Around noon the next day, his phone rang and he groggily answered it, "Hello?"

Madison replied smiling, "Its practically noon, what are you still doing in bed!"
"Madison, hey." he said sleepily
"I figured I'd call you. Instead of going to see a movie tonight, why don't we go to that little circus type thing being held at the campus center tonight at 5pm?"
Ephram sat up in bed, "yeah, sure."
She smiled before hanging up, "I'll meet you there, ok."
He hung up the phone and threw his hands over his face and fell backwards onto his bed, "what am I going to do!" he said aloud
After getting dressed he decided to go visit Leah. She was on break, visiting with Myka. "Morning sunshine" Myka smiled as he stood up to slap Ephram's hand.
Leah smiled happily, flipping her hair behind her, "hope you're not wearing that on your date!"

Ephram assessed the way he was dressed, not sure what she meant.
"Your hat goofball!" She laughed pulling his hat off his head, "so Bright told me all about your past with Madison. He also told us that the reason you pushed her away 2 years ago was cuz yer sister was sick and you couldn't handle it. So instead of handling things you just gave up and pushed everybody away, and that is why she moved to New York."
Ephram grabbed his hat back, "Bright talks too much."
"He also said that she was the best thing that ever happened to you. Tell us more about your relationship Ephy!" she smiled, jumping around in her seat, "make it quick cuz I have to get back to work."
"Well…She moved to New York for a job opportunity, we thought we could handle the distance but when my sister got sick the first time I couldn't handle it and shut everybody out, including her. Long story short, sis got sick again, Madison came back, broke my heart again, with my help of course, since I pushed her away again and that was the last time I saw her."
Leah stood up to go back to work, "well buu-dee, have fun on that there date, ya hear!"
Myka stood up to walk her before he headed off to the gym.
Ephram met Madison at the front entrance of the campus center, as she approached he held out a pink rose, "Oh Ephram!" she smiled softly, taking the rose. He leaned in to kiss her cheek, "glad to see you. Where shall we start, the sword swallower dude or…the 'most amazing things ever seen' such as Siamese twins and such." Madison flipped her hair behind her, "lets work our way through, starting with the 'most amazing things ever seen'."

The two were talking, laughing and joking, and eating cotton candy throughout their time together. When they got to the sword swallower, the guy decided to have Madison as his assistant. "Ok" he said, "when I lean towards you, what I want you to do it pull the sword out slowly."
Madison gave him a look of mystification as if to say, 'I cant do that!'
"Its alright, trust me!"
"Madison," replied Ephram as he stood behind her with his hand on her lower back, "should be fine, try it out!"

Finally the guy swallowed the sword and not too long afterwards he turned towards Madison, smiling, as he bent forward, his cue to let Madison take the sword from his mouth. People were gathering around, laughing and clapping. She hesitated but placed a hand on the butt of the sword and pulled it out of his mouth as the laughter and clapping increased.
"Everybody give a round of applause to my beautiful assistant!"
Afterwards Ephram and Madison made their way back to the lounge and sat on one of the couches.
"Ephram, you seem to be in another world, what are you thinking about." she said as she tilted her head.

"I had fun tonight, Madison." he tried to smile. "But I have to tell you something."
"You can tell me anything, you know that." she touched his arm.

There was a long silence before he spoke, he sighed deeply, "I've wanted to hold you all night. I've wanted…I've wanted to kiss you all night." His eyes became sad

"Why don't you?" she asked

Another long pause, almost uncomfortable, then Ephram spoke softly as he leaned forward and clasped his hands together, not able to look at Madison. He breathed heavily again, "because…I, uh…I have a girlfriend…."