Page 5 of The Good Char
“Man, I want this one!”Nicole pointed out and I eagerly tried to cut faster.
We decided which pics we each wanted before we walked arm in arm into the gameroom in bright moods.
The gameroom was where every teen wanted to be, from basketball, to fighting games, bowling and games of skill.This place was the coolest.The flashing lights and all the people winning prizes made it a place of pure relaxation in the midst of total chaos.Despite our ages, we still found this to be the best place to unwind.
“Ms.Pacman!”Cindy yelled in excitement before hurrying to put money into the token machine.“You are going down this time, I promise you that, little Miss high score.”
“You sure about that?”Nicole laughed, flicking her gaze at me knowingly, before she wandered off to play something solo.
I waved at her, knowing we’d meet back up later as I followed behind Cindy.When I got to the machine, Cindy placed her token in and, like always, the highest score came on the screen and there was my name at the very top:gamerqueen.
“Yeah, just you watch me take that high score from you,” she taunted.Cindy was always so competitive with me.Some might see it as one of her flaws, I saw it as one of her endearing qualities.I laughed off her threat because when it came to games, she was pretty bad.But I let her think I was scared she could beat me.It was what best friends did.
One minute in and Cindy was leaning toward the machine.I stood there calmly, making my moves in silence as a few other patrons stopped to watch us.
“I’m coming for you, Kimmy!Eat your heart out!”
“Okay, Cindy,” I replied with a soft smile.
Her excitement crashed and burned after losing several thousands of points from my high score.I covered my mouth trying to hide my laughter because Cindy was the world’s biggest sore loser.
“Ugh!This thing is broken!”she growled, giving it a little kick before standing there with her hands balled into fists, fuming.I was surprised steam wasn’t coming out of her ears or perhaps it did and that was why the small crowd around us began dispersing quickly.
“It probably is,” I teased.“Hey, let’s go play skee-ball instead!”
Her frown turned into a sparkling in her eye as she pivoted and fast walked toward the next game against me.It was moments like these that my confidence was strong.Cindy had a way of making me put down my walls when I was around her.We went way back to the beginning of Death Canyon City.
Nicole joined our dynamic duo not long ago so I was still feeling her out.Cindy vouched for her though, mentioning that things at home for her weren’t the best.I could understand that and empathized with her.
“You’re going down, Cin!”I laughed and with her index finger and thumb, she placed an L on her forehead, mouthing that I was going down first.We both got serious as the game started.
Thirty minutes in and I easily beat her again, gaining hundreds of tickets.I did a little dance as Cindy stomped her feet and turned her face away.She was so funny.
I grabbed all the tickets in my arms and made my way toward her.“Come on, Cin!Let's see what we can get with these!”
Her frown turned upside down and we both laughed as we walked up to the counter to cash them in for several cheap novelty items.
“Why did you get more than me?”Cindy whined as she stuck her thumbs in her ears, wiggling her fingers and sticking her tongue out like the immature brat she was.
“Stop being a brat, Cin,” I playfully teased, slapping her arm.
“Someone’s gotta take the spot.Might as well be me!”she singsonged.
“Woah!Nice pot guys!”came Nicole’s voice, her hands full of her own small prizes.
“Right?”I asked, throwing my arm over Cindy’s shoulder and pulling her in against me.“It was great teamwork.”
Nicole rolled her eyes but said nothing as we both made our way out of the gameroom.
“Hey guys, I need to check one more store, but you don’t have to come with me.I’ll see you guys tomorrow or something?Call me,” she mimed a phone with her hand—thumb pointing toward her ear, the other finger acting as the receiver end.
We nodded and waved at her, watching her walk away from us.Shrugging my shoulders, Cindy looped her arm in mine and we both headed out the front glass doors of the mall.The moment the doors opened, the heat blasted our faces and we both groaned in unison.
I playfully shoved her off me, the leather of her jacket starting to stick to my skin.We both laughed when a small pickup with a rollbar pulled up with several guys inside.They rolled down their window and called in our direction—well, in Cindy’s direction.
“Hey sexy, wanna come and sit on my lap," the guy from the passenger seat suggested.
I cringed but Cindy responded smoothly the way she always did.“How much booze ya got?”
