Beauty and the Beauty (Lesbian Romance)

Together

Jackson was directly outside the room, leaning against the wall, his fingertips drumming on the noticeboard next to him impatiently. He sprang towards me as the door opened.

'Are you okay? How was it?' He asked, his gaze lingering questioningly once again.

'Fine. I got a leaflet.' I replied, flashing it in front of his face for a split second before walking ahead of him. 'Let's just go enjoy the rest of the day, yeah?'

'Uh... sure. If you're sure?' I rolled my eyes at him and kept walking in response.

'Hungry?' I asked, despite not being that hungry myself. I just wanted him to forget about the morning's incident and enjoy the rest of the festival. Plus, maybe Lena and Molly were at the food court.

'Always.' he replied, his signature goofy wide smile spreading slowly across his face washing earlier's worries away.

We walked side by side, quietly at first, then gradually our normal chatter started up again and soon everything was back to normal. Burgers and milkshakes were on the menu this lunchtime, a true American classic. We sat at a round picnic table under a massive parasol, glad for the shade in the midday heat. Two things were on my mind: the haunted house, and Lena. For some reason I couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen, but I put it down to the fact that I'd just had a panic attack and left it at that. Where were Lena and Molly, anyway? I'd been looking out for them since leaving the med station but hadn't had so much a glimpse of them through the crowds. Figuring they must be on the rides, as that was where Molly was most excited to go anyway, I made a mental note to check them out as soon as we'd finished eating.

'You seem distracted, are you sure you're okay?' Jackson's words broke my chain of thought. Probably for the best, since I was beginning to overthink everything anyway. It was just another day at the same festival that happened every year - the only thing that was different was my reaction to the haunted house, so it must have been the thing throwing me off.

'Yeah... I mean, I will be. I think I just need to take it slow today,' I said. Jackson, along with my mother, was the only person I was completely honest and open with - I would have been way too embarrassed and feel way too much of a burden to tell anyone else I needed to slow down. Except... Except maybe Lena? Maybe I was rushing our friendship a little because I was so desperate to make an actual female friend. I decided to be less... Stalker-y? Jackson and I would enjoy the rest of the festival together just like we always did, staying out until after all the attractions had closed and everyone else had gone home, and then walk through the empty festival just breathing in the huge change in the atmosphere. Secretly, the end of the day was my favourite part. There was something so special, so enchanting, about our midnight walks through the food court, to the rides, past the... The haunted house. A shiver ran down my spine at the thought. I furrowed my eyebrows, mad at myself for having the thought and for being scared of a ramshackle old attraction in a small town festival. After all, it wasn't the outside I was afraid of, was it? I could definitely walk past. Definitely. 

         'So what's the plan when you're done?' Jackson queried, nodding at my half eaten burger. 

         'Not sure. Want to just walk around until we see something we want to do?' I replied, taking another big bite of my burger, savouring the cheese as it melted in my mouth. 

         'Sounds good to me. I do want to check out the rides at some point though - apparently there's a few new ones this year.' My head whipped up hearing this; I had an excuse (mostly for my own benefit) to go to the rides. 

       'Let's do that next then. Don't want to be stuck in queues all day so let's go while it's still early,' I tried to be as casual as I could, but I'm not sure I was hiding my eagerness. I hastily finished my burger and shake and stood up, Jackson not long behind me.