Show's Over

(Zac's perspective)

"Alex," I finally caught site of her.. it had to be her. The long, shimmering jet-black hair, violet eyes, and pale skin - she looked even better in person.

"You must be Zac," she stated flatly, eyeing me and stepping sideways so I could stand next to her.

"Yeah, nice to meet you." I stuck my hand out formally, secretly eager to see if her skin was as smooth as it looked. She was average height and I could see natural dark brown roots lining the part down the left side of her head. At least her hair smelled nice, like vanilla, I could tell that much since we were squished into a small crowd.

"Yeah, whatever," she spoke away from me. Placing my hand into my jacket pocket, I couldn't help but wonder,

"What are we doing here?" I glanced around the main strip downtown. While not a horrible neighborhood, it certainly isn't the nicest, particularly at night. Fine for a guy like me, but not the most romantic area for a date, particularly one that involved large crowds -like one for drag racing.

Speaking of crowds, I glanced at the 'audience' around us, which definitely did not fit the mold of country bumpkin hick that I'd been expecting, and sort of hoping, to see.

Good thing I didn't wear the overalls, I remembered to thank Jess for the advice to go with the leather jacket and casual jeans. I sure wouldn't have fit into this 'alternative-looking,' I'll put it, group. Not that I really fit it at the moment anyways, but at least it could've been worse.

"Drag racing." A glimmer in her eyes and a wry smile lit up Alex's stone-like face, peaking my interest.

"I know, but don't they need a little more room.." I wondered outloud. "A one-way street isn't going to cut it."

"What do you mean?" she asked me crossly, looking at me in the corner of her eye like I'd grown another head.

"For the.. race cars?" I offered.

"Race cars?" Now the both of us were confused; she squinted at me in silence for a few minutes, before bursting into loud laughter.

"Race c-cars, oh that's good!" She managed between gasping for air. I couldn't help but notice a few folks around us had picked up on the conversation, chuckling and pointing in my direction with the word 'cars' associated with it.

"I'm sorry," I stammered, my cheeks warm. "I-i don't understand."

"Drag race, stupid." Alex instantly stopped laughing and explained coldly. "As in, drag queen. No cars here."

"Ohh.." for once, even I didn't have something to say about that.

"Sorry if it didn't live up to your expectations," she scoffed indignantly. Eyeing her myself, I couldn't help but wonder if she'd planned on me being uncomfortable with the idea.

Well, I'll show her.

"Absolutely not," I forced a smile. "This'll be even better."

".. really?" She sounded generally surprised, then covered it was a mask of nonchalance.

"Absolutely." I managed my tight-lipped smile. What have I gotten myself into?

"Over there," Alex eyes sparkled with delight. "It's starting."

"Really?" I strained in the direction she pointed as the crowd a block on our left started cheering and laughing. It was hard to see anything though, even standing on my tiptoes. Funny, it felt a little like when Mom and Dad took us kids to the Cotton Bowl parade.. well, sort of.. ok, not really.

"Yup," she replied. Before I knew it, a woman -well, obviously not a woman, but it certainly looked like one at first glance- whizzed by us quickly. Startled, I jumped back from the curb we were standing.

"Scared?" Alex jabbed me in the side with her finger. "Figures."

"Just didn't expect someone.. on roller skates?" I glanced at the figure that had whooshed by me and couldn't help but chuckle at the neon green dress that adorned the skater, not to mention the dark black thong underwear you could see underneath it.

"Oh! Catch!" Alex jumped, breaking my thoughts.

"What the... ?" I jumped as something whizzed by me, nearly hitting my head. Glancing at the street, eight 'girls,' dressed in Raggedy-Ann like checkered blue and white dresses, tossing small objects out of wicker baskets into the crowd.

"Candy?" I mistakenly asked Alex.

"Not quite," she smirked, picking a piece off the ground near her feet and placing the soft plastic into my palm. Glancing down, I was horrified at the sight of Trojan's gold logo glimmering in the reflection of light from the above streetlamp.

