Lexi nodded scarcely able to contain her disbelief. How skanky can you get? Wasn't there some rule about having some semblance of class and didn't spending the night at a fraternity house destroy that? "Call me if you need a ride. I don't want you to get gang raped or anything tonight, okay?"
Jennifer giggled convulsively. "Those guys aren't like that Lexi. That would never happen."
"Riiiiiight," Lexi said letting the word drag. "Either way."
"Suit yourself," Jennifer murmured dismissing her with a wave of her acrylic French manicured hand.
Lexi darted down the hall just as her phone trilled from her purse. Opening the cold metal clasp, she retrieved the cell and answered. "Hey, do you want me to come up?" Jack asked from the other line.
"Nah. No point in making you try to get past the hand scanner," Lexi replied commenting on the dorm security. "I'll be right down." Lexi scrambled down the four flights of stairs as fast as she could, making it to the landing before the elevator dinged. Racing down the steep hill that led to the street below, Lexi recognized his silver Mazda 3 waiting with the hazard lights blinking. She slipped her hand under the handle to pop the door open and slid smoothly onto the black leather seat. He let off the clutch and slung the car into gear as soon as he heard the latch click. "So, where are we going?" she asked relaxing back into the soft material.
"It's a surprise," he said shifting gear as they picked up speed.
"Hmm...I like surprises."
"I thought you might." He glanced at her briefly before turning left onto the main street.
Lexi hadn't been sure whether or not to treat this as if it were a date. He had asked her out, but when they talked on the phone, he had acted as if it was no big deal. She didn't care to agonize over it though. She didn't know him yet, so as far as she was concerned the status of their relationship, if you could even call it that, was hardly relevant. One step at a time.
John Mayer's Free Fallin' filled the silence as Jack drove them away from the center of town. Jack tapped his fingers against the steering wheel in time with the guitar chords. "Do you play," she asked watching how well his fingers moved.
"Just guitar, bass, piano, saxophone, and some drums, but I'm really rusty."
"Jesus! All I can do is sing."
"Oh yea and I sing," he smirked as he hit the break at a red light.
"Well don't you seem to be good at everything," Lexi said leaning in closer towards his side of the car her eyes closing slightly. The taste of her lip gloss coated her tongue as she licked her lips biting down ever so gently as she gazed at him.
She could tell that he was watching her out of the corner of his eye. "You just wait and see."
"I look forward to it." She giggled turning back to the road. Something about Jack seemed to just fit. The flirting, the borderline desirous looks, the uncomplicated conversation all was so easy between them.
Lexi's eyes widened as they turned onto university property that was normally empty fields. Instead, a bright twirling Ferris wheel had been erected in the center of the field with an array of other carnival rides and booths displayed around the centerpiece. "Oh, I didn't know a carnival was coming through town," she commented enthusiastically.
"One night only," he said wiggling his eyebrows up and down. "The university sometimes has these types of things every once and awhile. Since you're new I thought you'd enjoy the first one of the year." A plump older man in an orange vest holding a light stick directed them into a makeshift parking spot on the lawn.
The couple trekked across the muddy terrain towards the vinyl ticket booth. Handing over their student identification cards, the student association representative slid the cards through a reader. The machine dinged each time authorizing their authenticity. "Have a good time and don't forget to grab a complimentary t-shirt on your way out," the woman said handing them back their cards with one hand and gesturing to a display of boxes containing hundreds of bright green tees with the other.
"Thanks," Jack said winking at the associate before grabbing Lexi's arm and racing through the entrance.
They made it a dozen feet before unexpectedly running into Jack's roommates, Seth, Luke, and Michael who were with two of their other friends, Clark and Hunter. Each looked more excited than the next. Between them they were counting out what looked like several hundred orange paper tickets like little kids in Chuck E. Cheese. Clark snatched up a handful out of Seth's palm and deposited them in his pocket. "Hey, what the f**k are you doing?" Seth swore under his breath and launched himself onto Clark.
Clark chuckled as he sidestepped Seth's advances. "You don't need all of those," he said tauntingly.
"You took all my goddamn tickets, jackass," Seth yelled grabbing at Clark's pocket.
Clark threw his hands up. "Geez, Seth, you're very forward. I feel like we've just met. At least take me to dinner first."
"Ha. Ha," Seth said sarcastically placing his tickets firmly back into his own pocket.
"Hey guys," Jack said laughing at the guy's behavior. "Not sure if you met already, but this is Lexi."
The guys gave their names and nodded hellos. That was all the introduction they afforded her before they were ready to attack the rides. "Let's hit the Bumper Cars before the line wraps around the park," Seth said edging towards the far side of the field.
"Bumper Cars? No way. I'm never riding Bumper Cars with you ass**les again. You guys all gang up on me, every time," Luke complained. "Can we just do something like the Scrambler?"
Seth rolled his eyes. "Don't be such a fag Luke. We would never pick on you. How old do you think we are?"
After finally convincing Luke to join them, the group moved over to get into line for the Bumper Cars. Jack sidled up to Lexi. "We actually do gang up on Luke," he told her, laughing. "Better make sure you join in on the fun," he whispered into her ear. "His reaction will be well worth it."
Of course, he was right. Luke became infuriated when he realized that he had been duped. He smashed his fists against anything he could get his hands on even knocking over a tiny blonde in his angst. His friends' laughter only egged him on further.
Jack slung his arm across Lexi's shoulders as they doubled over in a fit of giggles. "I cannot believe him," she said swiping her hand across her face wiping away tears of joy.