September 14th, 1938

Brooklyn, New York

In a world full of playboys, who knew she'd find the kindest of them all?

Evelyn O'Hara had met Bucky at a dance hall. It was a cool summer night filled with fireworks, ice cream, and good laughs. He quite literally swept her off her feet with his boyish charm and that adorable laugh. She knew immediately what he was and what he was after, but for once in her life, she didn't care. She had been kept away from the fun, secluded by her parents to her small circle of friends all her life. Now she was here, living the high life in the arms of a man she barely knew but desperately wanted to.

It was close to 8 o'clock at night. The hours had gone by so quickly, she hadn't noticed the sun had dipped out of sight beyond the horizon. Walking through a busy carnival, she kept her gaze up to take in the festivity of it all. White lights strung across the various booths created a glowing canopy that cast a warm glow around them and lit up passersby's faces. She clung to James' arm, giggling and smiling at him as if he had hung the stars. He probably had. He was built like a Greek god with his broad shoulders, lean hips, and jawline chiseled from marble. He held her hand in his, jacket slung across her shoulders to ward off the cool night air.

She wore a cotton candy pink tea dress with a small V that dipped just below her collarbone. The flared skirt, complete with a brown slender belt, accentuated her figure. It was the most daring outfit she had ever worn, and she had never felt prettier in her whole life.

Evelyn squeezed Bucky's hand as she leaned against his side. Humming, she rested her chin on his shoulder, rosy lips spreading into what she imagined was a blissful smile. "You sure do know how to show a lady a good time."

That boyish grin split his face as he shook his head. "Yeah, well, I have a reputation to keep up, doll face. Couldn't let my date down, could I?"

Bucky glanced down at her, then followed that up with a double-take. The grin faded from his face as they stopped walking. He turned until he faced her. Was he leaning toward her? Was he getting closer?

For a split second, the carnival faded into nothingness. The sounds, the scents, the people. There was no one and nothing. It was only them in the whole world. His gaze was so intense. She felt drawn in, pulled, sinking into the depths of those light blue pools...

Just as fast as it happened, it was gone. His eyes snapped away, and he drew in a sharp breath. His shoulders straightened, but he didn't let go of her hand. She blinked. What had just happened? She shook her head quickly and plastered a smile on her face. Leaning away from him to create space, she smiled up at him.

His chiseled jawline ticked, then he awkwardly cleared his throat. "How does ice cream sound?"

Anything to get over the awkward tension. Her eyes lit up as she drew in a happy gasp. "That sounds so good! Can we, please, Bucky?"

Just like that, the awkwardness was gone. Chuckling, he guided her over to a nearby stand. While he ordered their ice cream, two scoops of Rum Raisin for her and a scoop of chocolate for him, Evelyn let go of his arm to look around the carnival.

She breathed in.

Popcorn.

Sugar.

Grease.

It hung in the air like a statement.

Nearby, teenagers laughed. A boy flirted with his crush, leaning against a railing as he wiggled his eyebrows. Gears ground on the rides, squeaking and whining as they raced overhead.

A smile curled her lips as she stood in the middle of the beautiful chaos, hands clasped loosely behind her back. She rocked on her heels, head tilted back to look up at the sky through all the lights. A part of her, deep down, knew she would never forget this night. Maybe years from now, when she was married, she would think fondly of the night when she found her soul.

"...Evelyn?"

She nearly jumped out of her skin, gasping as she swiftly looked at Bucky. He had that crooked grin on his face. She must have zoned out.

He offered her the ice cream cone. "You good, Evie?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm great." She shyly took the cone from him. Their fingertips brushed. She ignored the electricity that seemed to dart between their featherlight touch. "Thanks for the ice cream."

"No problem, doll face." He winked at her. "How about we go up on the Ferris wheel and then I'll take you home?"

Her heart sank. "So soon?"

Bucky raked his fingers through his hair and then laughed. "Well, if your parents won't kill us?"