"Condoms?" I squeaked. "Are they allowed to do that?"

"Just don't expect to be using that anytime soon." Alex snorted loudly. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I put it in my pocket as a group of nineteen-twenties dressed bathing beauties 'swam' their way past us. Alex actually giggled a little as one blew her a kiss. However, that was nothing compared to what we saw next.

"Oh wow," I laughed heartily at the sight in front of us. A large pickup truck driven by a man minimally dressed in black leather chains and spikes was swerving back and forth across the road, as if trying to knock all the 'ladies' out of the bed. There had to be at least fifteen men in the back, dressed in old lady nightgowns and swearing profanities at the driver.

"That's pretty funny." Alex glanced warily at me, but didn't reply.

"There are the racers!" Someone next to us called, as the whole block lit up with whistles and cheers. Noticing that Alex was one of them, I joined in.

"Yeeaaaaahhhh," I yelled awkwardly, stopping instantly at the sight in front of us. Over a hundred men perched on top of at least three inch high heels strutted their 'stuff,' I guess you could call that, adorned in everything from beautiful prom dresses to practically nothing. The wigs, makeup, and personalities seemed to be over the top, it was unbelievable - and quite funny.

"Here honey, go get lucky tonight," As a ballerina tossed Alex another condom, it was my turn to poke her side.

"Just don't expect to be using that anytime soon." I reminded her, praying that she wouldn't take offense to the joke. She stared down at her hands, turning the condom over in her small fingers, not looking at me.

Not funny, idiot. I scolded myself, trying to get a read on her face. A few awkward seconds followed that actually felt more like an eternity. To my amazement, she lifted her face toward mine and offered the first true smile I'd seen from her. Funny how something small like that can stop time - she looked so beautiful, her eyes sparklinng radiantly. Everything around her moved in slow, fuzzy shapes and I found myself on the verge of rudely staring, but just couldn't help it..

There's something about her. I didn't know what, but I sure wanted to find out. Unfortunately, just as quickly as the smile appeared, it faded under a mask of silence.

"Not likely," I couldn't help but notice she'd also kept the souvenir, tucking her hands into her coat pocket and glancing away.

"Hey," she tugged my arm lightly, seeming to forget that she hated my very existence. "There's the queen."

"I thought they were all.. " I started to mumble.

"No, stupid," she replied coldly. "The queen of the parade."

"Disney World is going to have to take note." I grinned at the only 'float' in the parade, where an enormous 'lady,' sat on a toilet carried by three burly 'women.' The queen, decorated in a sash of toilet paper, wave and blew kisses to the crowd. I blushed as she sent one in my direction, winking knowingly and popping a 'breast' out of the front of her dress for us all to behold.

"Not quite," Alex rolled her eyes.

"Jealous?" I teased her, pointing at the queen, who had moved past us by now. "That's the most attention I've gotten this evening."

"Well, sorreeee." She spat bitterly, brushing away from the street, away from me. "Didn't know this was as miserable for you as it is for me."

"Alex wait," I roughly pushed myself past the people behind us, grabbing her arm when we reached the clearing.

"Let go of me!" She cried loudly, prompting a few people to turn away from the parade.

"Alex, I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything. I'm actually having a good time.. so.. uh, thank you."

"I - thank you?" She stopped in mid-sentence, as if she hadn't heard me correctly. "Did I hear that?"

"Yes," I released my hold on her arm and smiled. "I had no idea this stuff went on in Tulsa."

"Thank you?" She still didn't believe me.

"Yeah, thanks for opening my eyes," I stuffed my hands in my pocket, imitating her melancholy attitude with a playful pout. "Or whatever."

"Well... hmm." She looked me directly in the eyes before smirking, "We wouldn't want to miss the best part, anyways."

