"Hey, Fred, can I get down now?" I asked.
"Of course! For what reason, may I ask?" he responded.
"None really," I said as he crouched down, allowing me to slide off. "It's just easier to race you when both my feet are on the floor."
"Wh-"
"Bye!" I laughed mischievously, starting to run off.
Unfortunately for me, he saw what was coming and grabbed me by the waist before I could get too far.
"You are very fast," he commented. "But you are also becoming very predictable. Why do you keep running? Am I really that unlikable?"
He lifted me back onto his shoulders and I crossed my arms and huffed. "Sometimes," I muttered jokingly.
The truth was, I'd eaten one too many Starbursts and it was starting to get to me. But for some reason I opted to let Freddy believe I was just half-fun and half-responsible instead of prone to getting high on Starbursts.
"What was that?"
"Oh, nothing!" I sang.
"No, really. I'm curious now."
"Not unless you put me back down."
He stopped walking, and put a thoughtful hand on his chin, as if deep in thought. "... No."
"What?" I asked, pretending to be deeply offended. "How dare you refuse me! And after everything I've done for you! Just you wait until the others hear about this!"
"Oh dear! Whatever shall I do?" he asked sarcastically, rolling his eyes.
"You should run," I advised. "And I'll race you!"
He chuckled and shook his head. "You sure do like racing. And quite good at it, I will admit. How are you so fast?"
"I was in track in high school," I told him.
"Ah, yes! I do recall seeing something like that in your file. Did you enjoy it?"
"Not at first. I was not very fast at all when I first tried out, but I made the team doing long jump and distance. The next year though, I decided I wanted to try sprinting, and..."
"Go Y/N! Woo! Look Mom! Look Dad! It's Y/N! She's so fast!"
My brother's voice echoed in my head. I vividly remembered my last track meet. My whole family had come to cheer me on.
"Y/N, I saw you! You went like zoom! And it was so cool!"
"Awww, thanks kiddo!"
"When I'm older, I'm gonna be just as fast as you!"
I smile. "No, you'll be even faster!"
He scrunches up his face. "What?! Nuh uh! You're the fastest person ever, Y/N!"
Scooping him up, I reply, "Not for long! In the blink of on eye, you'll be this awesome super-speedster!"
His eyes widen as if I'd told him the Easter Bunny was coming to his birthday party. "Super-speedster?"
"Mhm!"
I see the sparkle in his eyes. His hopes and dreams were reflected in those eyes of his. He throws his arms around me and says, "I love you, Y/N!"
"I love you too, buddy."
"Y/N?"
I blinked away sudden tears that I hadn't known were there and said, "Huh? Yeah, what is it?"
"Where you daydreaming again?"
I hesitated. "Yeah."
"What about?"
"Uhhh..."
I can't tell him that... I can't. I can't! I CAN'T!
"My story!" I blurted.
"Oh really? I didn't know you wrote."
"Uh, yeah!" I said. I hadn't meant to bring that up, but I continued anyway. "It wasn't in my file or anything because it's just a little thing I do on the side... I just had this really great idea for my next chapter because I was stuck earlier," I rambled. "I had a general idea of what I wanted to happen! I had the chapter title and I even drew some chapter art-"
"You draw, too?"
I stopped. I certainly hadn't meant to go there. Wow, he's really listening. "Y-yeah... That part I'm not so... um..."
"Open about?"
"Yeah."
"I see... Well, I think it's actually quite impressive. You sing, play the piano and electric guitar, you're a genius, and now you write and draw! What can't you do?"
"I can't dance," I replied automatically.
"Anyone can dance, so I won't be accepting that," Freddy responded.
"No, I mean, I really can't. If you shove me on the dance floor, I still won't dance because I wasn't close enough to the dance floor to begin with."
"That sounds more like a fear of dancing in public. I still don't believe you."
"I'm not joking, Freddy. You can't pay me to dance!"
"Hmmm... Can we bet on it?"
Oh no. Not one of these again. Wait...
"Before we go around starting a new bet, I need to decide what I'm going to do with you since I won that last one."
He flinched visibly. "Oh... Now I'm actually scared."
I laughed. "Quit your whining, it won't be that bad. This isn't truth or dare."
"... What's truth or dare?"
I spluttered, "Wha- but- huh?!?! Who made you?! This is outrageous!"
"Should I start making a list?" he joked.
I groaned. "This is just so... so... argh! You're killing me, Smalls!"
"... Pardon?"
I yelled, "Geez! Okay, first thing on the list, watch The Sandlot. Then Flight of the Navigator. And then we'll play truth or dare. Then... have your ever seen Teen Beach Movie?"
"No."
All bets were forgotten at that point. I exclaimed, "Never mind! Teen Beach Movie is first!"
He laughed. "There sure is a lot I'm missing out on. Perhaps we'll have to find a day where we can do all of these things."
"Yes!"
We had arrived at Rockstar Row, and completely out of the blue, Chica walked out of her room. When she saw us she gasped, and shouted, "OH MY GOSH, ARE YOU GUYS FLIRTING?!"
Freddy choked on his laughter and I froze.
Oh gosh. U-um... this is awkward.
Freddy's P.O.V.
"OH MY GOSH ARE YOU GUYS FLIRTING?!" Chica exclaimed after exiting her room.
I probably should've considered letting Y/N down before entering Rockstar Row... Oh dear, she's going to tell everyone...
I hastily squatted so Y/N could get off, which she did equally as fast.
"No Chica," Y/N explained. "Freddy and I were making a list of things that we should all do. You guys have not lived. How have you not seen Teen Beach Movie?"