"Oh please, please, Bucky!" Her fingers clasped in the fabric of his shirt. Urgency brought her nearly to tears. Not yet. She didn't want to return to the confines of her parent's home without tasting the possibilities of scandal. "Please? This may be my one night of freedom before I settle down. I want to touch freedom."

"Whoa, whoa, easy there, darlin'! The world isn't gonna come crashin' down after one night." He chuckled as his hands cupped her elbows. "You'll have plenty of time to do more stuff."

She stared imploringly up at him, still grasping his shirt as she seemed to drift toward him. He was the earth, pulling her in with his enigmatic gravity. She didn't know quite what it was. Not love. Not a crush. There was a connection to Bucky, an invisible string that seemed to connect something in her very being to something in his. Like she could bear her soul to him, and he would understand her. She didn't believe in soulmates, didn't believe in true love, but this? This was something she didn't want to lose. Not tonight. Not yet. She wanted to explore this feeling, see where it took her, where it took them. Did he feel it, too? Was it only her who felt this way? Maybe the excitement of the carnival drove her to feel this way, but even then, she didn't want to lose this ethereal feeling.

"This night feels so magical," she whispered, half hoping he wouldn't hear her over the bustle of the crowd. "Please, Bucky. If you want to take me home, call the night off, that's okay. But I feel like...like I am completely free. Like I could do whatever I wanted, and it would be okay. Do you know what I'm trying to say?"

'*•.¸♡ ♡¸.•*'

He watched her for a couple of seconds, not moving as he stared into her eyes. Truth be told...he did know what she was talking about. He had felt it the moment he had met her at the door of her parent's house. The soft pink dress, the softness in her face, her sweet voice.

The strange magic in the air became more apparent as the night progressed. He hyped it up to the feeling of summer, that nostalgia from summers long ago when he would save Steve from trouble, and they would go galavanting through the streets. Maybe they were caught up in the moment, but he didn't want the night to end either. He would have given it to her in a heartbeat if she had asked anything of him.

Evelyn was just the girl to spend the night with. He was sure someone else would have felt the same way, but he didn't want to be with anyone else right now. There was a gentleness in her that intrigued him.

With his classic grin, he gently took her arm into his. "Right, doll face. Let's have a night of adventure, laughter, and trouble. How does that sound? Live it up and rock the joint."

Evelyn laughed, a giddy feeling swelling in her chest as she licked at her ice cream. "Sounds like a plan!"

For hours that night, they went everywhere they wanted and did anything they wanted. Nothing could bring them down. Maybe they hadn't fallen in love, but they had become great friends fast. They went on the Ferris wheel, got all the snacks they wanted, and danced well past midnight before Bucky conceded that it was time for Evelyn to go home.

Sneaking through the streets at two o'clock in the morning, Bucky and Evelyn laughed in hushed tones, leaning toward each other in close confidence. His arm was slung around her waist, her arm around his neck. They arrived at her doorstep all too soon.

She giggled, turning around at the gate to face him. A happy grin was on her face that reached her eyes.

"It's been a glorious night," she informed him with a loud whisper. "Thank you so much for taking me out."

Bucky leaned against the brick fence, smiling down at her. He was happy. So happy he felt like he was about to burst. "You made this night, Evie. It was my greatest pleasure to spend with you."

"Would you ever want to do this again?" she asked with a hopeful gleam in her eyes. "Oh, not go steady or anything. I know you're not the type to stay with one girl for too long...but would you mind it much if I considered you a very dear friend?"

For some reason, her words stung his heart. He knew it was true, but hearing it coming from her and put so bluntly hurt. He grinned anyway. "I'd be proud to call you my friend. How about next week, same time?"

She was holding in a squeal. He could see it by the way she pressed her lips into a tight, overjoyed smile. Instead, she stuck out her hand for him to shake. "Next week."

Bucky took her hand, gentle as a feather, and brought it to his lips to kiss. "See you then, doll face."

He had walked away. Looking back, he realized he had wanted to kiss her; to taste those sugary lips and see if she was really as sweet as he thought she was. But it was too late. They were destined to be friends, and he was already walking away.