Sundown had cooled the temperature and brought with it a pleasant surprise, wind. Nothing extreme, just enough to cool the sweat from our skin and make life a little more pleasant. Add to that the relief of getting through the first portion of the pageant, and the sense of giddiness everyone gets from being at a carnival, and I was feeling really happy.

The fairground was packed to the brim, a true Redneck-a-thon featuring a sea of pink Stetsons, rhinestones, and tee shirts with offensive slogans. The sugary scent of kettle corn and funnel cakes filled my nose, the sound of people screaming and roller coasters swooshing deafening in my ear. All the pretty bright blinking lights and peppy jingling music were fine and dandy too, but my focus was singular.

I'd been trying to get on the Ferris wheel at this fair for three damned years. The first year, mom didn't keep her promise to bring me. The second year, I'd come with Shana, but we'd had to leave early because Cadence had started puking uncontrollably. Last year, I came with Peyton, but he didn't like crowds and I knew he wouldn't like waiting in the line, so I didn't mention it. This year, I was getting on that wheel if it killed me.

Nibbling on my Elephant Ear, I eyed my mark.

Beth was bent over at the waist, hemming and hawing over something or another at the tack booth. We'd picked up extra hours staffing the show, so we'd worked a shift after the parade and were free until eight o' clock, when the auctions started. She'd made it pretty clear that she wasn't interested in the rides and wanted to spend time at the barn looking at horses. But I'd managed to lure her over to the carnival side with the promise of BBQ corn and slushies. Now, I had her right where I wanted her, a mere steps away from the Ferris wheel.

I squeezed past an older gentleman decked out in denim overalls minus the shirt. "Oh look, Beth," I said as casually as I could. "There's the Ferris wheel. We should go on it."

"No way, look at that line. Besides, I wanna go back and check out the stud horses from MacDougal's. I'm thinking about breeding Pheonix and-"

"We have all day tomorrow to do that, come on, pretty please?" I batted my eyelashes at her. I mean, she liked girls, so it had to count for something, right?

"Don't bother, Layla, you're not my type."

I offered her my Elephant Ear. "I'll let you eat the rest of this."

"Eww, no one wants your chewed up food. You've been gnawing on that thing for the last half hour."

"But I did so well today! I did everything you told me to do and then some. Every handler knows the show horse gets an apple after a job well done."

The judges had released the results of the evening gown competition. The Twilight Jubilee/Layla combination had been a huge hit, putting me in the lead. Carmen was in second place, and Miranda, third. Kylie was last. It probably didn't help that she'd decided it was too hot to ride in the "float" and had commandeered the passenger seat of one of the trucks. Beth had been over the moon at the victory - turns out she was ultra competitive when it came to things like this. In hindsight, that shouldn't have surprised me as her horses always placed in shows.

"Speaking of," she said, "We should go get a strategic spot at the dorms before all the good cots are gone. Don't forget, we're gonna need to stay hyper-vigilant tonight."

Because Beaudry's animals would need around the clock care here, everyone working the show was spending the night in cots in the barn. Miranda was working, and we were pretty sure Kylie was staying too. Beth was convinced that the girls would try to sabotage my chances. She'd done the research and had gone over a print out with me, listing common pageant pranks like Nair in shampoo bottles, itching powder placed on clothes, and laxatives slipped into drinks. Made sense. Beth was really smart, her intiative and forward thinking, admirable. I had no doubt that she would reach her dreams one day.

"Okay, we'll do that," I said. "Right after the Ferris wheel."

"You know, you're really annoying sometimes."

"I just want to ride the Ferris wheel."

"I'll go on the Ferris Wheel with you!"

We turned around and there she was again, Alice, from Wonderland, looking bright eyed and bushy tailed in her pretty pink tunic dress. She trotted right up to us.

"Perfect." With that, Beth turned and melted into the crowd.

"I've never been on one before," said Alice, craning her neck to look all the way up to the top of the wheel. A small furrow appeared across the bridge of her nose. "That's pretty high though. It doesn't go fast or anything does it?"

Sensing her hesitation, I grabbed her hand and pulled her into the line before she could change her mind. "No, it's super slow. You're gonna love it. I've never been on this one, but I've been on others. Where's Peyton?"

"I'm not sure, I haven't seen him all day. I'm here with Mrs. Bishop and her sister who flew in this morning. I felt like they wanted some private time together so when I saw you guys, I told her I'd come over and hang out with you. I hope that's okay."

It was more than okay. Alice was growing on me, fast. While we waited in line, we talked about our lives, about New York, and some more about her problems. Since she would be staying in town for the foreseeable future, I invited her to come out to the ranch one day so I could show her the animals. She got really excited at that and made me promise to let her feed something.

We were two groups from our turn when she gasped. "I can't believe he would do this to me," she whispered, all the blood draining from her face.

She looked a little unsteady so I put my hand on her shoulder. "What is it?" I asked, turning to see what she was staring at.

