I’m stuck on a ferris wheel, not a nice ferris wheel like the one at Disneyland, but an old, dirty one. For the record I have always hated ferris wheels and apparently my best friend knows that. Said best friend who is currently standing beneath the broken, bright yellow ferris wheels screaming apologies to me.

She yelled, “I'm sorry, okay?! How was I supposed to know that the ferris wheel would break?” You know what, I’m just going to ignore her considering this is her entire fault. Well I know shouldn’t have taken the dare, but I also wanted to prove that  I’m not pathetically scared of ferris wheels. Which I am. Which explains the current hyperventilating which is making it increasingly hard to simultaneously continue to ignore my friend and my current situation.

“Can you shut your friend up?” a voice yells. My eyes follow the voice up. Unbelievable. It’s Jack. This boy who I went to elementary school with and middle school and high school. Clearly, college has not made him any more mature.

“Clearly college hasn’t made you any more mature!” I loudly reply.

“I could say the same to you, considering your friend has been yelling for what seems like eternity, and you can’t even find the decency to answer her!” I scoff at him and roll my eyes.

“Do you know when we’re going to get down from here?” He asks me.

“The guy said around 20 minutes” I reply irritably while gesturing to the poor guy next to the controls. At the moment he looks about as happy as I feel.

“What’s going on up there?”

“Nothing,” I shout down to my friend.

“No way! Is that Jack?”

“Sadly yes!” I shout back down to her.

“Oooo, Tell him I say hi.”

“She doesn’t need to tell me Sadie because I’m pretty sure the entire carnival can hear you,” Jack interjects.

“Wow I can see you haven’t changed since high school.”

“That’s what I said!” I say with gigantic smile on my face.

“Oh spare me the lecture you two!” At this point I’m the only one not laughing due to the fact that my heart is beating so fast and I really really really don’t want to die.

“Just breathe Jamie” Sadie yells to me while continuing to laugh. “You’re not going to die.”

“Yeah you’re looking a little pale there.”

“Ok well it’s not that I’m not enjoying this friendly banter, but I’m starving and there happens to be a cute guy standing by the funnel cakes.”

“What? You’re leaving me with him!” I screech indignantly while pointing at Jack sitting above me,“In my time of need!”

“Yep. Just call me when you get down!” Unbelievable. Now it’s uncomfortable because it’s just me, Jack, and an old married couple.

“So” He sayselongating the O and highlighting the awkward silence. “How are you?”

“I’m doing just fine.”

“While judging by the fact you’re white-knuckling your seat right now I would say that’s a lie.” I begin to reply, but he continues to talk. “You know fear of ferris wheels is quite irrational and obviously you’re scared why’d you even get on in the first place?”

“Sadie dared me.”

“What are we, still in third grade?”

“ I am, but you got held back in second.”

“Ahah there’s those snarky responses I’ve so dearly missed.”

“Yeah well there’s a lot more where that’s coming from” I reply cheekily.

“Oh I hope so.” He’s smiling. Oh no, now I’m smiling. This is turning out to be far more enjoyable than it was supposed to be. Well I guess that’s not a bad thing. Wait yes, yes it is a bad thing because the thing making it more enjoyable is Jack Donahue from high school.

“Uh-huh,” I stutter out, uncomfortable at the realization that I was just flirting and enjoying it.

“So how’s college?” he asks.

“Really good actually. For the first couple weeks it was really scary but after that…” I slowly stop talking as I think of how to finish my sentence. I guess I can’t even hold an actual conversation now. “It’s just really good,” I finish lamely.

“Yea same for me, but water polo turned out to be a lot more time consuming than I thought it would so I’ve just been really busy.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Definitely, two practices a day; it’s absolutely insane,” he says while gaining animation. “I have to be up at 5:30 almost every single day”

“I could never get up that early.”

“So what else do you think about college, you know other than it being good?” he asks while chuckling. I don’t have my glasses on, but for some reason I think he has a dimple on his left cheek that I’ve never noticed before.

“Oh well,” I pause while I’m thinking, “I made a lot of new friends and I absolutely adore my roomate. She’s this crazy party girl and really nice. I was able to meet people quicker with her.”

“That’s really cool.” He hesitates while raking a hand through his already profusely messed up black hair. “So I take she introduced you to a bunch of guys?” There’s something in his voice, I’m just not sure what it is.

“Well every guy seems attractive compared to the batch we went to high school with,” I reply laughing. He dramatically gasps and takes on a fake horrified expression.

“I’m extremely offended. I consider myself to be extremely good-looking and quite a few people have said the same thing.”

“Think what you want to think,” I say flippantly, trying to egg him on.

“Who rides on a ferris wheel by themselves anyway. Sadie dared you, she could’ve at least gone with you.”

“Then she would be up here and not down there flirting with cute frat boys.” He nodds seeming to understand.

“Well at least you’re not freaking out anymore.” I notice he’s right. I’m not freaking out anymore, if anything I’m having fun. “I’ll take credit for that. It must be result of my charm and stunningly distracting appearance.”

“There’s the arrogant boy I remember from high school.” Suddenly the ride jerks to life underneath me. The lights lining the ride resume twinkling as they had when I had gotten on.

“Okay Folks, rides fixed! Once you’re down you’re all welcome to pick up a complimentary gift certificate at the front entrance!” the ride operator says with fake enthusiasm.

“Oh thank goodness.” Relief flushes through me as I pull out my phone to text Sadie that I’ve officially made my way back to Earth.

“See you’re just being overdramatic,” Jack says, rudely interrupting my ecstatic happiness.

“You just don’t understand,” I shoot back, shaking my head and chuckling.

“I guess you’re right.” He pauses and then says, “It’s a shame that we go to different colleges, I’ve definitely missed these little talks.” What does he mean by that? What does he mean by that?!

“I agree,” I say while I try to regain my composure.

“We could always text though. What a shame I don’t have your phone number.” He suggestively raises one eyebrow.

“Yes, what a shame.” That was cool right? I seem cool? I’m trying to come off aloof, but I’m about as aloof as a pregnant hippopotamus. He’s holding his phone out now. I think I’m supposed to put my number in. Euphoria is shoots through me. Jack wants my phone number. To put it elegantly, he’s hot. I wouldn’t really let myself acknowledge it before, but now that he’s standing in front of me looking uncomfortable and blushing, well, now I think it’s okay.

“Fine,” I huff while snatching his phone and quickly putting my number in with trembling fingers. I hope he doesn't notice my trembling fingers.

“Jamie!” Sadie’s voice comes out of nowhere as I am return Jack’s phone. “C’mon!” she yells from across the fair while gesturing for me to follow her.

“I guess I better go,” I reluctantly say turning back towards Jack.

“I’ll text you.” That’s all he says with a smile on his face while he turns and begins to walk away.

“Okay.” When I reach Sadie her attention is no longer on me.

“What are you looking at?” I ask turning around to see what she’s seeing.

“What’s Jack doing?” she asks in a suspicious voice. I narrow my eyes, trying to make out his movements. Jack’s wallet is already out and he’s handing the ferris wheel operator money who just takes the money, shakes his head, and laughs. I’m watching as he turns around to face a group of what are presumably his friends and flashing them a thumbs up.