Carry You Home.

It had always been a dream of hers to go to visit every state. Cross something off her bucket list each time she reached a new city. Snorkeling in Hawaii, hiking in the Grand Canyon, see the geysers at Yellowstone National Park. Now she stood with her hands gripped against the green metal fence, her upper body extending slightly over the railing to get a better view, a large hat and oversized sunglasses shield the warm rays from her face.

She had never seen so many people, milling around in a single area before. All walks of life seem to have been brought here today, all wanting to bet on the fastest horse. She too wanted in on the action, betting twenty dollars among four horses. She doubted that she would win anything, she has never bet on anything in her life, but it's the thrill of the uncertainty that she seeks out.

She was so enthralled by the constant motion of the horses and jockeys on the dirt track, as well as the clutter of people beneath her on the lower stadium seats that she didn't even notice someone watching her, taking in her every motion, memorizing the dips and curves of her body. Watching her from a safe distance until it would be safe to make a move, to muster up enough courage to find the words that would take her out of the dream like state she is in now.



The three guys took a seat at one of the long picnic tables they have seated by the kiosks of food. Josh along with his brother sitting on one side and one of Josh's closest friend, Avan, sat across from them. Josh had an entire two months off work and he planned spending most of his time in Kentucky catching up with his family. The Kentucky Derby was just one of the things on the long list of stuff Connor; his seventeen year old brother had planned for the two of them.

Josh takes a sip of his Coke absentmindedly, half listening to his younger brother Connor talking about the different horses, but mostly his attention is fixed upon something else; someone else. Slowly he took off his sunglasses to get a better view of her. He was so taken by her beauty, Josh hadn't seen anyone remotely like her, and beautiful people surround him daily.

"Josh, you still with us?" Connor said, once he noticed his brother not paying attention. He followed his gaze to see what, who, Josh was intrigued by.

"You know her?" Avan spoke up, also turning his head to catch a glance at whoever has his friend unable to speak.

Josh shook his head slowly, "I think I'm going to go talk to her."

"Think that's a good idea?" Avan asked concern visible on his face.

"Yeah, wouldn't want to make a fool of yourself," Connor laughed, shoving ketchup covered fries into his mouth.

"How do I look?" Josh looked down at himself; gray shirt under a dark green and blue plaid shirt, dark jeans and a pair of boots. He looked completely ordinary. Josh ripped his ball cap from his head and ran his fingers quickly through his mess of brown hair.

"Like a dumbass," Connor took a jab at his older brother.

Josh ignored, giving Avan a nervous smile before taking a deep breath and making the small walk to the edge of the covered deck, placing his hands on the metal fence that kept people from falling into the stadium seats below.



She glanced over at the man that just walked up beside her; he looked at her oddly and gave her a goofy, lopsided grin. She returned his friendly gesture with a kind smile before returning her gaze back to the horses that started to line up at the gates.

"Did you bet on any of the horses?" The stranger asks.

"Yeah, four of them," she tells him.

"Think any of them will win?"

"No idea, this is my first time here. I've never bet on anything before. Did you bet?"

He shook his head no, continuing to look at her. She smiled at him again bashfully, becoming subconscious of his unnerving gaze. She took off her sunglasses, revealing her cobalt eyes from underneath.

The two of them continued to stare, and smile at each other until the shot of the gun went off and the gates went down, dozens of horses shoot out of their starting spots, fighting each other towards the finish line. Both she and the boy turn their attention to the track to see what horse would take home the first place trophy.

The horse with the green shirted jockey pulled into the lead at the last second, being the first to cross over the victory line, and coming in first. She looked down at the small receipt, tucked neatly into her purse that draped over her small frame and sat at her hip.

"Oh my God, I won!" She laughed and in the heat of the moment threw her tiny arms around the neck of the stranger and hugged him tight. She felt him return her hug without any hesitation, quickly wrapping his arms around her petite waist and picking her up slightly until her toes barely skimmed the ground.

She blushed as she pulled away, she wasn't used to any sort of affection. "Sorry," she said quickly. "I' just excited, I've never won anything before."

