Worthy | MJ

Youthful Living

I looked at Michael who had picked up the last slice of pizza and was about to bite into it, and nudged his side. "Now who said you can eat the last slice?" I teased him.

Acting clueless, Michael shrugged, "Who said I couldn't eat the last slice?" I stared at him upside the head as he slowly, and teasingly, took a bite out of the pizza.

I broke my serious facade, laughing as I shook my head. "I'll remember that for next time."

Before Michael could respond, Marlon cut in and said, "Me and Shy are about to hit up the air hockey machine." In a blink of an eye, they were already out of the booth and heading towards the air hockey table.

Michael surveyed the arcade for a brisk moment. It wasn't very packed considering it was a school night. The only people that were actually inside the building, besides us five, was the owner and a couple who looked to be in their late twenties.

"Wanna try that claw machine?" Michael suddenly asked as he pointed towards a machine that contained a plethora of plushies inside. I nodded my head, earning a satisfied smile from him. "Bill you can join us if you want."

"No, no," Bill waved us off, "You kids go and enjoy yourself. I'll stay here."

With that, we wasted no time to race to the machine and try our luck with getting a toy or two. I was sure the machine was rigged because each of my five attempts was a fail, and so was Michael's first four. It was only on Michael's fifth try that we were successful.

"Look, if I don't get it this time 'round then I give up," Michael remarked. He was concentrating hard; his tongue swiping across his lower lip while his eyes narrowed and he eased the handle down so that the claw could grab onto a large pink bear.

"You're almost there," I squeaked and just as I said that, he managed to pull the teddy bear out of its see-through cage. A relieved breath, that I had been holding in for a good minute, quickly left my mouth.

"That's how you do it," Michael exclaimed as he wore a boastful grin. "Take notes, Sarai."

I slowly clapped for him since that's what he clearly wanted. "Well done... I guess."

"You guess?" Michael dramatically gasped, turning around to grab the large teddy from the machine. "Then I guess you don't want this prize I won for you."

I laughed. "If you won it for me you have to give it to me." 

"Nope, no can do," he hid the bear behind his back but because it was so huge and bold, I could see it clear as day.

I tilted my head, "Please?" Michael stubbornly shook his head so I shrugged. "Fine, I'll just spend my last token and win one for myself. It can't be too hard."

As I was pulling a token out of my jacket pocket to try my luck again, Michael held the bear out in front of me, and a triumphant grin appeared on my face. 

"I'm just joking, Rai. Here you go." I thanked him, taking the soft toy from his hands before leaning over to place a small kiss on his cheek. I pulled back only to see huge grin on his face which he tried to cover up with a cough. "Er I think it's time to go now."

I turned around to where our booth was located and saw Shyanne and Marlon laughing away together as Bill put on his hat and jacket. "Yeah, c'mon let's go."

It wasn't until the sun went down 15 minutes that we made it back to the hotel that my family and I were staying at for the meantime. We were originally from Atlanta and only moved to California because our work required us to do so. However, we hadn't found a permanent home to move into yet, so we currently were posted up at a decent hotel. Mother quit her nursing job to pursue a full-time career as our manager, and me and Shy had to transfer schools because of the move. I was sad that I had to leave all I knew behind, including my friends and family, but that didn't change how excited I was to begin our new journey.