Chapter 29: Chapter 29

Sunny

"Where are we going next?" I asked him.

He shrugged his shoulders. "How about you? Is there a place you want to go?" He asked. "I am up for everything. As long as it is not bad." He added. "Knowing you are pretty weird―"

I hit his arm. "Why does it feel like I am a psycho or what?" I complained. "You know what... I do not know if it is just because you are brainy or what, but whenever you say something like that, I feel like I am really like that," I told him. "So stop yourself from insulting me, because I am rethinking whether I am or I am starting to not believe myself anymore." I added.

He smiled after hearing me. Instead of saying sorry to calm me down, he is making me piss more than ever.

Is it just me or does everybody experience this too? When I know someone brainy, it seems like he is very untouchable. Whatever he says may be good or bad. I will definitely think that I am like that, or am I just stupid?

Or maybe because he is kind of strict and sometimes I find him scary?

"Let's go there!" I excitedly told Steven and pointed to the game zone. "Have you been in the game zone before?" I asked him as I pulled him along to the game zone.

"Not yet. This is my first time today. Have you?" He asked back.

I nodded. "Me and Shiela always go here." I replied and let go of his arms when we got inside. "There are many things we can try here. Let's keep our tickets so that we can get something back next time." I shared.

"What is it then?" He asked.

"Let's go to the counter. I will show you." I said and walked towards the counter.

He quietly followed me until we got to the counter. There are many kids in the line waiting for their turn to buy coins. There are also people our age who are playing already.

"This is the counter. You can buy coins here that you will use to play the games. That's the equivalent. Fifty pesos for ten coins and so on. There are games here that need two coins to play one game." I explained. "And look at the tickets they are holding." I said and pointed to the tickets that the kid was holding. "If you keep that and earn more of them, you can exchange them for whatever you want. As long as it is the same equivalent. Like, for example, the teddy bear needs five thousand tickets, the coloring set needs six hundred tickets, and so on." I added.

"Shall we buy coins now?" He initiated.

I nodded and went to the line quickly.

"Let's play car racing and see who is the best and fastest driver. There is also zombie survival here. Let's see who can survive. And do you want to try the photobooth here?" I asked him, excited at the thought of going to the photobooth. "Their booth is one of the best!" I recommended.

He motioned for me to slow down. "I get that you are excited. First, calm down. We will do that after buying the coins. You look like a kid excited to play." He replied.

"I just find it exciting. Next time, come and bond with us. Shiela is fun to be with. There are no dull moments in everything. If this was your first time coming here, it would be a great experience. You can bring your friends and your brother here." I told him. "Do you and your friends go out? Or do you have different kinds of going out?" I asked.

I am curious about his friends. How do they manage to force him to go out, or does he go with them on his own accord without forcing anything?

"We rarely go out. We spent time in our house or theirs. If they decide to go out, I do not go. I tend to stay at home. I do not like going out." He responded.

Does he not really like to go out?

"Then how about us? Did you ask me to go out because you wanted it or just pity me?" I asked him. "If you pity me, I will kill you." I warned him. "You should not have to do this if you are forcing yourself―"

"I don't." He interrupted. "Everything that happened today is my own will. I asked you out not because I pity you, although I do think that you need some fresh air. I am not forcing myself or anything. I think that I should also get out of my comfort zone." He explained. "Doing this makes me realize that there are many things I should look out for. That there will be more fun stuff aside from reading and watching movies. And I can also do this with my friends too, soon."

I smiled at his long explanation.

I am happy to hear he is trying now.

"I am happy to hear that." I said, and patted his arm. "As your first friend, it makes me proud. I will never regret touring you at that time. You are one of the best people I know." I told him.

"Now, you are acting like my mom. Tell me, are you my mom or what?" He replied, laughing.

"Your aunt." I said, and laughed as well.

When it was our turn to buy coins, we bought a hundred pesos worth of coins and also paid for the photobooth. We headed first to the photobooth, right after that.

The photobooth is really cute. It is not like an ordinary photobooth, you will see. It is made in Japan and it looks like a cat outside. On the inside, you will see a light blue theme and a screen.

"I will push the start button now. Are you ready now?" I asked him and received a nod from him.

I clicked the button and then clicked the screen to start the counting. We only rented it for thirty minutes since Steven is not that fond of selfies and I needed to understand that. It is his treat today, so I better treat him well.

"Go! Let's take a seat. Four poses, okay?" I said, and we sat. Waiting for the timer to end and capture us.

At first, we smiled. Second, we made a heart pose. Third, wacky, and lastly, we made a peace sign.

