Chapter 6

Nash

Nash leaned against the arcade building, his eyes roaming around the parking lot, waiting for Chloe to appear. She replied to his text saying her dad said she could go and Nash had bolted out of bed and rushed to the arcade, excited to destroy her in these games. He hadn't been lying when he said he used to spend all day every day playing video games. When he was a kid, he lived and breathed them.

"Is Sophia coming too?" Caiden asked next to Nash.

Nash shot Caiden a look. Nash had let Caiden know that him and Chloe were going to the arcade and Caiden had invited himself along, saying he couldn't believe Nash didn't invite him and Nash had glared at him all day. It wasn't that he wanted to be alone with Chloe, but maybe he had. Just because it would be easier to focus on the games.

"I think so," Nash replied. "I let Chloe know you were coming and she said she'll ask Sophia to come, too."

"Great!"

Nash shot Caiden another glare and Caiden chuckled. "Sorry, did I interrupt your date?"

"It's not a date. I don't understand why you and Sophia always joke about that. Chloe is my rival. Why would I date her?"

"Oh Nash. Sweet, innocent, naïve Nash. That's usually how it begins."

Nash rolled his eyes, but his eyes then landed on Chloe who stepped out of Sophia's car. Sophia stepped out next and the both of them waved at them and walked towards them, and Nash pushed himself off the wall to stand up straight, his eyes on Chloe.

The wind from the cool, Fall weather blew Chloe's hair to the side and her green eyes shone under the blazing sun. She wore a skirt with a t-shirt tucked in, her small legs moving swiftly to keep up with Sophia's taller height. He hesitated, staring at her. Who would have thought that this girl of all people would be his biggest challenge?

"Hey guys!" Caiden called out. "Are you guys ready!"

"Of course!" Sophia shouted back, grinning.

Caiden beamed, his own hazel eyes gleaming and Chloe smiled at Nash. He didn't react. He turned around, ready to get lost in the games.

"Let's go."

Nash marched inside and the rest of them followed him, and immediately the glow of games exuded out of the room passed the check in area. Nash joined the line and bought four unlimited game passes using his parents credit card. That was their gift to him – almost an apology for neglecting him; their credit card he could use whenever.

"Here," Nash said, turning to them. He handed them each a game pass.

"Wait, you bought all of ours?" Chloe asked, her innocent eyes widening.

"Yeah, it's fine. Come on, let's go."

"Oh, thank you."

Nash tautened before nodding and he wandered off to the arcade room. All the lights were off and dimmed; the only light source beamed from the video games themselves. Nash crossed his arms over his chest and smirked. Easy. It had to be easy to beat her in this at least.

"Come on, let's all race," Nash said. "All four of us."

He wandered off to the racing car game and sat down and Chloe sat down next to him with Sophia next to her and then Caiden. He grabbed onto the wheel, his heart pounding as he chose the map and car and he glanced at Chloe, who glanced at him. She smiled and Nash pulled his eyes away to focus on the game.

"Ready to lose?" Nash asked.

"I should be asking you that." Chloe smiled and Nash rolled his eyes, feeling adrenaline pumping through him. This was his element. He had to win for once.

The countdown began. On the screen eight cars were side by side where four of them were theirs and once the word go popped up, Nash slammed the accelerator and went bursting forward. Immediately, he was in the lead and he grabbed onto the steering wheel tightly, swerving left and right, going faster and faster. He slammed the booster button, trying his best to remain first. He couldn't lose now.

But suddenly, a purple car was at his side. Chloe's car. Nash pressed the accelerator harder, but there was no point. He couldn't go any faster and Chloe remained at his side. He slammed the booster button, shooting forward and he was back to being first, but not for long. Chloe boosted ahead and once again was at his side. He clenched his jaw, his eyes narrowing as the finish line came into sight.

Chloe started inching forward, her car swiftly maneuvering past the many trucks and obstacles in their way and Nash's grip tightened on the steering wheel. No. He couldn't lose. But, it was too late. Chloe, only an inch in front of him, crossed the finished line first.

"Woo! Go, Chloe!" Sophia exclaimed.

Nash huffed, but to his utter surprise a part of him was impressed. He looked to Chloe who was already staring at him, seeming almost afraid of him and he paused. Was she waiting for him to explode?

"Did you used to play video games?" Nash asked.

"Yeah, back when I was a kid."

"Me too."

Nash smiled and Chloe's eyes widened. She gaped at him and Nash fought back a flush as he got up and waited for them to join him.

"Well, let's continue the games," he said, turning around. Chloe continued to seem stunned and he fought back the way his heart summersaulted.

They continued to play games and Nash continued to lose, but to his utter surprise, he hadn't cared. As he laughed with them, played on the same team as them, he didn't care about how much he lost to Chloe. All he cared about was how he felt as together, they played game after game, laughing and cursing as they lost and won, either as a team or alone.

