Who: Ethan & Scarlett Where: The Carnival When: Afternoon, Sunday, June 24th Status: Complete
Ethan had spent the last few days solidly ignoring the fact that he could be seriously fucking up his love life. He didn’t regret sleeping with Jules, but he knew on some level that Scarlett would be pissed if she found out. And would likely stop sleeping with him. They hadn’t been together that long, or had any specific conversations about exclusivity, but he still knew. So he kept his mouth shut and swallowed any residual guilt he was feeling, something that came easier when he was perpetually high. The effects of the otherworldly smoke had yet to fade, but it didn’t bother him–another side effect. Life was good when you were high all the time.
Time seemed to slip away from him however, and it was Sunday before he knew it. Scarlett had been eager to get together again and checking out the carnival that had just rolled into town sounded like a good time. It was a chance to get out of his apartment and actually do something, which hadn’t bothered him the last few days, but now was eager to remedy. He grinned as they walked towards the fairgrounds, trying to take it all in at once. The sights, the sounds, and the smells were all reminiscent of childhood in the best ways and he was glad they’d come out for this. It was so overwhelming in his current state that there wasn’t room for the guilt or shame that should probably be there.
Scarlett was more than thrilled when Ethan agreed to take her to the carnival in town. Being able to see the top of the Ferris Wheel from her house had been strange, but the urge to go had been undeniable. And now she was walking through the grounds with Ethan, her hand gripping his just so that everyone knew who he belonged to. He did seem a bit out of it, like he was high or something, but that was okay with Scarlett. She'd rather he be high than drunk. "Have you ever been to one of these before?" she asked, her gaze scanning the crowd for anyone she might know. "I mean, back where you lived before now."
Ethan nodded, that giddy feeling making his smile feel like a permanent fixture on his face. He felt too good to shake it off. “Only once, when I was a kid. Something like this stopped near Westbridge and I talked my mom into taking me. We rode all the rides, ate cotton candy and funnel cake, and played the carnival games until I won something. It’s kinda magical in my mind.” He knew it probably wasn’t as grand as he remembered it, but memories were weird in how they warped over time. If there’d been anything negative about the experience, he couldn’t recall it now. “What about you? These things come through Point Pleasant often?”
Scarlett laughed at the mere thought of Point Pleasant getting things like annual carnivals. This was a total surprise, which was probably why everyone in town seemed to be there today. And it was going to be there the entire week. "We never get anything cool," she said. "I mean, we've done smaller festivals and crap like that, but nothing like this. I never thought this town could even fit a carnival." But somehow they did it. "What do you want to do first? Get something to eat? Ride something? Or you could win me a prize." Scarlett brought his hand up to her lips to playfully nip at his knuckles.
Ethan thought a carnival could have easily fit somewhere like the fallows, but was likewise impressed that it had managed to squeeze in between the marina and the museum. He wasn’t even sure how they’d dragged all the equipment in without anyone noticing, then recalled that there’d been one hell of a storm last night. Had they somehow constructed this during that? That seemed the only option. “It’s definitely bigger than I’d expect based on the space,” he said, then grinned when she nipped at his knuckles. “I could try and win you something. See anything you want?” He generally thought of carnival prizes as trash, but he still wanted to win something for her, just because. Maybe as a silent apology for a wrong he refused to acknowledge, as if a giant stuffed animal would make it all okay.
"I definitely see something I want." Scarlett smile suggestively before lowering their joined hands again. "But if you want to win me something to take home... we'll have to look around and see what else they have. Maybe a stuffed animal or something." It was cliche but Scarlett didn't care. Anything Ethan wanted to give her, she'd happily take. "Why don't we check out the rides first," she suggested. "That way I don't have to try and shove whatever you get me into my bag. We could do the Funhouse, or... they have a Tunnel of Love." Scarlett laughed, pointing ahead. "Do you think its just a ride for people to make out on?"
