Chapter 18 #2
When it was our turn to go, Ezekiel paid the ten bucks to cover us both and we once again stood side by side. He allowed me to go first and my first throw saw me unsuccessful, the ball barely brushing against one of the green soda bottles. My second and third attempt were the same.
“This game is rigged,” I said.
Ezekiel smirked. He stood back and tossed the ball up and down in his palm before clutching it fiercely. He leaned back and then threw the ball forward. And wouldn’t you know, all three bottles fell.
He was in my face, grinning. “You were saying?”
I folded my arms. “Whatever.”
He won me a Krusty the Clown and I happily accepted it since we were even.
We competed some more, with me winning the water gun game where you had to blow up a balloon faster than your opponent, and Ezekiel won the skee-ball game. I won the ring toss, and Ezekiel won the bust-a-balloon.
Even though we were at a tie, we let it go and got on the Ferris wheel. I kept my Krusty the Clown and handed off the second and third prize Ezekiel had won me, and Ezekiel kept the unicorn and handed off his second and third prize to a little girl and boy before we got on the wheel.
The sun was sinking and I was almost bummed, because that meant Ezekiel would have to go home soon to get ready for BLVCKJVCK. But I didn’t want to think about this day ending. Seeing Mr. Serious let loose and have fun with me was worth the time we had.
We weren’t a couple, but it was kinda cute how Paisley and Sloan were coming to the Saturday night event and Leslie and Cesar were going to the Sunday night one.
“Paisley seeing someone?” Ezekiel asked as the wheel rotated up slowly. The yellow glowing lights sparkled all around us, causing us both to illuminate in our cab next to each other.
“Yeah, she’s currently dealing with a blast from her past,” I said.
“Do you like him?” I didn’t miss the concern on Ezekiel’s face as he asked.
“I haven’t officially met him yet, but I’m happy for Pay because this sounds like the one who got away. Obviously second chances didn’t work for me, but that doesn’t mean she can’t have hers,” I said.
“I hope it works out,” Ezekiel said. “Paisley’s a bomb-ass woman from what I’ve seen so far.”
Paisley was amazing.
“So, what do you think of Leslie?” I wondered. For a woman, seeing your best friend fall in love was endearing. For a man, sometimes it seemed like they acted like their friend had died.
“She cool, I like her,” Ezekiel said. “Cease and me could be one in the same. I know him like he know me, and I can just tell this one is the one. The way he talk about her? That shit deep.”
“Aww,” I gushed. It sounded like how Paisley spoke of Sloan. “Are you one of those guys who swear they won’t settle down until they’re good and forty or fifty?”
Ezekiel immediately shook his head. “Nah. I’ve never been in a rush. I guess I believe in cosmic or organic meetings. Ultimately, I want what my parents have. My dad loves my mom, treats her good, treated me good growing up, and we were happy—we are happy. When I get my R&B, I’ll know.”
I was confused. “R&B?”
He faced me, seeming to blush as he clarified. “That rhythm and blues. The stuff of songs. Deeper than a vibe, that special one and only soul connection. Luther Vandross a house is not a home without you type of thing.”
Stevie Wonder, I mouthed, thinking of a love song by him.
“Marvin Gaye,” Ezekiel said back.
“Jill Scott.”
“Alicia Keys.”
“Yeah,” I said softly.
We’d reached the bottom and I felt in a daze. I had to be hungry.
“Food?” Ezekiel suggested.
I could only nod, but a few feet away from the Ferris wheel I spotted a booth that was like the epicenter among all the other vendors, and found my voice.
“Chicken wings!” I all but abandoned Ezekiel as I cut through the crowd to make my way to the line to get a good place. There was a competing chicken wing vendor a few booths down, but the sight of two women in the booth in front of the line made me stay where I was.
“I’m going to check out the other booth’s wings,” Ezekiel said to me as he came by. “Meet me at the picnic tables.”
“Okay,” I promised.
When I made it to the front of the line, I didn’t even gag at the prices.
Because I was greedy, and more than likely would want more later, I purchased two ten-piece boxes.
One plain and breaded, and another with lemon-pepper rub.
I stacked one box on top of the other after paying and quickly scanned the vendors for who sold alcohol. I needed a beer for this.
“Nas!”
Shouting from my left caused me to look over. Ezekiel had found seating at a picnic table under a large red tent. Not only was he babysitting a box of wings, he also had two cups of beer.
“Oh my God, you read my mind.” I joined him at the table and curiously picked up the amber-colored liquid filled cup. “What brand is this brew?”
“Corona,” Ezekiel said proudly. “They had it at the other wing booth.”
The two women were only offering soda, but I could live with their wings.
“Well, mine came with a side of fries,” I said.
Ezekiel frowned. “Damn.”
“I got two ten-pieces, so there’s plenty of fries,” I said as I opened one of my boxes. “What kind did you get?”
“Half bourbon BBQ, and half garlic parm,” he said as he opened his box.
“A feast,” I commented. “The girls at the Wicked Wings booth also were generous with the wet wipes. So I got us covered outside of the napkins.”
“Clutch,” Ezekiel praised.
We clinked cups and took a sip of our beers before attacking the wings. It was a team effort, Ezekiel let me have some of his wings and I let him have some of mine and my fries. He liked the flats and I liked the drumettes, but we both weren’t that picky in the long run.
As stuffed as I was from my beer and the delicious wings, I had eyes for one more thing. A must for every visit to the Belmont Fair.
“Sure you got room for something else?” Ezekiel asked as he delicately took his time cleaning his hands with a wet wipe.
“I’ll make room.” I left the table and quickly rushed over to the vendor selling fried dough, fried Oreos, and funnel cake. No trip to the Belmont Fair was complete without funnel cake.