My Girlfriends Brother || Reddie

Cbapter Nineteen

The hum of the arcade was a cacophony of beeping machines, clattering coins, and the occasional cheer from a victorious player. Eddie welcomed the noise—it drowned out the thoughts he couldn't shake, the emotions he couldn't quite name. Luke was already by the air hockey table when Eddie arrived, a roll of quarters in hand and a mischievous grin on his face.

"There you are," Luke said, tossing Eddie a quarter. "I was starting to think you chickened out."

"You wish," Eddie replied, catching the coin and rolling his eyes. "Get ready to lose."

"Big talk for someone who's about to be humiliated," Luke teased, slipping the quarter into the slot.

As the puck shot across the table, Eddie immediately went on the defensive, his reflexes sharp. Luke's playful taunts turned into groans of frustration as Eddie scored the first goal within seconds.

"Alright, alright," Luke muttered, resetting the puck. "Beginner's luck."

Eddie smirked. "You keep telling yourself that."

They played round after round, and Eddie quickly proved he wasn't exaggerating his skills. Luke, on the other hand, devolved into increasingly dramatic displays of mock despair with every point Eddie scored.

"Come on!" Luke exclaimed after Eddie scored yet another goal. "Are you secretly an air hockey prodigy? Is there a league I don't know about?"

"It's just skill," Eddie said, shrugging smugly. "And maybe a little talent."

Luke leaned on his mallet, narrowing his eyes at Eddie. "I'm starting to think you're hustling me."

"Believe what you want," Eddie replied, lining up his next shot.

The puck clattered into Luke's goal, and Eddie threw his hands up in victory. "Boom! Another win for me."

Luke groaned, slumping over the table theatrically. "Alright, alright. I admit it—you're good. Annoyingly good."

"Damn right I am," Eddie said, grinning wide.

Luke straightened, leaning against the edge of the table as his laughter softened into something gentler. "You know," he said, his gaze steady on Eddie, "you're different when you're like this."

Eddie tilted his head, confused. "Like what?"

"Happier," Luke said, his voice light but sincere. "It's nice to see."

Eddie's smile faltered slightly, and for a moment, he was unsure how to respond. The arcade lights flickered against Luke's face, highlighting the earnestness in his expression. Eddie quickly forced a grin back onto his face, not wanting to dwell on the comment for too long. "Maybe I am happier," he said, trying to sound casual.

Luke studied him for a moment, his head tilting slightly as if he were weighing his next words. "Are you okay, though? For real?"

Eddie blinked, the question catching him off guard. "Yeah," he said quickly. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Luke shrugged, though his gaze didn't waver. "I don't know. You've just got... this vibe sometimes. Like there's a lot going on in your head."

Eddie hesitated, gripping the edge of the table. Luke's words hit closer to home than he wanted to admit, but the warmth in Luke's tone made it impossible to brush him off entirely.

"I mean..." Eddie started, then shook his head. "It's nothing."

Luke smiled softly, his hands resting casually on the edge of the table. "Okay. But if it ever becomes something, I'm here. No pressure or anything."