The Midnight Fair

Jack sighed happily, his Agumon stuffy sitting proudly in his lap. Athena chuckled at his childlike expression and tossed a piece of popcorn at him. He gasped over dramatically at her.

“How dare you?” he exclaimed in a faux British accent. Jack picked up his stuffed Digimon and pretended to attack her with it - growling sounds included. Athena burst into laughter. After a solid five minutes, Jack was still attacking her with the stuffy.

“Jeez, Jack,” Athena sighed, “it’s been chewing on me for an awfully long time.”

Jack shrugged, “it’s hungry.”

“So am I,” she commented. Jack retreated the stuffy, placing it back on his lap.

“As am I, but where should we eat?” Athena laughed at Jack while he stroked his nonexistent beard. “But where?” he asked, glancing at her. Athena shrugged, not really caring; as long as it was edible and tasted somewhat good, she would eat it. Jack suddenly jumped to his feet, saving his stuffy from the disgusting cement just in time.

“I want Denny’s!” he shouted, catching a few people’s attention. Athena grinned, suddenly craving breakfast. She nodded quickly, agreeing with his choice. Jack smiled toothily before grabbing her hands and rushing through a crowd. She pulled back, halting him.

“Wait, wait!” Jack span around, looking at her. Athena smiled innocently before continuing. “I want a souvenir.”

Jack laughed, “a souvenir?”

“Yeah,” she chuckled, “sort of like a memento.” Jack smiled down at her before looking around for any place there could be a possible souvenir. He spotted a cart off to the side where a man was serving children. Jack tugged Athena’s hand and brought he over to the cart.

“A bouquet of balloons please,” Jack requested. The man’s aged face brightened up and he grabbed a handful of string, bringing floating balloons along with it.

“Five dollars, please.” Jack paid the man and grinned at him before handing Athena the balloons.

“Here you go, m’lady,” he smirked. Athena giggled and grasped the strings firmly in her left hand.

“You know,” she started, adjusting some of the strings, “I meant something that would last longer than forty-eight hours,” she winked at him.
Jack scoffed, “well I’m hungry.” Athena rolled her eyes but kept her hands tightly constricted around the strings. “Okay, let’s go!” Jack cheered while grabbing her wrist and began to pull her to the exit.

“My car or your’s?” she asked as soon as their feet hit the parking lot. Jack chuckled, stopping beside an isolated pillar.

“Considering the fact that I came here in a tour van with four guys packed into it, I don’t we’ll be taking my ride,” Jack chuckled. Athena laughed and nodded, beginning to lead the way to her car. On the way, she decided to call Laney.

“Hey, Laney?” Athena asked as she unlocked the doors for her and Jack.

“Oh, hey ‘Thena!” the other girl greeted.

“Is it okay if you ride home with Brett?” Athena asked while unlocking her car doors for Jack. Instead of entering the car, Jack stood beside her.

“Uh, sure, but why?” she asked, beginning to pay more attention to her friend rather than her boyfriend that was eating nachos across the table.

“I’m just…feeling sick,” Athena retorted. Laney grunted before agreeing and saying goodbye to her friend. Athena closed her phone and tucked it in her back pocket. They both slid into the car - Jack in the passenger and Athena in driver’s seat.

As soon as their seatbelts clicked, Jack began to poke at her teasingly.

“So, too embarrassed to tell your friends about me?” Jack asked her, prodding her gently in the arm. Athena froze up and began to sputter.

“N-no! It’s just- I mean, she would…I can’t-,”

“Woah!” Jack place a hand on her arm, stroking it soothingly, “ I was just kidding.” Athena tensed at his touch, but quickly adapted and welcomed it with open arms. She still wanted to explain though.

“It was just that Laney would have completely flipped if I told her about going off with someone I had just met,” she explained. She started the car and adjusted the rear view mirror before starting to drive. “And if she knew, she would call my brother and he would flip shit,” Athena sighed while switching lanes. Jack only nodded silently. “He’s afraid I’ll get raped or something,” Athena muttered, still keeping her eyes on the road.

Jack grinned, “how do you know I’m not a rapist?” Athena laughed at the insane smirk he had plastered on his face.

“Because,” she shrugged, stopping at a red light, “you just don’t seem like a rapist.” She almost laughed at how strange she sounded.

“I could be a really good actor for all you know,” Jack laughed.

Athena shook her head with a teasing smile, “but we also bumped into Alex and Rian. They’re either your band mates are rape companions,” she laughed.

“I think the latter is correct,” Jack stated seriously before cracking up. Athena laughed along while driving into the Denny\s parking lot. He tossed his stuffy in the back seat along with Athena’s balloons and got out of the car, catching up to her at the door.

He followed in after her, feeling the rush of warm air hug around their bodies. The diner was almost dead though, excluding the couple sitting in the corner at the back. A waitress popped up, bags under her eyes and yawns stifled, and led them to an empty table in a secluded corner. She gave them each a menu and walked back through the swinging doors.

“I want bacon - lots of it,” Jack laughed as he flipped through the laminated sheets. Athena closed her menu and set it down on the corner of the table. “Chosen already?” Jack asked with his nose in the menu.

Athena nodded, “yup. I want pancakes.”

“Just pancakes?”

Athena nodded, a silly smile playing on her lips. Jack smirked.

“Maybe I’ll take your pancake idea and get an All-American Slam,” Jack decided, setting his menu down. The waitress strolled back just in time and picked up their menus while grabbing their orders. Once she had left, Jack and Athena were left alone once again.

“So…”

“So….”

“You’re in a band?” Athena questioned. Jack’s eyes started to glow as he chattered on and on about his band mates and shows. He skimmed through nights in bars and nights that were forgotten, and more.