CRUSH (chapter 1.) Ferris Wheel

He's seen her before.
She lives in that pretty brick
2 story house on the corner of his street.

When Eric was riding his bicycle home, after playing Nintendo with Tony after school,
he could see her from the road.

He can't stop long, he doesn't want to hear his mom yelling at him that he's out past his curfew again.

"Just 30 seconds", he thinks to himself.
Watching her from behind an old oak tree,
staring out her bedroom window,
brushing out her long golden locks.

He could hear her singing, Foreigner's new release,
" I don't want to live without you," she had heard on her older brother's car radio that year in 1987.
Eric closed his eyes and thought she was pretty damn cool. She made his hands sweaty and his heart pound.

It was Saturday night. Everyone in town was heading to the carnival that had rolled in on the Rio Grande earlier that morning, before dawn.

He was excited that his mom agreed to let him hang out with Tony again. She didn't really mind. One less kid in the house to make her crazy. One less brawl to break up with his little brother Joey.

She trusted Eric. He was always able to find jobs to help her buy groceries after his dad abandoned the family 2 yrs ago. Eric was 14 then.

He jumps into a cold shower, pissed off he didn't take one before his sister Emily did. She took one earlier and now there is no more hot water.
He sprays himself with the Elsha cologne his mom had found on sale for Christmas last year.

Eric was able to save some money last winter. After shoveling sidewalks and driveways, in one of Utah's record-breaking snow seasons.

 He splurged on himself to buy his first name brand outfit his mom could never afford. He liked hard rock music and the clothes the stoners were wearing at school.

He liked to get high, but he had to help his mom out,
so he hardly ever had the time. He was a good kid. Just a little shy with the girls he thought are pretty.

 He puts on his button fly 501's, AC/DC tee shirt, Levi jacket and his Adidas high tops with the black stripes. That cost him 2 months of shoveling snow.

His mom yells as he's walking out the door,
"10 o'clock, Eric, or your grounded."
He yelled back," I know ".

Eric and Tony met up at the Fun House.
Tony shouts, " Dude"!
"What's up, Tone man," Eric grins, " what's the plan,"?
"Girls, girls, girls. Have you seen the ass on Hiedi, in her daisy dukes, "?
"Naw man, I have a girl who I was hoping came tonight."
"What the fuck"? " Dude, are you serious who?"
" I don't know her name, but she just moved into the corner house on my street about a month ago and I think I'm in love, " Eric laughs nervously.
 "Does she have a friend, "? Tony hopes.
" I told you I don't even know her name, ".
" Let's go, bro, Semper Fi," Tony high fives Eric.

Ginny's, laughing at Abby when she snorted while she was laughing.
" Hey, Abby do you think we can see the whole town from the top of the Wheel",?
" God, I hope not. I don't think I should go, Ginny. It's really high."
"C'mon Abby, it'll be fun."
Abbey gulps.

Eric spots her. "Holy fuck, dude. There she is."
"Wow, that is one hot chick, man." Tony's mouth drops.
"Fuck, shit. Dude, what do I do?" Eric's hands are clammy, hearts pounding.
"Go for it, bro. When she dis's you, I'm going to have to give you shit. That's a sweet ass candy jar you're reaching for." Tony shakes his head.

He's the shy boy at the carnival,
crushing on her hard.
She's the new girl everyone wants to meet.

Building up the nerve to hand her the pink cotton candy cloud, he just bought with his yard work earnings that week.
 He's taking deep breaths and finally walks over to her waiting in line for the Ferris Wheel...

 "Hey, I'm Eric. You just moved here, right?"
"Uh, ya. Why?"
"You live on my street. I was coming home from my friend Tony's house last night. I heard you sing. You're really good."
Ginny blushes, averting her eyes to the ground.
I got you some cotton candy… to, ...uh... to welcome you to the neighborhood." Eric smiles shyly.
"Ginny, I can't do it. I think I'm going to be sick. Abby holds her stomach.
"I'll go with you, um..uh..if you want me to I mean."
Ginny, gives Abby a look that says, " Help me, ".
Abby gives a look back, " Go, girl, he's cute".
"Ok, I guess. Sure. Are you going to be ok Abby?"
"Ya, I'll be waiting for you to come out," Abby says annoyed.
"Hey, Abby. My friend Tony is right over there. Can he wait here with you, I mean if that's okay?"
"Ohh..umm, ok yeah that's cool"
Joey waves Tony over.
"Radical dude," Tony says, as he walks up slurping a slushy.
To be continued….