Tonight Our Dreams Come True

Part 2

It was August 6th 1946, the night of the carnival in Baltimore. Jack was there with his best friends Alex and Rian. Jack usually loved to spend time with his friends but he just wasn’t in the mood today.

The night before, Jack’s longtime girlfriend had dumped him. Every time it was he was too poor, too dirty, too thin, not enough muscle. Jack couldn’t win. It made him depressed to think that everywhere he went, people judged him. Clearly, the last place Jack wanted to be was in public, even with his best friends. He’d rather be at home watching Home Alone for the 10,000 time, but sadly Alex forced him out of the house. He said it was unhealthy for a newly single guy to be moping around the house. Jack wished Alex wasn’t right.

Even Though it was nice to get out of the house, the carnival was still the last place Jack wanted to be, especially since Alex’ girlfriend, Kelsey, was there too. Not that Jack had anything against Kelsey. He loved her and they made the perfect couple. Happy, perfect couples just reminded Jack about his sitty lovelife and the last thing Jack wanted to be right now was a “third wheel.” At least Kelsey had brought along a few of her friends as well. She knew Jack wasn’t in a good place and her and Alex came to the conclusion that he needed a little ‘guy time.’

“These stupid carnival games!” Alex yelled, slamming another doller onto the counter. “They’re fixed! I just know it!”

“You’re just saying that because you know you suck at ring toss,” Rian said, flawlessly tossing another ring onto another bottle, winning his fifth prize. “Here Jacky, this one is for you,” he said, handing Jack a cute, small, stuffed panda.

“Oh, thanks Rian,” Jack said, slightly sarcastically while grabbing the stuffed toy from Rian’s grasp. “I’ve always wanted one of these,” he said, before running to Alex’ side for moral support.

“Shit! Missed again!” Alex shouted, frustrated with this damn game.

“Holy crap...” Jack said, under his breath. He snatched Alex’ last ring out of his hand and with one swift quick motion, threw the ring onto the bottle in the center of the booth.

Rian and Alex stared at Jack with their jaws to the ground. Jack looked at his two best friends confused. “What?” he asked, shrugging his shoulders like it was no big deal.

A man in a red a white striped shirt appeared from behind the booth. “So who’s the lucky winner?” he asked staring at Rian, assuming it was him. Rian shook his head and pointed at Jack. The man’s eyes grew wide in disbelief.

“Him? Are you sure?” he asked still in shock.

“Yes!” Jack yelled out, annoyed with the lack of faith everyone had in him. “is it really that hard to believe?”

The man caught hold of reality. “Oh no,” he said. “Pick your prize sir....”

Jack turned to Alex and gave him a soft smile. “You heard him,” Jack said, gesturing towards the booth. “Pick your prize.”

Alex smile back at Jack. “Jack you won it, so it’s...”

“No Alex!” Jack said, stopping him from saying ‘it’s yours.’ “Clearly, we aren't going to leave here until you win something for Kelsey. Besides, I have this thing.” Jack said holding up the panda Rian gave him.

Alex’ smile grew wider. “Thanks Jacky!” He said, pulling Jack into a big bear hug.

The man in the booth started tapping his foot, impatiently. “Come on boys, we don’t have all day for this love-fest!”

“Oh sorry,” Alex said making his way over to the man.

Alex pick out a gigantic, four foot tall, stuffed tabby cat for Kelsey. It was the largest prize at the ring toss, and of course, Alex had to have it!

The three of them spotted Kelsey and her small posse of friends from across the lawn. Immediately, Alex picked up speed, heading right towards her.

Sneaking up behind her, Alex placed the cat at his feet and put his hands over her eyes.

“Guess who?” he, whispering close to her ear, making a smile creep onto Kelsey’s face.

“Well your hands are too warm to be Santa Claus,” Kelsey said, with disappointment in her voice. “So I guess the next best thing would be my fantastic boyfriend!”

“Right!” Alex said, spinning her around and planting a kiss right on her soft lips.

“Oh darn,” Kelsey said, placing her hands on her hips.”I was really hoping for the other one.”

Alex pulled Kelsey even closer. “Where is he? I’ll kill him!” he said, playing along with her joke making Kelsey laugh as she settled into his arms.

“You’re so sexy when you’re fighting for you woman,” she said, planting a kiss on Alex’ cheek.

“Well then I must be a god damn, sexy beast right now!” Alex responded. He let go of Kelsey and picked up the cat that was on the ground and held it in front of her face. “Look what this sexy beast got his damsel in distress.”

“Alex, baby, it’s perfect!” Kelsey said, snatching the gigantic stuffed animal from his grasp pulling it tightly to her chest with a hug.

“Oh great,” Alex said with a huff. “Now I have to compete with this guy.”

“Oh baby, you’re no competition for this guy,” Kelsey said, throwing the cat behind her and placing a hard, passionate kiss on Alex’s lips. Alex quickly responded, pulling his girlfriend closer, kissing her back.

Jack rolled his eyes. ‘So much for guy time’ he thought to himself as he aimlessly wandered over to the stuffed cat Kelsey threw to the ground. It was getting pretty dirty, so he thought he would be helpful and keep it until Kelsey wasn’t... busy. Besides, Jack’s panda needed a friend.

His hand reached down to grab the head of the cat when Jack noticed another hand on it’s leg. “Um, this isn’t your’s. It’s my....” Jack looked up to see a young girl, not much older than he, staring straight at him with confusion. She had long, smooth hair that was curled carefully in perfect ringlets.

Her dark brown eyes looked down at the cat and then back up at Jack. “Oh I don’t think so beanpole! This is my friend’s, over there,” she said, gesturing over to Kelsey who was practically on top of Alex at this point, not a sight Jack wanted to really see.

“Yeah, I know” He said, in a sassy tone trying to erase the fact that this girl just called him ‘beanpole’. I mean, he’s been called worse, but Jack didn’t even know this girl. WHo was she to be giving him nicknames based on his body type? “That’s why I’m getting it for her.”

“Well, she’s my best friend so I guess that’s my job,” She said, before fully yanking the stuffed cat out of Jack’s hands and skipping over to her other friends that were all sitting at a table near Kelsey and Alex. “See you later, beanpole,”

Jack stood there in disbelief. He had mix emotions and didn’t know what to think about what just happened. Rian wandered over, put his arm around Jack and chuckled to himself.

“So, I see you’ve met Anna,” he said, finally putting a name to the sassy girl Jack just interacted with.

“Um, yeah...” Jack said rubbing the back of his neck. “Rian?” he asked. “Do you belive in love at first sight..”