"Don't you look nice."

I rolled my eyes as I saw Emily, through the reflection of the mirror. She was standing in the doorway, with her arms folded and a smirk on her lips.

I ignored her and continued to run the brush through my hair.

"Are you going on a date with Margot?"

I stopped the brush midway through my hair and clenched my jaw.

I kept reminding myself that it wasn't a date. Margot was with Emmanual.

"No we're going to the carnival. As friends."

"Riiiiiiight." Emily said, not believing me. To be honest I didn't believe me either.

I really didn't have the time or energy for Emily right now.

"I saw you two getting all soft and cosy with each other on the porch." She said walking over to me.

"Shouldn't you be out with Ashley right now." I muttered, "I thought you had plans."

"She canceled. She has a family function."

Great so that meant Emily was gracing me with her company.

I finished combing my hair through and placed the brush down. I think my irritation with Emily was to hide the fact that I was actually super nervous.

I had been on dates before - even though this wasn't a date - But those dates were kind of spontaneous. I was never really serious about them and it didn't phase when they didn't work out.

But this now was different. Going out with Margot, as friends, was something new. I really cared about her, in a different way to how I did with the others. I didn't want it to end badly.

"So..." I forgot the nuisance was still here. I turned to her.

"What?" I asked, crossing the room and taking out my purse.

Good I had enough money!

"Margot and Emmanual are still together correct?"

I didn't want to reply. But Emily stood there with her arms folded, looking pointedly at me.

"Correct." I said.

"And you guys going out tonight without Emmanual's knowledge, even after she's admitted to liking you and has kissed you twice!"

I sighed and walked over to my cupboard, pulling out a grey jacket.

"I'll take that as a Yes." Emily said as I slipped on the jacket.

I clapped my hands together.

"Well this has been a great interrogation! Thank you Miss Mace." Emily rolled her eyes. "Please inform me on when my court hearing will be."

And with that I made my way to my door.

"Are you going dressed like that?" She exclaimed.

"Yes Emily. It's the carnival. Not an engagement party!"

I walked out of the room and down the stairs.

"Don't do anything you'll regret!" Emily called after me.

I pretend not to hear. Tonight I just wanted to have fun.

I rang the doorbell. Barely two seconds passed before the door whipped open!

"Wo!" I exclaimed taken aback.

Margot arched an eyebrow at me.
"You're late."

"And good evening to you too Madam Saunders." I took a stiff bow.

She laughed and pushed me back to stand up straight.

"Come let's go."

She shut the door and walked down the pathway. Her hair swishing out behind her.

I smiled and followed her to where the Uber was waiting.

We got out of the car and stood under the giant archway that said Woodlands Carnival in bright red colours.

I'd been here once before back when I was about ten.
It hadn't been great because Emily had eaten about three hotdogs, gone on the Tornado ride, and then had been sick right next to my dad's car.

There were the flashing lights, the whoosh of the park's rides and the hundred little coloured stalls.

I looked over at Margot.

"What do you want to do?"

She grinned at me, her eyes sparkling.

"Everything." Then she grabbed my hand and we went tearing down into the madness.

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"Wow!" I breathed in awe. We had just gotten to the peak of the ferris wheel and the view was spectacular!
You could see the entire fair, and not just that, you could see the far off hills, and the twinkling of the city lights.

"I know." Margot whispered. "It's beautiful."

I looked at her. Multicoloured lights danced across her face, igniting the sparkle in her eyes. A smile played across her lips, as she watched in wonder everything down below her.

She was right. It was beautiful. She was beautiful.

"Riley stop," Margot's soft voice snapped me out of my daze.

"Stop what?" I asked concerned. She was still gazing out in front of her.

"Stop looking at me." She turned to face me, I could see a slight blush on her cheeks. "You keep steeling glances in my direction, I can see you doing it."

"Oh," I said embarrassed. I'd been caught. I could feel my cheeks turning red. "Sorry."

"No don't apologise. It's just you're supposed to be looking in front of you." She gestured at the landscape. "Look at the view isn't it amazing!"

"It is." I said still gazing at her.

Margot rolled her eyes.

"Sorry. I just think... That you're beautiful."

Margot looked at me, and smiled.

"I don't deserve you." She muttered.

"Damn right you don't!"

She shoved me hard in the arm.

"Ouch." I winced.

We had gotten back to the bottom of the ferris wheel. A man lifted the bar and we hopped off.

"What did you and Emmanual do on your date?" I asked. I'd been wanting to know ever since it had happened. But Margot didn't seem to want to talk about it.

I debated mentioning it now and the curiosity got the best of me.

Margot clenched her jaw and for a second I thought she wouldn't tell me.

"He took me to the park. He had a whole picnic dinner planned. With music and everything."

"Oo. Nice." I said as we walked through the stalls.

"Yeah." She said. "Everything seemed to be going well. We were just talking and laughing like usually do..."

"And then?"

"He started making advances. Nothing inappropriate. Just things that you'd do on a date. But I just felt really...." She dropped her gaze, "Uncomfortable. It didn't feel right."