"It's not over?" I glanced back at the street, which was now empty, but noticed that the spectator hadn't budged. Unfortunately, we'd lost our place up front, and it was nearly impossible to see from our current spot.

"Of course not, stupid." Alex rolled her eyes. "We haven't seen the actual race yet."

You mean they're running - I laughed. While wearing the - now that's funny.

"Not that we'll get to see anything though, from back here at least." She sighed. "I'm going home."

"Not so fast." Kneeling down onto the cold, hard sidewalk, I replied, "If m'lady wants to see the race, she'll see the race."

"What the hell are you doing?" She stared down at me.

"C'mon, hop on." I patted my shoulders. "Then you'll be able to see."

"Absolutely not!" She practically screeched.

"I'm on my knees, Alex, would you like me to beg?" I pleaded in a soft voice, hoping it would crack into that hard exterior. No such luck.

"I don't think so.." At least it sounded like she was thinking about softening. "You're crazy."

"C'mon," I repeated. "I won't drop you, trust me."

"Trust... you... " walking toward me, she leaned down and peered directly into my eyes, her own blazing brightly. Her black hair puddled around the sides of her face as she pointed a long, delicate finger at my nose, proclaiming,

"IF you drop me, I'll see to it that you're never able to have children."

"That's not going to happen." I fought the urge to grab her face and kiss her right here, right now, and reached for her hands. Turning her around, I couldn't help but notice how soft they felt against mine; it'd be a shame to let them go.

"Ok, don't get surprised, but widen your legs, I'm sticking my head through." I got down on all fours, my face inches from her backside.

"First and only time you'll be there all evening." At least she laughed, obliging, giving a small squeal as I steadied my shoulders behind her legs. Unfortunately, she also grabbed my neck firmly as I stumbled a bit to stand up. At least she was as light as a feather.

"Alex -" I gagged, but at least didn't drop her. "You-you're choking me."

"Oh, sorry," I breathed a sigh of relief as she loosened her death grip. "Now, turn around, we're backwards."

"Yes, ma'am," I turned just in time. Even from our spot in the back, I could see a herd at the end of the street block on our right, lined up as if it were the Olympic track time trials. Not two seconds later, a shot fired off and the herd took off - dresses fluttering, bracelets and necklaces jangling, wigs flying, and yes - high heels clomping. Not that I saw much of that, just the wigs flying part, but I could hear the rest. It was worth it, as Alex clapped and cheered above me enough for the both of us.

"Wow, look at him go," Alex muttered in awe. "Even I couldn't run like that."

After a massive group of -well, something, I couldn't actually see- clomped past us, I craned up to look at her.

"All finished?"

"No!" She cried quickly, breaking into laughter. "This is the best part - the guys who delicately tiptoe through the whole thing and finish last."

"Are you able to see ok?" I took her further giggles as a yes. When they subsided, she glanced at me.

"Yeah. Put me down now, though. Show's over."

"Hold on," I reached my arms up, grabbing her small waist and lifting her over my head. She twitched, squirming out of my hands, loosening my grip.

"Alex, don't-" I started, but it was too late. She fell from my hands, my fingers grasping at thin air until they caught something - her shoulders. At least it wasn't her hair.

"Ouch!" she claimed, her angry face now a few inches from mine. "That hurts."

"Just a second," I promised, lowering her slowly to the ground. "There you go."

"Oww," she repeated, rubbing her upper arms with her palms. If possible, she looked like she wanted me to die on the spot.

"Sorry, but it would've hurt a lot more if I'd dropped you."

"Which you almost did," she snapped.

"I'm sorry," I sincerely meant it. "I didn't mean to hurt you.. I just didn't want you to fall."

"This night is officially over." She announced, turning on her heel and stomping away.

"Alex... I.." I called after her, seeing it was probably too late. She was kind enough to call over her shoulder,

"You're welcome."

I just stared, crestfallen, as she marched away.

"Thank you.. ?"