A Favor for a Friend

"Why are we here?" I said a little confused, "This is an arcade."

"I know." he parked the car and unbuckled his seat belt.

"We are going to an arcade?" I said a little excited now.

"We are the little kids who can't go with them to drink, right?" he said. At that point he looked like a little kid. How excited he looked about something like arcade games.

"I guess we are. We will make the rest of the team wish they came with us." I said pulling the hem of my shirt down a bit.

"Lets go celebrate." he said as we walked towards the entrance.

Olli's POV

I felt like a complete idiot around her. I was so awkward. I'm so weird and she is just so.... perfect.

I watched her as she walked in. Even just the way she walked intrigued me. I hope she doesn't think I'm creepy or anything. I just can't help it. I have never been able to be myself like this around people so easily. She just made me feel like I didn't have to try to make people happy. She made me feel like the real me was just as great as the imaginary me I had in my mind.

I don't know what I will do when she leaves. I won't be able to think straight. I lied when I said I thought about nothing when I scored that goal. I was thinking about her. I wanted to make her happy and proud, that is how I got it. I wouldn't admit it though. It is just too embarrassing. The guys would never let that one go.

I had to think of a way to make her stay, I just didn't know how. If I don't think of something soon though, she will be gone. A week with her just wasn't enough. Twenty years wouldn't be enough. I just had one problem. I don't think she likes me the same way I like her. I didn't know how to tell her either. I was never good at expressing my feelings. She made it far harder to admit too.

Aliyah's POV

"We have to play air hockey. Maybe I can beat the professional." I said turning around and walking backwards into the building.

"Air hockey and ice hockey are completely different." he said.

"Still, are you scared or something?" I said knowing exactly how far I would have to push him just to make it a little bit of a friendly competition.

"It is so on." he said with a slight smirk.

I made my way over to the air hockey table, standing on one side while he stood on the other.

"Are you sure you aren't the one who is scared?" he said as he set the piece if thin plastic on the table.

"Bring it." I said as he hit he puck over towards me, I was quick to send it back.

It started off slow for a while until we both got bored with it. Soon the puck was flying back and fourth but no one had scored yet.

"Maatta can make an NHL goal but can't score against a girl who doesn't even know how to ice skate in air hockey." I said teasingly.

"You can't ice skate?" he said still not taking his eyes off the puck, "I guess I am going to have to teach you."

"Good luck with that. My brother tried a few times, so did Sidney. They both failed." I said as the game got even faster.

"What is one more attempt then?" he said right when I stopped paying attention and the puck went into the goal. I don't know what else to call it in air hockey.

"I can't believe you can't ice skate. I am taking you tomorrow morning first thing." he said as is started the game again.

"Sounds like a plan." I nodded as the game went on.

I won in the end, he let me win. He won't admit he did but it was pretty obvious. He was just trying to be nice though. We played a few more games before we called it a night.

"You can stay with me again tonight if you want." he offered.

"I have a room down the road at a hotel." I said.

"I will rephrase.... Do you want to stay over? We can watch movies all night." he said.

I contemplated for a moment. "I guess. Sure." I said.

He smiled , "Good." Went to get back in his car and went back to Jussi's house.

Notes