𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐊𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐒 │ DANIEL LARUSSO

𝘟𝘐. 𝘔𝘜𝘚𝘐𝘊 𝘛𝘖 𝘔𝘠 𝘌𝘈𝘙𝘚

TEENAGE KICKS

CHAPTER ELEVEN: GAME OVER

DEAR MUSIC, I will never be able to thank you enough for always being there for me. I don't remember much from before my parents got divorced, but what I do vividly remember is listening to The Lion Sleeps Tonight on repeat as my family fell apart in front of my eyes.

Even though my problems only got worse from then on, I still had music to help me through it...to block out everything that I didn't want to witness. It started with my parents, then grew to being bullied as a kid for having divorced parents, and lastly, the war going on in my mind currently as I walked through the crowded arcade.

The upbeat melody of Material Girl was blaring through the speakers overhead making me bop my head back and forth to the sound. It had come out earlier this year, becoming a big hit fast amongst the teenagers of 1984.

I grasped the hand of Cindy in my right who was stringing along a laughing Susan as we weaved throughout the crowded arcade. We had decided on a girl's night with no boys, totally neglecting the problems we ad to have some fun.

The weight of the tickets was felt in my head as I rushed up towards the ticket exchange table, already knowing what I was gonna purchase. My eyes were set upon the big plushie hanging above the bored clerk's head, the narwal being a vibrant purple with a shiny horn on its forehead.

"What can I get for you ladies"

Choosing not to respond, all I did was point above him at the beautiful masterpiece with a wide grin, looking like a kid at the candy shop. He rolled his eyes and unhooked it before dropping it in front of my wide eyes, reaching his hand out for the tickets.

I happily gave them to him and grabbed the narwal to showcase it to my chatting best friends "look at it, isn't it beautiful!"

They laughed at my enthusiasm before turning to head over to the laser shooting game, both picking up a gun just as I picked up one as well.

"You both, don't shoot!" A silhouette appeared in front of the screen causing me to hold up the fake gun and shoot him "no! no! no!"

Daniel groaned theatrically, leaning on the table where I had put my gun back down to walk away. I had promised the other girls I would leave my boy problems out of the arcade.

"Maybe you'll die" I heard Susan snap at the boy before latching onto Cindy and pulling her after me.

I stopped at some random game that had controllers and button, looking up to see the flashing out of order sign across it. Sighing, I went to turn away, but a hand appeared in front of me "hey! I just wanted to apologize...for whatever I did seeing as you're ignoring me"

Rolling my eyes, I ignored the boy and turned around, trying to push back down the smile threatening to tug at my lips "Fine, you apologized"

The sound of his footsteps behind followed me as I walked over to the basketball toss "You know, I actually got my license"

"Oh really?"

The boy hummed, clearly noticing the uninterested look on my face "hey, what's with you and your judgy friends? They've been glaring at me since I appeared"

"I don't know, maybe that's just their faces? Now, if you don't mind, I forgot my plushie at the gun game" using that as an excuse, I spun around only to stop when the narwal was being held in front of my face.

"I saw you left it behind, so I grabbed it" concealing my smile, I took it from his awaiting hands and brushed past him to where Susan and Cindy stood.

Cindy narrowed her eyes at the boy and held her arm in front of the boy, allowing for me to finally get away from him and outside to where a slide could be seen behind the railing. Sighing softly to myself, I walked over to watch the kids go down the slide and splash around in the pool.

The feeling of someone tapping my shoulder made me shrink closer to the gate "Susan told me"

"Told you what exactly?"

"About how Jamie's gonna come into school with a nice shiner on his chin, she praised your mean right hook" he laughed lightly "remind me to never mess with you"

Daniel could definitely see the smile on my face now as I slowly turned to face him "ok"

"So, am I forgiven?"

"I was never mad at you, only because you crashed our girls night out"

Daniel nudged my arm jokingly "Well, I can leave...if you want. Do you want me to" I shook my head slightly "you don't?"

"Consider yourself one of the girls for tonight, but just this once" I looked over his shoulder quickly to where Cindy and Susan were seen making kissy motions and pointing at a staring Daniel. I nodded my head subtly, laughing quietly when Daniel whipped around to see what I was staring at just as they dived into a bush.

He turned back to me with raised eyebrows, my smile dropping instantly to give him a shrug "must be squirrels? A large pack of angry squirrels" The two teenagers poked their heads back up and I watch as their eyes widened at something to their left, my eyes following to where Johnny was pulling up with his friends "oh shit"

Daniel frowned curiously going to look over his shoulder, but I pushed his head back to face me, not wanting his night to be ruined at the sight of my brother. That wasn't the best way obviously, cause he went beat red and continued to stare down at my shorter figure.

It didn't click until I realized my hand still lay on his cheek, feeling his smooth skin under the palm. I let my eyes flicker back to his own and noticed the decreasing space between us.

It seemed to be as if a magnet were pulling our faces closer and closer, but my cheek grazed his as I brought him into an awkward hug, even adding in a pat on his back. My eyes locked in on the two silently screaming forms of Cindy and Susan who were obviously either really angry at me not kissing the boy or excited for the tea we were going to spill tonight at the sleepover.

At that moment, I knew I had fucked up.