CHAPTER 2

Outside the hamilton plantation, magic hour.Young Allie's father, John Hamilton, in white suit and Panama hat, was at the stables, admiring his horses. "Allie had to come to New Bern for the summer. Her father was a very wealthy tobacco executive who brought the family there to vacation," Duke thought to himself knowing it was actually true. Allie, all dressed up, ran out of the house and down the road. In the distance was a Ferris wheel. Her father John called after her. "I want you home by ten, Allie," he warned. "Eleven," Allie corrected, "Alright, eleven. No later," her father agreed. "Twelve," Allie teased, "Allie!" Her father warned again, "I know, I know," Allie finally surrendered.

Present Day:

Outside the veranda, still during the day, Old Allie blinked. There was a glimmer of recognition in her eyes. "Yes they met at a carnival," she confirmed.

Flashback:

At the New Bern Carnival at night. Bumper cars, cotton candy and Penny arcades. Fin was trying to ring the bell in the Strong Man competition, as Noah approached. "Hey, Fin," Noah greeted, "hey. Watch this," Fin said excitedly. He swung the giant mallet but the meter went only half way up. "Crap! I swear this game is fixed. I clobbered that thing," Fin said disappointed. "Where's Sara?" Noah asked. "Up there. Can't do it. Don't like heights," Fin confessed. Fin indicated the Ferris wheel. Noah looked up to find Allie sitting in the seat next to Sara, who waved. "Hey Fin," Sara called. For a moment, Allie and Noah's eyes locked as the giant wheel swooped by. "Who is that?" Noah asked. Up on the wheel, Sara caught Allie making eyes at Noah. " Noah Calhoun. He works at the lumberyard with Fin," Sara told Allie, "what?" Allie questioned absentmindedly. "The guy you were just flirting with," replied Sara straightforwardly. "I was not! Sara!" Denied Allie. "Well, whatever you were doing, keep doing it. He's staring right at you," Sara bluntly said smiling.

Allie looked. It was true. The wheel dropped down again, and Noah never took his eyes off her. He raised his hand, and Allie waved back. "Oh, that was subtle," Sara said, confirming the flirting she mentioned earlier. "He seems nice," Allie said. "Yeah, yeah. They're all nice," Sara said, shrugging. "Allie Hamilton. Seventeen years old. Here for the summer. Dad's got more money than God. She's friends with Sara, buddy. You want me to introduce you?" Fin said as he asked Noah. "Thanks Fin, but I can do it myself," Noah said as he glanced at the operator, who was looking the other way, then jumped the fence and leaped into Allie's chair, just as it passed, squeezing down between Allie and Sara.

The operator shouted "Hey! You can't do that!" Noah on the other hand was "I'll pay you when I get down, Tommy! ``Then turned to Allie "Hi, I'm Noah. Noah Calhoun." "I'm Allie," she replied blushing. "Nice to meet you," Noah acknowledged. The operator then shouted "you can't sit more than two people in a chair, Noah!" "Okay Tommy!" Noah answered as he stood up and the chair started to rock back and forth. "Hey! Stop it, Noah! You're going to tip us over!" Sara said, panicking. "No, I won't," encouraged Noah, then he grabbed a bar overhead and swung free of the chair. Sara and Allie started shrieking. "Get down! You're going to fall and kill yourself!" Allie said worriedly. "You're right. Oh my God. I can't hold on any longer. I'm going to fall, I'm going to fall!" Noah said, whining. Suddenly, Noah let go of one arm, as though he was losing his grip. Allie scrum in terror. Noah started to laugh and grabbed the bar with his free hand again. Allie's face got red, embarrassed by being tricked.

Allie with a vengeful look asked Noah stating "You think you're so smart, don't you?" "That wasn't funny, Noah," Sara said, clutching her jacket next to her chest. "I'll take care of this," Allie said almost ready. Allie reached up and started to undo Noah's belt. "Hey, cut that out! Cut it out!" Noah pleaded. Noah tried to stop Allie, but she undid the button, and Noah's pants slid down his legs. On the ground below, a crowd had gathered and was starting to laugh and shout comments up to Noah about his underwear. Now Noah's face was red. "Not so cocky now, are you?" Allie said with the look of victory. Noah then replied embarrassed "you wait, I'll get you for this." "Maybe you will. Maybe you won't," Allie challenged.

