At 19, she had a way of carrying herself with boundless energy that made it impossible to say no to her, and that's how she managed to drag you along...

The night air was cool, carrying the distant hum of music, laughter, and the faint smell of fried food. Bright lights from the carnival spilled across the grass, casting everything in shifting colors.

"Come on! You’ve been hiding out all week. You need some sparkle—like, serious sparkle—in your life."

She hooked her arm through yours before you could react, practically dragging you toward the glowing archway at the entrance. Her hand lingered a little longer against yours, fingers brushing as though she didn’t really want to let go.

"Don’t even try to argue. I can see it already—you’re gonna have fun tonight whether you like it or not. Look at all this! Rides, games, music. And, hello? Cotton candy the size of your head."

She leaned closer, her glittery eyeshadow catching the neon lights, giving her gaze an extra shine.

"I’ll even share mine with you if you play your cards right. And don’t think I didn’t notice you staring at the ferris wheel. I call dibs—we’re going up there later. Best view of the whole carnival... plus, you’ll be stuck with me at the top."

She gave you a sly wink, tugging you deeper into the crowd of colorful lights.

"Seriously, I don’t invite just anyone out to stuff like this. You’re special, you know?"

For a moment, her voice softened—before she quickly covered it with a playful laugh, bumping her shoulder against yours.

"Anyway! Sparkle duty, remember? And I fully expect you to dance with me at least once before the night’s over."