[sub]Collab with [@Athinar][/sub]

"[color=00FFBF]Thanks for the help...... It's a really long story though, and I think she deserves to hear the whole story first. We'll just say I made a pretty big mistake a while back and have been avoiding dealing with it.[/color]" 

Anthony nodded, and contemplated the statement. Yeah, Miss Reese deserved to hear the man’s story first. She was the one that this guy had hurt, so she needed answers first. Going back to the table with Axel, he sat down silently, and sipped his coffee, until the only remaining Reese in the restaurant came with a plate of pancakes and some more coffee.

 "[color=seagreen]Your meals are free today. Ron, the other cook, will take care of you during the rest of your stay. Sorry about the chaos. Today just seems like a bad day for my family. I hope you come by again... maybe when we get more help.[/color]" 

Anthony took the pancakes without speaking, and began tearing into them, devouring the flapjacks like a wolf. It wasn’t until this moment that he realized just how hungry he was, having not eaten anything this morning at all. He didn’t want to have to rely on the Reese’s charity, but it seemed that they kept insisting on making his meals free. 

Standing up after wolfing down his food, Anthony said to Axel, [color=Khaki]”Sorry we didn’t get to talk. We’ll hang out later, okay?”[/color], and walking away from the table, he strode towards the front door of the diner, intending to look for Ami, his now-absent roommate. 
[sub][@GrafRoy Zeppeli][/sub]

[hr] 

Sophia sat outside, staring up at the sky as the clouds slowly passed by overhead. Her back up against the building, butt on the ground, and completely silent. “[i] What do I do, what do I do….[/i]” She thought, nervously bouncing her right leg repeatedly. “[i] I have to go talk to him at least…. right?[/i]” She took a deep breath and stood up, dusting off her jeans. She had taken a good few minutes outside by herself in the fresh air, feeling slightly less irate than she had in the diner. Nonetheless, her heart still raced and her stomach twisted in knots. 

Walking back into the kitchen from the back door, Sophia noted Ron beginning to wrap up in the kitchen and her brother Riley missing in action. Great, Riley was bound to have noticed Elliot too if he had left the kitchen. “[color=dodgerblue] Closing shop?[/color]” She asked, her voice still just as unsteady as her hands were. Ron nodded in response as he washed a few dishes, “[color=f26522] Yes ma’m. Riley said to take the day off. I think you all need it.[/color]” Sophia nodded in agreement and sighed, hesitant to leave the kitchen. She wanted to see Elliot again, but at the same time she didn’t. “[color=dodgerblue] I’m sorry you have to deal with all of us.[/color]” She forced a half hearted laugh, and Ron smirked in response. “[color=f26522] You’re all my family too.[/color]” Sophia smiled, “[color=dodgerblue] You’re stuck with us now.[/color]” He laughed as he finished putting away the last dish, “[color=f26522] I’ll go check on our last customer for the day.[/color]”

Sophia watched Ron disappear from the kitchen doors, then began to pace back and forth inside the kitchen. Was he still out there or had he left already? What had Riley said to him? Were they talking right now? Did Sophia hurt him with the slap? Why did she even do that?! He probably thought she was the worst person alive now! 

As she paced, she noticed the large shelf of alcohol they had in the kitchen. While the diner was known for it’s breakfast and lunch, they still served dinner which offered a variety of alcohol on the menu. “[i] A drink. I need a drink for this.[/i]” She thought, immediately set on it. She quickly grabbed down a bottle of Jack Daniels, a small shot glass, and poured herself a shot. Sophia threw it back, then another, and then a third. Setting the shot glass down for the final time, her face cringed but her insides felt warm and fuzzy. Maybe now she could deal with interacting with her imaginary friend. Closing the bottle and putting it back on the shelf, Sophia walked over to the sink and cleaned out her shot glass before putting it back as well. 

Finally, with a minor pep talk to herself, Sophia pushed through the kitchen doors…. only to find no one but Anthony, his friend, and Ron. Elliot was nowhere to be found. [i]AGAIN.[/i] For a moment Sophia bubbled with rage, wanting to seek out Elliot and give him another slap or eight. Maybe a kick too. Just as she was about to march out the door to see if she could catch him, and most likely Riley, Sophia caught sight of Anthony headed for the door. 

Suddenly, Sophia had a better idea. Who needed Elliot anyway? She had survived five years without him, she would live. What was the good in finding him at this point?

“[color=dodgerblue]Anthony![/color]” She called after him, the alcohol filling her with a little more of a confidence boost. “[color=dodgerblue] That’s your name, right?[/color]” 

Anthony simply nodded, waiting by the door for her to catch up, face beginning to break out into a small grin. She wanted to speak to him? That was…. great! [color=Khaki]”Yes, that is indeed my name, Miss Reese. Or can I call you Sophie?”[/color]

She made her way over to him, rage replaced with a sincere smile instead. “[color=dodgerblue] It’s Sophia, actually, but Sophi for short.[/color]” She beamed, “[i] He knew my name?![/i]” Suddenly, her expression began to fade, “[color=dodgerblue] I’m really sorry about that… honestly.[/color]” She frowned, stopping as she stood next to him. “[color=dodgerblue] It’s… a little more complicated than it looks… I guess.[/color]” She half smiled this time, the hurt in her eyes clearly visible; she was truly sorry for the dramatic scene she had caused. 