Even if Charlotte and Kylie hadn't been with them, there was no doubt that the group approaching us were Alice and Peyton's people. Nobody around here dressed in pastels and penny loafers. Well, except for Peyton. 

"Who are they?" I asked.

Alice's voice shook with disbelief. "The one in the pink shorts is my cousin, Teddy Purcell. The other guy's his friend, Talbot van Buren. The girls are Lydia and Lucy Abernathy."

"Alice! We've been looking everywhere for you. Why aren't you answering your phone?" Teddy looked like he was coming in for a hug, but pulled back at the stony look on Alice's face. He hesitated and settled for giving her shoulder an awkward squeeze. "Your mother sent us, she's worried about you."

Silent and still, Alice just stood there and stared at everybody in a way that made me feel uncomfortable.

Charlotte stepped in. "Everyone, this is Layla Danner, she's a friend of Peyton's. Layla, Peyton's friends from New York."

Teddy grinned and offered me his hand. "So Peyton's been holding out on us, I see." He winked at me. "Can't say that I blame him." His tone was friendly, but too smooth to be genuine, and when he gave me a once-over, it was discreet, that of a boy very used to charming the girls.

For once, I wasn't wearing cutoffs and a tank top. I wore my nice clothes, a simple white sun dress that I'd bought for Shana's cousin's wedding. But it didn't hold a candle to what the Abernathys had on. Everything about them reeked of sophistication, money, and privilege. I knew I shouldn't feel that way, but I couldn't help but feel like a country bumpkin who had crawled out of the backwoods.

As soon as I released Teddy's hand, Talbot stepped in and offered his. "I can definitely understand why Peyton spends all his time down here."

Talbot wasn't as smooth as Teddy, but still eons above the boys around here. His appreciative eyes took in everything about me from head to toe and I could practically see the wheels in his head turn as he passed his judgement. I didn't want to know the results.

It was ridiculous. As they stood there stealing glimpses at my body, I almost felt like I should curtsy, a simple milkmaid to their titled nobility.

"Alice, we need to talk," said Teddy.

Because we were holding up the line at this point, Alice and I were forced to step aside, losing our place. Because of the pleading look Alice shot me, I reluctantly followed the group to a table by the food booths. Jake was with a bunch of guys by the beer stand on the other side of the court. He didn't even bother to hide the fact that he was staring at me. But not in the lovelorn way that I wanted. No, he looked ticked off, and judgmental as hell.

Alice and Teddy removed themselves from the group, so I got stuck making small talk with the rest of them.

Peyton's friends lived large, talked fast and laughed big. They were polite, but couldn't hide the sense of entitlement that came with being young, good looking and rich, Princes and Princesses of the universe. They surveyed my world and the people in it with an unabashed curiosity, not all that different from how children would stare at animals at a zoo.

Jed, my old neighbor, sat two tables away from us, wearing filthy sweatpants and a tank top that he'd pulled up to his nipples, letting his massive gut hang out. He did that whenever it got too hot for him outside, which was pretty much always. Heather-Lynn, clad in a denim mini and a hot pink tube top, had her young kids with her and was cursing at them, stopping to slap their hands and heads as she plied them with a feast of greasy, fried food.

The group discreetly exchanged looks of amusement and disbelief, but said nothing. It would've been easier if they just went ahead and openly made fun of them because Heather-Lynn and Jed were trashy as hell, even by my standards. But the New Yorkers stayed silent on my account, because to them, these were my people. It was all giving me a massive headache, my good mood from earlier completely destroyed.

Sensing my discomfort, the jackals moved in.

"So you guys," said Charlotte, "Layla's in the running to be Miss Canyon, Texas."

You fucking bitch.

Charlotte sat there and shared all the details, including the auction scheduled for later that night.

The New Yorkers kept their masks of civility on, but the levity of the atmosphere vanished. They seemed distinctly uncomfortable with Charlotte's company, reluctant to listen to her words. The two girls, Lucy and Lydia, especially so, exchanging glances with each other and communicating silently in that way that only sisters can.

"It's terribly disrespectful, not to mention misogynistic and completely inappropriate," said Charlotte.

"It really is." Kylie jumped in and harped on about the proliferation of rape culture. She didn't have Charlotte's tact and nuance so her spiel came off as canned and rehearsed. Which, of course, it was. She was just doing Charlotte's bidding. "Anyway, Uncle Carson was upset when he heard the news but he's gonna let it happen since it's already been announced. But he says I'm not to kiss anyone. In fact, I've been talking to the girls, and it's pretty much been settled that everyone's daddies are gonna bid for their girls."

"It isn't all bad though. It is for charity, after all," said Charlotte.

Kylie was unable to keep the smirk from her face when she addressed me directly. "We thought you should know, seeing how you don't have a daddy and all."