"Let's put some stickers on first." I told him and walked to the screen. "Look at our photo! It went good!" I exclaimed before starting to put some stickers on.

I put some whiskers on his face and put a hat on me. I am busy editing the first two pictures, and he did the last two. After that, we took some photos again and edited them, making fun of our designs until our time ended.

We next headed to the car racing game.

"Whoever loses will buy ice cream later, deal?" I made a bet as we sat on our chairs.

He nodded and sat on the blue chair, while I sat on the red one.

"Insert two coins to start." I guided and pointed where he should insert his coins.

After inserting the coins, we started the game after choosing the style of our car, and so on.

"Ahaa, Sunny Clyde sucked at driving." Steven teased me when I bumped into another car.

I quickly depress the gas pedal in order to accelerate.

"How are you when it is your first time?" I asked as I drove. "Have you tried this before? You better not lie to me, Steven!" I complained and bumped again.

"Of course not. It is my first time, really." He replied calmly. "It is just you sucks." He added, teasing me again.

As I expected, I lost the two games. Steven laughed at me for pouting.

I think he is lying when he says it is his first time playing it.

"Ice cream, okay? Later, on our way home, I will remind you, so you will not be able to forget it." He said. "Let's try zombie survival now." He invited.

We went to the zombie survival. There was young kids playing the game, so I taught him how and why at first. He also looked carefully at the kids playing the game.

"You just need to shoot at the zombies and stay alive, okay?" I told him.

Our turn came, and we inserted the coins to start the game. We started shooting at the zombies. We managed to shoot the zombies, and I can say that he is good at this game too.

The game ended with our score tied.

"Being a first-timer, you are not bad." I praised him. "I am having a second thought that you already went here and played this." I added.

He shook his head, laughing at my remarks. "Think what you want to think, as long as it makes your mind satisfied." He said.

I let him choose what we should do next, but the basketball game has a lot of people playing, which is why we decided to roam around and see what we could play.

"Oh, there is a cat holding a book." I told him and pointed to the claw machine. "I want the hamster." I said.

"Then play it yourself." He replied.

I give him a glare.

"What? If you want it, then get it." He added.

"You are supposed to say 'oh, you want it? I will get it for you' but―so ungentleman." I commented.

"Tss." He tsked. "Oh, you want it? I will get it for you." He acted and started inserting the coin.

As much as I wanted to hit him, I went to his side and watched him play.

"Get the hamster, okay?" I reminded him.

He pushed the green button and started moving the joystick. He clicked the button. We anxiously followed the crane moving downwards.

"Aw! We did not make it." I said.

"Shall we try again?" He asked.

I nodded.

He inserted another coin and started playing again.

and again.

and again.

and again.

and again.

I even tried it, but no luck at all.

"We only have two coins left." He said. "I don't think we can get it. Shall we give up?" Steven asked, showing the coins we only have.

"Do you want me to get it for you guys?" A man joined the conversation. "I think I can help you get it. I have been watching you trying to get it. Would you like me to help you?" He asked.

I look at Steven and then back at the man. He is holding four small stuffed toys.

"Ahh, I got it from claw machines too." He added.

Steven quickly handed him the only two coins we had.

"What do you want me to get?" He asked us.

"The hamster." Steven replied.

"And if by chance, I also want the cat with a book." I added.

"Okii." He replied shortly and moved the joystick before inserting the coins after.

He just went straight to the hamster and VIOLA! THE HAMSTER WAS CAUGHT BY THE CRANE AND IT IS MOVING SLOWLY TO THE EXIT!

He paused for a few seconds and moved the joystick again before inserting the last coin, and HE MANAGED TO GET THE CAT WITH A BOOK TOO!

He bent down to get them and handed them to me.

"T-thank you! Why are you so good at this? What is your secret? Are you a goddess of claw machine?" I asked him continuously.

He chuckled. "I have been playing this for so long that I ended up knowing the tricks." He replied.

"Thank you for helping us." Steven said.

"No problem. You guys look cute. That is why I decided to help." He commented. "I will go now. Enjoy your date." He added and walked away.

Date?

WHAT! A DATE?

"He probably thought that we were in a relationship." I told him, laughing at what he had said. "He also pitied us for using all our coins but was not able to get some." I added.

"We have no coins now. Do you still want to play or can we eat our lunch now?" Steven asked.

"Eat. Let's walk and see what we can do after." I answered.

We went out of the game zone.

I handed him the cat holding a book.

"This is yours." I told him. "Take care of it, okay?"

"This is mine. I will put it on my table." I added, pertaining to the hamster.

"Let's try halo-halo today?"