Play Love

Chapter 2

Justin got out of his inner monologue and looked at Vee asking if he was ok with a concerned look on her face. "What?" Justin asked with pure confusion on his face. "Did you just black out of something? I asked if you were okay?" Vee questioned. "Yeah, yeah I'm okay... So you got your first player?"Justin smirked.

*Justin finally had a good grasp of reality*

"Yeah, yeah I'm okay... So you got your first player?"Justin asked once again. " Ashley and Gerald are our first players for air hockey!" Cassandra exclaimed. "Dibs on DDR!" Justin yelled back, running in the group's direction. "Come on Vee hurry up, I challenge you on DDR~!" Justin smirked at Vee in a singing manner. "Ahaha... Sure! From the looks of it, you might be a little stiff with your moves!" Vee teased running towards Justin. "OH!... Game on bookworm!" Justin teased back. "Hey! You seeing me read at least two books a day and being advanced in my studies doesn't make me a bookworm!" Vee remarked sulking at Justin. "Ohh~ I see my bad... nerd. Pfft-" Justin whispered in Vee's ear and started to run away laughing. "Okay, that's enough with the two of you... Ashley and Gerald are supposed to be the ones teasing each other." Cassandra commented while watching the two just run around the arcade.

Ashley and Gerald took their places on each side of the air hockey table. Both giving each other dirty looks - not that kind but you know the 'your gonna lose' kind. While Vee and Justin kept teasing each other the whole time while the others were playing their rounds. Cassandra, Ashley, Hugo, and Gerald just looked over at them every time one of them comments about the other. Their teasing go to a point where the four had to pull them apart from one another. It's like the afternoon arcade was just connecting point for both of them. Vee would make a snarky, prideful comment. While Justin would argue with facts and statistics. It's like the two completely switched and both their bodies got mixed up! After a while, the two teams ended up having a tie. So they brought Vee and Justin back together for their DDR match. Vee and Justin just looked at each other giving the other the same look they'd been giving each other the whole time. They both agreed on the song they'll be dancing to. (Insert any song of choice)! Justin started stretching while waiting for the music to start going. Vee on the other hand was looking at the dance pads and trying to see what kind of strategy should she go in with this game."I've never seen Vee this serious... that look is mostly reserved for note-taking or studying." Ashley whispered to the group, "Yeah... Justin is too invested in this." Gerald commented on his cousin's seriousness with the game. 

Then the two were startled by the arcade employee who told them that the DDR machine is kinda out of order. A lot of people mostly teens have been using the DDR machine this morning and this afternoon, and the machine overheated by the amount of usage it's been having. The group was disappointed by it mostly Vee and Justin who's been going at it about who's going to win in this game. "You know it's getting late I think we should just go back home to Justin and I's place. We could play video games and use that as our tie-breaker." Gerald suggested to the group. "Sure! That's a great idea!" Ashley exclaimed overjoyed with the idea of spending more time with her friends. After their fun? And very competitive arcade games, they all went to Gerald's and Justin's house to play some more games, video games this time just as Gerald insisted. "So, which game do you'll wanna start with?" Gerald asked the group holding a bunch of games in his hand. "Can we start with Mario kart?" Hugo asked, having a nostalgic feeling running through his body. Feeling like a kid again, having his first set of video games. Vee and Justin on the other hand didn't feel like joining. They had their fun in the arcade now the two just wanted to talk and know each other more. Yes, their friends may want them to play for the said tie-breaker but now the two are just embarrassed by each other. Vee kept replaying the things she did and said when they were at the arcade. She felt weird, embarrassed, and most of all a fool. She didn't like how she acted and she felt that she should apologize to Justin for all the comments and teasing they did. They were all pretty rude and she let her guard down for just a minute to have fun and "be normal". Act how they might want you to act. She felt horrible that she didn't want to participate in the game anymore. 

