I closed my eyes, imagining how Gordon might have reacted if Kiawentiio hadn’t interrupted us. Would he have said something back? Would it have changed anything between us? My thoughts were interrupted by a text notification.

It was from Gordon.

"Hey, had a great time today. Thanks again for everything!"

My heart skipped a beat. Maybe there was still a chance to say what I needed to. I quickly typed back, "Absolutely! We should do it again sometime soon."

A couple of days later, Gordon called me. "Hey, Y/N! There's a carnival in town this Saturday. They've got rides, games, and everything. Want to go check it out with me?"

"A carnival? That sounds so fun! I'm in," I replied, feeling a rush of excitement.

Saturday morning, I suddenly remembered that I had a hair appointment that I had booked weeks in advance and couldn’t miss. I quickly got dressed and rushed out the door, hoping I wouldn’t be too late.

The salon was busy, and my stylist, Maria, was running a bit behind schedule. I settled into the chair, trying to relax, but I kept glancing at the clock. The appointment was taking longer than expected, and every time my phone buzzed, I saw notifications from Gordon. He called five times, but with my hands full of hair dye and foil, I couldn't answer.

“Everything okay?” Maria asked, noticing my anxiousness.

“Yeah, just running late for something after this,” I replied, giving her a reassuring smile.

Finally, the appointment was over. My hair looked great, but I was already late. I quickly paid, left a generous tip, and dashed out of the salon. As soon as I was outside, I called Gordon back, but it went to voicemail.

"Hey, Gordon, sorry I'm late! My appointment ran long, and I couldn't pick up your calls. I'm on my way now. Are you still there?"

When I arrived at the carnival, slightly out of breath, I spotted Gordon, Lizzy, and Dallas near the entrance. Gordon's face lit up when he saw me, and he walked over.

"Hey, Y/N! I was getting worried," he said, a mix of relief and concern in his voice.

"I'm so sorry, Gordon. I had a hair appointment that took longer than I expected. I saw your calls, but I couldn’t answer," I explained, feeling guilty.

I turned to Lizzy and Dallas, who were chilling at the entrance as Gordon and I walked up.

"Gordon invited us. Hope that's okay," Lizzy said, winking at me.

"Of course! The more, the merrier," I replied, smiling.

The carnival was buzzing with bright lights, laughter echoing all around, and the yummy smell of carnival grub filling the air.

"Where to first?" Gordon asked, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Let's hit the rides!" I said, pointing towards the Ferris wheel.

We started with the Ferris wheel. As we reached the top, the view was breathtaking. Gordon and I were in one gondola, while Lizzy and Dallas were in another. The evening sky was painted in hues of orange and pink, making the moment even more magical. The gondola swayed really fast, and I found myself gripping Gordon's arm.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to—" I started to say, but he just smiled nervously.

"No worries," Gordon replied, his voice a bit higher than usual. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, glancing around at the view as if trying to distract himself.

"I just... heights make me nervous."

"Yeah, me too," Gordon chuckled awkwardly, his cheeks starting to flush slightly. He cleared his throat, trying to regain composure. "Um, it's really beautiful up here, huh?"

I nodded, but as the gondola descended, I couldn't shake the feeling that I had made things a bit awkward between us.

"Want to ride that?" Gordon asked, pointing to the twisting and looping tracks.

"Absolutely!" I replied, eager for the thrill.

The roller coaster was insane! We were screaming and laughing our heads off with all those crazy turns and drops. When we finally got off, we were all hyped up, so we decided to hit up some of the carnival games next.

We tried out a bunch of games like ring toss and shooting galleries. Gordon totally killed it and snagged this massive stuffed bear, which he handed over to me with a big smile on his face.

"Here" he said with a grin.

"Thanks... it's adorable!" I replied, hugging the bear.

As we wandered around the carnival grounds, Lizzy and Dallas joined us, each carrying their own prizes. Lizzy smirked mischievously as she glanced at Gordon and me.

"Well, well, look at you two," she teased, nudging Dallas playfully.

"Winning prizes and sharing hugs. Isn't this just the cutest?"

Dallas chuckled, giving Gordon a friendly jab on the shoulder. "Yeah, Gordon, did you plan this carnival 'date' just to impress Y/N?"

Gordon's smile faltered slightly, and he shifted uncomfortably. "What? No way, Dallas," he replied, a hint of defensiveness in his tone. He glanced at me briefly before looking away. "I just thought it'd be a fun time out, that's all."

Lizzy grinned knowingly. "Uh-huh, sure it is."

Gordon chuckled nervously, trying to brush off their teasing. "Alright, let's keep moving. I hear there's a great food stand over there," he said, steering the conversation away from the subject, but I could tell his cheeks were still tinged with embarrassment.

As we headed for the food stand, the vibe lightened up again. The smell of corn dogs and funnel cakes made our stomachs growl.

"Man, I'm starving," Dallas said, patting his belly.

"Same here," Lizzy agreed, eyeing the menu board.

Lizzy glanced at the menu with a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "I'm eyeing those loaded nachos. Can't go wrong with that at a carnival!"

Dallas chuckled. "I'm with Lizzy on this one. Nachos sound perfect."

Gordon nodded, taking mental notes of everyone's orders. "Alright, cotton candy, loaded nachos, and... what about you, Y/N?"

"I think I'll go for a classic funnel cake." I said.

"Nice!" Gordon replied, his smile widening. "I'll grab everything. Meet you guys over by that picnic table?"

As Gordon headed towards the food stand, Lizzy leaned in towards me with a playful grin. "So, what's the deal with you and Gordon, huh?"

I blushed, caught off guard by her directness. "What do you mean?"

"You know," Lizzy teased, nudging my shoulder. "The Ferris wheel, the bear, the whole vibe today. Seems like he's got a soft spot for you."

I chuckled nervously, trying to seem unbothered by what she said. "Maybe. It's just... friends hanging out, you know?"

Lizzy raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. "Sure, if that's what you want to believe. But I've seen the way he looks at you."

Dallas chimed in with a knowing smile. "Yeah, Gordon doesn't usually go all out like this unless he's interested."

I shrugged, trying to downplay their observations. "Come on, guys! Gordon's like that with everyone. He's just being nice. I'm sure there's nothing more to it."

Lizzy smirked knowingly, leaning in with a playful wink. "Y/N, trust me, there's friendly and then there's "I got you a giant bear" friendly. There's something there."

I chuckled softly, feeling a mix of flattery and uncertainty. Deep down, I couldn't deny the possibility, but part of me was hesitant to jump to conclusions.

"Food's here!" Gordon announced cheerfully, his eyes glinting mischievously as he glanced at me. "Let's eat!"

I felt a slight flush of embarrassment, realizing Gordon might have heard our conversation. As we ate and chatted, everything seemed normal, but I couldn't shake the feeling that Gordon was observing me a bit more closely than usual.

As the carnival wound down and we prepared to leave, Lizzy and Dallas bid their goodbyes, leaving Gordon and me alone near the exit.

"I had a blast tonight," I said, smiling up at him.

Gordon nodded, his smile warm but tinged with something thoughtful. "Me too. Hey, Y/N, can we talk for a minute?"

"Sure," I replied, a hint of nervousness creeping in.

We found a quiet corner away from the fading lights and carnival music. Gordon took a deep breath, his expression serious.