"Hey Asher, look."
Asher came over and looked at the machine in front of us.
"Do you need more tokens?"
"No, but I challenge you to a dance battle."
He started laughing at me. Like, really laughing. The kind of laugh where you can't breath and it's not making any sound because of how out of breath you become. He was clutching his stomach and bending over as if I had said the funniest thing in the world.
"I'm being serious."
"Sorry Carter, but I don't dance." He said with the remainders of a smile on his face after he had calmed himself down.
"Neither do I. I just really want to play."
"You can play, but I am not joining you."
"Please!"
"Nope."
Think Carter, think!
"So you're a chicken?"
"I'm not a chicken, I just don't want to play."
"So you're a scardy cat?"
Asher sighed at me obviously unamused by my teasing.
"You're a pussy."
"Carter, just stop."
"No balls."
"That's won't work."
"No balls." I whispered.
"If I play the stupid game will you quit?"
"Yep." I smiled, knowing my comment would get to him. No guy wants to be called no balls. Stupid cavemen.
He slowly made his way on the the machine with his shoulders slumped.
I jumped on after him and put my tokens in. Asher picked the song and we started playing.
At first things were casual, until we started smack talking each other. It started with us making stupid moves and laughing at how ridiculous we looked. When I noticed my score was higher than his, I started teasing him. Let's just say things escalated pretty quickly.
"Is that really the best you can do?"
"Hell no! I'm just getting started!" After I had finished speaking, I kicked into overdrive and pushed my legs to move to the correct arrows faster.
When Asher saw this, he pushed himself as well.
Our dancing seemed to gather quite a crowd. I couldn't tell if they were impressed or if they thought it was funny. It doesn't matter though because I'm totally winning this dance battle.
"Just give up now, Ashy-boy."
"No way!"
"I'm so certain that I'm going to win that i'd bet all my tickets on it."
"Then it's a bet!"
Shit.
I may have been going overdrive, but Asher must have been going maximum overdrive.
I was about 100 points ahead of him, but that number was quickly decreasing. By the end of the game, I was tired and out of breath. "I can't believe you won." I breathily spit out.
Asher had my tickets in his hands and a giant smile on his face.
"Me either. Let's go exchange these for a prize."
Asher had 2506 tickets.
Most of which had been mine.
There were a bunch of prizes to pick from. Asher was looking in the section that had the small, less expensive prizes.
"I'll take this red ball."
Asher was pointing to a small red ball that cost 5 tickets.
"Okay, will there be anything else?"
He was squinting his eyes, looking at all the prizes in front of him.
"This tootsie roll."
Are you fucking kidding me.
The woman gave him his candy. He still has 2500 tickets to spend. Asher was looking at the huge wall of prizes before he decided.
"I'll take that zombie teddy bear."
The lady took a giant stuffed animal off the shelf and passed it to Asher.
He had all those tickets and he only got three things.
"Here."
He tried giving me his teddy, but I pushed it back at him.
"I'm not holding your shit."
"It's not for me, it's for you."
What do I do? No one has ever done something like this for me.
"Oh. Uh thanks."
That was awkward.
I looked at the bear closer. it was the size of half my body, and despite it being a zombie, it looked incredibly cute. Somehow it managed to look like a badass teddy bear at the same time. It was missing an eye and completely green, but I was in love. I can't wait to leave him in Asher's room to scare him at night.
Mwahahah!
I'm not into stuffed animals, but I really liked this one. Who knew I would be that girl who gets stuffed prizes from guys?
I hugged it to my chest and let Asher lead me out of the arcade.
"Thank you."
Today had been fun, and I'm glad I decided to spend it with Asher and not at school. Poor Macon must be getting closer and closer to an early grave with how much stress I probably put him through.
"For what?"
"For today, it was really fun actually."
"Did you expect it to be boring?"
"Yep."
"At least you're honest."
I felt like Asher and I were making progress and becoming good friends. Some of that may have to do with the fact that he's my mate, but I'd like to think we grew closer because of us.
"Can I ask you something?" I questioned.
"Anything."
"Are we friends?"
"Would you like to be friends?"
"I think so."
"Then yea, we're friends."
I smiled up at him. I grabbed his hand and started running towards the car with him stumbling behind me.
Friends. Me and Asher are friends.
But do I want more than that?
----------------------I woke up to shuffling beside my bed.
I was about to scream when a hand covered my mouth.
"Calm down, it's just me."
"What the hell! You scared me."
"Just go back to sleep."
"Why are you even in here?"
"We're having our first sleepover."
"I never agreed to this."
"Friends have sleepovers, and we're friends, right?"
Is is using some weird form of reverse psychology or something?
"Yea, we're friends."
"Exactly. Scoot over."
I moved over on my bed, still confused as to what was happening.
Asher lifted the covers and got in next to me. He wrapped his arm around me and pulled me into his chest.
"Goodnight Carter." He said, then gave me a light kiss on the lips.
"Goodnight?"
This doesn't feel friendly.
It feels like something so much more than that. Something I don't know if I'm ready for.
-Unedited-
Hey hey hey! THIS IS A WHOLE TWO DAS LATE! FORGIVE ME FATHER, FOR I HAVE SINNED!
I'm sorry if any of you were disappointed with this chapter, I kinda have a love hate relationship with the whole book.
I'm also sorry for making everyone wait, I promise not to update late again next time.
I hope everyone has been well. It's February and that means into a month until my birth month! My best friend was also born in February so I get to celebrate her birthday.
I hope everyone has a great and amazing and perfect day!
-L