TALON
The hum of neon lights and the buzz of arcade machines wrapped around me like a soundtrack of noise. Laughter, clattering tokens, and that weird mix of popcorn and grease hung in the air, and for once, I wasn’t thinking about swimming, writing, or the hundred different ways my life felt like it was pulling me apart.
I was thinking about how good Livvi looked under the neon glow. Her dark hair catching the shifting colors, her hazel eyes reflecting the flashing lights from theDance Dance Revolutionmachine she was watching with a mix of curiosity and mischief.
“Remind me again why we’re here?” I asked, glancing around at the flashing screens and the line of eight-year-olds hogging the basketball hoops.
Ridge grinned, already loading tokens into a Skee-Ball lane. “Because Ledger found a coupon. Two hoursof unlimited games and free pizza. Best deal in town on a Friday night.”
Ledger puffed his chest out, chin tipped high. “You’re welcome.”
Roxie snorted. “Pretty sure this was marketed to families with toddlers, not a bunch of twenty-somethings who should know better.”
“Speak for yourself,” Ridge shot back. “Some of us never grew out of our competitive streaks.”
Livvi leaned closer to me, whispering, “Is this normal for you guys?”
I glanced between the four of them—Ridge already cursing his Skee-Ball aim, Ledger and Roxie bickering over the rules of air hockey before they’d even started playing, and Livvi beside me with a faint smile tugging at her lips. “Pretty much,” I murmured, fighting my own grin.
I grabbed a handful of tokens, tossing them into the Skee-Ball machine. “All right, Ridge, prepare to be schooled.” I tried to sound cocky, though inside I was already feeling the competitive itch.
Ridge laughed, rolling his eyes. “You? A Skee-Ball champion? This, I have to see.” He handed me a ball. “Don’t choke in front of your girl.”
My ears heated, but before I could answer, Roxie barked a laugh loud enough for the whole arcade to hear. “His girl? Please. Talon doesn’t stand a chance if she sees what a disaster he is at Skee-Ball.”
“Bold words from someone who couldn’t even beat me at air hockey last time we played our senior year,”Ledger shot back, arms crossed, his smirk firmly in place.
And there it was—the constant bickering between Ledger and Roxie. Like clockwork. If I didn’t know better, I’d say they liked it.
Livvi leaned closer to me again, whispering, “They really are always like this, huh?”
I glanced between the two of them, Ledger now mock bowing dramatically while Roxie looked ready to combust. “Yep,” I murmured, fighting a grin.
I rolled my first ball and watched as it bounced off the side of the lane, netting me zero points. Yeah, Skee-Ball was definitely not my game.
Ridge rubbed his hands together in evil glee. “Let the pro show you how it’s done.”
As the game continued, I couldn’t help but glance at Livvi again, noticing her laughing at Ridge’s dramatic complaints and the ridiculous antics Roxie was pulling. She didn’t just fit into this group—she elevated it. The energy between her and everyone else made it feel … complete. And it was strange, this warmth crawling into my body, something different from what I’d felt before.
I tried to focus on my Skee-Ball, but I kept stealing glances at her, noticing how her hair caught the neon lights, the slight curl of her lips when she laughed at Ridge missing another shot. My pulse skipped. She had made an impression on me. More than an impression. She’d become someone I wanted around—not just for tonight, but for a lot longer.
“You’re staring,” she said suddenly, voice teasing but with a hint of curiosity.
I blinked, caught red-handed. “Uh … concentrating?” I muttered, though the question in my statement gave me away.
Livvi laughed, shaking her head. “Right … focusing onSkee-Ball.”
I shook my head. This was absurd. How had someone as dynamic and brilliant as Livvi gotten under my skin this fast?
Ridge groaned behind me. “You’re taking this way too seriously, Talon. It’s just Skee-Ball.”
I turned back to the lane, and despite Ridge’s words, my thoughts weren’t on the game. They were on Livvi—her laughter, her curiosity, the way she looked relaxed here. And maybe … maybe it was okay to confess that I wanted more than just fleeting moments like this with her.
Moving on to the next game, I handed Livvi a basketball for the hoop toss, thinking she’d probably miss a few shots like the rest of us. “Don’t hurt yourself,” I teased.
She smirked, bouncing the ball once. “Watch and learn, Talon.”
I raised an eyebrow, amused. She launched the first shot—and it swished perfectly through the net. My jaw dropped.
