Clara had no idea what she should wear. It was late August and although it could be warm during the day, it was going to get cool at night, especially at an outdoor concert near the lake. She was rummaging through her closet trying to decide when she glanced across her room and saw the time on her alarm clock. She needed to find something soon because John was going to be there in fifteen minutes.

John called an Uber and was waiting for it to arrive. He looked down at himself and hoped what he was wearing would be fine. It was a warm day, so he opted for a grey Paul Smith graphic tee and jeans, but was carrying a light black hoody because Clara told him it could get cold at night. He was feeling somewhat nervous about today, sure that he had psyched himself out last night by overthinking everything. It was just two friends hanging out, that was all. His Uber arrived and as he gotin, his mobile rang.

"Hello," he said answering it without looking to see who it was.

"Hey mate! What are ya up to," Jamie's voice rang out from the other end.

"Oh hey," John said, surprised to hear from his friend. "I just got in an Uber."

"Going out or heading home? I was going to see if you wanted to grab a pint."

"Might be hard to do since I'm in Canada," John replied. "But how about when I get back."

"Canada? You in Toronto again?"

"I am."

"Going to see Clara by any chance?"

Maybe Jamie could help put his mind at ease if he opened up a little to him.

"I am actually. We're going to a concert tonight."

"That sounds fun. Well, I won't keep you then," Jamie said as he was about to hang up.

"It's okay, I've got some time until I'm at her place." John wanted to chat some more, but wasn't sure if he wanted to tell Jamie about his revaluation he had during this trip.

"Going to pick a lass up for a concert, it's like you're 20 all over again."

"This is crazy, right?" John said.

"What's crazy? Having a social life?"

"No, I mean, spending time with someone who's so much younger than me," John said.

"What's wrong with that? You said you and she get a long really well."

"Yeah, we do."

"So then who cares what anyone thinks about you two hanging out. If she makes you happy and you have fun, that's all that matters," Jamie encouraged him.

"I suppose you're right."

"Look, I know you better than anyone I know and you're likely overthinking this whole situation. Just go out today, relax and have fun. The only two people I want you to think about are her and yourself, no one else deserves the time, okay?"

"Yeah, good idea."

John was so glad that Jamie had called because he really did put his mind at ease. Today was just about having fun and to not think about anything or anyone else. He chatted more with Jamie until the Uber turned down Clara's street, but before saying goodbye the two men agreed to meet for a pint on Wednesday after work.

Clara was just pulling her black crewneck tee over her head when she heard her doorbell. She pulled it down and went out to answer the door.

"Hi," she said, noting John's casual appearance. "Come on in."

She walked back in towards the living room, John closing the door and following her.

"I still need to put my makeup on," Clara said as she stepped into her bathroom.

"You don't already have it on?" John questioned, as he took a seat on the couch.

"Can't you tell?"

"Guess you just have a natural beauty," John said, without thinking what that could imply.

Clara smiled as she was applying some eyeshadow. She had been feeling nervous that things might be awkward between them after last night, but his comment put her at ease. She finished putting the rest of her look together and stepped out of the washroom.

"All done," she said. "I just need to grab my bag."

Clara disappeared into her room and came back out with a messenger bag hanging across her body and a black cardigan in her hand.

"Do you want to put your hoody in my bag?" Clara asked as she was stuffing her sweater inside it.

"That would be great, thanks." John handed it to her as he stood up. "I hate carrying stuff."

"Me too. I like to have my hands free. So how do you want to get down there? We could take a cab or the very crowded streetcar."

"Well when you put it like that, cab it is," he said.

Clara chuckled as she put her converse on. "Wise choice."

Clara opened her bag to check for her wallet, mobile, sunglass and tickets, all of which were there inside. She picked her keys up off the hall table and the duo made their way out to the street to find a cab.

"So you've never told me how much I owe you for the ticket," John said as they got into a taxi.

"Oh don't worry about it. Consider this my treat and a thank you for the guitar lessons."

John tilted his head at Clara and gave her a look that said he wasn't sure about her proposition.

"You already thanked me with dinner," he answered.

"Okay then, consider it a nice thing."

John sighed, knowing Clara wasn't going to tell him or let him pay her back. "Well, thank you then, but now it's my turn to do a nice thing and you're not paying for anything today."

