And the Ferris Wheel Holds My Heart (Openish)

[Dierks Brooks]

"Kettle corn and a coke," he repeated. "That won't be a problem." Dierks was fiddling with his thumbs as Callie was working on finishing up his painting. He was hoping that time would go by fairly fast while they were at the booth. Of course, he would hang around and help keep the children entertained some how or another.

"I'm sure that the kids are excited 'bout havin' their faces painted," said Dierks. "I ain't had my face painted in a long time. Other than butterflies, what else is yer speciality?"

[Callisto "Callie" Sanders]

She smiled softly as she kept painting. This was actually one of her more intricate works and she couldn't wait to see his reaction when he saw it.

"Oh, you know. The little girls all like butterflies and flowers. And the boys like when I paint them up to look like monsters or animals. One time I did a unicorn for a girl... I even told her about how I've seen a real one before. I couldn't help it... you should have seen her face."

Finally, she pulled back and examined her handiwork. It looked good, if she did say so herself. She leaned closer to him, feeling her heart skip a beat as she blew on his cheek to dry the paint.

"There, it's done. Do you want to see?" She handed him a mirror so he could see her painting of an American flag.

[Dierks Brooks]

Dierks looked out of the corner of his eye to look up to Callie as she talked about what the little boys and girls liked. The unicorn story was what made a light smile cross his face. He liked hearing that sort of tone from Callie and seeing her face light up at the story itself.

His face grew hot as she blew on his cheek but he didn't make a big deal out of it. "Yes ma'am," he said as she handed him the mirror. The painting in the mirror made Dierks smile widely. She had done a great job and it made him think Texas automatically. He moved from his stool and without a word he hugged her. He wasn't sure if that was okay but it was an action done without any thought. "Thank you. It's great," he complimented her.

After he pulled away, there was a pink tint to his face and he smiled again. "No wonder all the kids line up fer you ter paint their faces."

[Callisto "Callie" Sanders]

Callie was very glad that her sisters weren't around. They never would have let her hear the end of it if they could see the way she was blushing right now. Especially when he hugged her, she was pretty sure she turned the very color of the red face paint.

Come on, Callie, get a grip, she thought to herself. You're supposed to be the tough one, remember?

But maybe she didn't have to be anything right now. Maybe she could just relax and be herself and not worry what other people thought. Wasn't that what she always said? That she didn't care what other people thought of her? And yet... she was always playing a part, wasn't she? And maybe she was tired of it.

When he pulled away, her smile was shy. "Thanks. It's not perfect... I obviously couldn't fit 50 stars on there. But it suits you anyway."

[Dierks Brooks]

"It is perfect," he said, "it don't need all fifty stars ter look good. You did a lot better than I ever could." Dierks gave a laugh. "And again, thank you."

He wasn't paying attention to see how Callie was specifically acting. He knew that she seemed relaxed at the moment, like she was when they first really met. Hopefully things would still be going in the sort of laid back way they were going now.


"Would you like me to go ahead and run over yonder to the kettle corn stand and get you somethin' 'fore the kids get here?"

[Callisto "Callie" Sanders]

"You're welcome," Callie said. She laughed lightly, sort of unsure what to say for a minute. When he smiled, it was sort of like staring into the sun--blinding, but beautiful. It made her feel warm inside.

She was actually feeling pretty relaxed now, which she wouldn't have expected a little while ago. But with Dierks here to make her smile, she could almost forget that Rabastan Lestrange had somehow managed to sweet talk Bobby into bringing him along.

"Yeah, that'd be great," Callie said, reaching into her jeans pocket. "I have some muggle money here." She held out a 5 pound note, which would be enough for the corn and a soda.

[Dierks Brooks]

Dierks waved a hand. "Don't worry 'bout it," he said with a shake of his head. He wasn't going to accept the money she was handing him. He didn't mind getting her what she wanted. "I got it." A few days before the festival started, he had owled his parents to ask if they could send a little bit of muggle money so he would have some for the festival. Luckily, his parents did send him a little bit and he had plenty for today.

Before Callie could protest too much, Dierks turned to leave. He walked toward the stand and ordered kettlecorn, two cokes, and cotton candy. Once he balanced everything out, he headed back toward the face painting tent. It didn't take him long at all because he was the first one and only one there.

Arriving back at the tent, Dierks carefully handed Callie her coke. "Here you go."

[Callisto "Callie" Sanders]

Callie tried to protest, but he was gone before she really had the chance. It was sweet, of course, but there was still that part of her that felt the need to prove she was an independent woman who didn't need a man to pay her way through life. Well, she decided, she would just have to get him back later by paying for something for him.

