The Mummy's Maid [COMPLETE]

"She's taken!"

The next day I decided Ahmanet should get to know other people so in a different dress and a pinch of makeup we went to the neighborhood arcade. And yes, teenagers do hang out there, we prefer old games compared to something on an Xbox.

Anyway, I came to a stop just outside the doors and took a step forward only to feel Ahmanet pull me back. When I look at her, she seemed paler then usual, without a doubt frightened.

"You'll do fine, just stay by me and everything will be okay." She smiled nervously before looping her arm within mine, I smile and step inside with her beside me.

The place is packed but with enough room so that it isn't truly uncomfortable. We managed to squeeze through until we reach a cluster of games beside the food court, the hangout spot for my friends. Another girl with sandy blonde hair saw me and grinned.

"Lana's back!" The other five kids raised their heads with a grin, to which I grin right back. "Yes I have returned and I brought a friend. Everyone, meet Ahmanet."

She's trembling slightly so I gently nudge her forward and she smiles weakly. "Hi." One of my friends, a boy with messy black hair, stepped forward with a look of great interest.

"Well hello good looking, my name's Jackson, but everyone calls me Jack." He held out his hand and she hesitated before taking it and shaking it slowly, reminding me suddenly of Disney Pocahontas when she first shook hands with John Smith.

"It's a good thing you finally decided to show up Lana, we were beginning to think you died of worry." I glared at Alexis, knowing she was talking about my brother I still hadn't heard from. Ahmanet watched my reaction carefully, as if unsure how to process it.

"Well I'm not dead yet, and I'm back in business. Did anyone attempt to beat my highscore on Terminator?" Jack's head snapped up. "I did, almost beat it too." I grinned. "Well, I'll just have to bump it up further then won't it?" He playfully groans while everyone else cheers and I stride over to the game I knew so well.

Cracking my knuckles, I picked up the player 1 gun, and inserted some tokens. The group all crowded around me, suddenly silent with curiosity. Ahmanet stood as close as she dared, eyes wide with wonder.

The game started up with the same intro video as always, though I knew it like the back of my hand, I watch and listen anyways and tense up towards the end. There's a kind of brief pause before the playing begins.

My mom never was the type to approve of shooting games, but they were one of the interesting ways I dealt with stress so eventually I turned to it. Since I don't have any gaming console of any kind, I usually went to the arcade to play Terminator any chance I got. After some months of doing it, I found I was pretty good and I set up an account so I could keep track of my progress. Nowadays, I wasn't sure if I played on it to improve and brush up on it or if I was just showing off (unlike most people, I'm not afraid to admit it.)

Anyway, I played the way I always did; plenty of determination and maybe too much getting into it, my imagination had a way of running away with me. I barely heard the cheers around me as my friends whooped and hollered without really caring who looked at them weird, but I did notice Ahmanet, who watched me more then she did the game. Out the corner of my vision, I noticed Jake eyeing her thoughtfully, that all too familiar wolf look on his face, one I knew all too well thanks to Tex Avery cartoons like Red Hot Riding Hood.

Time past the way it always did with my friends; too quick to process and way too much fun that we'd remember only 50% of if we were lucky. I stopped playing after the third time I died and went on to other games and pizza. I was thinking about leaving when I noticed Jake finally make a move.

"So Ahmanet right? What say you and I meet up later this evening? I know a great place to get some fish and chips." Ahmanet respectfully smiled. "No thank you, Lana and I are planning to watch Singin' in the Rain tonight, it looks wonderful from the trailer we found on YouTube." "Yeah but, it's just some fish and chips." He said, innocently slipping an arm over her shoulder. She pulled it off with a light shake of the head.

"No thank you, I'd rather stay with Lana." His face hardened but right then I stepped over, pulling Ahmanet into my side. "Sorry wolf, she's taken." And we left him gaping mouthed. As we slipped out into the daylight, I burst out laughing.

"Man, the look on his face!" Ahmanet looked at me like I'd grown a second head. "Why was he inviting me to eat with him?" "Because he was flirting with you." "Flirting?" "Tell you later."

~

Later that evening, we had just finished watching Singin' in the Rain when Ahmanet came up with an idea.

"Teach me how to sing! You're songs are so lovely to listen to, I'd like to start with Beautiful Girl." "Are you sure? If you're not very good no one's gonna listen." "But I would've tired wouldn't I? Please Lana, please?" I rolled my eyes. "Finne, but don't say I didn't warn you."

Half an hour later...

"How was that?" I shook myself from my cringe position. "Could be better." Her face went blank. "I sound terrible don't I?" I sighed. "As much as I'd love to say otherwise, yeah you do." She smiled slightly.

"I appreciate the honesty. Could we watch Beautiful Girl again?" I practically sagged with relief. "Sure thing Ahmanet."

But we don't get very far, she soon falls asleep in my grasp and I closely followed.