Chapter 10: All is Fair

**MIKES POV**

The fair was being held down by the ocean on the beach. It was pretty cool, something I would have loved to bring my daughter too, but tonight was just Stacey and me. I looked at all the rides and lights. There was a ton of people around. I'm really glad for once to have Tre or Billie with me. With Stacey I can stay anonymous.

"I come here every year. Even if I have to come by myself. I usually drag my brother along. If he's here that is. I love fairs they remind me of the simple times of childhood." Stacey looked up at me with those beautiful eyes.

"Yeah, that kind of innocence and carefree nature is great. I would love to be able to have that now." I replied. Stacey didn't say anything she just nodded her head and took my hand in hers holding on tight. Who knew that holding someone's hand could mean so much. I never did until now. Tonight. As you we walked, I looked down at her to see her eyes brighten and her smile grow on her face.

"Hey, you want some cotton candy or something. We could share?" She looked up at me at that moment and caught me staring at her. Her face went red but she kept looking at me instead of looking away.

"Sure, I like cotton candy. All that sugar." Next thing I knew she was dragging me through a small crowd to the cotton candy stand. Five minutes late we had a huge cone of green cotton candy. I realized the irony of that. She just grinned at me knowing she'd done it on purpose. She seemed to be enjoying this immensely. As long as she was happy and our last conversation was out of her mind my mission was complete.

After the cotton candy we went around to the different booths. Stacey ended up winning a medium size red and black stuffed dragon from the ring toss…..she had tried four times. I offered to try but she was determined to do it herself. I had to smile when she finally won it.

"Yay, I gots me a dragon." She looked at me with a goofy grin. I had to laugh.

"What are you gonna name it?" I asked a minute later I regretted that question.

"Well at first I was gonna name him Mike but I thought about it and he doesn't look like a Mike so I decided on hmmmm…….Norbert." I had to giver her a funny look.

"Norbert? Why Norbert?"

"Yeah you know like off of the Harry Potter books?" I just looked at her blankly. I knew my daughter liked the series but I had never read nor wanted too.

"WHAT? I read the books, the animal is a dragon. I thought it would fit." She explained laughing at me. "Fine, what would you name it?"

"Tre." I replied without hesitation. I had to laugh at her reaction. Her mouth fell open as she thought about it, the next thing I knew she had her head back laughing loudly, catching the attention of an elderly couple nearby.

She looked at the dragon and shook her head.

"Okay, Tre it is. Norbert wasn't that good anyway. And he kinda does look like Tre." She was still laughing when she put her arm through mine pulling herself up against my side.

~This girl is going to kill me.~ I thought. I could feel sparks with every touch. I wondered if she could as well. I untangled my arm from hers and put it around her pulling her even closer. ~If I don't kill myself first.~ Doing this I heard the elderly lady say something about young love. I smiled at her which she returned. Could she see something we couldn't yet?

"Hey Mike lets go on a ride!" Stacey looked excited about going on a ride so I had to agree. I could have gone without but on second thought I could have more chances of holding her close if we went on a ride. Plus, I knew I would do anything she wanted to do.

"Okay you choose." I prayed it wouldn't be a fast ride. I wasn't up to one tonight.

"Hmm….how about that one?" I followed her finger and saw she was pointing to the Ferris wheel. I had to keep from rolling my eyes.

"What you wanna get stuck up at the top?" I took her hand once more as we walked over to the line. It wasn't that long.

"Yeah, that would be cool. It has a really great view and if we get stuck up there we could you know do something." Stacey replied and continued looking like she hadn't said anything.

~Did she just say what I thought she said? Maybe I imagined it.~ I thought looking at her trying to find a clue that she had actually said it. I kept watching and finally she blushed and smiled. ~No way….I didn't imagine it.~

"So you're not really as shy as you put on are you?" I risked asking the question. She laughed.

"Yes, I am but I don't really ever let my personality show through until I either get to know someone really well, or I get comfortable enough with them, or I really like them. Sometimes all three." She replied walking up to the ticket holder. Handing our tickets over we got on the ride. I knew that if we did indeed get stuck at the top that I would definitely be kissing her. I realized that tonight she had done most of the talking. I am usually never this quiet around girls but I have a feeling that Tre would understand where I'm coming from. Wow. I have something in common with Tre. Who knew. I

We got locked up and everything and the wheel started moving. It moved around and I almost thought we were going to actually get stuck at the top but it wasn't gonna happen. But I was completely surprised when Stacey touched me face getting my attention. Next thing I knew she was kissing me. It took a minute to realize what was going on before I joined in.

