Chapter 2213

Inside, the air pulsed with electronic jingles and bursts of victory cheers. Everyone split off in search of their own version of fun. Madeline zeroed in on an impossibly cute plush toy trapped inside a claw machine and swore she’d win it for Amelia. Vivian planted herself beside her, cheering every drop of the claw, while Lucille drifted toward the fishing game, eyes blazing with competitive fire.

Calvin and Cecilia wandered through the arcade, their shoulders nearly brushing. “So, what are you in the mood to play?” Calvin asked, nodding toward the chaos of flashing lights.

Cecilia scanned the rows, then pointed to a line of coin-pusher machines. “That one,” she decided, neon reflections dancing in her eyes.

Luck handed them two open seats. Calvin slid onto the stool beside her and fed the first gleaming token into the slot.

The rules were simple: drop a token, nudge the pile. Whatever slid over the edge was yours.

Of course, the house usually kept most of its treasure. Arcades weren’t built to lose money.

Cecilia leaned forward, fully absorbed, discussing strategy with Calvin between button presses.

Calvin responded absentmindedly. The game barely held his attention tonight—Cecilia did.

After all this time, he realized she hadn’t changed at all.

Minutes blurred into bright waves of music and clattering metal.

Then suddenly, an entire shelf of tokens broke loose and spilled forward like silver rain.

Startled, Cecilia whipped toward him, eyes wide. “Did you just drop the whole stack?” she gasped.

She’d never seen a payout like that.

“Looks like it,” Calvin said with a modest nod. “Guess the owner forgot to tighten the settings.”

Cecilia stared at him, openly impressed. “I remember when we were kids—you were already a wizard at this.”

Back then, Calvin had been an orphan, with no one to lean on.

Once, Cecilia had slipped him a single coin. He bought tokens and stationed himself at the pusher.

When he built up a mountain of winnings, he sold extra tokens to other kids for pocket change.

With the money, he bought Cecilia candy and steaming meat pies.

“I can’t believe you still remember that,” Calvin murmured, nostalgia softening his voice.

Cecilia laughed, bright and effortless. “Of course I do. How could I forget something like that?”

As she spoke, her own tray ran empty—every last token gone.

“Lend me a few?” she asked, lifting the plastic chute in apology.

Smiling, Calvin poured a glittering heap of tokens into her hands.

Around them, people whispered, envy flickering across their faces.

And so the rhythm continued—Cecilia spending, Calvin winning it all back.

Every so often, Vivian swooped in, grabbed a handful of tokens, and dashed back to the claw machines.

“Still no luck with that plush Madeline wants?” Cecilia called after her.

Vivian blew a strand of hair off her face. “Nope. I have no idea why it’s being so stubborn.”

“You’ve got this!” Cecilia shouted over the swirl of arcade melodies and electronic chimes. She pointed at herself, then pumped her fist in the air, neon lights flashing across her bright grin.

Vivian shot back a sharp nod, her ponytail swishing against her hoodie. “You two keep hustling,” she called. “Rack up more tokens—I’ve got a whole army of plushies waiting for me.”

Madeline’s coveted doll still dangled behind the claw’s plexiglass wall, a silent prize she just couldn’t free. Vivian’s situation, however, was the opposite. She had already crammed two oversized bags with pastel bears, kittens, and cartoon astronauts.

The arcade staff had long since stopped pretending to tidy counters. Their eyes widened every time Vivian strutted past, tokens clinking in her pockets like pirate loot.

Her secret wasn’t perfect aim.

It was volume.

The tokens hadn’t cost her a dime. Calvin, stationed at the coin-pusher, had mined them relentlessly—silver disks cascading over the edge whenever his timing hit that sweet spot.

Eventually, even his streak slowed. Once the tray thinned out, he had to wait for fresh tokens from other players before striking again.

Calvin slipped his hands into his pockets. “I’m going to try another game. Once I’ve stacked up more tokens, come grab them.”

“Okay,” Cecilia replied.

She dipped her head in a quiet nod, her ponytail catching the neon glow.

Several girls lingering near the machines had been watching. Now, one by one, they shot Cecilia looks so green with envy they practically glowed under the fluorescent lights.

It wasn’t just that Calvin played like a pro.

It was that he was undeniably handsome—and talent paired with good looks was hard to ignore.

One bold girl finally stepped forward, chin lifted. “Hey, gorgeous— is that handsome guy your husband?”