Setting Suns | A Coania Short Story

6 | Unspoken Words

Mizpah

(n.) the deep, emotional bond between people, especially those separated by distance or death.

It was around 8 in the evening when Vania realized she had to get home. Well, she wouldn't have noticed the time if Cole hadn't checked his watch and asked if they should get some dinner.

Shit. Was Vania's first thought, freezing in her place as Cole continued to shoot hoops at the machine. I'm so dead.

After watching the skies for a few more minutes after the sun had set, Vania had agreed to accompany him wherever he wanted to go next. She was outside after all, might as well make the most of it.

It didn't take long before their next destination was determined.

"You've never been to an arcade?!" The amount of horror was clear on Cole's face when he asked.

Vania scrunched her nose, already wondering whether or not he was still alright. "No. Not really. I mean, I've seen them in movies and shows but Harumi never really allowed me to go to one. She said it was too crowded and she didn't want to risk my safety just so I could play some games."

"Yet you're allowed to spray paint buildings?" Cole shook his head. "I think hanging out at an arcade is way better than committing a crime."

When Vania entered the local arcade Cole brought her to, it was safe to say her sister had it all wrong. The place was wide enough that there were a good few feet between every machine—which were all left open and displaying the preloaded version of the game even when no one was playing it.

What a waste of electricity. Vania wanted to say but she decided not to judge something she hadn't tried before. There was time for that after the whole experience.

Children and teenagers of all ages ran around every now and then, a line of tickets clutched in their hands, and devoured every single game they could play even if some of them looked like they still had a bedtime.

The sounds of tokens clinking into slots, the beckoning music of certain video games, and the cheers after a victory in the claw machine filled her ears. In fact, she couldn't hear what Cole said before he nodded in the direction of the counter.

It took Vania less than two hours to realize how much she had missed out in her life after being trapped in her house for so long. There were so many things she hadn't discovered, and she would never be able to experience what she had if she hadn't taken the risk in the first place.

And now here she was, shooting hoops at a simulation of a basketball game all the while trying to beat Cole's highscore.

Would she be here if she hadn't sneaked out of their house that night? No.

"Are you okay?" Cole asked, snapping her out of her thoughts. How long had she been standing there?

Vania looked at him, the basketball still in her hand as the remaining seconds of the timer counted down. "Yeah. But, I should get home." The buzzer rang and the girl turned her head to check the score. 120.

Cole had this smile on his face that she could easily wipe away if she threw the ball at his face. She hates losing. And even if they were still working their way to be friends, Vania wasn't going to let him win.

With a glare in his direction, she took a few steps back and turned around. Vania closed her eyes, hands getting a feel of the rubber ball in her hands as her mind pictured where the ring was and how far she had gone.

She threw her hands up, eyes still closed, and waited.

"How the f—?!" Cole exclaimed and cut himself off when she turned around. He was running his hand through the tufts of his hair, looking at her with the widest of eyes and mouth slightly ajar.