"You're my universe."
••••••
They were two completely different types of people during school. Max and Bryce just never connected. One was valedictorian and the other the star quarterback. It isn't until the summer before their first year of college...
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Bryce’s POV
“Yo, I’m inside the car. Hurry up. I think there’s a malicious dog here patrolling the area. It’s gonna try to kill me.” I whispered into the phone.
Here I was, inside the red Buick, waiting for Max to come.
“Holy shit! It’s even worse! It’s a fucking chihuahua! Oh God, I’m fucked! Hurry up MAX!!” I pleaded into the phone.
“Look to your left, bitch!” He said. I turned and there he was, standing with a backpack and feeding that… devil dog a treat. I opened the door to be met face to face with Max.
“Seriously? I could’ve died!”
“Oh calm down, Prince Charming. I’m sure Mojito here wouldn’t have hurt you. Isn’t that right, Mojito?” He cooed at the dog.
“What about me? Do I get a treat?” I smirked at Max.
“No. Mojito is baby. You’re an ass.” He said.
“Pssh. Whatever. Let’s get moving already.” I said. Max gave the dog one last treat before he began walking to the side of the junkyard building.
“Wait a minute. Where are we going?” I asked. There was nothing but old buildings in this area. What could there possibly be here that’s so interesting?
“A few years ago, my friends and I came here to get one of my friends' cars after it got towed. While waiting, we, the curious bitches we are, began to wander around.” Max entered an old building by opening a very rusted steel door. I followed behind him.
“After a while, we pulled into this place.” Max turned on a flashlight he brought with him. The area around was very old and eroded. Everything was abandoned and covered in cobwebs.
“Where are we?” I was interrupted when a creaking noise clicked. Max was toying with a light switch.
“Just gotta put this here. And this here. Okay. I got it! This might explode.” He softly spoke.
“HUH?!” He flipped it and rather than dying and being met face to face with Satan, the room slightly lit up. Colored lights flooded the area and screens turned on.
We were in an arcade.
“Woah! What the fuck!” I said.
“I know right. Apparently this was built decades ago. They closed but the town never got the budget to tear this place down. So it’s been here for a long time since then. The power, we theorize, comes from the junkyard since they share the same power lines.”
“Do these games still work?” I asked, getting close to one of the old arcades.
“Some. Here, I brought quarters.” He handed me a few to put into the game. The letter lit up.
“Isn’t this from Wreck-It-Ralph?” I asked as the character hopped around.
“No idea. Sit tight. Be right back.” He said. He left while I played the game. After a few minutes, the lights begin to change colors and flash.
“There. That looks better.” He came back.
“HELP ME! I SUCK AT THIS!” I pleaded. He laughed and came up next to me.
“Here. You’re supposed to click the buttons harder.” He taught me how to play slowly. The old mechanics were rusty.
We played side by side. Occasionally my hand would touch Max’s. I would apologize but I couldn’t help wanting to hold them a little longer. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to feel good longer, right?
“How bout a break? I’m starving.” He rubbed his stomach.
“Same. Got anything in that backpack for us to eat, Dora?”
“Actually, yes!” He pulled out some sandwiches and apple juice.
“Got us some sammies and juice.”
“What am, six?”
“If you don’t want it, I’ll eat it myself. I saw a dead rat back there, maybe you can eat that?” He bit into his sandwich.
“Fine! Gimme that sandwich.” He handed it to me and we sat on a table with chairs.
We ate in silence. It was nice. Directly underneath the shimmering lights of blue, purple, red, and more. I looked at Max, and he looked at me.
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