A Sea Full of Options

The Arcade, Plus Some Extra Games

(FYI, there may be mild to severe adult language from this chapter, on.)

Usually, when I think of arcades, I think of PAC-man and pinball machines, crowded with pimply nerds and middle-aged loners. Not Skeeball, Rambo, and guitar hero. Along with motorcycle games, ice hockey, and Dance Dance Revolution. Of course I said yes, since I was in need of friends. Turns out, to my excitement, the arcade was right next to the club. We just walked out of a small glass door in the back of the Optix into a small hallway connecting us and Jonny Rockets. I'd never been there before. At one end of the hall was another glass door which opened to a railing overlooking the ocean. At the other end was a big opening to the arcade.

When we got there, Amarhi and Parker ran to the Rambo gun shooting game, swiped there cards where the coin slot should have been into a credit card slot kind of thing. Angela was right behind them, with me and the other two girls walking in the back of them. Kelsi rolled her eyes. "Ugh, they always do that! Elizabeth and I usually just go to the pool or something.", Kelsi said. I got confused as soon as she said that. "Um, so I'm guessing this isn't your first time on this cruise?", I asked. Kelsi looked like she was amused. "I'm fourteen, so yes, this is my second year at the Optix, and my third cruise. It's Parker's third, Elizabeths fifth, Amarhi's second, and Angela's fourth cruise. We kind of know each other that way. Oh my God, I can't believe we went this long without asking what your name is! What is it?", she asked. I thought for a little bit and realized that I never did tell them my name. They told me theirs, but I was too shy to tell them mine. "John, John Harold is my name. Also, if you all know each other, than you shouldn't let someone like me be in your group. I'll just ask a bunch of questions and be the idiot of all of us.", I finally said what had been nagging on my brain since I met Kelsi and them.

When I finished, everyone was looking at me. Kelsi looked confused, Angela still had her smirk on, Elizabeth stared at me, Amarhi looked scared, and Parker just looked proud. Weird. Finally Parker was the first one to say anything. "Well, the nerd finally said something. He sounds stupid. Maybe he could hook up with your retarded sister, Elizabeth.", Parker said with a grin. I didn't know who her sister was, but I definitely didn't want to 'hook up' with her. "Yeah, and maybe your stupid face could hook up with my fist.", a voice behind us said. I turned around and saw a girl who looked like a younger version of Elizabeth. She had glasses, a mine craft t-shirt on, and a mysterious thing about her complexion. She was a lot prettier than all the other girls I'd ever met in my opinion. Her hair ran down a little bit longer than Elizabeth's, yet a little bit more brown. She wasn't done talking to Parker. "And another thing, you know I have a boyfriend, so why would you come up with a remark like that? Seriously, Parker, step up your game." At this point I kind of realized the girl that was talking was Elizabeth's sister, since that's how Elizabeth referred her to. "Alexa, seriously,what have I told you? I'm your older sister, so I can tell you what to do, and only I get to stick up for you, not yourself." I guessed now that Elizabeth wasn't the brightest one of the bunch.

"Fine, Liz! Then don't even bother where I'm going to now!", Alexa said. She stormed off through the other exit from the arcade in the front. "Y' know, maybe John's right. Dude, just get out of our life, man.", Parker said as he pushed me in the direction that Alexa went. As I walked away, I could of sworn I heard Kelsi say, " that was kinda harsh, Parks". I wasn't sure what was Alexa's deal, but I wanted to find out. So I went to find her.