During the day , the next day on the New Bern Road. Noah and Fin Walked and talked. "So you think she liked me?" Noah asked Fin. "Who?" Finn asked obviously. "Who? Who do you think who?" Noah asked, expecting Fin to remember. "Oh, Allie? Sure, she likes you," Fin said with assurance. "Yeah?" Noah asked to be sure enough, "buddy, relax. It's all a set up. Sara said to meet them for an ice cream," Fin said. Inside the Malt Shop, Sara and Allie were eating cones when Noah and Fin entered. "Sara! Allie! What a surprise!" Fin called pretending. Sara played along "what a coincidence! Look who's here. Allie, you remember Noah, don't you?" Sara asked, smiling to herself. Allie replied immediately "how could I forget? Last time I saw him, he stepped all over my feet." Then there was an awkward pause. "Are you guys going to have some ice cream?" Allie offered to break the silence. Fin then interjected "no, we were just, uh…" Noah finally saved Fin after he went blank "I thought I might go to the creek and do some rowing. Anybody want to come along?" "I would," Fin said, then Noah shot him a look. ".... Uh, but I can't. But it sure sounds fun. Doesn't it, Allie?" Asked Fin. "Yeah, Allie," Sara pressed. Allie asked "rowing?"

Sara : yes. Rowing.

Allie : it doesn't sound fun

Sara :( pointed) Rowing.

Allie : stop saying rowing. I don't want to go rowing.

Fin : Sure you do

Noah : don't worry. You'll have a good time

Allie : I'm not worried. I'm just not going. Sara, help me out here.

Sara : oh, look at the time. Got to go

Allie : you're leaving?

Sara : yeah, busy

Fin : got to do a bunch of stuff

Sara : See you!

Fin and Sara exited. Allie blinked. "You want to tell me what just happened?" Allie demanded an answer from Noah. Noah also "what?" Allie sighed heavily then said "one minute, I'm having a good time with my friend. The next minute, I'm standing here with you, holding a soggy ice cream cone." Noah shrugged and asked "so, do you want to come?" Allie rejected "no." At Marion Lake during the day. Noah rowed. Allie sat facing him and it looked like Allie finally gave in "yikes". He shot her a smile and she smiled back, but it was uncomfortable. "Bored?" Noah asked, "no. I had no idea it was possible to cram so much excitement into one afternoon. Is this what you do for fun?" Allie said as she asked Noah. "Sometimes. I try to get out in the middle of nowhere for a few hours every day. Away from everything. It's beautiful, don't you think?" Noah said nostalgic as he asked Allie but Allie seemed not impressed, "Sure," she lied. "Alright, what do you do?" Asked Noah. "For fun? Well, I'm busy, so there's not a lot of time, you know. Let's see. There's dance lessons, piano, and a French tutor. And I'm finishing up school so there's studying. I'm applying to all these colleges, Radcliffe, Sarah Lawrence. They're the ones we want," Allie revealed and looked relieved.

"Who's we?" Noah asked. "What?" Allie asked a bit confused. "You said, 'we'. The ones 'we' want," enlightened Noah. "Oh. My family. We decide everything together," Allie clarified. "You do?" Noah seeked for assurance. "Well, not everything. But the important things, yes," Allie continued. "But the rest you get to decide all by yourself?" Noah seemed not to believe Allie. "You're very rude, you know that?" Allie questioned him as Noah shrugged then Noah continued "so, you study for fun, do you?" "What?" Allie asked a bit angry. "You named all the things you have to do. What do you do for you?" Noah seemed interested. Allie then said frowning "I don't understand." Noah decided to be straightforward "what do you do for pleasure?" Allie got the double meaning and made a face. They drifted along in silence for a moment. Allie finally said "I love to paint." "Yeah?" Noah asked smirking with the look of 'i need more info.' "Most of the time I have all these thoughts bouncing around my brain and no place to put them. But when I paint, I'm relaxed. I'm probably not even very good," Allie explained. "I doubt that," Noah said. "But with a brush in my hand, I feel like myself, you know?" Allie said freely. "I'm that way with a saw," he said then Allie smiled.

"Anyway, it's a passion," she said in deep thought while Noah said "it's good,d to have a passion." Allie looked at Noah, taking him in. "You make me nervous, you know that?" Allie confessed. Noah grinned. "And don't smile like the cat in the tree, because I don't mean to be that kind of nervous, okay?" Allie corrected as the boat pushed through the water to the center of the lake. Noah put the oars up. "God, it's hot. I wish I could swim. I just want to jump in the water right now," said Allie. "Why don't you?" Urged Noah. Allie refused. "What's the matter, you have to check with your parents first?" Noah challenged. "Hmmph," Allie seemed to think about it. "That's your problem. You don't do what you want," he voiced. Allie denying the truth said, "ye,s, I do." Noah not letting this slide "no, you don't. If you did, you'd swim." "I don't want to swim," Allie retracted. "You just said you did," Noah said. Allie being Allie tried to dodge the situation. "Well, I don't know. So, let's just drop it, okay? I'm not going in the water." Noah got up, stood on the gunnel, and flipped the boat over, sending them both into the lake. Noah and Allie broke the sand surface, Allie, excited, Noah, laughing.