Bonnie and the others emerged from his room, and he asked, "What's that?"
Y/N looked like she was on the verge of blowing a fuse (pun intended). I cut in, "How about we get ready for the competition? If we start earlier, Y/N can get home sooner and sleep more."
I didn't actually want Y/N to leave earlier, but it was important she got as much sleep as possible. She already got home late every day of the week, and woke up very early so she could get back to work the next day. I actually found her hours quite unfair. The company had been desperate to get another robotic technician because the one that worked on Music Man previously moved, so they moved Dave up and hired Y/N.
She is certainly a very talented individual.
My ears began twitching suddenly, which confused me. I tried my hardest to stop in case anyone noticed, but my efforts were in vain. Fortunately for me though, no one seemed to notice. And if they did they didn't say anything.
"Freddy's right," Roxanne agreed. "Besides, we need to get this over with. We all now I'm going to win."
"Ugh, shut up already," Monty groaned.
Roxy scoffed and crossed her arms.
That's such a Roxy-like pose, I noted.
Breaking the silence, Foxy said, "Well, what're we waitin' for?! Come on, lads!" and he raced away, Bonnie and Roxy followed, leaving just me and Freddy.
Y/N face palmed and muttered under her breath, "Gosh. I don't want to run anymore."
"Would you like a ride?" I asked.
She seemed surprised I'd heard her. "Nah, I think I've had enough 'rides' for a while. Should we just walk?"
"Sure!" Chica and I replied. And we set off for the main stage, where the competition would be held.
. . .
I watched as Y/N sat down in her seat, high up where she could use the P.A. system. She turned it on and said, "Testing, testing, 1 2 3! CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME???"
We all covered our ears, and I gave her an awkward thumbs up. "Just great!" I shouted.
I could hear her laughter all the way from where I was standing on the stage.
"Okay, okay. Sorry guys! I promise I won't scream into the P.A. again... for another half hour."
Everyone groaned, but part of me almost wanted to laugh. Y/N was so... fun! When she messed with us, she always knew where to draw the line, but she still found the best way to make things enjoyable. The only word that really came to my mind when I tried to describe her was talented, but I felt like... I felt like there was something more. A feeling I couldn't put into words when I tried to describe to myself how amazing she truly was.
Is that normal? I wondered.
"Okay, listen up!" she started, getting our attention. "Here's how this contest is going to work. Since I'm the judge, I'm in charge, so my word is law. If I say stop, you stop. If I say be quiet, be quiet. If I say bring me cake, you..."
Nobody responded. We all just looked at each other with puzzled expressions on our faces.
"... You bring me cake! Come on guys!" She scoffed, pretending to be upset. "Whatever."
Everyone chuckled at her little joke as she continued. "So I took a few things into consideration, and I decided that you can only play one instrument or sing. You can't play and sing, you can only play or sing! Got it?"
My ears resumed their back-and-forth movement. That's so thoughtful. She... she took me into consideration while thinking about this competition.
That... that feeling returned. Completely foreign to me, but introduced the day Y/N had started working here. It had to do with Y/N, I knew that much. But what the feeling itself was... I didn't know. It felt... pleasurable? It made me feel special and appreciated, but it mostly made me feel an admiration of sorts for Y/N specifically.
But... this shouldn't be confusing for me. I like her. She's my friend.
"Don't sing or play anything longer than five minutes because we'd like to get through everyone before I spontaneously fall asleep," she joked again. "Other than that, I think if you want music playing in the background that's fine. I believe you can send my Fazwatch a message if you want your song to be a surprise. Um... that's it! Break a leg, guys!"
I never understood that expression. The stage crew used it occasionally, but it never made sense to me.
I should search it up sometime.
"Who wants to go first?" she asked.
"Ooh! Me! Pick me!" Roxanne said (somehow) both desperately and aggressively.
"Okay! Who wants to go after Roxy?"
"Can I go?" Chica asked, raising her hand.
"Absolutely! And after Chica?"
I waited patiently. It didn't matter to me when I went. It would most likely end at the same time no matter what order we went in. The order ultimately went: Roxanne, Chica, Monty, Foxy, me, and then Bonnie.
"Mmmm. Wanting to go out with a bang, huh Bonnie?"
"You can say that," he replied slyly.
I had learned that when he used that voice that he had something planned. I was actually slightly nervous.
Y/N giggled and responded, "Well, I'm looking forward to your song, Bon!"
In addition to the many feelings I was already experiencing, a new one arose momentarily. One that I didn't feel normally, nor did I expect to feel. I identified it as... jealousy. And it was directed at Bonnie.
This... I don't understand! I thought. I wasn't used to things not making sense. I disliked it greatly, and when it happened I would usually turn to the internet in hopes that it could explain my situation.
What does it mean when you feel strong admiration for someone? was my first search. Jealousy could wait.
The first few search results had to do with respect and approval, but then something else caught my eye. The use of the word "love". I knew what love was. I'd seen couples together around the pizzaplex, and when a family wasn't arguing or stressed the feeling was very apparent.
Looking into it more, something occurred to me.
I admire Y/N. Very much. She is... she is such a... she is wonderful. And kind, fun, smart, attractive, and...
My fans turned on. The words kept coming. So many of them! Words that represent Y/N and how... perfect she is, despite her "flaws". It was a lot to process, but then...
I sighed. Perfect. That is it. Y/N is perfect.
I felt proud for finding a word that properly explained how I saw her.
Interrupting my thoughts, which were running a mile a minute, Y/N's voice called out, "Let the Battle of the Individual Musicians begin!"
She really is perfect.