He had known the Elites since his first year of university, but to him they were always competition. The people closest to him in talents, so he never tried to think much of them other than that they were his classmates. But as Sophia cursed at him, Caiden patted his back, and Chloe giggled with him, Nash felt his heart grow three sizes.

"Let's play dance, dance," Chloe said, giving him the puppy eyed look.

His eyes darted towards the game where a boy and girl stepped on the correct arrows to a song that blasted out of it. Nash narrowed his eyes; not his style. But, Chloe continued to give him that look, her green eyes still shining in the dimmed arcade room, and he sighed.

"Fine," Nash said. "Let's play."

"Yay!"

Chloe rushed over to the game as soon as the couple got off it and she stood on the right panel and Nash joined her on the left. She picked the song eagerly, her excitement clear in the way she bounced with energy and Nash smiled to himself. He leaned against the bar behind him, just admiring Chloe being Chloe.

"Ready," Chloe asked, shooting him a grin. She grabbed the bar behind her, her legs settling onto the left and right arrow beneath her feet.

"Of course."

The song began and Nash awkwardly stepped onto the arrows, already missing most of them. This was not his game. But next to him, Chloe stepped onto them swiftly, her small feet gliding around the keys and Nash sighed. He grabbed onto the bars behind him, following the arrows on the screen, his feet soon getting the hang of it, and he grinned.

Next to him Chloe gasped, her own smile spread across her face as she skipped along to the song, her feet expertly hitting button after button perfectly. Nash was way behind her – there was no way he'd catch up, but he didn't care. As he watched her glow, he just let himself relax for once.

Note after note, he followed the arrows, stealing glances at Chloe as she hopped along, beaming. He begrudgingly pulled his eyes away, feeling uneasy until the song finally came to an end. Chloe score an A while Nash scored an F. He let out a huff, but shrugged, hopping off of the tiles. He turned to face Chloe who hesitantly approached him.

"First time?" she asked.

"How can you tell?" he asked, glancing at the score.

Chloe broke out into a smile and Nash shook his head, turning around. But before he could wander off, Chloe grabbed his sleeve. He froze, turning his head to look at her. She was biting her lip, looking hesitant.

"Are you mad?" Chloe asked.

"What, no?" Nash's eyes flew wide. "Why?"

"No... nothing. It's just that." She blushed, her eyes lowering and Nash tensed. "You seem awfully quiet today. Usually you're more competitive. You would call me out when I'd win."

"Oh."

Nash had gotten so lost in the games he hadn't even cared about the scores. He knew Chloe had won game after game, but he hadn't reacted. Just huffed and moved on, ready to play the next game and get lost in the moment with Chloe and the others.

"It's because I had fun today," Nash confessed. "That's all. I just decided to enjoy the moment for once."

Chloe's eyes widened. She gazed at him, looking amazed and it took everything in Nash to hold her gaze. Sometimes he hated those big green eyes. No one should have such mesmerizing eyes.

"I had fun today, too." Chloe's entire face lit up. "We should do this more often."

Nash's heart summersaulted and he forced his eyes away. He grunted before walking away, Chloe's hand falling away from him and behind him Caiden and Sophia giggled. He shot them a look and they averted their eyes, but they continued to giggle and Nash could feel Chloe's eyes on him still.

He hoped with these dim lights, no one could see the blush that tainted his cheeks.

*****

Nash unlocked the front door and stepped in. All the lights were off except the kitchen lights, and despite his exhaustion he went to the kitchen, knowing Naya would be there. She was standing by the counter, reading some flyers for her shopping days on Sunday, and Nash went to grab an apple.

"Welcome home, sir," Naya said, smiling at him. "How was your day?"

Nash took another bite out of his apple, thinking back to the arcade. He hadn't smiled like that in years. Hadn't felt like he had friends like that ever. He always thought he was better off alone, but sometimes, in moments like that, he realized maybe being alone wasn't truly what he wanted.

"Good," Nash confessed. "It was really, really fun."

"That's great. You seem to be glowing ever since you came home."

Nash flushed. He took another bite out of his apple, chewing it aggressively. Why had he even come to the kitchen? He wasn't hungry.

"Where did you go?" Naya asked.

"I just went to the arcade with the Elites."

"The Elites? Oh, I didn't know you were all friends! That's great to hear. They must be wonderful people."

Nash stilled. Once more, he took a bite out of his apple, pondering over Naya's observation. He thought of Caiden, who always tried to make Nash laugh, even when Nash wanted nothing more than to yell at the world. He thought of Sophia, who was so passionate and stubborn, but protective of not just Chloe, but all of them. And he thought of Chloe with those big green eyes and her gentleness and intelligence and just her. Why had he tried to push them away? What was he so scared of?

"I guess they're good people," Nash mumbled, his thoughts a turmoil.

"What?"

"Nothing."

Nash chucked the apple into the bin and exited the kitchen, suddenly wanting to be alone. As he pondered over his fellow Elites, he wondered if they ever could be his friends or was he doomed to a life alone?