"I feel like if I disagree, this could go back and forth until we get to the Ex, so I'm just going to say thank you." Clara flashed him a grin and he smiled and nodded.

"It was a pleasure doing business with you," John said. "So what is there to do at this Ex?"

"A lot. There's carnival rides, games, live music, crazy food, and shopping."

"Define crazy food?" John asked.

"I read that they have something called a Snickle dog, which is a hot dog wrapped inside a tortilla with pickles and a Snickers bar, all deep fried."

"That sounds disgusting," John replied.

"Agreed, but they do have a lot of other weird, but less disgusting options," Clara chuckled.

The two chatted more about what they were going to do and once they arrived at the main entrance Clara took John straight through towards the midway.

"This place looks huge," John said as they were walking through crowds of people.

"Yeah, it's one of the major events in the city, that a lot of people look forward to every year. At first, I didn't really understand the appeal, but I've been coming every year since I moved here and kind of understand why now."

"That's nice that you've started to make traditions."

"I suppose it is. I hadn't really thought of it before. You hungry?" Clara asked feeling her stomach grumble and remembering she hadn't had lunch.

"I am."

"Okay, let's make our way to the food pavilion."

The pair maneuvered through the busy midway, stopping occasionally to watch someone trying to win a giant stuffed dog, or to watch people screaming on a spinning ride. Eventually they found themselves in front of a building that definitely smelt like food. As they stepped inside, it looked like a massive food court, with just about every option of food a person could want.

"What are you in the mood for?" Clara asked, as they looked around.

"I'm not sure. Any recommendations?"

Clara thought for a moment. "Have you tried poutine?"

"What's that?"

"Chips, gravy and cheese curds. It's one of the few dishes Canada can claim as their own."

"That sounds interesting," John said. "I may just have to try that."

Clara and John walked around to check out the different kiosks and were amazed at the variety of choices, most of which sounded like a heart attack on a plate. After completing one lap of the building, to see what there was, they found an open spot at one of the many crowded tables and thought they should grab it while John went and got their food. Clara was sure she would be waiting by herself for a while, so she took out her phone and sent a text to Michelle.

Clara: Thanks again for the ticket. I owe you.

She checked her email while she waited for her friend to message her back. Michelle was attached to her mobile, so she knew she wouldn't have to wait long. Sure enough, her phone began to ring.

"Hey, I can't talk long," Clara said.

"I just want to know what happened after we left you," Michelle answered.

"Nothing. We had a drink and then I went home."

"You're so infuriating."

"Hey, what do you want from me? I wasn't about to go with him to his hotel room."

"I know, but maybe a kiss or something."

"Well if it's any consolation, I think he may have been jealous because he thought I was on a date."

"Now we're getting somewhere. Speaking of which, where are you?"

"At the Ex. John just went to get us food, which is why I don't have long."

"Well I won't keep you. Enjoy your date!"

"It's not a..."

Clara didn't get to finish her sentence before Michelle ended their call. She really was trying hard to not think of this as a date, but with John offering to pay for their entire outing, it sure as hell made it feel that way. She looked off to where he was standing in line and again wished that their whole situation was different, but she couldn't be thinking that and just needed to keep reminding herself that he was a friend and you don't lust after your friends.

"This place is so busy," John said, as he returned a short time later and placed their food on the table in front of Clara.

"I know, its always like this. So what did you get?"

"I decided to try the pulled pork poutine and you the butter chicken poutine, as requested."

John sat down across from Clara and took his container to start eating. Clara watched with eager anticipation to see what he thought of the Canadian delicacy.

"This is good," he said as he finished his bite.

"Maybe not the healthiest choice," Clara added as she started eating her dish. "But oh so tasty. You should try this."

She pushed her take away container towards John who didn't hesitate at taking a forkful.

"Hmmm, that is really good. You wanna try this?"

Clara took a bite of his dish and also liked it as much as hers, so they took turns sharing each other's food, but eating rather quickly as the crowd was starting to grow. Once they finished, they went back outside and walked around taking in all the different sights and sounds of the carnival atmosphere. Both couldn't help but enjoy the moment being surrounded by so many happy people, but also getting to know each other a little more. Clara learned that John enjoyed amusement parks, but hadn't been since Jenny was young and despite having a fear of heights, he loved roller coasters. She knew they didn't have much time now because the lines were busy, but she suggested they try some of the rides after the concert. John liked that idea since he wasn't sure when he would have another opportunity again.