Shut the fuck up, you heinous bitch. Your daddy's serving life in prison for murder.

"Don't be rude, Kylie." Charlotte placed her hand on my forearm, making my blood run cold. "You shouldn't feel bad about it Layla, Miranda's daddy isn't here either, but she's gonna have Casey bid. We just wanted to make sure you were aware so you could make similar arrangements. Did you want me to ask Peyton to bid for you?"

They knew damned well what that would look like. I'd known too, so I'd texted him as soon as I could and told him not to bid. Reluctantly, he'd agreed.

Everyone's eyes were on me, looks of pity and discomfort from the New Yorkers, smug cruelty from Kylie, and from Charlotte, her usual blank stare. I bit down on the inside of my cheek as hard as I could, because like hell I'm going to let them see me cry. 

Thankfully, Alice and Teddy returned at that moment, breaking the spell. Teddy started talking a mile a minute about something else, and eventually, the group of them wandered off while Alice and I remained at the table.

"I'm sorry," said Alice, placing her hand on my forearm and giving it a gentle squeeze. It was the same gesture that Charlotte made, but from Alice, it was warm and comforting. "About the Ferris wheel. About them."

"You don't have anything to apologize for."

"They're rather obnoxious, aren't they?"

I thought so, but I didn't want to talk ugly about her family. "Who are the kids?"

Peyton's friends were around our age, but they had brought a boy and a girl with them who were maybe ten or eleven years old. The boy was very big and sturdy, while the girl was a painfully thin little thing who pretty much disappeared into his shadow.

Alice glanced at them. "That's Carter van Buren, Talbot's little brother. I don't know who the girl is. She's a Mercer-Brown, but I can't remember her first name."

"Constance." Talbot came up from behind us and took a seat beside me. He was too close, close enough that I could feel the heat of his body against my arm. His knee rested against mine in an almost innocuous way. But I knew better. I thought of all the things Alice had told me about Peyton and his friends the other night. I knew what these guys were into. Passing girls around, the cocaine, all night benders with all the excesses that money can buy. I bit my lip and discreetly moved my knee away.

Alice looked at Talbot. "I beg your pardon?"

Talbot jerked his chin at the kids. "My brother's tick. Her name is Constance."

"His tick?" asked Alice. "That isn't very nice."

Talbot shrugged. "You're right, it's not. It's not entirely accurate either. Their relationship is mutualistically symbiotic. But who cares, they're both annoying as fuck. I had to bring them along because my parents are in St. Tropez and left me in charge of them. They'd kill me if they found out I'd left them home alone."

"She lives with you?" asked Alice.

"No, but she's always around. They've been that way since they were born." Talbot looked at them, then scratched his head. "It's kind of creepy, really. Watch them. You can almost see them feeding off each other's energies." 

All three of us turned and stared at them for a while, watching them share a cotton candy and soda. It was true. Their movements were almost synchronized. They moved as one, as if one could predict what the other would do before they did it. Mostly, the boy moved and she followed, always remaining in his shadow, under his protection. But sometimes, he would sense that she wasn't tucked up right against him and he would move around until she was. Despite the weather, the girl wore long black jeans and a long sleeve tee shirt that hung loosely off her scrawny frame.

A loud whoop from the Bucket Ball booth caused her to look up, revealing her face for the first time. holding a cotton candy to her lips, she was at that awkward stage where her features were still settling, her eyes and mouth too big for her face. Suddenly, an overwhelming sense of sadness fell over me, squeezing my heart in a vise like grip, so hard and sudden that I forgot to breathe. Goosebumps broke out all over my limbs, the hair at the nape of my neck standing up.

One day you will have all the things I dreamed of wanting.

Alice shook my shoulder. "What is it? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Like an amoeba, the boy moved and absorbed the girl back into his shadow, and the the two of them started moving as one again. And in the spot where she'd stood a second before, Peyton appeared, making his way toward us.

I craned my neck to see around Petron, inexplicably wanting to get another look at the girl, but sandwiched between Peyton and Carter's large bodies, she all but vanished.

There was no more time to wonder about the girl though because Alice launched herself at Peyton.

Boy, I didn't know she had it in her.

She got right up in his face and started yelling at him until her face turned purple with fury. She was saying something along the lines of having trusted him, but her voice was so shrill that it was hard to make the words out. Then she started sobbing and shoving at him and slapping at his chest until Peyton was forced to hold his arms up above his face to keep her from clawing his eyes out.

I wanted to help, but there was no room for me in that mess. I guess his friends felt the same way because we all just sat there and stared, open mouthed, until finally, Peyton managed to put his arms around Alice, holding her against him to keep her from lashing out any further.

I couldn't even be mad. The girl was a wreck.

Besides, they were friends and she had as much claim on him as I did.

But it still made my heart ache and my eyes sting, so I looked down and toyed with the hem of my dress. Now seemed like a good time to float off to my safe place.

But then he came.

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