We Met at an Arcade!

The Day She Left

Oliver stood with his hands balled into fists and his eyes on the floor. He looked like a child, he knew that, but he couldn't help it. This was the only thing keeping him from letting his tears flow freely as the woman he loved berated him for not being "man enough". He understood what she meant, of course. What kind of man was he if he stood there, trying not to cry while he got yelled at. Pathetic, he called himself. 

Worthless, she said, and Oliver realized he was crying.

Coward, she spat. She turned, leaving him alone in the living room of his apartment. It took him a moment to realize, but she had been crying, too. 

He could understand her hurt. He hadn't been very strong. He couldn't protect her. He couldn't have given her the life she deserved. He had asked her to wait, to give him a chance to get on his feet. In the two years they had been together, she had only wanted one thing. He couldn't give it to her. He hadn't been ready, no matter how many times she told him "get over it." and "it was so long ago."

Oliver took a moment to compose himself, wiping the tears from his eyes. He took this time alone to think. He took a shower, brushed his teeth, and got ready for bed. This wasn't a new feeling, being so sad and lonely. It was the numbness that was new to him. He found himself unable to cry again, his eyelids too heavy and the lump in his throat unmoved. He found himself sitting on his bed, thinking back on all the times he wished he could've done better. His ex-girlfriend always told him what he could do to be better. It was always just that one thing that he refused to do, and that was her breaking point. 

He didn't remember falling asleep, or even going into the bathroom, but as Oliver woke and his eyes adjusted, he realized that he was on the floor. He quickly scanned himself and the tile, sighing in relief when he saw that he was fully clothed and there was no blood on the floor. Might as well start the day if I'm already in the bathroom. He thought to himself. He got up, giving himself a once-over in the mirror. He looked okay. 

As he started his morning routine, memories from the night before started playing in his mind. Stupid. He thought. He wanted to go back and change things, but he knew that it wasn't possible. So, he grabbed his phone, and started deleting everything that had to do with her. He blocked her number and turned his phone off for good measure. With that, he got up, got dressed, and grabbed his wallet. 

"I'm going for a walk." He spoke the words aloud, trying to convince himself that it really was a good idea. With a nod of self-approval, he opened the door into the warm spring sun.

It was a gorgeous day outside. The sound of dogs barking, birds chirping, and children playing all filled Oliver's ears as he took his first steps outside. He locked his front door and stepped down the stairs, giving one last look back as he started on his walk. 

Oliver stopped taking in his surroundings about five minutes into his walk. His mind started to wander as he strolled down the street, but as he stopped in front of a familiar building, all thoughts ceased.

He started up at the old arcade building, swearing it was looking back down at him. He had always thought that, even when he was a child coming here with his dad and older brother. He smiled at the memory and turned to walk away from the arcade. However, he felt that he couldn't move. Something in his mind told him that he should really be here. Listening to his intuition, he sighed and pulled open the heavy door.

Inside, he was met with a familiar scene. Kids running around, adults sitting at the bar having conversations, and the lights and sounds coming from dozens of large game machines. It was slightly overstimulating, but the nostalgia of it kept Oliver grounded for the most part. He shuffled up to the front counter, exchanging a bill for some coins and going on his way.

As he walked through the aisles of machines, his eyes scanned the area for anything that would be entertaining. Then, one game caught his eye. His favorite game as a kid had been broken for some time, and the people who owned it were never able to get it fixed. But there it was in its colorful glory, lit up and playing that annoying-yet-catchy theme song. Oliver made a beeline for it, looking it over in astonishment before inserting a coin and starting the game. 

Jump. Jump. Turn left. Turn right. Go forward. Jump. Game over.

Oliver stared at the screen, mouth agape. "What?" He asked no-one in particular. He used to be so good at this game when he was younger! He inserted another coin. "Maybe I'm just not in the head-space." He breathed. He started the game, getting a little farther before losing again. He sighed, standing up straight.

"Yeah, that one's pretty tough." Came a voice from behind Oliver.

(888 Words)