polaroids | awsten knight

polaroid three

The third polaroid was taken at the arcade you invited me to.

It was your birthday this time. The last time we hung out was a week before. I guess we clicked so instantly that you brought me along to hang out with your best friends.

All of us, Otto, Geoff, Jawn, and your friend Travis, we went into the arcade together. Your mother had planned a birthday party for you and that included infinite tokens and coins, along with cake and drinks.

You were turning nineteen, a few months older than me. No matter how old you were, video games had a special place in your heart. Geoff thanked you for having it at an arcade and left us soon after to beat all the high scores.

Travis stuck close to you and only really spoke to Jawn and you. While you played Donkey-Kong, Travis stood idly next to the machine. I figured since he's your friend I should try to talk to him. Who knows how many times I'll be seeing him around.

So that's exactly what I did. While you were busy jumping over barrels, Travis and I spoke about who we were. He enjoyed writing books and wanted to be an author when he grew up. I found that interesting since he was the first person I've met who wanted to be that.

We talked and talked until you groaned in defeat and walked away out of anger. Travis and I laughed, following close behind you. While following him we passed by Geoff, who was beating down a seven-year-old in Pac-Man; Otto and Jawn were watching from a distance out of embarrassment.

Travis separated to see how the Geoff situation would turn out, while I looked around to find you. It didn't take long to see you at the Tetris machine, trying once again to get a high score. Once you lost and groaned again in defeat, I took over. You stayed to see if I would do any better.

As someone who only had the chance to play Tetris as a kid, I was quick to place blocks and didn't have to think of my current move because I had my next three moves in mind. In no time I had made it onto the scoreboard and quit immediately, not wanting to go any further.

You took it upon yourself to beat my score. While you had your eyes glued to the screen, I leaned against the machine and smiled at your intensity. "The only thing you're gonna win from this is my respect," I joked.

"What's the point." You quit the game and moved onto a different machine, not seeing any plus to getting on the scoreboard.

Me, on the other hand, I wanted you to do it. "Wait!" I chased after you with a smile. "If you get on the scoreboard you choose the reward. It's your birthday after all." Then, you spun on your heel and raced back to the Tetris game.

It came time for us to go into the party room and have cake, and for you to open your gifts. We all laughed and ate cake together, grinning with our mouths full, while your leg bounced in anticipation to get back to the machine.

You'd be able to do that after you opened up the gifts. Jawn bought you new guitar picks and a guitar strap. I didn't know you played the guitar. Geoff and Otto both pitched in to get you the complete set of The Office. Travis was only specialized in novels, so he had no idea what to get you and got a card with $30 inside.

That first night we spent together you told me you've always wanted a Polaroid camera. I used a lot of my allowance money to buy you a purple one and wrap it in Spider-Man wrapping paper. It was shut tightly with decorative tape, begging to be ripped apart.

When you opened it and had the time to process what it was, your face lit up. The room was erupting with talk, unrelated to what Awsten was holding. The four boys, Geoff, Otto, Jawn, and Travis were all eating cake and two of them were threatening the other two with a food fight.