Ferris Wheel: Van & Gil
This was a dance with a carnival theme, not a carnival with a dance floor, so Hydra hadn't focused on doing too many games or rides. The main thing was the dance, though the rides certainly got a lot of attention. Van wondered if it was because people preferred riding the rides over dancing with their dates. He curiously noted who was doing what, noting that Kitsune House especially seemed to be treating the dance as a carnival, and not the end of the year formal. That was no surprise and Van was amused.
But he couldn't get over how Caitlin had been acting. Ever since he told her he wanted to go with someone else to the dance, she'd become more of a stranger than a friend. Every text conversation ended in an argument and they never hung out in person. Most of the latter was due to Van's detention that kept him occupied from the last bell of school to curfew at night. But it only exacerbated the divide between himself and Caitlin.
And then when she hadn't denied pulling that prank on Sasha, Van was surprised by his own reaction to it. Sasha was an easy mark. Not someone who deserved something like that. He was surprised and disappointed that Caitlin had stooped so low. Now Sasha was acting like an emo band dropout, and Van could only blame Caitlin. Still, he'd never go run and tell a teacher what he knew. That wasn't the code of kids who grew up in foster care.
Van stood with Gil in line for the ferris wheel. It wasn't the biggest one in the world, standing at a mere five stories, but it gave an excellent view from the top out over the woods and to the ocean. In the other direction, one could see all the way to Camden where the sun was already down past the horizon. He knew he should shake himself out of his mood and focus on having a fun night with Gil, but it hadn't worked yet. Van was lost in his moody thoughts, leaning against the gate, and he didn't hear the ride operator call for the next in line.