Home Run

Charlie’s POV

Tonight, Zacky was taking me out on another date, our fourth one, to the carnival, and I was so excited. It has been a long time since I have been to the carnival with my family, and I could feel in my heart that it will turn out to be a good night. From what the weather man told me earlier in the day, I knew that it was going to be a chilly night; the temperature was going to be in the high fifties, so I knew that I couldn’t dress how I usually dressed to impress Zacky. I looked through my closet to find an outfit that would look cute on me, but also keep me from getting too cold. I decided on a pair of skinny jeans and a black sweater. I slipped on my boots and headed downstairs to wait for Zacky. Keegan was watching some stupid show and TV, and since there was nothing else to do while I was waiting, I decided to join him.

“So, are you excited to go out tonight?” Keegan asked when a commercial came on.

“Do you know something that I don’t know about?” I asked back.

“Maybe.” He smirks as the show came back on.

“Come on, Keeg, you have to tell me.” I begged him.

“My lips are sealed.” He said, doing the lock your lips and throwing away the key motion.

I sat there, next to him pouting, hoping he would tell me, but all he did was smirk and continue watching his show. A light bulb went off in my head, and I pulled out my cell phone and opened up a text message for Val.

Do you know what Zack’s doing tonight on our date?

I was sworn into secrecy.

Come on, Val. You have to tell me.

All I’m going to tell you is that you are going to love it and be the happiest you have ever been.

You better be right, Val.

Oh, I am :)

I put my phone back in my pocket with the same pout as before on my face. Keegan looked over at me and chuckled.

“Val didn’t tell you either?” He asked.

“No, and she’s my best friend. Best friends tell each other everything. That also goes for siblings who are really close to each other.” I said, glaring playfully at him.

“I love you sister, but I can’t tell you about what’s going to happen.” He said as the doorbell rang. “And now, you won’t have to wait any longer.”

Keegan got up off the couch, me following him from behind, and opened the door. Zacky was standing on the other side of the door and had on a similar outfit to mine, except he was wearing sneakers instead of boots.

“Hey Charlie, you ready to go?” Zacky asked, kissing my cheek.

“Of course I am. See you later, Keegan, don’t wait up for me.” I said, exiting the house when Zacky took my hand.

“Oh, believe me, I won’t. You guys always stay out late.” Keegan said, closing the front door.

“Are you excited about tonight?” Zacky asked as we walked over to his SUV.

“You don’t even know. I have asked my brother and Val about what’s happening tonight, and none of them would tell me.” I laughed.

“Good. I was hoping my threat would work on them.” He laughed.

“What was your threat?” I asked, getting into his car when he opened the passenger door for me.

“Not to tell you.” He said, closing the door.

I laughed to myself while he was walking to the driver’s side door. He smirked at me when he got inside and pulled out of my driveway to start our drive towards downtown. The car ride was a comfortable silence except when we had small talk, talking about our day, and stuff we don’t talk about when we’re texting or talking on the phone.

I talked about my job at FYE, and how they haven’t given me any hours the past couple months. I’m thinking about quitting because of that, but I need to have money to pay for the bills and stuff for mine and Keegan’s house. Keegan has a great job, but I don’t want him to have all the pressure of paying for everything on his shoulders. I know when we talk about me quitting, he’s going to tell me to just quit, and he will pay for everything, but that won’t settle well with me.

We arrived downtown, and there were a lot of people. There were many couples, best friends, and families with small children walking around. We finally found a parking stop a few blocks from the carnival and started our journey. We walked down the sidewalk with our fingers laced, just looking at our surroundings and listening to all the sounds taking place. There were people screaming on the rides, small children smiling because of how much fun they are having, couples displaying public affection when they think no one is looking. I smile at all these things because it just comes to show that little things can make a big impact on people.

“What are you smiling about?” Zacky asked.

“Just everyone around us is having a good time." I smiled at him.

“Well, you’re going to have a good time later tonight.” He smiled.

“Is this about your surprise?” I asked.

“Yep.” He smirked.

“Stop talking about your surprise. I want to know what it is so bad, and nobody is telling me what it is.” I whined.

“Fine, I won’t.” He said.

We got in line to buy some tickets for the rides, knowing that we both wanted to go on a few during our time here. Zacky got us eight tickets each before locking our hands back together and walking around the carnival to see what we wanted to ride first.

“Can we ride the strawberries, please?” I asked, pulling Zacky in the direction of them.

“I guess, but aren’t they a little babyish?” He asked when we got to the line and saw all the little boys and girls standing in line.

“Zack, we don’t have to act like adults tonight, let’s just have fun.” I told him.

“Whatever you say.”

We gave the person operating the ride two tickets each and went to find an empty strawberry. Zacky helped me up the stairs, and we got cozy towards the back of it. He put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me right up against his side. I put my head on his shoulder and waited for the guy to come around to put the stairs up and start the ride.

I like these moments with Zack when there’s nobody around. We don’t have to say anything, and we know how the other one is feeling. I can tell Zack’s nervous about something, but I’m not sure what. Maybe he’s worried that I won’t like his surprise, or he thinks I’m going to have a shitty time here. When I’m with Zacky, I don’t care where we go as long as I’m with him.