"Have to say, I'm really excited about hearing live music tonight," John said as they walking across to bridge that connected the Ex to the stage where the concert was going to be.

"When was the last time you were at a show?"

"I honestly can't remember."

"Well I'm glad that I can be the one to take you to your first show in forever." Clara smiled at him. "I think you're really going to like this."

"I think so too. From what I've listened to, I really like them."

They reached the gates and stood in line waiting to get in and John couldn't help but notice the age of the crowd. He was fully expecting to stand out like a sore thumb with his grey hair, but a lot of people looked to be about the same age as him, if not older.

"Uhm, how old are the guys in the band?" John asked Clara, not having looked them up or read anything about them.

"The two lead singers are in the early 60s. Why?"

"No reason, I'm just surprised to see that I'm not the oldest one here."

Clara shook her head at him. "You really need to get past your age. You are not that old."

"Yes, boss," John bashfully smiled at her and Clara couldn't help but find it completely adorable.

"This group has been around since the 80s and drawn in people of all ages, as you can see."

John looked around more and saw that she was right; there were young and old people here, which immediately put him at ease even more than he was already feeling.

"I guess I should have actually researched this band more," he said.

"How did you not find any information about them when you were searching for a song?"

"I just looked for a song on Spotify. I didn't even bother to look and see what they looked like."

Clara pulled out her mobile and started to search for a photo on the internet. A few seconds later she was turning her phone towards John.

"This is what they look like, just so you know." She teased him.

"You think you're so funny," he answered as he snatched her phone from her to look at the picture. "They're a good-looking group of guys, for some old men."

"Yeah, especially Jim Cuddy," she answered without really thinking, as she tried to grab her phone back, but John pulled it away from her and quirked an eyebrow at her. "Not so fast. Which one is he?"

"Why don't you guess if you think you're so clever."

John examined the picture and after a bit of thought pointed at the taller, skinny man in the middle with greying hair. Clara affirmed his answer by nodding her head and taking her phone back from him.

"You weren't kidding when you said you have a soft spot for older men," John said.

"No I was not."

The line started to move which caused the teasing to stop between them. Once they were inside, John bought them each an overpriced beer and they made their way to their seats to see the opening band. As they entered the amphitheater, John was impressed as they kept walking closer and closer to the front of the stage. He realised that Clara had never told him where their seats were and he naturally assumed they would be somewhere in the middle. What he wasn't expecting was to be escorted to the centre of the front row.

"Clara, these seats are amazing!" He exclaimed. "How on Earth did you get these?"

"Just lucky," she answered.

"Well maybe you need to play the lottery, because I would imagine it's really hard to get tickets like these."

"It can be, but I joined their mailing list, which means I get early access to seats."

"You're more of a fan then I took you to be," John remarked.

"Maybe a bit," Clara said shyly.

The opening band took the stage and the two stopped talking while they listened to the music. They were another Canadian band that Clara hadn't heard much of, but she liked what she was hearing. She glanced to her right and saw that John was bobbing his head in beat with the music, so she assumed he must be enjoying it as well.

"You like them?" Clara yelled towards John, who couldn't hear her very well, so she leaned in towards him and repeated what she had said.

"I do," he answered as he leaned closer to her too. "What about you?"

"Yeah."

She went back to looking at the stage and leaning away from him because the scent of his cologne was too much for her. Things had been going really well, so far and she needed to keep it that way. She had been able to think of him purely as a friend and not have too many inappropriate thoughts about him, but just now she could help, but want to snuggle in closer to take in more of his intoxicating scent.

When the band finished John asked Clara if she wanted another beer. She agreed, but wanted to use the washroom before Blue Rodeo took the stage. The pair made their way back out to the concessions, where John waited in line to get drinks and Clara waited in the long line for the ladies' room. The line took forever to move, but eventually she made it inside and back out again where John was waiting nearby. They still had some time before the band went on, so they went to a quiet area where they could look out over the lake.

"You know I can see the appeal of this city," John said.

"Really?"

"Sure. You seem surprised."

"I guess because most people I know from back home are always trying to get me to move back and questioning why I would want to stay here."

"It's probably just because they miss you." John assured her. "I know when Jenny left for London, River and I hoped she'd move back to Glasgow one day, but deep down knew she likely wouldn't."

