Livin' On A Prayer (Vance Hopper x reader)

Pinball

July 21st, 1978 - 6:00pm

Friday

The local grab n go is crowded as always since everybody seems to come here after school. It's crazy how small this town, it's boring even. 

 I moved here to Denver 2 years ago from NYC when my dad passed, we moved into an average sized two story home that was suitable for both me and my big brother Michael, since we're usually the only ones home now.

Mom is always out, usually until 3-5 in the morning and sometimes she doesn't come by until the afternoon the next day which really irritates Michael since  "shes not doing a great job as our mother." I don't blame her though. Ever since Dad passed she's never been the same. 

I slouch in the chair I'm sitting in, in boredom. I came here with my best friend Melissa, her boyfriend Will and his friend Bruce Yamada. But all she's been interested about the past few minutes  is making out with Will. 

Me and Bruce are complicated though. It's really hard to tell if we're friends or more than friends sometimes and it's been like for months. He calls me occasionally and we hang out a lot. Not to mention we almost kissed last month but went on like nothing happened.

I look up to see my slushy in Bruce's hand as he slurps annoyingly loud.

  "Bruce you asshole!" I say jokingly as Bruce finishes my blue raspberry slushy I was saving for the joy ride all of us were going to go on later. 

"What! You weren't drinking it so I drank it for you." He says placing the empty slushy cup on the table in front of me and chuckling.

"Cause I was saving it dumbass." I say as I crumple up the napkin in front of me and threw at him. 

He puts his hand over his heart dramatically pretending to be shot. I laugh as I crumple up another one and throwing it at him once again. 

"Don't worry I'll get you another one, you better drink it before it melts this time or I'm chugging that one down too" he says getting off his chair and pulling out his wallet. 

I smile as he walks away to go purchase another slushy for me. 

I can see why he's popular with the girls. He's very good looking and so polite and gentle. Just my type... 

I've always imagined me and Bruce together, and let me say I wanted that for us so badly.

 As I'm waiting for my slushy I hear Vance Hopper yelling about someone "fucking with his game" or something. He's always at the rigged pinball machine all the time..everyday. 

Ever since he started playing it a couple of months ago nobody dared to touch that thing again.  Vance Hopper is known as the local dirtbag. He gets into a fight almost every week and gets arrested at least twice a month. To me he's nothing but a giant baby who gets easily irritated. Quite annoying don't you think?

I think nothing of it until somebody pulls out a pocket knife. Melissa and Will stop their make out session and stand up to see what's happening. Kids start running up to the store window and running inside to see what's going on.

 God this town is so nossy...

"COME HERE BITCH" he says punching and absolutely tackling the boy who had pulled a knife out on him. His friend then tackles Vance from behind and he manages to take down both of them. He then starts to aggressively slam one of the boys head onto the floor. 

God this is so stupid. What did I say? He throws massive tantrums over the littlest things. Talk about immature.

Vance then takes the pocket knife out of the kids hand and carves something I can't make out on his arm. He flips them both off and slides another quarter into the pinball machine to play another round which is interrupted minutes later by the police who then drag Vance out of the store, and check on the boys.