Arcade
“Stop button-smashing!” Billy exclaimed, fingers darting across the controller as he tried to defend against Kate’s spam punches in Mortal Kombat.
“No!” she shouted. “I don’t have time to figure out the fancy combos!” Her face was crazed and some of her hair had found its way in her mouth. Strobe lights from the arcade’s ceiling passed over her periodically, lighting her skin in an alternating green and purple.
“Don’t panic!” Cassie advised, leaning against the Dance Dance Revolution. Tommy stood next to her, dumping a cane of powered sugar down his throat. Pink dust coated his lips.
“Panicking!” Kate squeaked.
Billy’s character blasted Kate’s with a fireball, laying Sonya Blade flat. “Shit, what buttons did I press?” He tried emulating the pattern as Sonya Blade recovered and came at Sindel with more punches.
“Actually, I play Sonya pretty often,” Teddy admitted. He had his arms crossed against his chest, watching the game beside Billy. “Try left, right, circle. That should be enough.”
Sonya Blade did a cartwheel, wrapping her legs around Sindel’s waist and body-slamming her from upside-down. Billy’s health dropped detrimentally, just a sliver of green left on the bar. “Tee, what the hell?” he demanded. “You’re my boyfriend! That’s a total violation of trust!”
Kate cackled and Billy flew Sindel into the air and kicked Sonya Blade’s head back.
“I’m sorry,” Teddy apologized sheepishly.
“If you want, I could give you some tips and even out the boyfriend-double-crossing ratio,” Tommy offered. He wiggled his phone emphatically. “Got Google pulled up.”
Kate suddenly froze, controller lowering as her gaze slid toward Tommy. Very coolly, she spoke, “Tommy, I will be genuinely angry if you do that.” Billy tried to figure out some moves as his focus switched between Kate and the game.
Tommy obediently slipped his phone back into his pocket.
“Oh, come on! That’s not fair! Tommy, please?” Billy begged.
“Nope, sorry.” Tommy held up in hands. “I looked into her eyes and saw only death and destruction.”
Billy’s jaw dropped. He targeted Kate. “My boyfriend sold me out! Yours should too!”
“Invest in a proper trainer,” Kate quipped.
She finished the round with two spam punches.