Picky Eater

Ch 19: Do you trust me?

"I can't eat all of this," Ben said, practically begging for it to be sent back. Before Ben finished, Nino swiped a slice and took a big bite. Ben's jaw dropped. "Wh-what? Can you do that? Is that safe?"

With a laugh, Nino nodded and chewed furiously. He politely covered his mouth to finish his bite, before saying, "I've seen you eat a whole cake by yourself. Are you supposed to do that?"

"Okay, it was a small cheesecake in my defense."

"And you never even offered me a bite. I'm wounded," he teased, eating more pizza, and sauntering away. Ben shouted after him.

"I didn't know I could!"

Ben laughed, shaking his head, and looking around this old pizza shop. There was probably dust in the corners left over from the 80s. All the furniture in the pizza shop was scuffed, chipped, or defaced. The wait-staff, the bartender, and the kitchen were buzzing, shouting, and so familiar with customers. Everything smelled so sweet, mixed with garlic, and Ben's mouth started watering upon entering.

There was a wall of old arcade games at the back of the restaurant. When he was younger, he used to try games like that in hopes someone didn't finish their game. He never won a thing. Ben grabbed a slice, leaning over to watch a couple of younger girls mess around with the crane machine. They put their hands on top of each other in prayer, their last dollar between them, as they put all their hopes in one final game.

There was a small, pathetic dance floor where a drunk middle-aged couple was swaying back and forth. It was a marvel they were still standing at all. In the corner was a cheap disco ball on the floor, spinning a rainbow of colors everywhere.

"One water," Nino said, placing iced water down first and then a friend in the shape of a jack and coke. "Drink that first. Balance your alcohol."

"I'm not that drunk," Ben insisted. "And the pizza's helping..." His words drifted with his attention back on the girls, crying out in defeat. Bested by the crane machine once again.

"Do you wanna play?"

"Hm?" Ben jumped, his brows flying up his forehead. He looked between Nino and the arcade, trying to play it off cool. "Oh, uh no way." Ben laughed and grabbed another pizza slice. It tasted as bad for him as he wanted. "It's all a scam."

Nino smirked, leaning on the table. "Is it a scam because you've never won?"

"Nobody wins those things."

"Am I supposed to be a nobody?" Nino scrunched his nose. "Ouch."

"This is false confidence." With his finger, Ben pushed Nino's chest. "There's no way you can win something."

"Never doubt me, Ben Robinson. I can do anything." Nino pushed off the table and winked before turning his back. Scrambling to follow, Ben dropped his pizza slice and used the driest napkins in the world to wipe his face. He only took one step towards the machines when Nino yelled behind him, "Water!"

Ben cursed, took several gulps, then rejoined as Nino fed the machine a dollar. He had fiery eyes while messing with the crane. This didn't feel like business. It was personal. Ben kept himself from laughing, from teasing Nino too much in fear he might stop playing.

"Just testing it first," Nino clarified. "So, stop judging me."

"I'm not judging." Ben just smiled, crossing his arms, and leaning against the machine. His attention was divided between Nino trying to finesse his way into getting a little keychain plushie and Nino himself. He was nothing but smiles.

He pressed the big red button and the shaky crane fell, crashing into a little black cat with a little pink tongue sticking out. The stick thin pinchers enclosed, but it was shaky pulling up and dropping it. This didn't shake Nino at all.