I'm New Here

“So what do you all do here?” I asked curiously. Derpy sat next to me on her families couch as we watched a Star Wars movie. Vinyl and Lyra were sitting at the dining room table playing some card game with a stack of cash between the two. Occasionally one of them would grumble a curse word and place a dollar on the ever growing pile. Well, Lyra would curse. Vinyl would make frustrated noises.

“Well we do anything really. Watch movies, play card games or video games, eat ice cream and pop corn. Mainly just be super unhealthy for a few nights. Well unhealthy for me. Lyra and Vinyl inhale sweets and pop like it’s no big deal,” Derpy smirked.

“Interesting. So not much different from what my friends and I did back home.” Lyra glanced over curiously before tapping the table and Vinyl handed her another card, making Lyra pump her fist in the air enthusiastically.

“What were your friends names?” Derpy asked. “Back in Trottingham, I mean.”

“Storm Clash, Sprinkle Medley and Beauty Brass. Though me and Beauty are on awkward terms right now,” I admitted.

“Why’s that?”

“She has barely talked to me since I moved. She said she would come see me the day I left and only two of my friends came. She went on a date with her boyfriend instead,” I sighed. “Pretty sure she ended our friendship. Hate fake people like that.”

“I’m sorry. Do you talk to your other friends?” Derpy asked. She was quite inquisitive tonight. Or maybe she was always like this. Either way, I was happy to answer questions.

“We have group calls all the time. We face timed a few nights ago. Storm fell asleep on the phone snoring and talking about donuts her sleep,” I chuckled.

“Derpy does the same. Except she talks about muffins her dreams, not donuts,” Lyra chimed in. Derpy rolled her eyes with a smile.

“What are you guys playing?” Derpy asked as I focused my attention to the movie. I’ve never seen Star Wars before so it was cool. Once the four had found out, they sat me down and shoved the first movie in and told me to watch. So far, it was good. Lyra said that The Phantom Menace was a bit slow for her and I’m inclined to agree. The lightsaber battle is cool though.

“Blackjack,” Lyra answered simply. Vinyl grumbled as she added a five dollar bill onto the stack. “It’s going back and forth right now.”

“Aren’t you a bit young for gambling?” I asked.

“Relax Bons. It’s just a friendly game between friends. We split the money equally afterwards. No biggie and no hurt feelings,” Lyra commented. “Wanna play?”

“After the movie sure. I’ve never played before though,” I admitted. The only card games I know are Uno, War and Go Fish. I glanced back at the screen and my eyes widened as one of the Jedi got stabbed with a lightsaber and killed. “They just killed him. I liked his character.” I put on a slight pouting face and Lyra chuckled.

“You’re cute when you’re pouting. The movie is basically over. Come here and I’ll teach you,” Lyra stood up and gestured for me to come over. Hesitantly, I nodded and stood up, walking over and sat down in her chair. I turned a bright shade of red at her compliment.

“Alright so the point of blackjack is to get as close to twenty one without going over. Jacks, kings and queens are worth ten. An ace is worth eleven. The number cards are worth the amount it says. Two, four you get the idea. The best possible blackjack hand is an opening deal of an ace with any ten-point card. You typically don’t play against each other, you play against the house. Me and Vinyl are taking turns playing the house,” Lyra explained. “You get given a card, Vinyl draws two of her own. One gets placed face down. That card is called the hole card. Only she knows what she has. Afterwards, she will ask you if you want to stand or hit which means you get another card. Standing means you skip your turn and it goes straight to her. You can also double down but it’s risky.”

“How so?” I asked as I glanced at Vinyl.

“The double down in blackjack is when you double your bet in the middle of a hand, after which you only receive one more card. It’s risky because if you get dealt a low card, you can’t hit again, and could risk losing twice as many chips,” Lyra answered. Derpy brought a chair over and sat down, watching us. “In this case, chips is money. A real casino uses chips but you probably already know that.”

“Okay. Uh I’m ready,” I nodded. Vinyl gave a thumbs as she slid a card my way before putting one in front of her and gave me a second card.

“Okay, you got a four and a two. Right now you got a six. Vinyl has a six as well,” Lyra leaned over my shoulder and looked at my cards. “I’d hit and get another card. Just tap the table and she will slide you another card.”

“Alright,” I tried to ignore the feeling of Lyra’s hair tickling my neck and her pressing against my back. My cheeks felt faintly hot for some reason as I tapped the table. Vinyl placed a card in front me.

“I’d stand. Right now, you have a seventeen. If she has a seventeen too, it’s a push and you get your dollar back. The house always stands on seventeen,” Lyra explained. “Seventeen and higher is always a bit of a risky time to get more cards. Go over twenty one and you have busted. Trust me, you lose instantly and the dealer wins. I always hope to get at least a twenty or an eighteen. Nineteen is good as well, but nothing beats a straight blackjack unless she has one too.”

“But I uh didn’t bring a dollar,” I mumbled.

“Don’t worry. I got it,” Lyra tossed a dollar in front of us from her pocket.

“You don’t have to do that,” I tried to argue. I didn’t want to accidentally lose her money. Lyra patted me on the head with her smirk.

“Don’t worry. I want to,” Lyra purred. I gave a faint nod.

“I’ll stand. I don’t want another card,” I said. Vinyl nodded and flipped the hole card over.

“She’s got a twelve right now,” Lyra answered. Vinyl added another card and grumbled. “And she busted because of the queen. Nice win Bons,” Lyra gave me a shoulder pat. “If you weren’t sitting, I’d hug you.”

“Alright girls, it’s late,” Derpy’s mom stepped into the living room. “I’ll take you home Bon Bon. The other girls have a sleep over so you guys go get changed into your pajamas and brush your teeth.” Lyra quickly elbowed Derpy who yelped. Lyra gave her a pointed look and subtly nodded to me.

“Wait! Can Bon Bon stay the night too?” Derpy asked her mom hopefully.

“That’s up to her and her mom,” Derpys mom said as she eyed me. “You can stay if you want.”

“I’ll go call my mom. She will probably say yes,” I stepped into the kitchen and pulled my phone out and dialed my mom’s number.

”Yes dear?” Mom asked in a tired voice. ’Do you need a ride home?”

“Uhm no. They actually want me to spend the night but I wanted to ask you first,” I admitted.

”Of course you can. Let me talk to Derpys mom first please,” Mom said eagerly. Her tired tone had disappeared.

“Okay. Hey Derpys mom. My mom wants to talk to you,” I stepped back into the room.

“You can call me Ditzy if you wish. That’s my name,” Ditzy smiled as she took my phone. “Hello?” She stepped away and I didn’t hear any words.

“Your mom is going to bring some clothes over for you to change into,” Ditzy handed me my phone. I checked to make sure mom wasn’t on the phone still before I slid it into my pocket.

“Thank you Miss Ditzy.”