(Sam's POV)
If someone had told me a month ago that I'd spend a Saturday afternoon getting kicked out of a gaming arcade with three weirdos I'd barely noticed before, I would've laughed. Or stared blankly. Probably both.
But there I was.
Ruby Jane sitting beside me, her cheeks flushed from laughter. Becky and Felix bickering over who cheated in Dance Dance Revolution. And me—smiling like an idiot.
And maybe losing badly at air hockey.
We'd just pulled up outside the gaming zone. Felix was still breathless from fangirling over the Lamborghini.
"I want to marry your car," he said, hugging the hood. "Not you. Just the car."
"I'm oddly okay with that," I replied, tossing my keys into my bag.
Becky snorted. Ruby? She was staring at the neon sign like she'd stepped into another dimension.
"You've been here before?" I asked her.Ruby nodded sheepishly. "A few times. Becky and Felix drag me here sometimes."
"Oh, so you're not a total newbie like me?"She smiled. "Not exactly. I've just never been here like... this.""Like this?""With you," she said softly, eyes flicking away.
Felix turned dramatically. "YOU? The legendary Sam Walker? Queen of the basketball court? You've never set foot in a gaming arcade?!"
I held up my hands. "It didn't fit into my schedule, okay? I had piano. Ballet. Debate club. French lessons. My parents kept me pretty... curated."
That made everyone quiet for a second.
Until Becky burst out, "Girl, you've been living in a brochure."
We laughed. But the silence from before lingered in the corner of my thoughts.
The arcade was a sensory overload. Lights, sounds, fake coins clinking. Ruby walked a little ahead, taking it all in with wide eyes. Felix bought all of us tokens, dramatically pretending he'd just won the lottery.
Becky dragged him to a shooting game. I stayed back with Ruby.
"What do you wanna play?" I asked.
She bit her lip. "I'm okay with everything except claw machines."
"Perfect," I said, gesturing with mock seriousness. "Let the claw chaos begin."
Turns out she was lying. She was good. Like suspiciously good.
"How are you doing this?" I gaped as she handed me a soft, tiny frog plush.
"Years of heartbreak," she deadpanned. "Channeling them all into winning stuffed animals."
I laughed. Too hard. And she looked at me like maybe that was her win for the day.
Eventually, we split into teams. Me and Felix vs. Ruby and Becky.
Felix took it too seriously. Like, Olympic level. Becky threatened to bash him with a plastic guitar.
Ruby? She kept stealing glances at me every time we played. And I... noticed.
In one racing game, I crashed spectacularly. She leaned over and whispered, "You turned too early."
"Did not."
"Did too."
And that little whisper war somehow made my entire chest feel weirdly light.
It was during the basketball shooting game that Felix called her out.
"Ruby, you're THROWING. You're literally missing on purpose."
Her face turned red. "I—what? No!"
"You average twenty in this game. You've missed three in a row. For her."
Becky and I turned to stare.
Ruby looked like she wanted the earth to open up and eat her.
I smiled.
And maybe I missed my next shot on purpose, too.
Eventually, we got kicked out.
Yes. Literally.
The security guard came over and asked us to leave because we were "too loud and overly enthusiastic."
"Overly enthusiastic?!" Felix cried. "Sir, that's my middle name!"
Becky dragged him by the ear.
I turned to Ruby. She was still holding the frog plush. Smiling.
Like she hadn't smiled in a long, long time.
I dropped everyone off.
Felix fist-bumped me like we'd just won a championship.
Becky told me to take care of the plush. "If she gave you a frog, you're basically engaged."
Ruby was last.
We stopped in front of her house.
"Hey," I said, before she got out.
She turned.
"Today was... nice."
She nodded. "It was."
I hesitated.
"Promise me something?"
"What?"
"When you become an artist... I want the first painting."
She blinked. "You already asked that."
"I know. But this time, I want you to promise."
She looked at me. Really looked.
And nodded. "Okay. I promise."
She closed the door gently behind her.
And I sat there.
Hand still resting on the gear.
Heart still stuck in the moment.
[End of Chapter 20]
With them, I laughed louder. Smiled easier. And with her—I felt something I didn't have a name for yet. But maybe I didn't need one. Not right now.