"I know that's likely the case and I miss everyone very much as well, but I just feel like this is where I need to be. I can't really explain it."

"You don't need to explain it to me. I moved to London because I felt like I needed to be closer to Jenny and David. It was a hard decision to make, especially because me leaving Glasgow meant I was moving my business and potentially putting some people out of work. It's not what I wanted to do, but I had to ultimately do what was right for me."

"Didn't you feel selfish?" Clara questioned. "Because that's certainly how I've felt sometimes."

"Yes, but sometimes you need to put yourself ahead of others."

"And how did the people in your company take the news when you told them?"

"Some were obviously not happy, but a couple of people decided to make the move with me." John looked out over the water. "I did my best to try and help those that I could, but I learned from that, that you can't always make everyone happy and ultimately need to do what's best for you."

He turned and looked back at Clara and was almost taken aback by the look she was giving him. She had the most caring look in her eyes and the slightest of smiles on her face, that made his heart melt. Her beauty was really striking and even more so standing here near the water with the setting sun.

"You're happy here, Clara, that is very obvious. So stop worry about everyone back home and live the life you want to live. Besides, as I said, I can see why you like here, it's a great city that doesn't feel as crowded as London feels."

"That's one reason for sure," Clara smiled at him. "Should we head back?"

"Let's."

John instinctively put his hand at the small of Clara's back as they made their way through the crowd. He wasn't even really aware that he had done it, but it didn't go unnoticed by Clara. They made it back to their seats just in time for the band to hit the stage and as soon as the first few notes were played the audience was on their feet. Clara couldn't help but sway and sing along to the song as she knew most of their catalogue by heart and John couldn't help but smile at seeing her face light up watching her favourite band. As the band played on and moved from one song to the next, John could see just how much Clara really enjoyed their music; she was constantly moving and singing her heart out which he just loved to watch and found to be incredibly infectious. It was hard to not get into the music and admire the different guitar and piano solos, all of which had him bobbing his head and moving to the beat just as much as the petite girl next to him. He couldn't believe how much fun he was having and how he really didn't want this night to end, but he knew eventually the band would finish. After about an hour and a half, the two lead singers moved towards the front of the stage and the crowd cheered, obviously knowing what was about to happen.

"This is where they let the audience start the song," Clara said as she leaned over to John to fill him in.

And almost on cue, the people around him and all throughout the venue started singing, as the band played. John took out his phone for the first time that night and started recording because it just felt amazing to see all these strangers come together to sing a song that they all knew and loved so much. He spun his camera around and then stopped on Clara who sang right to him with such a look of pure joy on her face, that he was glad to have caught it on video. Her delight was so infectious that he stopped his video and joined in as best as he could. The band eventually took over singing again, but it didn't stop the crowd from continuing. John couldn't remember the last time he had had this much fun or had felt so alive and he really owed it all to Clara.

The band ended their song, saying thanks and goodnight, but the audience cheered knowing that they would be back out on the stage again. Sure enough, they returned and started playing a few more songs before it became clear that they were about to play the final song of the night. It didn't take long for him to recognize the chords as the ones he had been teaching Clara to play. Without really thinking he moved a little closer to her and leaned down to start singing the song along with her.

Strange and beautiful are the stars tonight

That dance around your head

In your eyes I see that perfect world

I hope that doesn't sound too weird

And I want all the world to know

That your love is all that I need

He suddenly found himself loving this song even more than he already had and every time he heard it, he would forever be reminded of Clara and this night. He had been able to keep his feelings for her at bay most of the night, but right now he was fighting the urge to pull her into him and sway together to the music. It wasn't long before the song was over and the band was walking off the stage again, leaving John feeling sad that the night was coming to an end.

"What did you think?" Clara asked as they slowly started shuffling towards the exit.

"I loved it. Thank you so much for bringing me."

"You're very welcome. I'm really glad that you enjoyed it." She smiled at him.

"How could I not, that was an amazing show," John exclaimed.

"It was really good. I think it was one of the best I've seen," Clara stated.

They moved along with the massive amount of people and once they got out of the stage area, they still needed to make their way to exit of the outdoor venue, but now there seemed to be even more people.

"This is the fun part of the night," Clara said. "It's a real bottle neck trying to get out of here."

