Even Through the Storm

32. Popcornless

 I walk into Dri's house. She's sitting at the kitchen table, eating some potato chips and scrolling through social media on her phone. Jonah is sitting on the couch, watching a basketball game. "What's it at?" I ask Dri.

"What's what at?" She asks back.

"The video."

"Four o' five. Slowing down. Why?"

"No reason." I grab a chip. "Ready to go?"

"Yep." She puts away the chips, "Bye Joe, tell Mom I went to the mall when she comes back." Jonah gives us a thumbs up without turning around. We walk out to my car and get in. "Are we going to Ash's too?"

"Sure. Shop first, decide later." We drive to the mall listing to the top forty station. "Rad Threads?" I ask.

"Yep." We walk into the mall, then to our favorite store. I get two shirts, one pink, one black, along with some black ripped shorts and an action figure.

"Let's go to the video game store," I say after we've both checked out.

"Why?" Dri asks.

"The new Plumber Brothers game came out yesterday. I'm gonna get it for Asher."

"Ooh, romantic! What's the occasion?"

"A new video game came out. He wants it. I have money. I buy it. Why does there have to be an occasion?"

"Because you two are dating and I have met you."

"There is no occasion! I'm getting one for me too."

"Okay, sure. I'll believe that never."

***

I pull up to Asher's house after dropping Dri off at her mom's. Ash sees me pull up and meets me at my car. "Hey, Lo," he says giving me a kiss.

"Hey, Ash, I got something for you."

"What? Hopefully, some construction help, because we need a bit."

"Well, that too. But also, this." I give him the video game store bag.

"What's this? Wait," he says pulling out the game. "No, Lola, you didn't. Now I have to wait to play this!"

"Well make sure to wait for me too. I wanna' play. But I got one too so we can play at my house also."

"You are awesome. Wait, what time is it?"

"Um, about three. Why?"

"Because we are leaving this place an hour early for the apartment so we can whip out this game."

"I'm not gonna' see you for a month, now am I?"

"Not unless you play too."

***

An hour and a half later, Ash and I are in the living room of his apartment playing the new Plumber Brothers Race. "Ready, ready, aw!" Ash screams as I beat him again. "I will win this time. Just let me take a head start."

"Or you could just stop running into things!"

"Head start it is." Ash clicks play and a flag waves signaling us to go. My car sprints in the lead, with Ash just behind me. He crashes into the guardrail, which adds thirty seconds to his time, along with slowing him down. Ash pushes me off the couch, making me crash into another car, and allowing him to pass me. I rush to the finish line only seconds after Asher, the other car behind me.

"You cheated!" I scream.

"But I won!"

"But you cheated!"

"Technicalities. I still beat you."

"You did not!" I hit him with a throw pillow. He grabs one next to him and hits me. Before you know it, we are having an all out pillow fight, with Plumber Brothers music playing in the background. Ten minutes later, we are laying on the floor side-by-side just listening to background music of a video game. Asher's phone beeps and he pulls it out of his pocket to read the message.

"Is it okay if Peter comes over?" He asks me.

"It's your house."

"I take that as a yes."

"Can I invite Dri over? And tell him to bring some popcorn."

"The more the merrier. And why else would he come?" Peter walks in the front door carrying no signs of any popped goodness.

"Sorry, the store was out," Peter says.

"You texted me from the parking lot, didn't you?" Asher asks.

"No, the front porch."

"Just sit down and grab a controller," Ash says, clearly disappointed at our friend. Peter does what he's told. Dri comes in the door.

"Where's the popcorn?" She asks.

"Peter here is a disappointment to the masses," Ash responds.

"I can't even look at you," Dri jokes sitting down next to Peter. "So, is this that game you bought?" She asks me picking up a controller.

"Yep," I say. Peter picks up the box.

"Wait, this is the new Plumber Brothers?"

"Yep. Bought it this morning."

"No way. Hit it." Ash and I lay our backs against the couch Dri and Peter are on and click play. After the flag waves, Peter and Dri crash almost instantly, leaving Ash in the lead and me second. Ash runs into the guardrail, making me first. Dri quickly passes him, with Peter doing the same shortly after. Dri passes me but then runs into the guardrail, placing me back in the lead to cross the finish line.

"First!" I yell.

"Last," Ash mumbles.

"Second," Peter says.

"Third," Dri says.

"Dri, you are honorary second because you didn't forget to bring popcorn," I say.

"I didn't need to bring anything."

"Exactly."

"You're never gonna' let that go, are you?" Peter asks.

"Nope."