What Happens When a Try Guy Becomes Your Neighbor ( A Keith Habersberger Fanfic)

Chapter 9: A Trip Down Memory Arcade

  Spring comes by and I still didn't have an idea for my English project. I really needed an idea now. My grades are improving little by little but if I didn't turn this in, my B would turn to a D.

  "Ally?" I heard my father's voice come up. I froze, nervous but I just sat there on my desk.

  My dad was no person to cause trouble with. He was black haired guy with tough cold blue eyes. If I did there's literally anything he could do to use to beat me up with. I don't tell it to anyone, but Keith. Even Lynn I didn't tell about things. Things felt more comfortable talking to Keith about, weirdly. Was it because I didn't have a dad, or a mom?

"Hey, Ally," He came inside, "Hey, what's up?"

"I'm fine." I said, in a low voice, "Something up?"

  "No, you're okay. Keep it up." He leaves and I shook my head in disbelief.  What an amazing dad, who can't say anything at all.

  I leave later to try not stress myself over my parents. It sucks they don't care. Would it even bother them to care a bit? I guess not. I went over to the arcade and decided, why not go back to memory lane?

  This arcade was the oldest and only one in Eagle Rock. It was a place I made my business and was known as 'the Lone Hustler'. I would make bets with other kids in games such as Pac-Man and PvP like Mortal Kombat. I could rack up to $30 if I had a lot of time. If it was summertime, it's double since kids didn't want to burn their head off.

  I take my wallet out and inserted a $5 bill into the change machine. It takes it and spits out quarters. I take them and start walking around.

  The place was still as I remember. Many kids, especially boys, here raging when they lose or cussing at their teammate when somethings wrong, the loud sounds of music and machines filling the building, and the loud chatter in multiple languages.

  "Well, well, Lonestar Hustler has returned after two years. How's the old folk treating you?" He hollers at me, his name was Damon. He owns the place and was the only person who knew I hustled.

  "Still like crap, as usual. Any good hustling targets?" I ask him

  "Well, there's a bunch of kids over the Smash Bros.. I think you can take them on. Hey, can I talk to you a bit first?"

  "What's up?"

  "You hustling here after a two year hiatus is strange of you. There's something definitely wrong."

  "Forget it, man. Don't wanna say anything." I leave and I hear him sigh. He's right.

  I got there and I think Damon was screwing with me because they were pretty good at Smash Bros. . I haven't been playing the game since I was in that fight but I think the decency is lying there.

  I called over one of the gullible kids, easy targets, and ask them I bet I could beat them in a game. The kid agreed and looked pretty confident.

  "If you win, I'll give you $40." She shows me two $20 bills. I was impressed.

  "Alright kid. All I got is $10, still down?" I ask her.

  "Yeah, 'cause I know who's gonna win." She smiles.

  Our game starts as we choose our characters. I usually played with Sonic or Lucario since I mastered their move combinations well. But I've tried experimenting and I find myself pretty good with Greninja too. I pick him and change his color to black.

  The kid chose Bowser and we chose a randomized for our stage. We got Battlefield Ultimate. It was the standard stage for all of the Smash Bros. franchise. We start and the game begins. Now, I'm gonna spare you the details of the whole fight since that would be boring as hell. Even explaining it bores me. Bowser is a big character, hence he dominates the stage well. Greninja was proficient on evasiveness and moving stealthy. My disadvantage is Bowser can dominate and attack in a massive amount of arena on his side, turning the tables on his side. Sure Greninja  can dodge them but I can't keep defending, I had to put offense too.

  As I was concentrating and rethinking my strategy, the kids uses a combo and knocks me out of the stage. I see Greninja materializing onto the stage once again but I look at the timer and havr a few time left before the match ends. But I knew there was one way to end it all: risking the knock out and just attack. Greninja is fast but it's gonna be risky. If I push my attacks to the point Bowser moves off the edge and then hit a combo, I'll gain an even score, then attempt another combo, and win.

  As Bowser keeps attacking on the edge like a cannon, I dash towards Bowser and dodging and landing attacks. Bowser jumps up to chase Greninja, trying to hit an attack. I go up the floating platform and hit an attack on Bowser I quickly pound my the controller's buttons and a water shuriken hits Bowser and knocks him out of the stage. The kids cusses and her character comes back to the stage. I immediately spammed the buttons agains and Bowser takes more hits as it hits my character.

  "5...4...3...2...1!" As the audio blasts. We got to the end screen and Greninja was the winner. I shouted in my head, excitement and happiness. The kid frowns but I said, "Keep the money, dude."

  She nods and I leave. The kids that saw our fight started whispering how well I used Greninja and that barely anyone knows how to use it. I get out of the arcade and I look at my phone. Five missed calls from Becky and a message from her saying, "Hey, I got a surprise for you.". I put my phone away. I walked home, thinking of those memories. I think I'm going crazy. I hate it, I hate this life I'm living.

  As usual, as I enter home, I was greeted by my parents.

  "Come here, you brat!" My dad shouts at me and drags me by the shirt collar. I try fighting back but he was strong and starts beating up my face.

  I screamed, but as usual, no one heard. I surrendered and just let it happen. All I remember is the distant shouting and some kind of lecture he was giving me.

__________

    "Ally, wake up, please, it's Keith." It was him. I open my eyes a bit and I see I'm home but it was just him and he was tearing up. "Holy crap, I thought you were gone!"

  He hugged me and planted another kiss on my head. He was sobbing now, I returned his hug and also sobbed my eyes out. I don't know why but all I felt was Keith was the only one who cared, I've never felt it with Lynn, or with anyone. I didn't feel alone anymore, but the memories were still there.