The New Gamer

After Button and Sweetie sat for an hour, awkward silence abundant, they both walked over (well, Sweetie walked, while Button limped) to the video game cabinet where Pac-Man ate dots and stopped ghosts on a regular basis.

"I've figured out it's a maze game, and that you have to get all the dots," Sweetie commented, "but the ghosts are tricky."

"Well, let me see what you do." Button watched her put a quarter in and start the game. Almost immediately, she was met with ghosts cornering her. She groaned in anger.

"Well, personally, I would avoid the corners and save up the powerballs for when I really need them," Button commented.

"But what do you do when you're cornered or surrounded?"

"Well, the best thing I would say was to avoid those entirely. You see, the skills you need to play this game are two things: quick thinking, and observation skills."

Sweetie scoffed at Button. "I can observe and think fast enough! These ghosts are just too hard to beat." She gave them a mean look as if it would prove her statement.

Stubborn and unwilling to listen. Just like him. Button never knew there could be someone like her that could be as problematic or weird as him.

"Maybe I can move you in the right direction. Start it up again."

Sweetie started another game. The second before it began, Button grabbed the joystick along with Sweetie. From there, he moved Pac-Man along with her through the course of the game, with Sweetie watching the game unfold as he helped. As he played along, he began to tell her of all the patterns he managed to figure out through hours of gameplay and research on the internet.

After a level or two, she began to catch on, as Button had to help move it less and less. Eventually, both were using full force to operate the dot-munching crusader as he wove through the maze, avoiding the ghosts. Also, although he didn't quite realize it, Button was enjoying the game even more than he already did, smiling and laughing as he played with Sweetie, who in turn, did the same.

Eventually, hours had passed before Button and Sweetie began to tire of the game. Finally, after reaching level thirty for the thirtieth time, they let Pac-Man get chewed up on purpose, and let go of the joystick.

Button was sweating a lot. He knew he was out of shape a bit, but this was ridiculous. Sweetie was equally soaked.

"Well, that was fun," she said, panting. She looked at Button. They both smiled at each other. Then, Button realized the position they were in.

Apparently, in the rush of playing and helping, Button had wrapped behind Sweetie Belle, as if he was hugging her from behind. Sweetie saw the surprised look on his face, and looked at the situation. She, too, widened her eyes in surprise, her cheeks blushing red as fire, then quickly escaped from Button's body, with Button taking a few steps back. His cheeks were the same color as hers.

They both stood there, awkwardly standing in silence, when Button looked outside, and saw that the sun was setting soon. He couldn't believe it! He spent the whole day playing with Sweetie!

His entire routine for today, ruined by the new gamer.

However, somehow, that didn't really bother Button anymore. After all, playing with Sweetie wasn't exactly bad. In fact, it was more fun than he ever had.

Sweetie looked outside too. "Uh oh! It's getting late!" She pulled out her cellphone, and typed in a number, walking away to talk. Button watched her go by, still in awe by the day he had.

A half-hour later, a white van came by. Button and Sweetie both walked outside. The window rolled down, and Button saw a white face with darker-purpled hair pop out.

"Sweetie Belle! Oh, my darling sister, so this is where you have been!" the driver said.

"I know, I know, I'm sorry. I-I just wanted to let off steam somewhere."

"It's quite alright now, Sweetie. Though I was miffed by your shenanigans, I completely forgive you for what happened," the driver said, "Now get in. Let's go home and get some rest."

Button then realized this must be whom Sweetie Belle was arguing with before she got here. He smiled, glad to see they made amends so quickly.

Sweetie turned to Button, looking him right in the eyes. Even though he had been with her all day, he still couldn't believe  that a girl like her could become friends with a guy like him. But I guess I was wrong, Button thought. Then he mentally commented, maybe it was because life was unpredictable. Like the ghosts of Pac-Man.

He stood by Sweetie for a few seconds, still remembering the position he was in inside. Sweetie simply stood with him, twirling her hair, a slight shade of blush still in her cheeks.

"W-well," Button said, his hands in his pockets, "Guess I'll see you around."

"Yeah," Sweetie replied, "I will. Hopefully."

She walked slowly to the white car, with Button watching, secretly wishing she could stay for a little bit longer.

Suddenly, she stopped right before she got in. Button looked, and raised an eyebrow in confusion. Then, before another thought was passed, she turned back and ran back towards Button.

Button could only think, "Heeeyyyywaaaah?" before his cheek was met with a single pair of lips.

She kissed his cheeks for a second or two, then grabbed his hand and squeezed it tightly.

"Thanks for being there," she said, smiling, "for being a friend." With that, she walked to the car, got in, and drove away, waving as she rolled out.

Button simply stood there, waving in profound surprise and growing blush in his cheeks. He looked in his hand. In it was a single quarter.

Button looked at the quarter for a solid minute, then looked back at the arcade, then, shaking his head, put it in his pocket, and walked back to the bus stop, ready to end the confusing, yet glorious, day at the arcade.

THE END