Ethan wanted to win something for her, but he also didn’t want to lug it around for her, so he was happy to wait until later to play the games. He was happy to do just about anything, in all honesty, even let Scarlett call the shots on what to do next. His eyes followed her pointing to see the Tunnel of Love, which won her a laugh. “I can’t think of any other reason people would ride it,” he grinned. “I wonder how long it is, and how much people can get away with.” A couple getting off the ride definitely looked disheveled enough, straightening their clothes and smoothing out their hair. The girl’s blouse was done up all wrong, but she’d yet to notice. “Wanna find out? We can try out the Funhouse after.”
Scarlett couldn't imagine a Tunnel of Love ride would be anything more than just going through a darkened tunnel and getting handsy with someone, but it looked like plenty of people were enjoying it. And she was definitely okay with getting into a tiny ride with Ethan and being able to make out with him for a few minutes. "Yeah, let's do that," she said, squeezing his hand and starting to lead him over to the ride itself. "I bet we could get away with a lot." Who was going to stop them? Scarlett secretly hoped some of her friends were around and would see. She was still riding high on being out Vic for Ethan's attention and she was going to rub it in as much as she could.
Ethan knew they didn’t need a carnival ride to get alone time, but there was something so corny about it that it felt like he needed to do it once in a lifetime, especially with a girl who wouldn’t mind him getting frisky. If there was one thing he could depend on with Scarlett, it was that she was always up for a chance to fool around. He held her hand as they approached the ride, a boat with a heart-shaped back that went on a track through a heart-shaped tunnel. It looked like something out of a movie or a cartoon, but that was what made it fun. “Let’s fine out,” he snickered as he gave Scarlett’s hand a squeeze. Just then he felt movement in his wrist, a feather-light brush beneath the skin that was followed by a small surge of euphoria. Every time the high started to die down, he’d feel it again, a reminder of his time spent with Jules in the Fallow. It made Ethan’s head spin, but he smiled at Scarlett as he paid for the ride, then helped her climb into the boat with him.
The "ride" was definitely cheesy looking, but she was looking forward to all the darkness inside of the tunnel. She doubted it was a long enough ride to get Ethan off, but they could still kiss and get their blood running hot by the time it was over. It would be funny to watch him try and tame a hardon after the ride ended. Once they were settled, Scarlett leaned into Ethan, nibbling playfully on his arm before relaxing. The boat was slow moving, but soon enough they were encased in darkness as they entered the heart shaped tunnel. "Wow, it really is dark in here, isn't it?" Scarlett mused. "You'd think they'd have something, even like, pink lights or whatever."
Ethan wrapped an arm around Scarlett as they settled in the little boat, snickering softly at the way she nibbled on his arm. He idly wondered if this was a good idea, if he was even still interested in Scarlett now that he’d been with Jules. Not that there was anything solid there, other than their friendship. He hadn’t felt up to figuring it out, not then and not now. Every time he tried to sort out his feelings on the matter, he failed, distracted by one thing or another. If he was honest with himself, he hadn’t been able to focus in days, but he’d been feeling so good that it was difficult to worry about it. Ethan blinked as the boat moved into the tunnel, his eyes attempting to adjust to the dark. “Yeah, I kind of imagined hearts and cupids and shit. This is… kinda weird.”
That's what Scarlett had assumed too, though it did seem as though the tunnel became a bit lighter the further in they got. It was easier to see Ethan anyway and Scarlett began to press her lips against his neck. They didn't have a whole lot of time in there and Scarlett was finding herself being overcome with arousal and something else, although that something else was harder to define. Was it annoyance? Irritation? Scarlett couldn't figure it out but it certainly had her nipping at Ethan's skin a bit rougher than she would have otherwise.
Ethan’s curiosity regarding the atmosphere ended the moment Scarlett’s lips touched his neck and he angled his body towards hers in the boat, his arm wrapping around her waist to hold her close. All physical stimuli seemed to be amplified lately, so long as he remained high, and it never seemed to die down. Normally, that resulted in everything feeling amazing, but when Scarlett nipped his skin, Ethan cringed a little, laughing softly as his fingers dug into her ribs. “Hey,” he snickered, attempting to catch her lips with his own. “Careful there.” Sometimes he liked things a little rough, but at the moment it felt like too much, too fast.
