𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐂𝐔𝐄! ✽ 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗼𝗻

28

𝐀𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐈𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 𝐏𝐔𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐃 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐄 packed palace parking lot, their conversation about sheridan and steve's relationship came to a close. will's face lit up with a smile that shone like the neon signs of the arcade as he watched his three best friends bike into the lot. they recognized the car and its driver instantly. mike, lucas, and dustin threw their bikes to the ground and rushed over to dani's rolled-down window. "why don't you come in and play a game?" mike questioned, hope evident in his voice. now that steve was occupying all the girl's time, it was rare that they saw sherrie anymore.

"yeah dani, we've got plenty of quarters, we gotchu covered!" lucas insisted. dustin nodded his head vigorously in agreement.

a sigh fell from the ginger's lips. "i'm in my pajamas, i've got steve waiting for me at the house-"

the trio locked eyes and pouted their lips. "steve," they mocked in unison. lucas spun around and wrapped his arms around himself, making kissing noises as his hands traveled up and down his own back.

"oh, steve! kiss me, steve! kiss me until my lips fall off!" the boy cried in a high-pitched voice. will joined in on dustin and mike's cackling. all of them were practically doubled over from laughing so hard. even sherrie couldn't help but giggle.

the girl reached over her door and slapped lucas on the back, knocking him out of his act. "you guys are grody," she joked. "i'll come in for one game." mike raised his fists in the air in success. dustin and lucas shared high fives. "one game," she reiterated with a single finger in the air.

she met the boys inside once betsy was parked, and found them gathered around the dragon's lair machine. she let out a laugh as she heard the instructions they screamed at dustin's attempt to finally beat the game; the mission they held in the highest regard over the last month or so. she neared the group just in time to watch as dirk the daring's body morphed into a skeleton, and crumbled to the ground. "no, no, no! i hate this overpriced bullshit! son of a bitch! piece of shit!" dustin hollered as he hit the machine to place emphasis on his profanities.

sherrie's comforting hand found itself on dustin's shoulder. "better luck next time, kid. princess daphne will still be here tomorrow," she picked at the boy. dani took his cheek between her thumb and knuckle and pinched, the henderson boy smacking her grip away.

"until you do beat this game, though, princess daphne is still mine!" lucas grinned at the slender blonde cartoon character flashing by on the screen. sheridan sneered at his fictional crush.

"y'know what? whatever. i'm still tops on centipede and dig dug," dustin finished.

"you sure about that?" keith, an employee at the arcade, piped up through his mouthful of cheese puffs. dani's face crinkled with disgust as she noticed the orange dust that coated his fingers and lips.

"sure about what?" dustin inquired with wide eyes. a complacent smile spread across keith's face upon hearing the fear in the young boy's voice. he slowly placed another puff in his mouth without saying another word. his silence was dustin's answer. "you're kidding me," he rushed out, pushing past mike and will towards another machine. they all followed hot on his trail, sherrie included. wails escaped the boy's lips as he noticed he had fallen to second place on dig dug. dani's mouth fell agape.