I’ve temporarily cut off communication with Jackson for the past week. It has actually been really nice. I’ve had time to start a marathon of one of my favourite shows and I’ve felt very relaxed. I’m halfway through one of the best episodes when my phone starts ringing. I mute the TV for a moment, picking up the phone and scowling at the caller ID. I answer, despite the nagging voice in the back of my head that’s begging me not to.

“Hello?”

“Momo!” His voice sounds surprised, “You picked up…Uh—Anyways, tonight is the last night that the carnival is in town and I was wondering if maybe you’d want to go.”

“What? Just me and you?” I ask, pulling my knees up to my chest.

“No. Mina wants to tag along and I’ll probably invite my buddy, Jinyoung. He’s had a crush on Mina forever and I’ve been trying to set them up for months now. I just hope she’ll find somebody if it isn’t him.” Jackson says.

My face turns slightly red, “I’m sure she’ll find someone.”

“Hopefully,” Jackson agrees, “So, do you want to go?”

“Sure. Why not?” I laugh light-heartedly and shake my head.

“Cool. Well, I’ll see you tonight around six.” He tells me.

“Alright,” I say as I hang up.

I set my phone down on the coffee table and look at the clock above the TV. It’s only noon. I can laze around for a while longer. So, I do exactly that. By the time I get up and around, it’s already five. I smile to myself, proud of the fact that I did nothing productive for the majority of the day. I reluctantly get up and get myself ready. After I embark back downstairs, I grab my keys off my nightstand. I have a text from Mina, asking if I can pick her up. I text her back and tell her I’m on my way. As I head out the door, I yell up to my parents and tell them I’m leaving. Ten minutes later, I’m at Mina’s. We goof around and she has a few beers before we finally decide to head to the carnival. After a few minutes in the car, Mina breaks the oddly comfortable silence.

“Man, I do not want to hang around with this Jinyoung guy all night.” She starts, “Ever since I first met him, he’s been all obsessed with me.”

“Obsessed with you?” I echo as I get onto the freeway.

“Yeah. Like, every time Jackson would have him around while I was home, he’d always come in my room and be all weird. He’d be like, ‘Hey Mina! Looking good. How’s school?’ And then I’d just sit there like---” She makes a straight face and looks nervously from side to side.

I giggle, “That’s freaking hilarious.”

“Mmm,” Mina rolls her eyes, “He’s even more obsessed with me than you are.”

I reach over the center console, I lightly smack her leg, “I am not obsessed with you.”

“You so are, though.” She winks and then turns up the radio.

“I freaking love this song!” Mina shouts as Love on Top by Beyonce begins blasting in my ears.

The rest of the ride results in Mina and I screaming along to the song at the top of our lungs. We arrive at the carnival, giggly and loud. Mina leans against me and we make our way toward the entrance. I see Jackson standing there and instantly the fun feels like it’s gone. I can’t remember ever having fun with Jackson. It’s always tense or uncomfor