Arcade | s.m (✔️)

Twelve

"How long did you say the drive was?"

"Half an hour. It's totally worth it though, believe me."

"She's right, except I spent all my money last time I went." Kate backs up Harper's statement, and I can tell they both want me excited for this.

Not like I could leave if I wanted anyways. We were taking Kate's car, and about fifteen minutes had already passed, so unless I feel the need to open the door and jump out, I would be going with them to the mall.

My mom was more than a little enthusiastic when I told her I was going to hang out with someone who wasn't Shawn. I planned on just staying at home in the first place, but I realized it would be better for me to go, because that way I would be gone the whole day while my mother was at classes, so she didn't feel bad about leaving me home alone.

"Well, I wouldn't mind new clothes anyways, to start off the school year." I admit, and hear them both groan at me.

"Don't even remind me about school. It's still the beginning of summer anyways." Harper tells me sluggishly.

"And not like you need new clothes in the first place. You're at a new school, remember? They haven't exactly seen any of your outfits before." Kate points out as the light turns green and she turns right.

"Oh, yeah. I guess I hadn't thought about that." I tell them truthfully. At least now I wouldn't feel like my wardrobe is overused.

"But if you find a cute dress, don't hesitate to buy it!"

"Not sure if I'm going to need a dress anytime soon, but I'll make sure to keep my eyes open."

"Especially since Shawn would drop to the floor if he saw you all dressed up." Harper tells me jokingly with an awful wink, and I laugh, feeling my cheeks heat up.

"Why would I want to impress him exactly?" I ask, trying to play it off as we stop due to a red light.

"After what happened last week, with you staying at his place? Please." Kate says, a smile on her face.

Everyone else had thought Shawn took me back to my house when I almost-sorta-drowned, but these two had their suspicions. And I knew that I couldn't keep a lie like that for much longer.

"I slept the whole night, seriously. I only noticed I was in his house when I woke up in the morning." Partially true. I did sleep almost the whole night. I just left out the part where Shawn slept with me.

Just thinking about it made my cheeks turn beet red.

"Shawn? Where am I?" Kate mocks my voice terribly, ignoring me.

"Welcome to my lair, babe." Harper replies in a voice much deeper than Shawn's.

"What? Shawn- I-"

"Tell me how you feel about me."

"Green light!" I yell louder than intended, pointing ahead as my two friends laugh.

"Shawn's only dated one girl before, unless you count the girl from that dream he had. Consider yourself a lottery winner." Harper says, not sounding jealous, just pointing it out.

"First of all, I'm not dating him." I state, and Kate rolls her eyes.

"Yet."

"Second off, can I make the guess that the first girl was Victoria?"

"Actually, no. Her name's Becca. They dated in like first grade though, so you don't have much of an opponent." Harper says, and I shake my head.

"I'm done with this conversation."

Thankfully, they move on from the topic, and begin to discuss numerous other things, including Kate and Harper's relationships and my disappointing love life.

"Well, Harper's secretly been making out with my twin brother behind my back." Kate says bluntly, and Harper laughs loudly.

"No thank you. I'd rather kiss a toad."

"Mhm." Kate mumbles jokingly, as we reach the parking lot to the mall that was so highly praised on, and we get out.

"Well." Is all I'm able to say, and they both laugh at me.

"Right? You'll get used to it once we come here a lot more." Kate tells me, and I nod my head as we begin to walk.

"It's bigger than the malls I went to in Ohio, that's for sure." I admit, and Harper laughs.

"There are malls? I thought you guys just played tag in cornfields and called it a day."

"Hey!" I say. "That's seriously not funny. You act like that's all we do."

Both Harper and Kate stare at me in shock for a moment, not sure what to respond with, before I speak again.

"We ride tractors too."

Harper breathes out a sigh in relief now knowing that she hasn't actually offended me, and Kate laughs.

Walking into the mall, we continue to talk about all the reasons Ohio is the perfect summer vacation spot, as I follow them to the first store.

"Oh no. Look ahead." Harper groans quietly, and I notice a group of guys our age walking towards our direction.

"Kit-Kat! Harp! How are we today?" One of the guys says, who seems to be overly confident.

"Terrific, and you?" Harper says dryly, and I notice Kate staring at a guy in the group with a fond expression before snapping out of it.

"Even better now that I've seen you guys." He responds, and shifts his gaze to me.

You know those type of people that when you make eye contact with them, it's the most intense thing you've felt? This guy was one of those people. I felt like he was staring into my soul with those green eyes and could see every one of my secrets.

"Sorry, I have an awful memory. What was your name again?" He asks, flashing a grin in my direction as he steps closer.

"I must have an awful memory too, because I don't think I remember giving you my name." I answer, and Kate holds back a laugh.

Harper, however, does not shush her laughter, and the guy stares at me for a moment, raising an eyebrow challengingly, before laughing lightly like this was all a joke to him.

"Well, my name's Nick, and I have a feeling we're going to get along great."