Maybe she didn't want to be careful. Maybe she wanted to bite him harder and mark him. Mark her territory and all that. Scarlett could be possessive, but she felt it rather acutely now. So she kissed him, her hand moving to cup his crotch, squeezing. She suddenly wondered if he was cheating on her. Of course he was, he was a teenage boy... a hot one too and she knew there were girls in town who wanted him. Most of which were her friends. Pulling back, Scarlett stared at him, her pink lips parted even as she continued to massage him through his jeans. "Are you fucking other girls?" she asked, not even aware of how out of left field that might sound to him. It seemed like a perfectly normal question to her, something she deserved to know. Ugh! Why were boys so fucking predictable?
“What?!” Ethan jerked back, eyes wide at the question. The hand on his crotch was no longer enjoyable as it had been seconds ago. Now it was far too close, could hurt him in a way that he probably deserved, and yet still wanted to avoid. “Why would you ask that?” He wondered how she had known, what he had said or done that had given him away. Maybe he hadn’t come onto her strong enough. Scarlett had been almost insatiable since the moment he’d met her, so maybe she could tell how he hesitated. Ethan scooted back in the seat, trying to discreetly remove himself from her hold. “Are we exclusive now?” he asked, trying to buy himself a way out, an excuse. It had never been stated before, so maybe she’d accept the idea that without that he’d not actually been cheating on her.
Just the fact that he was trying to scoot away from her seemed to confirm an affirmative answer. Red hot rage seemed to boil over at his mirade of questions, especially the last one. Her eyes widened. "Are we exclusive now? What did you think we were before? How long have you been fucking me and you're asking me that question now?" She thought she heard someone bark out a laugh in a boat far behind them but it was too dark to see. Scarlett's hand reached out to snatch his shirt in her fist. "Who was it? I swear to god if you say Jules or Vic I'm going to scream." And she would. Loud and long for everyone in the whole carnival to hear!
It felt impossible to summon up the energy to be angry with the state Ethan was in, but he was still coherent enough to realize he was somehow digging himself a deeper hole. He just couldn’t figure out how they’d gotten there and he’d never have trapped himself on a tiny little boat with Scarlett if he’d realized they were headed this direction. “I don’t know what we are,” he said, trying to bat her hand away without actually hurting her. “We started out fucking. That’s not a—a way to define things.” Words were failing him and for the first time in days he wished he was a little less high. It usually felt so good, but right now he couldn’t fucking think and she was practically shouting. Answering her question felt like a death sentence. “Can you just calm down for a second? Where is this even coming from? I thought we were having fun!”
Scarlett was not unaware of the fact that he was avoiding her questions. God, boys were really so stupid. "We've done more than just fuck," she snapped. "You're just trying to justify screwing other girls!" And why did he have to have sex with other people anyway? Scarlett had always been available when he wanted her and didn't she let him do whatever he wanted to her? Isn't that what guys wanted? Scarlett wanted to just slap him as hard as she could and her fingers curled into a fist. "Stop avoiding my questions, Ethan. Are you fucking someone else or not?" Maybe she could push him out of the boat. Let him walk the rest of the tunnel in the water.
“Just stop yelling!” Ethan hissed loudly, less because other people might hear and more because it made his head hurt. His brain was too fuzzy to keep up with the argument, but he could tell that he was botching it horribly. The only thing he could cling to was the knowledge that he should probably not, under any circumstances, admit that he’d had sex with Jules. With the way her hands turned to fists, he thought that secret would earn him a punch to the face. “Yeah, but I’m not actively fucking anyone!” he said, and that was the truth. He had fucked Jules, but he didn’t think he could say they were fucking, as it implied that it would happen again. And he hadn’t pursued Scarlett, not in the way she’d gone after him, which he enjoyed up until thirty seconds ago. “If I fucked up, I didn’t do it to hurt you. I didn’t think we were that serious. For all I know, soon as there’s another party, you’ll find another guy to fuck.”