I heard footsteps outside around the strawberry. I was expecting to see the guy to put up the steps, but instead, I saw a little girl, about five years old, looking inside at us.

“Can I ride with you guys, please? Everyone is being mean and won’t let me in.” She asked quietly.

This girl was the cutest thing I have ever seen, but I didn’t know what to say to her. I would have let her on in a heartbeat, but I don’t know what Zacky would think if I just let her ride with us.

“Of course you can, sweetie. Hop right on.” Zacky said smiling at her.

I smiled too as I watched her slide in next to Zacky.

“What’s your name?” I asked her.

“Emma, what’s yours?” She asked.

“Well, I’m Charlie, and this is Zacky.” I told her.

“Hi.” She whispered.

“So, why didn’t anyone let you ride with them?” Zacky asked her as the guy was putting up the stairs.

“I came with my older brother and his friends because my mommy couldn’t take me, and he left me all by myself and told me to ride this while he rides on all the big kid rides.”

“Well, that’s not very nice of him.” I told her. “I have an older brother too, and he’s mean to me too, sometimes, and I don’t like it.”

“Me either. Do you have an older brother, Zacky?” Emma asked him.

“No, I have an older sister, but I have a younger brother, but I wasn’t that mean to him.” He told her.

“That’s good. It hurts people feelings when people are mean to others.” She said.

“You are so right.” I said right back.

The ride started making noises, telling us that it was starting. All three of us put our hands on the wheel and started turning. Emma was being so cute, trying to push it like Zacky. Her little hands could barely grasp the wheel, making it difficult for her.

“Emma, why don’t you let go with Charlie, and I’ll spin us really, really fast.” Zack told her, smiling.

“Yeah.” She screamed. “Charlie, let go. I want to go super-fast.”

I laughed and let go of the wheel and let Zacky take control. All I could hear was Emma’s giggling and screaming, and Zacky laughing.

And he said he didn’t even want to go on this ride.

When the ride came to a stop, the guy came back around and put down the stairs so we could get off. Zacky went down first to help me and Emma get down. We walked to the exit, and we heard a guy calling Emma’s name.

“Is that your brother?” I asked her.

“Yes, but I ran out of tickets, so I have to wait for him every time he goes on a ride, and that’s boring.”

I saw Zacky from the corner of my eye reach into his pocket and pull out the rest of our ticket.

“Here, you can have the rest of ours. We are only going to go on one more ride and then go home.” He said, handing them to her.

“Oh Zacky, thank you so much.” She said with a big smile on her face and hugged Zack around his legs.

He chuckled and rubbed her back. She ran off with a smile on her face when her brother called her again, and Zacky started leading me over to the games. We were looking for a game we wanted to play when I saw a zebra stuffed animal.

“Zacky, I want that zebra.” I told him, pointing over at a baseball game.

“Oh, that would be a piece of cake to win. Come on.”

He dragged me over to the game and got the three baseballs that he was going to throw. He did really badly on the first two throws, and he told me that those were practice throws.

Practice my ass.

On the third throw, he got it right in the catcher’s mitt at the speed that was required to get the zebra. I started hopping up and down happily while the worker gave Zacky the stuffed zebra.

“Oh, thank you, Zacky. You’re the best.” I screamed, kissing him on the cheek.

“Anything for you.” Zacky smiled, looking into my eyes.

I blushed and buried my head in his chest. He laughed and rubbed my back.

“Let’s go get something little to eat.” He said.

We started walking over to the food stands and decided on getting an elephant ear to share. When we got finished, it was already dark, and Zacky was directing us to the Ferris wheel.

“I heard that there’s going to be fireworks, and where’s the best place to watch them then at the top of the Ferris wheel.” He said.

We both got into the seat, and we went around three times before we were stopped at the very top.

“How did you get that guy to stop us at the top with no one complaining for him to move the wheel?” I asked him.

“It doesn’t matter. Do you want me to yell down and tell him to move it?” He asked.

“Well no, but…”

“Then don’t complain and just watch.”

I shut my mouth after that, and the fireworks started. They were so beautiful with all the different colors. I put my head on Zacky’s shoulder to enjoy the show more comfortably, and he kissed my forehead before putting his head on mine. I smiled to myself, thinking that this day couldn’t get any better.

Oh, how wrong was I.

The fireworks finale was over, but we weren’t moving yet. I looked around confused, and people still weren’t complaining.

“Why haven’t we moved yet? The show is over.” I asked him.

“I need to ask you something.” Zacky said, getting nervous.

I was getting nervous myself because he was getting nervous. I was scared that he was going to ask me if we could just be friends and not become a couple, or he wanted to have an open relationship and see other people because he didn’t want to just see me. I didn’t know what to think.

“Will you be my girlfriend?”

I let the words process in my brain before smiling really big and answering.

“Yes.”

I put my hand on the side of his face and pulled him into our first kiss as a couple.