"No worries. I'm excited for you, congratulations."

"Thanks," a huge smile plastered to her face.

After a moment of awkward and unsure silence, the man extends his hand. "Hi, I'm Josh."



He was amazed, he isn't wearing a hat or sunglasses, his face is clearly visible, but she doesn't notice who he is. Lately, that hasn't happened. He hasn't gone anywhere, or accidentally bumped into anybody without them showing some sort of reaction to who he is. Maybe she doesn't expect anyone from the silver screen to be at a horse track in Louisville, Kentucky.

"Hi, I'm McKinley," he says sweetly, sliding her hand into his to shake. If she noticed his clammy palms, she didn't say anything, only continued to smile.

Josh didn't know what else to say, all he knew is that he didn't want to let go of her hand, or watch her leave. "Uh, are you from around here?"

"No, I'm from Philly. You?"

"Union, it's an hour and a half north of here if you take 71," he tells her.

"Oh, do you come here often?"

"No, this is my first time actually. My brother really wanted to see the races, so he and a friend of mine took a trip here," he points to the table he came from.

McKinley waves slightly, seeing the two boys sitting at a table close to them. Connor and Avan have their eyes glued to both him and McKinley, unwilling to miss anything.

"They seem nosy," she laughs.

"They aren't bad. If you want you can get your winnings and I'll buy you some lunch?" Josh asks her hopefully.

"Sure, but I'll pay for lunch."

He guides her to the closest food kiosk after collecting her payout of two hundred dollars and together they wait in line. Now that he's closer to her, he starts to take in the finer details. Her hair is short, not like his friend Jennifer, but close. He figured that short hair was a growing trend. He counted the small freckles plastered over the bridge of her nose and the few that dot her rosy cheeks. The color of her cheeks highly contrast with her ivory skin, makes her look like a China doll that you have to keep in a box to prevent it from breaking. He's been short all his life, all of his friends are either much taller than him or just barely, but still he's always been the shortest one. McKinley though, is much shorter than him. Barely coming up to his chin.

"Can I have two cheeseburgers, an order of cheese sticks, a large fry and a large Coke?" McKinley turns to josh, wanting to know if he wanted anything. He shook his head no; amazed that such a little girl would attempt to eat all of that.

Josh carried her tray back to the table, telling Connor to sit beside Avan so he could sit next to McKinley. "McKinley this is my brother Connor and my friend Avan, guys this is McKinley," he introduces her.

"McKinley isn't a common name," Avan says to her, Josh wanted to interrupt him and tell him that she has a pretty name but McKinley spoke up first.

"And Avan is?" She laughs in such a cute and appealing way. "McKinley is my mom's maiden name and my grandpa was so pissed that he only had a daughter and wouldn't be carrying on the name, so my parents named me it so it would shut him up about taking my dad's last name. My grandpa claims we're related to William McKinley, one of the presidents, but he also says he invented toilet paper, so who the hell knows if that's true."

All three of the boys laugh, causing her to give a bright smile that makes Josh forget how to breathe. He coughed, trying to bring oxygen back to his hungry lungs.

"You okay?" McKinley asks as she brushes her bangs behind her ear and reaching for her Coke. "Want a drink?" She took a quick drink through her straw before handing it to him.

Still looking at her, he took a large gulp, then handed it back. "Thanks."

"Welcome," McKinley said before turning back to her food.

Everyone watched as she took a bite out of the first burger before Josh started in the conversation Connor and Avan were having before he left the table to introduce himself to McKinley. She joined in on the conversation whenever her mouth wasn't full of beef patty, bun, and condiments.

"You ate all of that?" Connor asked with big, amazed eyes just as McKinley swallows the last bite of her cheese sticks.

"Yeah, I might get some ice cream. Any of you want some?"

"Where does it go? You're the size of my pinky!" Connor holds up the smallest of his fingers on his right hand for reference.

McKinley puts her head down, she obviously embarrassed. "Connor!" Josh scolds quickly.