"Thank you," she said, taking the Coke and taking a sip from the straw before setting it down on the table. "You really didn't have to do that."

[Dierks Brooks]

If she wanted to pay for something later on, Dierks would let her. The first time he thought he'd pay for it. It wasn't much at all.

"Don't mention it," he said with a smile. "It was a treat from me fer paintin' my face and I wanted ter get it." Dierks never thought too much about paying for it himself. It was just an instinct to do it. "It wasn't much." He took a piece of his cotton candy and offered it to her. "Wanna piece?"

[Callisto "Callie" Sanders]

Callie relaxed at this. It made sense--she had painted his face, which normally would cost a couple of dollars to do, but she had done it for free. So a popcorn and a soda was a fair trade, especially, since he was having some, too.

"OK, fair enough," she said. "But the ride tickets will be on me when I'm finished here, OK? At least the first batch."

As much as she loved working the face painting booth, she was now rather impatient for the end of her shift. She wanted to spend more time with Dierks, talking with him, laughing with him, and riding the rides with him. And even though there was still that part of her that kept insisting that she was perfectly capable of having a good time without a boy, she couldn't help but think that having him here was going to make this the best carnival ever. Or at least the best one since she was 8 years old and was finally tall enough to ride the mini-roller coaster.

When he offered her a piece of cotton candy, she laughed. "That stuff is just pure sugar, you know," she said. And yet it had always fascinated her. How could anything be so light and sweet and just melt in your mouth like it was nothing? Before she had ever even entered the wizarding world, where magic was commonplace, Callie had always been convinced that cotton candy was a kind of magic.

"I'd love a piece," she said, taking it from him.

[Chester "Chip" Gardner]

May 16, 2010 3:36:44 GMT -5 Linette "Linny" Sanders said:

Linette sighed in frusteration. "Fine, you knwo what, I don't care." she held up her hands. "I'll find Callie and take care of her later. I just hope you know that the only reason I'm giving up so easily is because I trust that pretty little head on your shoulders." Linette looked over to the boys and then back to Bobby. Linette never got angry. Well, not never, but hardly. She had mastered, instead, the art of being disappointed. And this time she was. "And I trust that you'll make better decisions, because you're probably the most sensible out of the three of us."

"And, for the matter. Dating Rabastan Lestrange was probably the worst mistake in my life. There's reasons I don't talk about it Bobby." She shook her head. "There's no such thing as innocent with Rabastan Lestrange."

And that was that. Linette turned, not sure if Bobby would follow her or not. She would take care of everything and watch out for Bobby and make sure Callie was okay and be sure that her dad wasn't too overwhelmed and keep an eye on Rabastan and on top of all that, have a good day with Chip, who she prayed wouldn't feel ignored.

"Kay Daddy we're off," she went and kissed her dad on the cheek. See you later in the day," and she walked to Chip, took his hand, and walked away from the group de drama. "I'm sorry bout all the drama," Linette said to Chip.

Chip barely had a moment to react when Linette came back and took his hand, leading him away from her father and Lestrange. Something told him that this was not just going to be a laid-back day at the carnival. Linette, for as much as she seemed like the flirty, shallow type, was actually much deeper than that. She was also the oldest sister, and she took that duty seriously. She was the secret caretaker for her sisters, and realizing that, Chip liked her all the more.

"It's OK," he said, shrugging. "It's your family.... there's always drama when family is involved. Are your sisters going to be OK?"

[Dierks Brooks]

"That's fair," he agreed to her buying their first round of tickets. It was only fair he let her because he knew that if he didn't then she would be upset with him. Besides he bought her food and he would insist on buying something for her later on. It would all work out so it would be equal between the two.

"Yeah, it's pure sugar, but it's pure goodness too." Dierks laughed and tore a piece off for himself and let it melt in his mouth. "It keeps me goin' and that stuff is addictin'. I wouldn't be surprised if I got fat from today."

[Callisto "Callie" Sanders]

"It doesn't seem right that something that's as light as air should make you gain weight," Callie commented. "But I'm sure you won't get fat. I bet you're the type who can eat whatever you want and not gain weight, right? Or maybe you work it all off by roping a bull or something."

She laughed at this, and would have teased him some more, but at that moment, a little girl came up to the table. "Well, looks like I've got my first customer," she said.

In a few moments, the girl was sitting next to Callie, having a purple butterfly painted on her cheek. "Is he your boyfriend?" the little girl asked Callie.

