The Kissing Deadline (8 page)

* * *

Saturday afternoon brought the carnival and
the spring temperatures hit a perfect seventy degrees. Sunshine
glowed against the rides, and streamers, buoyed by the slight
breeze, floated innocently from the tops of the gaming booths. Even
the normal humidity took the weekend off.

The dry air floated over her skin as Cassie
breezed onto the grounds with her BFFs. Dad had protested a little
when he found out she wasn’t riding with the family, but she’d won
the battle when she’d promised to meet them later.

She and her friends had a small plan to carry
out before she showed David, Dad’s boss’ son, around. Not that she
wanted to participate in this part of the kissing plan. Her steps
slowed, and she trailed behind Sierra by a full step. “Where is it?
I can’t believe they even have kissing booths anymore.”

Brooke waved an encouraging hand in the air.
“Don't lose it now.”

“Yeah, suck it up.” Sierra giggled.

Brooke’s lips twitched. “Maybe the kissing
booth’s in the back. Less people would see you then.”

“Yeah.” Sierra puckered her lips. “You and
your ticket holder might like some privacy.” She drew the word
privacy
out, giving it four syllables.

“I’m not sitting in any kind of private
booth--at least not for the cost of these tickets.” Cassie’s joke
dwindled when she turned the corner. Her friends fell silent
also.

There it stood--the kissing booth, nestled
behind a cutout of enormous pink lips under a huge
sign--
KISS-O-RAMA.

Cassie backed away, digging her heels into
the grass. Strobe lights flashed on. They illuminated the booth,
her friends’ awe, and her retreating sneakers. Carnival goers
around them turned and walked toward the booth, sucked in by its
compelling glow, like humans drawn to the alien spacecraft’s
tractor beam.

Sierra giggled and hauled Cassie forward. “Do
it.”

Brooke seemed a little sympathetic now. “Uh,
you have a very short shift.”

“She doesn't even have to work the whole
shift. Get kissed, fake a headache, and get out.”

Brooke nodded and pointed to a nearby spot.
“We'll be right over there. Just raise your right arm straight in
the air if you need help.”

“I think I'd rather not have witnesses. I'll
describe my joy for you later.” Cassie felt a cross between shame
and deeper shame. She swallowed and waved them off, trying to
ignore their giggles as she climbed the steps to the platform and
took a seat on the cold metal folding chair behind the kissing
table. She knew it was the kissing table because enormous cutout
letters labeled it
The Kissing Table.

Brooke and Sierra lingered, seeming unable to
look away. Behind them, Spencer sauntered by with two of his
friends. He pointed at his sister and stopped. His friends stopped
with him and waved. Cassie waved back at Spencer's friends until
she realized they were jiggling tickets at her.

Carnival tickets.

Her first customers had arrived.

A tall thin lady wearing a
Larry’s Mom
& Carnival Volunteer
t-shirt rushed up, carrying a small
black and white dog, a red piece of paper, and a poster board.
Cassie examined the poster and bit her lip. Posters hadn’t been
good to her lately.

“I got the school letter about all you kids
and your mono.” Larry’s mom shook her head in disapproval, and
thrust the little terrier into Cassie’s arms.

Cassie took hold of the struggling terrier.
His wiry body twisted with surprising force beneath her grip. “I
don't have mono.”

Larry’s mom turned the poster board around so
it faced Cassie. “We've changed the theme this year.”

It read,
Pooch Smooch Saturday.

“What?”

Larry’s Mom propped the poster board in front
of the table. The terrier opened its narrow black muzzle and licked
Cassie's face. Cassie’s jaw dropped and her gaze found her watching
friends. Brooke pouted and crossed her arms over her chest, Sierra
laughed so hard she bent double. Behind them, a group of teens in
THS t-shirts walked by, pointing and laughing. The group included
Paige, Front-Page Paige.
Flash.
Paige shot photos of the
booth, the dog, and Cassie, just in time for another wet slurp.

Spencer’s friends frowned at the new sign and
put their tickets back in their pockets and left the line, walking
away with a swagger.

Sierra hurried to the booth. “He has to be
human, Cassie.” The terrier took a third swipe at Cassie’s face,
and Cassie straightened her arms, holding him at a distance.

“I gotta make sure Mike sees this.” Sierra’s
laughter lingered after she left.