"I'm sorry." I said. "I guess that happens when you go on a date with someone you don't like."

Margot sighed. "Yes I know. I kind of expected it."

I nearly felt sorry her. But I didn't know why she didn't just break it off there and then? Instead she'd agreed to be his girlfriend!

"So... how is your boyfrie-"

"Hey look!" Margot cut me off. She pointed in the direction of a small vertical black box. "A photobooth!" I guessed she just wanted to change the subject.

I didn't push it any further and we made our way over to the photobooth.

"I've always wanted to do one of these!"

"Okay," I said, pulling out some money.

I put the money into the machine and selected the option for two photo cards. One for me and one for Margot.

We step inside the booth and pulled across the curtain.

A monitor in the booth gave us a visual count down.

5, 4, 3, 2

"Smiley face!" Margot said.

1! Click!

5, 4, 3, 2

"Silly face!" I said.

Click!

Two more to go.

5, 4, 3, 2

Margot turned and kissed me on the cheek.

Click!

I looked at her and smiled. A light pink covering my cheeks.

5, 4, 3, 2

I wondered what we'd do for this photo. I was about to pull another funny face when Margot grabbed my face in her hands and kissed me properly.

Click!

The camera snapped the final shot! I didn't care.

I ran my hands through Margot's hair, deepening the kiss. Our bodies moved in sinc as our tongues danced in each others mouths.

I gently pressed her body up against the wall of the booth. She moved her hands down to around my waist. She played with my top lifting it up slightly.

"Excuse me!" A deep voice called from outside the booth. Margot and I jumped apart. "Can you get out of there! My girlfriend and I want to take photos."

We stumbled out of the booth.
A tall man with spikey dark hair, looked disapprovingly down at us. His girlfriend was at his arm.

"Sorry." I apologized. Still flushed by our moment in the booth.

"You photos are in the tray." He said as he and his girlfriend climbed into the booth.

My cheeks burned red as I snatched up the two cards with our photo's on it.
I handed one to Margot as we walked away from the booth.

She smiled down at the card. I was still dizzy from our heated makeout session.

"You better put that somewhere safe." I said. "You don't want someone to come across it accidently."

Margot pulled out her purse and slid it in the side pouch. "Believe me I will."

I smiled at her and then looked at my watch. "There's time for one last thing. We don't want to get home too late."

Margot looked around. "How about that?" She pointed at a blue and green stall.

We walked over to the stall. The lady who ran the stall told us that you had to get a ball into all four basketball hoops to win a prize.

I ended up winning a giant purple penguin.

The lady beamed down at me as she handed it over.

"Here," I said kindly to Margot, faking the generosity. "You can have it."

Margot arched an eyebrow at me. As if to say what I'm not taking that!

But then she saw the lady looking at her.

"Aw thanks Riley." She drawled, begrudgingly taking the stuffed toy.

I tried to hold back a laugh.

"Ah you guys are so cute." The lady said. I turned to face her, wondering what she was on about. "I wish when I was a child the world was like this. So accepting," I arched an eyebrow. "It's great to see more couples like you around."

"Uhhh, actually" I started, "We're not a coup-"

"Thank you." Margot stepped in front of me. She convincingly grabbed my hand. I looked at her in suprise. "It's nice to run into someone so open minded."

The lady grinned. We said goodbye and made our way back to the parking lot, Margot still holding my hand.

She let go as I got out my phone to dial an Uber.

"What was that all about?" I asked, curious as to why she had pretended that we were together.

She shrugged. "I don't know. She thought that we were a couple so why tell her otherwise."

"Uhh maybe because we're not a couple!" I pointed out to her.

She sighed. "It made her happy okay."

"Hmm." I said. I got the feeling that there was another reason, she just wasn't letting on.

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"Goodnight Riley." Margot said as she stood outside her front door. "Thank you. That was one of the best nights I've had in a while."

"You're welcome Mi-Lady." I bowed lower this time. "I had a most delightful evening." Margot rolled her eyes at my fake British accent. "It was the best not date I've ever had."

I stood up straight and looked at her. She was leaning against the door frame with her arms crossed.

"Are you done now?" She asked sarcastically.

I chuckled. "Yes. Yes I am."

She put her hand on the door handle. "Well in that case I'm going to bed." She opened the door.

Then she suddenly turned, stepped forward and placed a quick kiss on my cheek.

I brought my hand up to my face, the place where she'd kissed me felt fuzzy. I grinned at her.

"Thank you." She whispered and then opened the door and entered the house.

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I walked into my room and flicked on the light. Emily was sitting on my bed reading a book.

I sucked in a quick breath of air. Had she waited up all night for me!

"How was your date?" Emily asked smoothly as she flicked a page.

I didn't even tense up at the word "Date" I remembered all the things that Margot and I had done, I felt my heart swell in my chest.

I walked over to my dressing table and put down my keys and phone.

Then I looked at Emily and smiled.

"It was good. Really, really good."

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A/N: Like and comment ❤