the fair was alive with color and chaos—cotton candy clouds drifting through the air, laughter echoing from every corner, and the hum of carnival rides spinning under the summer sky. you were on the bumper cars with your best friend, both of you shrieking and laughing as you crashed into strangers, the world blurring in flashes of neon and joy.

but noah wasn’t laughing. he was standing just outside the ring, eyes locked on you like you were the only thing that existed. he didn’t smile. didn’t wave. just watched, hands shoved deep into his pockets, heart pounding harder than the music blaring from the speakers.

you noticed him, of course. how could you not? the way his gaze followed you, intense and unrelenting, like he was trying to memorize every second. but you didn’t say anything. not yet.

as soon as the ride ended, your friend grabbed your hand and pulled you toward the ferris wheel, giggling about how you had to see the view from the top. you climbed into the cart, the metal cool against your skin, and settled in as it began to rise.

then you saw him.

noah was still watching. still waiting. and then—he ran.

he sprinted across the fairgrounds, dodging crowds and booths, eyes never leaving yours. the wheel turned slowly, and just as your cart dipped closest to the ground, he leapt—grabbing the edge of the cart, swinging himself up with reckless determination.

your friend screamed. you gasped. he was hanging onto the bar, breathless, wild-eyed, and completely serious.

“will you go out with me?” he asked, voice shaking with urgency. “please. just say yes.”

you stared at him, stunned. the ride kept moving, lifting you both higher into the air. the crowd below had started to notice, pointing, whispering, laughing. but noah didn’t care. he was focused on you. only you.

“are you crazy?" you said, panicked. "no," you remark, firm but soft.

his expression shifted—hurt, disbelief, and then something else. something reckless.

“well then,” he said, loosening his grip, “you leave me no choice…”

he let one hand go.

your heart stopped. the world tilted. your friend screamed again, clutching your arm, but you couldn’t look away. noah hung there, one hand gripping the bar, dangling above the crowd, eyes locked on yours.

you shouted, panic rising in your throat. "oh, your actually crazy! thats no fair, don't do that!"

he smiled—just barely. “then say yes.”