Cassie searched the crowd for Brooke. She
lifted her right arm, signaling SOS. No Brooke. She waved harder
and higher. Still, no Brooke.

Instead, Ryan and Amber stood where Brooke
should have been. If Ryan hadn’t seen her before, her wave got his
attention. He waved back. Cassie ducked. As soon as she moved, the
toy fox terrier twisted and landed on stage, easily escaping her
one-handed grip. His nails scrabbled on the wooden planks.

Larry's mom grabbed for him. “He’s so
inquisitive. My baby hasn’t had his daily walk.” His four legs
leapt, propelling his body off stage in front of the line of people
queuing with their own dogs and cameras.

Brooke appeared from around the corner. She
hurried to the edge of the booth, gasping for breath against the
force of her laughter. “Now's your chance.”

Ignoring the steps, Cassie slid off the edge
of the platform. Her sneakers hit the ground with a thump, showing
less grace than the Terrier, but an equal desire for freedom.

Someone protested from the line.

Brooke turned to the queue. “Uh, she has
allergies.”

With that lame excuse, they ran.

Brooke said, “Don’t look back.”

“Wait, Sweetie,” Larry’s mom said. “Come
here.”

Cassie slowed, looking back, but Larry's mom
wasn’t calling her. Her long thin hands motioned for the dog. Half
his body was under the booth, only his wiggling tail remained in
view. Cassie paused. The small terrier backed out and swung his
snout toward Larry’s mom, carrying a wriggling field mouse by its
long, thin tail.

Larry’s mom beamed in pride. “That’s my
little ratter. Caught you another one, huh?”

Cassie sucked in a breath and resumed her run
with renewed fervor. After catching up to Brooke, she saw their
destination, the snow cone booth. Sierra had Mike pinned against
its side and she kissed him. Their affectionate greeting emphasized
Cassie’s failure.

A less compatible couple, Amber and Ryan,
stood nearby, arguing. After a wave of her arms, Amber turned her
back on Ryan, and stomped over to the kissing couple. She handed
Mike and Sierra each a STOP flag.

Sierra’s voice held surprise as she looked at
the flag in her hand. “We're not at school.”

“Germs don't stop just because we're off
campus. The rest of us need to be warned.”

Sierra lunged for Amber, and Mike restrained
her as Amber skittered out of reach.

Using a napkin from the snow cone booth,
Cassie scrubbed at the side of her face until the skin burned and
the paper napkin ripped. How hard did she have to scrub to kill
ratter germs?

Mike nodded her way. “Woof.”

Cassie threw the used napkin at him, glad the
breeze was cool enough to combat her heated cheeks.

Sierra had given up attacking Amber. “What
time do you meet your parents for the exchange?”

“What exchange?” Ryan asked around a bite
from a blue snow cone. He held it out to Cassie.

She shook her head, not wanting to meet a
blind date with a blue tongue. Not that he’d be looking at her
tongue. Would he be looking at her tongue?

“Cassie's dad is trading her for a camel.”
Sierra turned to Cassie. “Or is it a goat?”

“I don't know. It’d better be at least a
corner office.”

* * *

The Ferris Wheel revolved on the horizon
behind her family. Dad wore an enormous grin, and Spencer tapped
his foot impatiently.

“Ah, here she is.” The relief in Dad’s voice
made it sound like he doubted she’d show.

Mom said, “Come meet David.”

Cassie’s stomach twisted and she took a deep
breath to calm down. She extended her hand. Tanned fingers closed
over hers, and she looked up. David was a cute, preppy boy with big
brown eyes and a trendy haircut. Cinching the conservative look, he
wore a polo shirt under a navy blue letter jacket. There was no dog
in sight either. She smiled.

“Right, then, we'll leave you two kids to
enjoy the carnival.” Dad shoved a wad of cash into Cassie's hand
then he and Mom walked away with Spencer trailing after them with
his hand out, palm up.

David said, “It’s cool of you to show me
around.”

“Happy to do it.” Cassie returned his grin,
glad her powers of speech didn’t leave her around David. Maybe her
daily dose of partnering with Ryan had done her good.

They started off strolling around the park,
taking everything in. Cassie pointed at the funnel cakes. “That
booth’s a cover for illegal drugs. See the white powder.”