She knew it. Scarlett would have slapped him just for admitting that he had cheated on her - which he had, whether he wanted to accept that or not - but it was that last comment that really had her seeing red and she did slap him then. The crack of his skin against her palm felt good, but that was because she would rather feel that sting than the one deep in her chest. "Fuck you, Ethan! Don't you dare imply that I'm some kind of slut, when the only person here fucking more than one person at the same time is you." She pointed her finger in his face before falling back against her side of the boat. There was a light ahead, which meant she would be free and could storm out of there.
“Ow! Fuckin’ stop that!” Ethan flinched, too slow to stop her from hitting him. His hands went up, prepared to defend himself should she try to do it again. One hit was more than enough. “I never said that! I would never say that! Or even think that! You can fuck whomever you want!” Though he hadn’t been with Scarlett long enough to feel possessive of her, he didn’t really like the idea of her fucking other guys. But he also didn’t want to be a hypocrite, and he truly didn’t think she was a slut. “We’ve been on, like, two fucking dates!” he said, barely able to summon anger through his apathy. His skin was absolutely crawling, the creatures beneath it unhappy with the amount of energy this was taking out of him, and Ethan’s head began to pound. “I barely fucking know you! If you wanted more, you have to talk to me, not corner me and force me to admit to things that are none of your fucking business.”
None of her business!? Scarlett clenched her jaw, more than ready to get out of this stupid boat. Maybe she should have gone out to have fun with more guys, instead of just focusing on Ethan. She could have, after all, but she hadn't because she hadn't wanted to. The anger was so much easier to handle, the violence that was thrumming beneath her skin, tempting her to hit him again and again until she felt better. Because it did hurt, thinking they were something when clearly all she was to him was a means to get laid. Boys only ever thought with their dicks. As the end of the ride approached, Scarlett felt her boiling temper starting to dull into a simmer. Her fingers unclenched and she felt the sting from where her nails had dug into her palm. "You're an asshole, Ethan," Scarlett said, calmer now than a minute ago. She quickly climbed out of the boat once it stopped, moving with purpose into the carnival to find her way out of it.
As the ride came to an end, Ethan rubbed a hand over his face, unable to pinpoint how things had spun out of control so damn fast. If he’d been a better liar and completely lacked a conscience, maybe he would have been able to talk Scarlett down, but she’d hit the nail a little too close to the head for him. He might be an asshole, but he didn’t want to outright lie to her. If she ever found out what he’d done, it’d be so much worse. Now it might not matter. “Scarlett,” he called after her as he climbed off the boat. “Wait. I’m sorry. Let me—let me at least drive you home,” he offered. His head was pounding now and all he wanted to do was lay down and close his eyes, but that could wait. He didn’t regret sleeping with Jules, not completely, but he’d never wanted to hurt Scarlett. It just sucked that he couldn’t have it both ways.
Scarlett heard him call after her and she wished that she got some satisfaction from it. But she was pissed off. Even if the urge to get violent had passed, there was still the knowledge that Ethan was a dick and had dicked around on her. She didn't care that he hadn't known if they weren't exclusive. When you're consistently sleeping with someone, shouldn't that have given him pause? Maybe it had, but he had done it anyway. Ugh, she couldn't wait to go out and find a hot guy and just fuck the hell out of him. That would make her feel better. "You don't need to drive me home," Scarlett said, heading briskly towards the exit. "I can walk, Ethan." She wasn't exactly wearing walking shoes but she would take them off and walk barefoot if she had to. That would be better than being in Ethan's car and feeling all that anger and humiliation.
Ethan sighed, too drained to follow, too hollow to care. He knew he should be more upset, that this was something he’d wanted to avoid, but he just didn’t have the energy. She had a right to be pissed, he knew that somewhere in his mind. So much of what went down didn’t make sense in his head, including his own shady decisions. He just needed to go home and take a rest, see if it cleared everything up. Maybe he’d give Jules a call. He thought she might have some insight into what to do about Scarlett, but then maybe he shouldn’t ask her, since she was the one he’d slept with. This was far too complicated for him at the moment. He took a deep breath and his skin crawled, and a second later he was hit with a fresh high. There was no pain, no worry. Everything was going to be just fine.