Chapter 10: Chapter 10

---

“Hey! What do you think of me... a kid?” I said annoyingly. Why? 'Cause he just brought me here to... what is this place called? Was it Tom's War or Tom's Work.

Ah, right! It's Tom's World! My bad. I don't really know the name of this arcade. I haven't been here even once, nor have I been able to enter. I'm just seeing it just when passing by while shopping. But I didn't come up with the idea to come here. Duh! For me its for kids only!

“Why? Was children's the only one who plays here?”

“Obviously?”

“Of course, not! Look around there's also a bunch of teenagers playing. So, let's go!” he said and pulled my hand again. Like what the—?

I took a deep breath. I can't believe this man! Really!

‘I'll let you win today, you moron.’

We went to the counter and he bought a coin like, I believe they call a token, then we start to seek for a machine we can play.

We stopped at—what do ya call it? The one with a hand-like (crane) thingy and stuff toys inside. I believe that you need to control that hand-like thingy using the red lever, to get the stuffed toy that is inside the machine. What does it call? Ah yes, it is vending machine. (*Claw Machine)

“Let's challenge. The first person to get that stuffed toy inside, will be the winner, and obviously the last will be the loser” he said while smiling confidently as if he can defeat me. Argh!

Of course, as myself I won't say no. I am Xyna Alegre, I don't back down or back out with any challenges. Especially just this lame kind of challenge. I was meant to fought challenges even from the start.

“All right!” I said with a high tone. Yeah this is a very very LAME childish challenge! But the thing is...

“But, how to play that...that vending machine (claw machine)?” his forehead creased and looked at me like I am some sort of a weirdo.

“First things first, it is not a vending machine. It is a CLAW machine. Second, seriously? You don't know how to play that? Even kids can play that thing” he said filled with astonishment.

“If I know, then why would I ask?” I sarcastically said. People now really has no common sense, or maybe they has, but they didn't use it.

He sighed.

“Watch her,” he pointed to the girl toddler who's playing the so-called claw machine.

She put the token in the hole, then the hand-like thing started moving when she moved the color red lever in the middle. She stopped moving the lever on the direction of the bunny stuff toy and then pressed the red button on the right side. Surprisingly, the hand-like thing lowered and took the bunny stuff toy and dropped it on the big hole right on the left side.

The little girl was very happy when she got the stuff toy bunny. She even hugged it tightly.

“Was it clear, now?” he asked me, I nodded. Very basic!

“Game on! Gonna win this for sure” I said competently. He pick the machine where the little girl played with earlier, while I am on his right side.

“3 ... 2 .... 1 ... go!”

We immediately dropped the token in the small hole and start controlling the lever, determined to be the first one to have the stuff toy.

But after minutes past and many token wasted, we got none. We already knew how to play it, but we still hadn't get anything. This machine sucks! The hand-like thingy always drops the damn stuff toy every time it lift.

Or maybe we were only sucks at it. I can't believe only a little girl can beat us with this!

I bit my lip to hold my anger.

This is my last token, if this still not able to get the stuff toy, I will really smash this machine.

I put the hand-like thing on the Rilakkuma stuff toy and pressed the red button. The hand-like thing starts to get down again and grabbed the Rilakkuma stuff toy.

I bit my lip while looking at the hand-like thing lifting and carrying the Rilakkuma stuff toy right on the side—to the big hole.

I keep on wishing that it will not fall again.

My eyed widened when...

“I've got it!” I was surprised when we spoke in unison.

Yes, I— or should I say we, do got one! Mine is the Rilakkuma stuff toy, while he got Boots in Dora The Explorer stuff toy. He really sucks! I don't really like Boots, you know. But I also don't hate him.

“We got it contemporaneously, so we can call it a tie” he grinned. Oh, right! The bet! I almost forgot it because of the thrill that I felt earlier—so... we got a tie. Means, no one lose but also no one wins.

“Why don't we exchange what we got” he suggested. My brows immediately arched.

Wow, now he wants my Rilakkuma? Not surprising, he just got a childish and boring toy. He sucks!

“Eh?! I don't want to! I like my Rilakkuma and I don't like Boots because he's so childish. If you want to get a Rilakkuma go and play again. And besides, don't you like that? You finally found your twin?” I teased him.

His jaw clenched and look at me with disbelief. What? Isn't it true? Try to put Boots's face next to Dwyne's and you will see their BIG similarities.

“What?! With how handsome I was, you will just compare me to Boots?! You really are an unbelievable woman. But let's set that aside, let's exchange our stuff toys. For a good memories you know” he said.

I think deeply for a moment before I hand him my Rilakkuma with a frown.

“All right. Take care of that. If you broke it, you will know your place in this earth. Understood?!" I threatened him.

“Of course, I'll take care of it. This stuff toy comes from you, and also, for me this symbolizes our friendship. If I broke it means I broke our friendship” he said and handed me his.

I rolled my eyes on him.

“Sadist.” he whispered but it was loud enough for me to hear.

“Wait, but did you say somethin'?” I sarcastically said.

“Ah, no! Did you hear me say something? There's none, right? Let's go to the basketball machine”

"All right" I agreed with a smile.

***