She felt like a joke and she wanted to explain and apologize to Justin. On the other hand, Justin felt the difference in Vee's aura, her posture and attitude has completely changed and he didn't know why. Justin started thinking if he was the reason for Vee's sudden change in the aura, that thought made him feel much worse. He didn't know what happened, he was confused and ashamed. He felt like his actions might have influenced Vee too much. Justin just kept blaming himself for what happened earlier this afternoon. Cassandra noticed that both Vee and Justin aren't as energetic as earlier. Cassandra pulled Justin aside to see what was going on with the two. Justin explained what was happening and what he thought was happening. Cassandra assured him that what he was saying was probably further from the truth. Justin was somewhat relieved with what Cassandra told him... still he doubted if it was true. "I know that look... you doubt what I said don't you?" Cassandra looked at Justin crossing her arms on her chest. "I... do? But... I don't know and yes I do doubt you." Justin replied feeling even more confused, and more ashamed. "I mean I don't doubt your opinion as my friend... but I do doubt that opinion as to the truth." Justin continued moving his arms around while explaining the situation. "Ok... Nice... But if that's how you see things you should probably talk to her. Because if what I said causes doubt in your mind then go to the source and see if that doubt is correct or not." Cassandra gave Justin one more piece of advice to see if he would take it or ignore it like the last one. "Fine... but I'm currently not in the mood to play anything. Let the others do the tie-breaker, I'll talk with Vee."Cassandra went and talked to Vee. 

Though all she has said is that she was fine and she was just tired. Cassandra didn't want to push too much on her since their just new friends. So, Cassandra went and talked to Ashley to see if she could talk to her. "Hey, Cassie told me about a situation?" Ashley slowly scooted over to where Vee was sitting. "Oh... I don't know, I don't feel quite comfy anymore. I was too "comfy" with Justin and his friends back at the arcade." Vee explained, feeling quite unhappy about it.

"Well, Cassie told me that Justin isn't feeling quite well too," Ashley commented

"And why are you telling me this?" Vee raised her brow at the sly comment of her friend.

"Ohhhh the sass... No, I'm telling you this because... your sudden change in demeanor made him think that it's all his fault."

"Really?" Confused Vee (. 0 .' )

"Yeah... why not talk to each other since I heard you guys are a couple?"

"Pfft! Excuse me?!" 'uh... oh' ( ._.)

"What? Aren't you two?"

"Um- no- no- n- not official..." Vee played it cool, tucking her hair behind her ear, facing away from Ashley.

"Ok then, So why don't you and your unofficial boyfriend talk about it?! It's making peeps a little awkward."

"Fine! We'll talk!" Vee stood up pretending to be mad and playfully walked away.

Vee walked out to the balcony where Justin was just staring into space, probably stargazing. "Hey." Vee started a bit awkward, still a bit mad at herself and a bit on Ash and Cass for letting her do this.

"Oh, Hey! Are you alright?" Justin looked in her direction. "Yeah, I just felt like I was too over the top earlier," Vee replied. "Oh! So it's not about me?" Justin asked, relieved that he didn't do anything wrong. "No! Why would you think that?"

"You started acting strange when we got home. I thought I offended you with something I said at the arcade, " Justin explained. "Oh... well, we're just being silly then, sulking around," Vee stated, looking at the night sky. "Now that you said it... We are being quite silly." Justin laughs. "Now that we solved our sulking problem... should we go back and join them?" Justin asked, pointing back at the room.

"I don't know how to play Mario kart," Vee told Justin, a bit embarrassed. "Don't worry Gerald can help you, he helped me learn the game too. Also, don't worry I'll go a little easy." Justin looked at Vee nodding his head. "Wow! Confident." Vee remarked quite amused by him. "Oh, you bet I am!" Justin exclaimed with a smirk forming on his face.

The two went back inside and started to join the others. Gerald, Hugo, and Justin taught Vee how to play. While Cassie and Ashley were testing the game, trying to get used to the control. In the end, they continued the night and settled with the girls being the winners, since they didn't know how to play it, and it was unfair.

The boys were quite gentlemen indeed. Hugo and Ashley walked home, while Cassie just crossed the street to her house. Justin on the other hand used Gerald's motorbike to ride Vee home.

(A/N: Bike meaning motor. Been using a lot of UK slang)