Cynthia had told him to come. It wasn't so much an invitation as it was an order from a close friend nearly a sister. But she was more then that. She was a confidante and therefore had a link to Jason's being.
It was she that got him to apply to the University in Princeton, Boston and Maryland when he was content to go to a nearby community college safely located near home.
It was she that got him to perform at the senior recital. And it was she that stood smiling when the entire audience stood applauding his classical performance.
"They'll never go for it, They just love rock and rap. I'm just a nerd nobody ever heard of." he had said when Cynthia informed him she had signed his name on the paper.
He stood staring at the hundreds of teenagers who applauded him like some rock star. Comments, pats on the back and smiled followed him the rest of his senior year.
Jason changed. He walked more upright. He smiled more. He felt part of the group that had seemed for foreign.
"So what are you going to do, just ignore that part of your life?" Cynthia said that night when he revealed not only being gay but that he liked Richard.
"You two are into music, you have something to talk about" She said.
"Yea right and after he hits me in the face, we can discuss his DJ gig at the gym and my love for Debussey" Jason laughed.
"You don't know until you try" she said. That wasn't the first time in Jason's life he had heard that advice. Parents, teachers, ministers, music teachers even his relatives had repeated the phrase.
But Jason was intent on being by himself wearing his head set and playing the keyboard that had become his life.
"You know Cyndy" (Jason called Cynthia the pet name of Cyndy) not everyone in music are queer.
"I hate that word, queer sounds so odd so off...if you're gay you're happy, you're loving, you're talented, you're Jason"
"Gay jason" he reminded her
"Jayson" she said.
So he went out the front door to Cynthia's car. The Senior carnival was a big event and Jason had as much intention on going as he did the prom in a month.
"You'll see we'll see our friends, play games, win stuffed animals, eat cotton candy, it'll be fun" she said.
They drove the distance to the old warehouse parking lot where the carnival was set up. "WELCOME SENIORS" banner marked the entrance.
Barby, one of Cynthia's friends was waiting and with her another classmate.
"Who's that?" Jason asked Cynthia s they got closer.
The boy standing beside Barby was tall, clean shaven, wore a white wife beather shirt and a hoodie open at the front. His jeans fit him like a second skin and his young bulge was defined even at a distance.
"Oh shit" Jason realized as they got closer it was Richard.
"You bitch" he muttered
"Shut up, he's Barby's date. And I had nothing to do with it. And don't get jealous" She said laughing.
Jason stared. Usually Richard dressed like the many caucasion kids who seemed to want to be African Americans. Their clothes were too large, they work baseball hats at an angle and chains.
Richard, usually dressed like that fashion, looked instead like a farm boy that night.
"Hey, Jason right? the piano guy, man you're fantastic" He shook Jason's hand even before Cynthia had finished introducing her friend.
"yea, thanks uh you DJ stuff right? I don't go to dances much but I've uh seen your name on posters and stuff" Jason fumbled with his response.
"OK you two girls here, let's go have fun" Cynthia took Jason's arm and Barby linked hers through Richards.
The time proceeded and Jason relaxed as the tossed baseballs at bottles, shot pellet rifles, rode ferris wheels and other rides.
Barby and Richard seemed to be having fun. At times Jason was jealous as Cynthia predicted then he laughed as Cynthia poked him. He found himself having fun with Cynthia as always.
The fun house was dark. The four sat in the wide car as it passed by trick mirrors, bad scary masks and then rode over a pool of blue light.
Cynthia took Jason's arm and put it over the chair behind her mimicing how Richard had put his arm around Barby's next to them.
They laughed and rode in the darkness.
Jason felt the fingers on his arm. At first he thought it was Cynthia but realized they were from the other couple and as he looked, Jason saw the color lights reflect in Richards staring back at him.
His fingers became intertwined for what seemed like a stop in time. But then Barby said something and Richard and Cynthia laughed and their locked fingers parted.
"I had fun, you were right" Jason said kissing Cynthia on the cheek. "told you" she laughed and drove away.
Jason turned and walked towards his front step. He stopped when the car horn beeped lightly.
"What did you forget? He said before turning. Cynthia always left stuff at his house.
But it wasn't her car. The old blue Triumph was there. The top was down. It was a very old sports car.
"Somebody lost" he muttered moving towards the car.
"Let's go for a ride" the driver said. It was Richard. He didn't ask if Jason wanted to go or not. He said it as a matter of fact.
Jason got in the passenger seat and the car took them into the darkness where their hands could once again interlock. They didn't talk for the longest time. The roar of the engine would have drouned out conversation Jason rationalized.
Perhaps or perhaps not. But neighther wanted to shatter their time with words just yet. They had dialog best expressed though stroking fingers, sweaty palms and an occasional kiss to the back of a hand.
The best carnival ride of their lives had begun.