It didn't last that long but it was great. I know I didn't want it to end. And I personally thought that it ended all too soon.

Stacey slowly pulled away and looked up at me. I saw her smile and her face turned a little red. I think she even surprised herself.

"Wow." That was all I could really say.

"Yeah, wow." Her smile got even bigger if that was possible. The ride was over way too soon in my opinion. We got off and stood off to the side looking around deciding what to do next.

"Now what do you want to do?" I asked her. I knew what I wanted to do but hey what can I say I'm a guy. "Or where do you want to go?" I looked down at her while she looked around in interest. She frowned.

"Hmmm….I don't know! There's so many different places, games, booths, and rides to choose from," Suddenly her eyes got big and she smiled , "Oh, come on!" She grabbed my hand and dragged me toward a booth. It took me a moment before I realized what this booth was.

There was a young guy sitting at a table. When we walked over he got a smile on his otherwise bored looking face.

"Stacey babe, what's going on?" The guy said. Obviously he knew Stacey but I couldn't figure out how until she spoke.

"Hey James. Would you be willing to give me a tat?" She asked. I saw him shake his head. She turned to me waving me over to her.

"James, I would like you to meet Mike. Mike this is James. I just call him Jay cuz he's my bitch and has done most of all my tattoos." I saw James' eyes go wide as I shook his hand. He recognized me.

"Nice to meet you man." I said as I sat next to Stacey. She automatically grabbed me hand and gave it a squeeze.

"Yeah, I just don't like needles but I really want these tattoos." She stood up still holding my hand and got a piece of paper out of her pocket. Opening it up I saw it was a drawing of two stars with words in them.

"Where are you getting them?" I watched her hand the picture to Jay. Who kept looking at us out of the corner of his eye.

"I want them here and here. She pointed to her wrists." I then remember when we all went out to dinner her telling me about wanting some there.

"Oh, okay." I stood up and walked over to James.

"Dude, if you let me pay for these without her knowing I'll give you an autograph." I told him quietly. I could feel Stacey's eyes on me.

"Sure thing dude, I'll just tell her they're on the house for being such a loyal customer." He replied smiling. I walked back over to Stacey taking her hand once more. James walked back over with the stencils and put one on her left wrist. Fifteen, Twenty minutes later he had the first one done. About an hour later he had the second one done. She looked like she had tried to commit suicide with both of her wrists wrapped up.

She walked outside and I slipped James the money along with the autograph.

"Man, whenever you want a tattoo have Stacey get a hold of me." James said as I walked out the booth. "Sure, man will do."

"You hungry?" I asked. Her stomach answered itself by growling. We laughed.

"I'll take that as a yes." I took her hand and we went to look for food. "I don't know if I'll be able to eat. My hand might be broken. I'll have to get it checked out first." I teased her. Her face turned red once more and I picked up her hand laughing and gave it a kiss.

We finally found a booth selling actual food. Stacey decided on a corndog while I got a sandwich. By now it was getting late. We had been at the fair for four hours.

"Time sure does fly when you having fun." I said. Looking up at Stacey. She had just taken a bite of her corndog so she could only shake her head in agreement.

After we ate we decided to got back to the apartment. It was officially late. Midnight. We had been here since eight. But I had fun and I think Stacey did too.

We got to the care and I drove back as slow as I dared. It only took about fifteen or twenty minutes. I figured that the date was pretty much over so I had planned on leaving her at her door but she must have had other plans.

Like the gentleman I am, I walked her to her door. I wasn't quite sure what to say to her.

"I had a lot of fun tonight, Mike! You're a great date." She smiled and took my hand. "Does it hurt still?" She asked me.

" A little." I decided to play along with her and see what happened. She could tell what I was doing but didn't let on. She just picked up my hand and kissed it on the knuckle. I smiled.

"I had a lot of fun too." I decided to do it. "Well, I guess that we should really do this again." I leaned down toward her and kissed her. A few moments later our lips touched and man did the sparks fly. Neither of us was surprised this time. I had never experienced anything like it before not even with Anastasia. I pulled back reluctantly. I gave her a hug also before turning to go back to my car. But before I reached the stairs I heard her call me.

"Hey Mike, are you sure you don't need ice for that hand?" She had already unlocked the door.

"Yeah, I think ice will really help." I walked back toward her after hearing my car alarm beep.

~This night just keeps getting better.~ I thought. I was going to leave everything up to Stacey. Maybe I'll actually be able to leave here with her being my girlfriend instead of just a friend. But for now friends will do.

I followed her back to the door and walked in closing it softly behind me.