Axis

august 18th

I WAS PRETTY FEARFUL after the Derrick escapade that I would be unable to handle being around Noah, even with Jasper's insistence to stay glued to my side this time around. Mostly out of apprehension that he would ultimately pull the same card that Derrick did and crush any hope of future friendship.

So far, that has not been the case. I'm beginning to wonder if it ever will be. But I'm trying not to get my hopes up.

"This place is awesome," Noah says as we enter the gates to the carnival, buzzing with activity as per usual. "And this just stays here all summer every summer?"

"Yep," Jasper responds, leading us—well, more like Champ leading us, tail wagging—toward our favorite section of the grounds, where all the best food stands are. "And it's open in late spring and the first half of fall, too."

"Hm," Noah hums thoughtfully, "but I thought carnivals usually travel around the country?"

"Not this one," Jasper says with a shrug. "It's found its home here and it works because all the tourists at the beach are always coming through. Besides, 'fair' is a boring word that doesn't elicit as much excitement as 'carnival' does."

"Fair enough," Noah says, and I share a smile with him, catching his dig.

"So, how are your friends at home dealing with your leaving?" I ask Noah.

He keeps his head down and kicks a pebble with him as he walks. "There are really only three of them I'll miss," he says. "The guys I'm in that band with. It sucks; they're already recruiting for a new guy on keyboard."

"Maybe you could start a new band here," I suggest, trying to be helpful.

"Maybe," he agrees, though the way he says it makes it clear that this will never happen. I feel like an idiot for suggesting it. Who starts a band at their new school their senior year?

"Lexi can be lead singer," Jasper jokes.

"You can sing?" Noah asks, looking up at me now.

"No!" I exclaim, way too forcefully. Great, now I'm blushing. He really is going to think I'm an idiot by the end of today. "I mean, not really. I just hate public-anything, so standing in front of a crowd singing would be a nightmare for me. But I'm not even good at singing, so I would never do that, anyway." I close my mouth before I can blabber anymore.

"I dunno," Jasper counters. "I've heard her sing along to the radio in the car before, I think she's pretty good."

So not cool, Jasper, I want to tell him.

Instead, desperate to seem nonchalant, I just shrug and say, "It's a shame Jasper is leaving so soon. He really loves to belt along to the High School Musical soundtrack. I think he'd bring the start of something new to the table for your band." I send a pointed look at him, and the tiny look of embarrassment on his face makes my insides burst with self-satisfied glee. It's not often I manage to torment Jasper instead of the other way around.

Noah laughs, brown eyes crinkling. "You guys are the kind of best friends that live to embarrass each other, huh?"

Jasper wraps an arm around my shoulders, pulling me close. "Wouldn't wanna have it any other way. Though I'd like to point out that usually it's me embarrassing Lex. If you end up staying friends with her after I'm gone, I might have to pass that torch down to you and make you Lex's new designated embarrasser."

"Noah is too nice to do that," I say smugly. "I'll be in the clear."

Noah watches me for a moment. "No," he counters slowly, "I might be interested in getting in on this. I don't think it would be fair to let Lexi off the hook completely."