There's a game, in the pillows
Or on Nintendo it don't matter we can play


We run down into my room, and as I set up the Play Station, Mikey, Ray, Frank and Amber gather around the bed. Frank manages to hurt himself while the others laugh at him. I notice how Mikey and Amber are sitting in the corner, each preoccupied with their own thing. They honestly have the strangest relationship. Either they’re all over each other or they have nothing to do with the other. As much as I like them together, I’m not sure how much longer it’s going to last. Mikey just seems frustrated with Amber most of the time and the redhead has had some issues letting my brother in.

"Alright, guys," I say, turning to my friends with controllers in my arms. “Choose your weapon."

Frank jumps off the bed, grabbing the bright green controller before plugging it in. Ray takes the blue, Mikey the red but only after asking Amber. As they all plug their controllers in I realize I’m left with the yellow one…the one on which the A button is broken. Oh well, I’ll deal. After I plug in I plop down on my computer chair, looking at everyone. Being around my friends makes me incredibly happy.

"Alright!" I say and the gaming commenced.

In Mortal Combat, there was really no competition. Ray always wins. He is like a gaming God or something. I never play him. I stick with playing my little brother; he is about on the same level as I am. Frank and Ray do the epic shit, random combos that I’ve never seen done before, special moves, all that shit. Their games are much more fun than Mikey and mine

"Ray look out!” Frank yells as he shoots frozen orbs at Ray’s player’s head. “Boom! Frozen, bitch! Mwahaha!

"Get your ass over here,” Ray yells back, shooting snake-like claws out of his hands. Their round goes on for what seems like hours, until Ray finally takes his mask off and burns Frank’s face off with his fatality special. Ray throws his arms up in victory, sending the controller flying backwards. I laugh.

"Fatality!” Ray yells at Frank, mimicking the cryptic voice of the announcer on the game. Frank shakes his head, dropping his controller in defeat.

"Fuck bro, you always win..."

We all laugh, and then it is Mikey and my turn to play. Mikey crawls across the floor to come sit at my feet, leaving Amber to crawl on the bed with Frank. I notice her lay down, head resting in Frank’s lap. The two talk, playing with each others fingers. Mikey doesn’t seem to notice and if he does he must not care. I wonder if he’s just given up on trying to get Frank and Amber to not act that way. I don’t think I would handle it as well. If I had a girl like Amber I’d fight any guy who tried to interact with her the way Frank does.

Eventually, Mikey gets up and hands his controller to Frank. He takes it willingly.

"What...Frank, no! Not fair,” I complain noticing he’s taken advantage of my moment in outer space.

Frank laughs, his fingers hitting the buttons at lightning speed and within ten seconds I’m completely destroyed; blown into a million icy bits. I don’t enjoy playing with Frank.

"Cheater,” I yell at him, though I know he’s done nothing but play the game better than I ever could.

Frank just shrugs, offering Mikey his controller back but he refuses it, leaving Frank looking very confused.

"Nah, I'm done...I'm gonna play my bass some more..." Mikey says, grabbing Amber’s hand and trying to get her up off the bed

“You go, I wanna play,” Amber protests and Mikey just shrugs.

"Bring it down here!" Frank says, putting his controller down. The rest of us nod.

"Yeah! I wanna hear how good you are already, bro!" I add, smiling.

Mikey beams, "Really?" he pumps his fist. "Okay...be right back!" He turned on his heels, and runs upstairs.

I laugh before turning to Amber, “So, you wanna play Mortal Combat?”

She shakes her head, “Sure. He’s so happy you guys.”

I watch as Amber focuses her eyes on the screen, fingers moving over the buttons, nudging Frank every once in a while to try and throw him off his game. She’s actualy doing fairly well.

"I fucking love that kid..." Frank says, replying to Amber’s earlier comment.

"Dude, Mikey is on of the coolest kids I have ever met," Ray adds.

I laugh, “Aw, you guys…wait till he’s back down before you say stuff like that.” I put my controller on the ground and squeeze in between Frank and Amber on my bed. “If he heard half the stuff you guys say about him he’d be the happiest motherfucker on the planet.”

Franks nods as Mikey comes flying back into the room, his newly obtained bass strapped across his chest. He’s wearing the biggest fucking smile I’ve ever seen.

"Mikey, you look badass,” Frank comments. “What do you think Amber?”

She studies Mikey for a second, before a grin comes to her face, “Lookin’ good Mikes.”

Mikey blushes a little, coming over to kiss his girlfriend’s forehead before look at all of us, “Okay guys, I just learned Welcome to Paradise so I’ll play that?”

"Sick!” Ray says.

"Yeah!" Frank agrees.

Mikey smiles, beginning to play, his face turning to stone as he concentrates fully on playing, his head bobbing to the beat. I watch him; almost in tears I’m so happy for him. Everything is great for him and playing the bass just makes him so fucking happy. I feel Frank’s hand squeeze mine and in respond I grab onto his, not letting go. Once Mikey finally finishes the song, he looks back at us, grinning. I start to clap instantly, Ray joining in. Amber is literally in tears. She’s been really emotional lately. Frank is a little more excited than us, launching himself off the bed and pulling Mikey into a hug.

"Mikey, that was the shit!” Frank says.

I tune out the rest of their conversation as I turn to Amber, “Hey, why are you crying?”

“He’s really, really good, Gee and I really like him but…I don’t know if I love him like he loves me. Lately, I look at him and I see this happy boy and I know I’m only making his happy world have a black mark in it because I don’t know how I feel.”

I nod, trying to comprehend what she’s saying. Amber’s in love with someone else, and although I don’t want to admit it, I have a feeling I know who. Oh my God, this will shatter Mikey’s world.

“Maybe, maybe you’re just confused. Too many drugs or something, Amber, I mean you loved Mikey.”

She nods, a few more tears running down her pretty porcelain face, “I think I’m going to go home.”

I follow her into the hall outside my room. She shuts the door, looking at me awkwardly before moving closer. I hug her and before she lets me go she places her lips on mine.

I know it’s wrong…I know that as I slip my tongue into her mouth, I know that as I pin her against the wall, I know that as the image of Mikey comes into my head and I know it when I pull away.

“I’m so sorry, tell Frank I’m waiting for him in the car,” she says quickly before bolting up the stairs, followed by the slamming of our front door a moment later.

I fucked up; well she fucked up cause this time she kissed me. But, why, why the fuck would a goddess like Amber kiss a stinky guy like myself? I continue to ponder this as I walk back into the room.

“Bro you did really well,” I say looking at Mikey, hugging him. I can’t let him figure out about what happened.

“Yeah dude,” Ray says, looking over at me with a quizzical expression.

I shake my head knowing he’s referring to Amber. She did just kinda disappear out of the blue. I really don’t wanna talk about her right now. “Frank, Amber’s waiting for you in the car.”

"Oh, shit," Frank says, looking over at my clock. "Ray, it's almost ten, do you need a lift?"

I don’t really pay attention. Instead I sit down at my desk, forming a picture in my head, one that I could never put down on paper. It’s too fucked…something that will never happen, something that can never happen.

"Keep practicing, buddy," I hear Ray say to Mikey. “Can't wait to see you a week from now!"

"I love you bro,” Frank says coming over to me, kissing my forehead. He then follows Ray out of the room leaving me alone with Mikey and my thoughts. It’s most definitely gonna be a long night.

Notes

Song: Sex and Super Smash Bros by KYLE