David’s chocolate brown eyes widened and he
grinned. He pointed to the dart booth.
Pop.
The latex
balloon caved after the customer completed a successful throw.
“They partner with that booth. They have to order balloons, to
carry the drugs in.”

Cassie laughed and pointed to the
Whack-A-Mole booth.

David considered it a moment. “Loan sharks.”
He stopped a guy in a red and white shirt holding a pole speared
with cones of cotton candy and exchanged some tickets. After
peeling off some of the pink fluff, he offered the bite to
Cassie.

She opened her mouth, eating the sugar from
his fingertips. The airy treat dissolved against her tongue. Yum.
She thought about asking him how the fishing trip went, but she
didn’t want to spoil the mood. She pointed to another booth, the
ring toss.

David took the gesture as a challenge and
handed her the cone. After exchanging tickets with the Carnie, he
offered her a ring. She shook her head, content to watch and eat
the pink fluff. Tossing three successive rings around the neck of a
blue plastic jug netted David a small stuffed penguin. He extended
the prize to Cassie.

Her first stuffed animal from a guy. So cool.
This night had begun to deliver on the promise of the day.

They strolled past the Tunnel of Love ride.
Behind the sign, the sun had lowered enough to let twilight creep
in. Fireworks appeared on the horizon, blue, then gold, then red.
Couples held each other close and pointed at the sky. David pointed
to the sign. “Let's do this ride.”

A cool night breeze floated across her arms,
threatening to blow her hair into her strawberry lip gloss. She
tucked it behind her ears, the back of her hand glancing over her
heated cheeks. “Okay.” She followed him to the line and they were
soon joined by Mike, Sierra, and Ryan. Ryan had his hands shoved
into his pockets and he was looking around for his lost date.
Sierra gave her a discreet
thumbs up
.

Mike said, “Where'd Amber go this time?”

Ryan shrugged. “Don’t know. Somewhere.”

Amber appeared moments later, as if she had
heard them talking. She hooked her arm through Ryan's and eyed the
ride. “Ooh, we'll enjoy this.”

“Where have you been?” Mike asked.

“Don't worry about it, Mike.” Amber sounded
peeved.

Ryan looked at the ride then at Cassie and
David, but his words were addressed to Mike. “Didn't she just meet
that guy?”

Cassie’s eyes widened at his unusual
rudeness, and she smiled reassuringly at David, hoping he didn’t
realize her friends were talking about him. After Mike shrugged,
Ryan shook Amber off and moved in front of them.

Ryan’s gaze narrowed on her stuffed penguin.
“Hey, you good?”

“Yeah.” Cassie smiled and introduced Ryan to
her date.

Hands on her hips, Amber didn’t stay in the
background long. “We're leaving. I have a charity dinner
tonight.”

Ryan’s shoulders tensed but he moved back to
her side and went with her. Cassie watched his back, relieved she
didn’t have to sit in a kissing car in front of Ryan and Amber. She
and David moved up a spot in line.

“Tickets please.” The attendant directed them
with a jerk of his hand. “Lover's Lane number four.” They lined up
behind the number. A rickety car rolled up on the tracks, a fiery
number four painted on its side. After helping Cassie into the
carnival car, David lowered the restraining bar, and it locked into
place. Cassie put the stuffed penguin between herself and the wall
so she’d be closer to David. The penguin also made a nice cushion
in case she wanted to lean sideways during the ride.

David braced a hand on the back of the car,
put one foot in, and attempted to lift the bar to join her. The bar
refused to move. Cassie shoved at the black foam padding to no
avail. Tiny black foam pieces came off, but the bar wouldn’t
budge.

The attendant filed up and down the lanes,
double-checking the restraining bars while reciting rules in a
monotone voice. “Hands in the vehicle at all times. Don't throw
anything on the tracks.” He reached them. “No food in the cars. No
sex in the cars.” He bent and tugged on the black bar. It remained
locked into position. “It’s stuck.” He made a rolling motion with
his hand at the control booth. “You'll have to go on through.” He
pointed at David then at row five. “You can take the next one.”

Proud car number four jolted into motion with
a metallic clank, sending Cassie into the tunnel of
love--alone.

At first, there was only darkness and the
continued clank of wheels against the track. Cassie tightened her
left hand on the bar and her right hand on her penguin to orient
herself. The darkness kept her from seeing the couple in car number
three, but now she could hear them--not their words, but the
distinctive smacking sounds of kissing.