There was a group of people in front of them that didn't seem to be moving at all and Clara was starting to get slightly annoyed at their disregard for people wanting to get out. She looked to the left and saw a narrow gap that she knew they could likely push their way through, so without thinking, she grabbed John's hand and pulled him towards the space and past the group, but once they were by, she didn't let go. John hadn't been expecting her to do that, but was happy she had because it felt nice to hold her tiny hand in his. They continued making their way through the crowd and eventually got out and into a wide-open space where Clara decided she should likely let go of his hand because she didn't want it to come across as being strange.

"So do you still want to go back to the Ex and ride some rides?" John asked.

"I think I may have had enough of crowds for the night," Clara said.

"I'm not going to lie, I'm kind of with you on that." As much as John wanted to continue the night it was getting late and he had a flight the next day. "How were you planning on getting home?"

"I think a cab. Do you want to walk for a bit and get away from this craziness?"

"That sounds good."

They walked and chatted about the concert, reliving the songs that they had enjoyed most and just how great it was to be so close to the stage, which had made them feel more a part of the experience. John really enjoyed Clara's company and loved that they never had a problem conversing anymore; it really felt like they had known each other forever. Clara didn't know what she was going to do. All this night had done was solidify her feelings even more for the man walking beside her and it was getting harder and harder to fight it. He was perfect and was exactly the kind of man she didn't know she had been looking for.

"Did you want to share a cab," John asked as they had finally made it up to King Street and away from the massive amounts of people.

"We're kind of going in different directions," Clara said.

"That's okay. I want to make sure you get home safely." Truth was he wasn't quite ready to say goodbye to her.

Clara smiled at him, happy for the gesture. "Well I can't say no to that."

They hailed a cab and the closer they got to Clara's place; the sadder John started to feel. He didn't want to go back to London not knowing when he would see her again.

"Any plans to visit Lonon?" John asked.

"Not likely until Christmas. I have a couple of weeks off so I thought I would go home."

"Good," John replied. "Hopefully we can get together."

"I wouldn't come all that way and not see you," Clara said.

They smiled at each other and were pretty silent the rest of the trip. Once the cab pulled up in front of Clara's, John told the driver to wait as he got out to walk her to the door.

"Thanks again for a really fun day," John said as they walked up the stairs of her front porch.

"Thanks for coming with me," she returned. "It was great to experience that with someone who had never been before."

There was a slight awkward pause between them, both not really sure of how to say goodbye or really wanting to.

"So, uh, maybe we can pick up the lessons again next week," Clara finally said.

"That sounds good." John smiled at her.

Clara's heart was beating super-fast as she felt like John didn't want to say good night just as much as she didn't.

"Did you want to come in?" She asked. "One last drink for the road?"

John wanted to say yes, but he knew he shouldn't.

"I really should get going, but thank you."

"Right," Clara replied. "Well, have a safe flight tomorrow."

She took a step towards him and opened her arms to wrap around him. John met her half way as he wrapped his arms around her tiny waist. It was a hug unlike any they had shared before; this one felt intimate, tighter, like neither of them were going to let go. They slowly started to pull back, and for a brief moment Clara felt the two of them might kiss, but that was just a crazy notion she needed to get out of her head. John carefully stepped away from her, knowing that if he had stayed that close to her for too long, he wouldn't be able to leave.

They said their final goodbyes and John walked back to the cab, taking one final look at her before getting in. If he wasn't sure the trouble he was in before, he was more than convinced now. He had no idea what to do about his feelings and knew that there was so much to risk by actually acting on them. He needed to put some distance between them in hopes of being able to gain some clarity on this whole situation.

Clara stood on her porch, watching him drive off, feeling both sad and happy at the same time. Once the car was out of view she walked inside and dropped her bag in the hall and then remembered she still had his hoody. She took it out and brought the garment up to her nose where she inhaled and smiled at the scent of this cologne. She hung it on a hook and then went straight to her room, flopping down on her bed. What was she going to do? The more time she spent with him the deeper her feelings were getting despite trying hard to deny it. Maybe she should try dating someone to take her mind off of John, but there was this little voice inside her that told her no, that maybe there was a chance John felt the same as her. She knew that voice was likely wrong, but with each moment she spent with him that voice was getting stronger. Question was, if she listened to it, what cost would it have?