Callie blushed deeply and didn't know how to answer. The real answer was, of course, that he was not her boyfriend. But she didn't want to give the impression that she didn't want him to be....

[Dierks Brooks]

Before Dierks got the chance to answer Callie, a little girl appeared in line to get her face painted. He smiled at her as she set next to Callie. It was fascinating to watch the little girl get her face painted. He kept a small distance between him and Callie, just so she wouldn't get nervous painting the little girl's face, that was if she did get nervous from someone looking directly over her shoulder as she painted.

The little girl's question caught Dierks off guard for a moment. He glanced at Callie and noticed that she didn't say anything. That made his ears turn hot and he looked back to the little girl and stood in front of her, only to bend down so that he would be at her eye level. "Sort of," he answered with a smile spreading across his face. Callie didn't say no, but she didn't say yes either. Sort of should be a decent answer, right?

[Callisto "Callie" Sanders]

Sort of.

Callie's blush deepened, and she couldn't quite hide her smile. A straight yes wouldn't have been appropriate, since, of course, they had not discussed anything. She wasn't even sure this was a date. But if he'd said no, that would mean he didn't want to be her boyfriend. So "sort of" left the door open. Which meant that he was interested.

Oh, Merlin, it was happening. She was becoming a girl. Pretty soon she'd be giggling and painting her nails and writing his name on the edges of her parchments. Bobby would be laughing at her if she saw her now. That is, if she was speaking to her.

"He's a boy, and he's my... friend," she added, giving Dierks a shy smile.

[Dierks Brooks]

Easily he returned her smile. Dierks couldn't say that he wasn't interested because that would be a lie but yet he wasn't going to try hard right then. He didn't want to chase her off, after all they were having a good time right now and he didn't want that to just disappear.

"Right," he answered after a long moment. Callie's shy smile was the encouragement he needed. Obviously he wasn't going to swoop in and attempt to romance her right then and there, things took time. Besides, he wasn't even sure where to really begin. He was going to keep his thoughts to himself.

[Callisto "Callie" Sanders]

Callie definitely wanted to take things slowly. Whatever ended up happening between her and Dierks... there was no reason to rush it. If she was honest with herself, she was actually a little bit scared. Dierks was sweet and caring, and a perfect gentleman, but there was something in the very nature of relationships that was at once terrifying and exhilarating. It meant trusting another person, handing your heart over to them for safekeeping. It was like jumping out of an airplane without a parachute and hoping that there would be someone waiting to catch you.

Right now, she hadn't fallen yet. But she felt like she was standing at the open door of the plane, looking down at a vast sea of clouds as far as the eye could see.

The little girl was finished at last, and she was on her way. But a line was starting to form, so she took a quick handful of kettle corn and ate it before tending to the little boy who was next in line and who wanted a dragon on his cheek.

(I would zip ahead, but I don't want to make that much time pass by while Bobby and Linette are so far behind....)

[Linette "Linny" Sanders]

"Yes, but Callie and Bobby have been creating more drama than usual," Linette sighed. "I'll catch up with Callie later, she's working a booth." Linette said. And then she had a date with Dierks... Wow, Linette was going to be in trouble with Callie later, how did she not notice.

"SO, what should we start with," she asked, gesturing to the carnival around them. "I'm up for just about everything," she added.

[Chester "Chip" Gardner]

Chip was glad for the change of subject. He liked the Linette tried to take care of her sisters, but she couldn't babysit them, either. To a certain extent, they had to make their own mistakes. He couldn't deny being a little concerned about Bobby himself, but there was only so much that they could do for her without pushing her away completely.

"Well, we could ride some rides first.... unless you're hungry? I know I smell corndogs around here somewhere."

[Dierks Brooks]

There happened to be a few balloons near by and Dierks grabbed a few. He tied them on to the post at Callie's tent. As the children came up in line, he wanted to keep them entertained while they waited. He grabbed a balloon for a girl that was holding onto her mother's hand tightly. Dierks smiled to her and bent down so that he could be eye level with her. He spoke to her for a moment and then started to play with the balloon. Of course it ended up looking like a giraffe but the little girl was in giggles as he handed her the balloon.

Dierks took a glance back in Callie's direction and then smiled. His eyes went to the little boy who was getting his face painted. "Would ya like a balloon too," he asked as he grabbed another balloon. The little boy getting his face painted just sort of stared at him as Callie was painting his face. As Dierks turned around with another balloon to make a giraffe for the little boy, the little girl who was next was talking animatedly to her mother. He gave her a wink as she looked at him and giggled.

Turning back around he presented the little boy with the balloon. "A green giraffe," he said handing it to him.