Craig and Clyde have done it now, they've pissed off the drama teacher. She isnt happy, and as a punishment she forces them to join in on this years production of Alice in Wonderland.
Unfortunately for Craig, his old enemy Tweek Tweak is one of the...
I tune out of their slightly amusing but disturbing conversation and face Kevin.
"What's up?"
"Do you know how much I love nerdy things?" I nod and Kevin fiddles with the hem of his shirt, looking at me with puppy dog eyes. "Can you please win me something from the claw?"
I give Kevin a look. "You do realise that those things never work?"
"I'll kiss you if you win me something." He says again, dragging his tongue along his bottom lip. I shiver, my gaze going from his eyes to his lips.
"Deal." I say, my hand reaching into my jean pockets to take out my coins. "Which machine do you like?"
Kevin looks from the four claw machines lined up next to each other. One is Marvel themed, another is SpongeBob themed, there's also a Star Wars theme and finally, there's a Pokemon theme. All of the machines are decorated and bright, with the characters that are placed inside the machines.
His eyes go from the Star Wars, to the Pokemon. He seems troubled.
"I don't know." He admits, walking towards both machines and standing in between them. He places his hand on the class of the Pokemon machine, and stares at all of the bright Pokemon trapped inside the class. "I've got to catch them all, but then I would betray my children." He moves his hand onto the Star Wars machine, staring at the plush toys placed in the pit of polystyrene.
"Your children?" I ask, standing next to him as he attempts to make his decision.
"Yes. Leia, Luke, Han, Chewie and the rest of them. Minus Po Dameron." Kevin says, still staring.
"Why?"
"Because I wouldn't have crushes on my children." Kevin tells me, moving once again from Pokemon to Star Wars. "This is life or death. Can you not get me one from each?"
"No. Kev, half the time the machines don't even work." I tell him, crossing my arms. Kevin once again sticks out his bottom lip in a pout.
"Please! I'll give you two kisses!"
"You do realise, that I can just kiss you." I state, giving Kevin a look.
"No. I'll sue you for sexual harassment." He says, hands on his hips.
"Kev, make you decision."
He sighs, his blue eyes shinning. "Fine. Try to get me Chewie."
I look into the Star Wars machine, peering at all of the stuffed toys. There's Leia, Han, Chewie, Luke and Darth Vader. There's a load of Han characters, a few Leia, one Luke, two Darth Vader and three Chewbacca.
I take a coin out of my jacket pocket, and slid it into the machine. A white panel lights up, and Kevin claps happily as the number four is displayed in blue letters. I have four attempts at capturing Chewbacca and giving him a new owner.
Attempt one.
I edge the claw forward, aiming for the Chewie in the centre. Swiftly, I move towards it and stop right above. Pressing on the 'Grab!' button, the claw plunges into the abyss of stuffed toys. It wraps it's claws around the Bears head, and lots it about an inch of the ground. It then drops.
"Oh my Clyde! You almost had it!"
"No, I didn't. The games fixed Kev." I tell him, but his puppy eyes make me try again.
Attempt two.
I take the same path, only moving a few centimetres forward. It does the same thing. Grabs the bear, lifts, drops.
When makes it worse, is that Kevin holds his breath when it's picked up, and then exhales and pouts when it drops. And it's too cute.
"Come on Clyde! You'll get a kiss if you win!" He says, motioning to his lips. I glance at his lips, and an image of Kevin in my arms, his lips pressed against my own flashes through my mind. I tighten my grip on the control, staring straight at the teddies and attempting a calculation.
So if I go forward, and take the paths a did before, it will have the same output. Maybe, if I start by going to the side, and move forward the result will be better.
And that's what I do for attempt three.
I move to the side, attempting to get the claw on line with Chewbacca.
Success.
I then go forward, hoping to be above the stuffed toy. The claw moves slowly, I make sure I don't slip so it won't shoot forward. I stop, my heart beating, and see that I'm completely above the toy.
Beside me, Kevin has stopped breathing.
I then slam my hand down on the 'Grab!' button. It plunges into the teddies, wrapping its claws around the Chewbacca's centre. It lifts. It holds.
The claw carries the bear towards the drop part slowly, and when it's just above the plastic wall, it drops the bear. It lands on the plastic wall, and the claw returns to its place.
Chewbacca valences on the wall, slowly tilting back and forth. It can either go straight down into the hole, or back into the teddy filled machine.
"Are you serious?" Kevin says, his hands forming into fists. "That's so unfair!"
"I told you, they're fixed." I say, going to hit the machine to make Chewie fall somewhere.
"No!" Kevin shrieks, grabbing my hand. "Let's make it fall, towards us! I'm slipping down the back of the machine." He tells me sternly, walking towards the machines.
"Kevin! It's not going to work." I say, and he shushes me.
"Stay there!" He shouts, and I can't see him anymore.
May I mention, that the machines are against a wall, and Kevin is going to attempt to squeeze down them towards the Star Wars machine.
