly... altered... at the town's festivals and never wanted it to end. It was only made more magical by the fact that I was sharing the experience with Lena. It was the first time in years I'd had a friend to go with other than Jackson... Jackson! I'd completely forgot to meet up with him! Crap.

"Uh Lena, you go on ahead, I have to go find someone." I said, walking backwards away from them as I spoke then turning quickly and heading towards the festival's entrance. I knew he'd be there waiting for me and I'd already began to make up the story that I'd arrived earlier than usual and figured he might already be here too and so I went in to look.

I recognised Jackson standing by the entrance. He looked like he was talking to someone but a crowd of people blocked my view. I jogged to meet him.

"Jackson! Hi! I was - Mum? You're here!" I exclaimed, shocked.

"Nice to see you too! I'm here with Simone, she's just over there talking to Mrs. Lowe before we head in. Didn't I tell you to wait for Jackson at the entrance?"

"Yeah, you did, I was just... Uh... showing Lena where the lemonade stand was because Molly was thirsty then I got dragged on the carousel but here I am! You ready?" I said, looking at Jackson with a big smile.

"I'm ready," We said bye to my mum and headed in to the festival. "So, are we here with Lena and her cousin or...?" Jackson asked, trailing off.

"Um, a bit of both I think. We'll probably bump into each other later or something, I don't know," I replied, already looking over my shoulder for Lena.

"Okay awesome! I don't know about you but I am FAMISHED." Jackson was always one for exaggerations.

"Same!" I agreed. "Festival breakfast is the best breakfast, let's go!" I hurried towards the food stalls, hoping Lena was still where I left her.  Jackson caught up after a few steps, laughing.

"I don't think I'm as hungry as you are after all!" I laughed along with him and slowed down. I was being silly. I didn't need Lena to enjoy the festival, I'd gone with Jackson every single year since we were old enough to go alone, and he'd joined my mum and I before that. He was one of my closest friends, there's no way we wouldn't have a blast.

Still, when there was no sign of Lena at the food stalls I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. I shook the feeling off and bought myself a bag of warm, freshly made doughnuts and drizzled them generously with chocolate sauce. Jackson was more of a pancakes and syrup kind of guy, and we sat at one of the small round tables in front of the truck to eat.

"This is the best thing I've ever tasted!" I said, licking sugar from my lips.

"You say that every year." Jackson said through a mouthful of pancakes. I laughed and continued scoffing my breakfast.

"Haunted house next?" I asked, finishing my last doughnut.

"You know it," Jackson replied. "Then we have to head for the rides before the queues get ridiculous."

I nodded in agreement as I threw the empty bag in the bin. The haunted house was at the back of the festival, supposedly hidden from the younger children despite it being one of the tallest attractions there, with a giant flashing sign inticing every child that ever laid eyes upon it to enter. The haunted house covered your basics every year: ghosts, zombies, spooky noises, but every year there was a new main attraction. Last year it had been a real doozy. Just as you thought you'd survived the worst of the house without going into cardiac arrest, just as you were leaving the final door at the back, a killer clown with an extremely realistic chainsaw sprung up in front of you, forcing you to turn only to find the door you'd come through had locked. As you desperately looked for a way to escape, a hidden trapdoor slowly opened to reveal a flight of steps leading into a basement. It was the basement or the chainsaw, and Jackson and I chose the basement. The clown followed slowly, giving you enough time to realise you had entered a maze. We began to ran through it, quickly realising that every dead end awakened another freak with a deadly weapon who would then join the chase. By the time we finally made it outside, both of use were exhausted yet exhilarated on the adrenaline rush, and by the end of the day we'd entered the haunted house no less than six times. Without a doubt, it was the best attraction of the festival, and I didn't know how they were going to top last year.

I was so lost in thought I didn't hear Jackson say my name. I was startled back to reality by a nudge that almost sent me flying over sideways.

"Oy, are you listening to me?" Jackson asked.

"Clearly not, Jackson, or I wouldn't be practically in the dirt over here," I replied. "What?"

"I said, where's Lena living anyway? I haven't really seen her in town except when she's with you."

"Oh, she lives on the other side of town right by the baseball field. I guess she just doesn't know where to go yet."

"Yeah, probably. She seems nice enough."

"She is. Nice enough." I replied, hoping I wasn't blushing too much.

"She doesn't seem like the kind of girl to be friends with you though."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, suddenly defensive.

"Nothing! If I just looked at her and new nothing about her I'd assume she was a super popular kid, that's all," Jackson asked, smiling at me.

"I guess I do see what you mean." I replied, hiding my temporary agitation by lining up for the haunted house. Jackson must have thought I was fine, thankfully, because we both started chatting about school and the plans for the rest of the day. Finally we made it to the start of the line.

"Hey Taylor! I can't wait to find out how you've topped last year," I greeted the man who provided us with near heart attacks/entertainment once a year.

"All I can say is, do NOT lose each other while you're in there!" Taylor replied. I handed him the money to go in and looked at Jackson.

"Ready?"

"Ready."