"If you think you can beat me at whack-a-mole you've got another thing coming Hunter."

Shawn took me to an arcade today. He and I loved coming together with Cory when we started junior high. Since I started seeing Derek, I haven't been here much so Shawn thought it would be a good idea to come and get my mind off everything.

"Oh please, you're as rusty as my uncle's septic tank."

"Maybe, but i've always been faster than you and i've got major post breakup steam to blow off." I picked up the rubber mallet that was on the machine. "Eat my dust trailer boy."

"Not if you eat mine first Ms. Hairdresser from hell."

"Jeez you fail at chemically straightening one kids hair and chop half your hair off and all the sudden you're horrible with hair."

He laughs and puts the tokens in our machines and we start the game.

I start off pretty strong but then I see him getting faster and I can't seem to keep up. Just as his score passed mine the time on our machines ran out.

"HA!" He starts jumping around me and doing his little victory dance.

"You know what your mallet felt lighter than mine I think this thing is rigged."

"Aw, can't take the heat Carrillo?"

"No, I just can't take the injustice."

"Too bad I won."

"Fine then. Let's have a rematch and switch machines."

"No way. I know you well enough to know that if I do a rematch you're gonna play dirty." He says as he leans down and takes the tickets from the machine.

"Who me?" I say innocently.

"If you wanna get beaten at another game i'd be happy do let you roll in that sweet pit of defeat."

"Okay Hunter. How about a game of air hockey? If i recall correctly you've actually never beaten me before."

"Well there's a first time for everything."

"You're on." We go over to the air hockey table and I put four tokens into the machine.

We played for about 10 minutes before I got up to 12 points and won the game 12-5.

"Who's rusty now Hunter? At least before you'd put up a better game. A 7 point loss is just sad." I teased him and shoved his shoulder.

"You know what my arm is tired from carrying and wacking that mallet."

"My arm isn't tired."

"Shut up and let's go to the claw machine."

"Whatever you say." I put my hands up as we headed to the claw machine.

It was one of our little traditions that every time we'd come here, we would try to get something from the claw machine. We hardly ever get anything because the game is clearly rigged. But we still like to try.

"Okay what are we gonna try to get this time?" He asks me while rubbing his hands together.

"Hmmm. How about that panda bear?" I point to the stuffed animal in the back. "It's head is right side up so it'd be easy to grab, and there's nothing around it to stop the claw from gripping onto it."

"Nice choice Carrillo." He hands me two tokens. "Would you like to do the honors?"

"Why thank you Hunter. The pleasure is all mine." I put the tokens in and used the joystick to position the claw over the panda bear.

"Carrillo you're off. Here let me help." He put his hand over mine on the joystick. I felt him tense up a bit. "Is this okay?"

I must've zoned out for a sec because I was a bit out of breath. I inhaled and responded. "Yeah, lets just get the bear."

His eyes go back to the machine and he helps me move the claw right over the bear.

"Okay go." Right as he said that I pressed the red button and the claw drops right into the bears head. It grips the panda and pulls him up.

"Nice work Carrillo."

"Right back at ya Hunter." I pull the bear from the machine and hand it to Shawn.

"I think you should keep that. You were the one who suggested we get the panda in the first place."

"Oh i'm keeping it. But I don't wanna hold this all night when I could be kicking your ass in a second round of air hockey."

He takes the bear from my hands and smiles.

"Game on Carrillo."

The rest of the night we played games, won tickets, and exchanged them for a small dart board. Since I kept the panda bear, I made Shawn keep the dart board. Once it started getting late, Shawn agreed to walk me home.

"You know I don't mind if you keep the dart board."

"You know every time we come here when it's just the two of us, you always try and give me the prizes from the tickets and the claw machine. Every time you fail at convincing me, and every time I end up winning this argument. You're keeping the dart board."

"You are so stubborn. You know that?"

"Yeah well you're persistent." We laugh a bit as we keep walking. "I'm glad we did this. It really got my mind off of everything."

"Yeah well i'm happy to help you get your mind off the scumbag even if it was for just one night."

"Nah i'm over him. I've just got other stuff on my mind."

"Like what?"

"Well my it's my mom's birthday this Saturday and I told her weeks ago that I was gonna bring a date. But that clearly didn't work out."

"So what? Just say he had plans."

"Hunter, i'm a terrible liar when it comes to my mom. She always manages to see right through me. Not to mention the fact that if I show up without one she'll give me the third degree for the next month because she'll think I lied. Or she'll just tease me about not being able to hold a man down if I tell her the truth."

I can't believe i'm about to say this but she's my best friend so I have to try to help her out here.

"So why don't you take me?"

Her eyebrows scrunch together. "As my date?"

"No, as your horse-drawn carriage driver. Of course as your date."

"I don't know Shawn."

"Come on Cristina. It's believable and very convenient. Two friends who turned into something more overtime. Plus, we already are super comfortable around each other and know everything about each other."

"True. But what if she remembers Derek and starts asking questions?"

"Say you dumped his ass for me. I mean i'm 10 times the man he was." I flipped my hair out of my face in confidence.

"Yeah yeah, don't let your common sense of loyalty inflate your ego too much." She stops walking and turns to face me. "Are you sure your comfortable doing this?"

"Cristina, we are gonna be around your family. We just have to maybe share a few pecks on the cheek and hold hands a bit. That's all. It's not like we have to have a heated make out session in front of your mom."

"Good point." She thinks about it for a few seconds. I find it so cute when I can see her face change as she's weighing her options in her head. Her eyebrows scrunch together and her lips move to one side. She sighs as she agrees on her decision. "Fine. It's a date."

"Wow you're surprisingly easy." She punches me in the arm and I wince. "Ow! I was just teasing Carrillo."

"I know. Just wanted to make sure you didn't say anything like that on Saturday."

"Relax i'll behave."

She interlocks her arm with mine. "Thanks for doing this Shawn. I owe you one." She smiles up as me as we start walking again.

"No you don't. You're my best friend. I'd do anything for you."

"Anything?" She said maniacally.

I playfully roll my eyes already knowing what she is going to ask for. I crouch down and put my hands up ready to catch her knowing she's going to ask for a piggy back ride for the rest of the way to her house.

"Hop on."

It takes two seconds for her to jump onto my back and wrap her arms and legs around me. I feel the fur from the panda bear on my neck and I smile.

"Having fun up there?"

"Oh i'm having a blast. Thanks for asking?"

I chuckle under my breath and keep walking. We talk for the rest of the wya to her house and we say our goodbyes. As I walk to my trailer a smile came across my face when the thought crossed my mind.

I have a date with Cristina.