Jackson + OPEN
Halloween wasn't really a holiday Jackson actually considered... well, a holiday, but he didn't really hate it either. If it was possible to be ambivalent on holidays-that-weren't-quite-holidays, then that was where he sat on the issue of October 31st and its associated whatever. In all fairness, Jackson didn't really care about the majority of the seasonal holidays and for all his popularity, never really cared about the parties that went with them. That didn't stop him from going to said parties because he had an image to maintain, but he wasn't furiously counting down on any calendar date except for the application deadlines for colleges. But there weren't parties for those unless pity parties counted and Jackson was always pity-partying it solo anyways.
The fair was something Jackson had been going to with his parents ever since he was old enough to really enjoy running around under the bright, colorful lights and tall enough to go on the majority of the rides that littered the area. It was also one of the few times he was allowed to eat anything that could have been labelled "junk food" since his mother had been on a weird health kick since before it was cool and Jackson, by age 18, had already eaten more kale than most people in California. And that was saying a lot considering kale on basically anything was the biggest diet fad spreading throughout the state faster than the drought.
With the way his stomach has been turning lately, Jackson ended up steering clear of all the greasy, sugar- and salt-laden food items despite the fact he wanted at least one of his favorites before he called it a night. Because of that same uneasiness, he avoided the majority of the really nausea-inducing rides because the last thing he needed on top of everything else he had on his mind was getting sick at the fair and having to do clean up (literally and figuratively) on it at school for the rest of the month.
So, stupid Ferris Wheel it is.
It wasn't a bad ride, and he had fond memories of going on it with his mother when he was younger (it was the only ride she could tolerate with her weak stomach), but it was a lot longer and not as adrenaline packed, which meant more time for thinking. Time alone with nothing but his own racing thoughts for company was always a bad combination for Jackson, especially lately. For weeks, Jackson's felt like his mind was being pulled in a million different directions and there was barely any time to talk himself through one problem when another four took its place.
Sighing, Jackson shifted his weight as the line moved slightly forward. He was also acutely aware of the fact he was in line alone which could have looked sad and while that thought did rear its ugly head, it was definitely muted by a plethora of others. Actually, he mostly just hoped he wouldn't get randomly paired up with someone (though it was pretty much guaranteed).