"No, it's fine," McKinley tries to give a reassuring smile. "I have a really fast metabolism, it'll probably catch up to me one day and I'll end up confined to my bed."



She didn't want to tell him why she has the appetite she does, she just these three, why should she indulge them with her life secrets? So McKinley lied. Josh gave a harsh look to his brother before returning back to a gentle facade.

They returned to the light conversation that they were having before, Josh cracking jokes at his brother’s expense. McKinley joined in, laughing along with them carrying on the conversations when no one else seemed to want to talk.

She noticed how Josh kept his attention focused on her. She also noticed how he fidgeted with his hands, ringing them together then wiping the sweat onto his jeans, grabbing the edges of the bench they sat on, and then repeat. McKinley found the constant moving slightly annoying, but also cute as she thought he was nervous or something of that matter. While Connor and Avan were busy arguing about something unimportant, she quickly dropped her hand to Josh's lap, halting his squirming altogether.

Josh quickly looked down at her to find her smiling up at him then mouthing the word 'stop'. He muttered an apology, his cheeks warming, but this didn't stop McKinley from lacing her fingers with his to prevent him to continue is habits, even though his hands were moist with sweat, it didn't seem to bother her.

"So McKinley, are you a fan of Josh?" Connor asks suddenly, steering the conversation into a different direction.

"I'm not sure, what do you do?" McKinley asks Josh with a curious expression.

Avan lets out a small breath of air that's meant to be a laugh but both McKinley and Josh ignore him. "I've been in a couple movies actually."

"Oh, what movies have you been in?" She asks truly fascinated.

"The Hunger Games, we just finish the sequel. It'll be out at the end of this year, have you seen it?"

McKinley shook her head no. To be honest, she forgets the last time she's watched a movie, or even television for that matter. Her priorities have been elsewhere for a large chunk of her life. She has read the book though, and remembers that she enjoyed the entire series. It even made her cry at some points. "I've read the books though, if that counts."

"Do you live under a rock?" Connor laughs, making another joke.

McKinley shrugs her shoulders, not knowing what to say exactly. "Who do you play?" She asks to take the focus off of her.

"Uh, Peeta. I play Peeta."

"Wow, maybe I'll watch it sometime, decide if you're any good or not," McKinley smiles, making Connor and Avan laugh out loud.

"Not to toot my own horn or anything but I think I did a damn good job."



She hasn't seen The Hunger Games, that's why she didn't recognize Josh. His role as Peeta is what he is known for now. In a way, her ignorant knowledge makes Josh find her even more attractive, he has nothing to live up to.

Connor wanted to see the last few races so the four of them threw away their trash from lunch and made their way down to the stadium seats, finding four quickly that has a good view of the finish line. McKinley sat down first followed by Josh then Avan and lastly Connor, taking the seat next to the steps. Josh put his hat and sunglasses back on, and then extended his arm around the back of McKinley's chair, resting his hand on her shoulder.

Normally he wouldn't dare be so bold. He wouldn't go up to a stranger and just introduce himself, invite her to have lunch with his brother and friend, and then watch the remainder of the race with his arm wrapped around her shoulders. But he couldn't help himself with her, he was just drawn to her, it wasn't something he could explain, or something he even wanted to question. McKinley didn't seem to mind so Josh just went with what felt right. And when her arm gripped onto Josh's thigh as she encouraged the leading horse to run faster, and left it there once the race was over, Josh knew that his feelings were correct.

After the races were over, it was time for Josh and McKinley to part ways but Josh wasn't ready for that.

"Want to grab some dinner? My treat," Josh asks McKinley. It was almost a plea.

"Sure, I'll drive," she offers.

Josh smiles, "I'll just tell them that I'm ditching them then we can leave."

Josh got playful grins from both his brother and friend once he told him that he wasn't going to join them for dinner tonight. They made jokes about him getting lucky, and it was about time, having broken up with his ex-girlfriend a few months ago.

Josh just tells them to shut up, but to stay close because he'll still need a ride back to his parents’ house, where they were staying, before retreating to a waiting McKinley, allowing her to lead him back to her parked car, waiting for what tonight would bring.