Freaks and Fortune

"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means just what it sounds like."
"He doesn't want time-"
"But he needs it," I finished for Ravi.

He hid his head in his hands.

"Everything will be okay, Ravi," I soothed. "Your father understands everything. Anthony understands why you were mad. I understand, everyone understands. Everything will be okay in time."
"I don't want time!" he whined.

I patted his wet head. Some of the black dye came off onto my fingers.

"Everything will work itself out."

He sighed and turned away from me to pick up the sandwich. I got up to leave, but he stopped me.

"Hey, Ivy?"
"Yeah?"
"Uh... Thanks."

I smiled.

"Any time, Ravi."

-_-_-_-

The day was surprisingly nice. The heat in Texas during the Summer was normally crushing. But, for some reason, today the sky had decided to grace us with clouds. A cool breeze washed over my face as I wandered around the fair grounds. Saturday was our busiest day... It was actually a miracle that I had the day off. I had a feeling that Anthony had something to do with it. Sometimes it's good having friends in high places.

"Ivy!"

I turned around to see Cal jogging toward me, politely pushing customers out of the way. He was wearing the black jeans that went with his fire-breathing costume and a black tank top that I recognized as Aqua's. It was a little too tight for him, but that's probably why he was wearing it.

"'Scuse me, 'scuse me, 'scuse me," he muttered, dodging people in the crowd. "Ivy, wait!"

I stopped walking and waited for Cal to weed his way through the bustling mob. He caught up to me and paused for a second, out of breath.

"Hi..." I said slowly. "What?"

He opened his mouth to say something, but then snapped it shut.

"Uh..." he muttered. "Come on."

His biker boots crunched in the dead grass as he shuffled away. Confused, I stayed where I was. Cal walked a few more steps and turned around to check if I was following him. When he saw that I wasn't, he walked back and slipped his first two fingers through a belt loop on my jeans.

"Hey, hey!" I yelled, but he ignored me and tugged me along.

I was led to my deserted Kissing Booth, where he pulled me in through the side door and to the back of the shaded area. We were thrown into a cool darkness. Everything was tinted blue.

Cal sat down and I was forced to follow, as his fingers were still in the belt loop on my hip.

"What is it?" I asked, annoyed.
Cal took a deep breath, but then shook his head.

He took his fingers from my jeans and dug around in his pant's pockets. He finally sighed in relief and pulled out a crumpled pack of cigarettes.

I gasped as he slipped a thin smoke between his lips and snapped his fingers, producing a small flame.

"Cal!" I cried.

He lit the cigarette and had time to take half a drag before I flicked it away from his mouth. It spun upwards and landed near my foot. I stubbed it out with the toe of my sneaker, ignoring Cal's cries of protest.

"What was that for?" he whined.
I scowled at him.

"What do you think you're doing?" I demanded. "You don't even smoke!"
"Yeah, I do!"
I gave him a stern look.
"Okay, I know I don't," he sighed. "I just always keep a pack with me. Just in case."

He was leaning back on the wall of the booth, squinting his eyes at the sun.

"In case of what?" I asked, my anger giving away to curiosity.
"Zombie apocalypse."
"Cal."
"In case I get stressed."
"Are you stressed right now?"

He laughed humorlessly.

"Oh, yeah."
"About what?"
"You."

He avoided my eyes.

"Me?"

His fingers danced near his pockets, itching for another cigarette.

"Yeah. I... I..." he stumbled. "I feel like you're giving me mixed signals here."
"What?"
"Sometimes you act like you can't stand me... and then you go off asking me these random questions!"
"Cal-"
"I mean, how do I feel not being able to really touch anything? When you asked me that the other day... It was... Jesus, Ivy! That's so... so..."

He couldn't find the words, so he reached into his pocket. I slapped his hand and he groaned in frustration.

"Look, I'm sorry," I began to say. "I didn't mean to-"
"It scares me!" he exclaimed, ignoring me completely. "You know how to look straight through me with one question. It's like... I don't even know! I don't know if that's supposed to be friendly or if you're coming on to me, or what!"
"Okay, hold it!" I warned sternly. "I never came on to you."
"Yeah, whatever."
"Cal!"
"I'm stressed out right now because of you, Ivy," he said calmly, looking me straight in the eyes. "You like me."

I gasped angrily.

"That's it," I said. "I'm going. You're clearly delusional."

I got up to leave, but Cal quickly reached up and grabbed my belt loop again. I stumbled and fell back down next to him.

"I'm not being conceited, babe," he told me seriously. "I'm just stating a fact."
"Well, your facts are obviously wrong."
"No need to get defensive!" he said. I could detect a slight teasing tone.
"Let go of me."

He took his fingers out of my belt loop.

"Cal," I addressed him. "Look me in the eyes."
He did so.
"I do not have feelings for you."

His tiny smile didn't falter. Even as I got up to leave, he smiled.

He smiled like he knew a secret.