[Center][h2]Chapter 2:[/h2][h1]

Winter Carnival[/h1][h3]
... ❄️ ... ❄️ ... ❄️ ...[/h3][/center]
Melanie survived the next few days without getting murdered or kidnapped in her sleep. Time actually passed by rather uneventfullyb and Melanie was grateful for that. Most of her time was spent hiding in her dorm studying for her exams, but whenever Mel had to go out and class Kayla couldn't be with her, Nolan somehow found a way to be by her side. Gradually the burn of staring eyes began to fade away, then altogether disappeared.

The school day got shorter as the week went by and each final marked the end of each class. It was nice to have more study time but she found herself missing the walks with her new bodyguard, and she found herself staying up later and later to chat with her new friend.

By Saturday all of Melanie's classes were over and she eagerly awaited and dreaded her test results. Having nothing else to do (since she hadn't brought herself to volunteer to help with the Carnival) Mel opened up her messenger with a pounding heart. Minutes turned to hours and Mel soon found herself chatting and playing online chess with Nolan late into the night...

[Hider=Fall Semester Report Card][Quote][u][b]Eukary University Grade Report:[/b][/u]
Classical Mythology: A
Common Anatomy: B+
Introductory Drawing: A
Introductory Logic and Reasoning: A-
Introductory Photography: A+
Class Rank: 3344 of 30,404
GPA: 3.5[/quote][/hider]
[hr][i]Sunday, December 19th, 7:00AM. 
Girl's Dorm, Eukary Campus.[/i]
[color=dodgerblue]"Mel! Melly! Wake up!"[/color] a voice cheerfully yipped. Mel woke with a start. [Color=pink]"Huh, wha!? Uhh..."[/color] Mel groaned. She rubbed at her eyes and looked around. [Color=pink]"Oh no! Where is my laptop?"[/color] Mel asked as she frantically threw her blankets and got out of the bed. Kayla stepped back and chuckled. [Color=Dodgerblue]"I put it on your desk. You fell asleep using it. Were you staying up late talking with that lion guy you met?"[/color] the spaniel teased, grinning. [Color=pink]"Noooo-oh!"[/color] Mel answered, embarrassed. Kayla smiled and gave her a disbelieving look. Melanie went over to her desk and opened the computer. No damage to be seen. She closed the screen and her own eyes and breathed. [Color=pink]"Okay, I lied. Maybe I fell asleep while talking to him,"[/color] she confessed, looking away. She smiled and blood rushed to her face. Kayla laughed. [Color=dodgerblue]"I knew it--you like him! You should invite him over sometime to hang out so I can meet him."[/color]

 A couple minutes passed as the girls picked out their clothes and got their shower totes. [Color=dodgerblue]"Will he be at the festival?"[/color] Kayla asked. Her tail wagged excitedly. [Color=pink]"Yes, but he will be with his friends. Maybe we will run into each other."[/color] Kayla nodded. [Color=dodgerblue]"Cool! Let's hope."[/color] As they started out the door, the two girls were hoping for different things.[hr][i]Sunday, December 19th, 2021, 8:00AM.
Eukary Quad.
Sunny, 42°F.[/i]
A warm sunbeam fell on the two girls as they emerged from the dorm. Mel squinted and held a paw to block the light. Over the past week, they had received a few days and several inches of snow. It would be an excellent year for outdoor festivities. 

Most of the Quad had been roped off with red plastic tape on wooden posts. It wouldn't keep anybody out, and in fact many young animals were sneaking in. The honest and those who could afford to pay lined up at either of two entrances (the dorm side and the road side). Melanie and Kayla of course approached from the dorm side. 

Their ticket booth worker stood in a small, red wooden hut. A family of four beavers approached the booth in line ahead of them. [B]"Ah, what a lovely family you have here... That will be a twenty dollar donation, please,"[/b] a graying grizzly bear requested. The man handed him the cash and the bear licked his fingers before counting the money. A few seconds later he handed the portly man a bundle of four tickets. [B]"Thank you, have a great time!"[/b] he said with a wave of his paw. The family moved on and Mel approached the booth with Kayla by her side.  

[B]"Let me guess--you're both students! Did you remember to bring your school IDs?"[/b] he asked with a wrinkled face and a smile. The two girls presented their IDs. He squinted to get a look and adjusted his spectacles. [B]"Looks good! Go on and enjoy yourselves,"[/b] he said, waving his paw. The girls said their thanks in unison, waving back at him as they went.

Inside the fence there were countless people of all different shapes, sizes, and ages. There were rows upon rows of food trucks, gift vendors, and carnival games for prizes. There were sounds of laughing, winner bells ringing, and live music in the distance. Wonderful smells tantalized Melanie's nose.

[Color=dodgerblue]"What do you want to do first? So many things happening here..."[/color] Kayla asked as she read over an itinerary brocure she picked up at the entrance. [Color=dodgerblue]"There's ice skating and sledding all day, and the ice sculptures should be done by now. There are a lot of local bands playing at the bandstand throughout the day. Hmm. Later on, there's a snow dodgeball competition, snowmobile racing, speed skating, figure skating, snowball rolling... or maybe we could could check out the club booths and events? Work on that new year's resolution?"[/color] Kayla went on with her nose in the brocure. 

[Color=pink]"Well... I need to be at the chess club event at two, but other than that, maybe we check out everything? Huh, except the snowmobile races. I don't like the noise and the exhaust. Makes me sick. Bleh!"[/color] Mel answered, making a mock sick face. She looked around and her eyes settled on a food cart. Her mouth started to water. [Color=pink]"Let's start with breakfast!"[/color] Kayla chuckled and smiled. [Color=dodgerblue]"Heh, Sounds good to me!"[/color]