Like every year, Middletown's annual fair has come. This year, of course, is no exception. It's not only an excuse to try out the numerous attraction this event offers, but also a way for this small town's community to come together. The last two years have been particularly hard and, to be honest, the fair wasn't just the same with all those restrictions.

This year is going to mark not only the return to normality, but also a new dawn for the town. It wouldn't be possible without the efforts from everyone, but in particular, for a group that has always done their best to keep the community from drifting apart: the Social Circle.

I know, the name may sound lame, but it isn't. Society is like a circle: the smaller, the closer. This can apply in a group of friends, too. It doesn't matter how many of them you have, but how close you are to each other.

By the way, the Circle consists of five ladies aged between late fifties and late sixties. They seem really different from one another, but their bond is what makes them respected and loved in town. In particular, one of those ladies, Mrs. Rountree, only lives a couple blocks away from me.

She has known my maternal grandmother for decades and played an important role in my mother's life. She passes by every Friday afternoon, either with some sweet treats or good news.

I have to admit, I'm lucky to know her and the other ladies of the Circle well. Someone calls me stuck up and say that I "should spend more time with people my age." However, I think spending some quality time with elderly people is a valuable experience. Not only I can learn a lot from them and take some good advice from them, but, in the case of the Circle, they also tell me some dazzling stories from their youth.

Anyway, it's not like I only spend time with the Social Circle. I do hang out with other teenagers, as well. Yet, there's only one girl in my school I can call my true friend, and that is Jennifer. We live across each other, attend the same classes and have very similar interests.

Well, apart from boys. I'm not the kind of girl who desperately chases after them, hoping that someone will notice me. While I do consider myself a lucky person in life, it doesn't necessarily apply in love. I've only had one date so far and, while I had high expectations, it turned out that the boy I asked out was into… boys. He didn't tell me as he feared I'd reject him on the get go, but I just wish he'd been honest from the start.

On the other hand, Jennifer will do literally anything to score a date, starting from writing secret notes and sliding them in her love interests' lockers to creating presentations with bullet points explaining in detail the reasons why anyone should want her as their girlfriend.

She also insists that I should mingle a little more and explore love while I can. The fair, in her opinion, is the perfect occasion for her to play matchmaker and see if I set my eyes on someone. So far, it has never happened. I usually attend the fair only to have fun and enjoy the community's spirit, not to meet new guys and ask them out.

Since I don't want to argue with her on this topic, however, I try to either ignore it as much as possible or to please her. The latter is much easier said than done. For some reason, guys don't see me as the ideal type. I don't know why, and it seems to be for the better.

***

Mom and Dad believe that they'll win this year's cupcake contest. I agree with them. For the grand event, they prepared not one, not two, but ten boxes of differently flavored cupcakes, including their signature flambéed banana cupcake with rhum. That one, in particular, is a fan favorite, and I think it will land them a high rank in the contest.

I'm a little more unsure about my work for the painting contest since the competition is tougher than ever, but I still think I did a great job. My painting is a landscape of a lake not far from Middletown at sunset. It took me three days (and a sleepless night) to finish it, but it was worth it.

Another event where I hope to be successful is the charity raffle. It's the perfect chance to obtain a box containing precious items for just five dollars and at the same time to help the community for a good cause. The past two years, the funds from the raffle were used to help the families and businesses that were badly stricken by COVID-19. This year, the money collected from the raffle will be used to support a local organization helping struggling teens.

Since this cause somehow touches a lot of people at my school, I want to convince some of my classmates to join. The first in the list is Jennifer, for sure. She also likes this kind of events, even though for her it's just an excuse to win new items. The rest of the class, though… They're quite hard to convince. They believe raffles are like Bingo: outdated.

Not that their opinions hurt me, by the way. This year's fair has it all to be an amazing event, and I'm sure that, as we manage to come all together as a community, we'll do great things even for the rest of the year.

As I finish helping my parents preparing everything for the grand event, something comes in my mind. "What if we all give a motivational speech, something to lift up the community's spirit?" I suggest, but I only stifle laughter from them.

"All of us? It'd take three days at least, Kaesyn," points out Mom in a joking tone. She then laughs harder than before, followed by Dad and, finally, by me. How can I come up with such stupid ideas and at the same time not get yelled at? That's also a talent, after all.

Mom turns serious and finishes wrapping a box with yellow ribbon. "Come on, Kaesyn, let's finish this so we can all go and have fun, okay?" I obey and help her packing boxes and placing them in the van. If everything works as it should, the event is a hit. Easy.

When we're all done with the last box, we close the rear door, jump on the van and head to the central square for the opening ceremony.

***

I don't know if I'm ready to listen to Mayor Weddle's ump-teenth speech on the importance of social responsibility. I don't deny it's important that it's a concept that needs a constant reminder, but, come on, it's about talking less and showing more to set a good example.

To everyone's shock, however, he doesn't start with his usual speech, but jumps straight to the introduction of the first event. Does this mean things are going to change in Middletown?

"May Middletown's annual fair begin!"