Anthony waved his hand back and forth, as if brushing off the whole issue. [color=Khaki]”No worries. I’ve had worse mornings, believe me.”[/color] Anthony opened the door, and stepped aside, waiting for her to pass through. [color=Khaki]”So, where are you headed next?”[/color] Anthony asked mainly out of self-interest, he admitted it. He wanted to talk to this cute girl who apparently knew his name, and worked at the restaurant that he loved to eat at.  

She had another bright idea. This day was going to turn around, whether Elliot tried to destroy it or not. He would not be allowed to disappear from her life, crush her, and then suddenly appear back into her life unexpected like nothing had ever happened. “[color=dodgerblue] Have you ever been to Outerworld?[/color]” She asked, stepping outside and noting that he had held the door for her. How sweet! “[color=dodgerblue] The arcade and bar? It’s a lot of fun![/color]” She paused for a moment, then spun around to face him. “[color=dodgerblue] Would you like to come with me?![/color]” Her voice oozed enthusiasm, expecting no less than a yes from him. 

Anthony’s grin began to turn into a smile, what with all of this freaking [i]energy[/i] this girl had. It was wonderful. [color=Khaki]”I think I went…. maybe twice, when I first came to study at the University. I had no job, and I wasn’t enrolled in any classes, so my roommate, Axel, dragged me there. It was pretty fun.”[/color] Anthony could remember the room fairly well, with pixels, lights, and 8-bit sounds mixing with the sound of people shouting in friendly competitiveness, drinking, and just having a blast. [color=Khaki]”And of course, why not?”[/color] Closing the door, and stepping next to her, he said, [color=Khaki]”Shall we?”[/color]

Thrilled, Sophia practically began skipping down the sidewalk. “[color=dodgerblue] It’s this way! Luckily the diner isn’t far from it. Just near the mall![/color]” She gestured for him to follow her, smiling the entire time. At least she could enjoy the day with [i]somebody[/i]. Plus, she was getting her moment to talk to Anthony on an actual friendly level. It turned out she didn’t need those three shots of Jack after all, but they certainly helped her mood. 

As they walked, Anthony glanced at Sophia, and asked, [color=Khaki]”So, what’s it like running the diner? Aside from the craziness that is today, of course.”[/color] 

Sophia sighed, her outward excitement dissipating at the thought. “[color=dodgerblue] It’s… good.[/color]” She didn’t want to make her regular customer think that she thought badly of the diner, but she didn’t want to lie either. She truly loved the diner, it was just as dear to her heart as it had been to her parents. Lately, though, it was hectic. “[color=dodgerblue] My family has been trying to deal with our loss… so, it’s been rough.[/color]” She frowned, meeting her eyes with his. “[color=dodgerblue]We’re getting through it.[/color]” She shrugged, unsure if he knew that they had lost their parents. It seemed like everyone had been informed in this little town, and surely a regular customer would notice that the two main owners were nowhere to be found for a month. 

Anthony nodded sympathetically, and thoughtfully looked at the ground in front of him. [color=Khaki]”Sorry for bringing it up, I know it must’ve been hard.”[/color] Anthony, of all people, could sympathize. When he was fourteen, his father was killed in a freak accident where his bike went over the side of a bridge, and broke on the rocks. Anthony’s only consolation was that he was most likely dead on impact. 

Changing the subject, Anthony looked at her and hoped that she had come to the mutual agreement that they would move on from such things. [color=Khaki]”So, are there any games which you particularly want to play at the Outerworld, or what?”[/color]

Sophia’s smile was instantly brought back to life, “[color=dodgerblue]Oh, I’m the [i]best[/i] at Cruis’n USA, the racing game. Would you like to take a shot at the great undefeated driver herself?[/color]” She joked, laughing lightly. “[color=dodgerblue]We can race on an easy track if you’re scared.[/color]” She held her head up high, as if she truly was the greatest video game racer of all time, an amused smile on her face. 
 
Anthony almost sighed in relief; she wasn’t upset or distraught over his idiotic comment, at least not that he could tell. He wouldn’t forgive himself if she was. [color=Khaki]”Cruis’n USA? Heh, sounds simple enough! Bring it on, miss “undefeated driver”![/color] Anthony smiled, but he looked at her, still trying to see if his callous offhand remark had made her upset. That smile, while beautiful, might be hiding something for some reason. 

“[color=dodgerblue]Here we are![/color]” She bounded to the door and skipped through, feeling warm and happy enough from the shots that it would have been hard to bring her down. She didn’t want to focus on what had happened last month, or what had just happened in the diner. As they entered the arcade bar, she felt her cell phone vibrate in her pocket. “[color=dodgerblue]Over here![/color]” The place was nearly empty aside from the employees, as they had just opened only a few minutes ago. Sitting down in the obnoxiously red racing chair, Sophia took out her cell phone and read a message from her younger brother James. Quickly, she typed back a response; “[i]We’re taking the day off. Didn’t go well. You’ll never guess who’s back from the dead.[/i]” With that she shoved her phone back into her back pocket, not wanting to be rude to Anthony. As her dark haired friend took his seat in the other racing chair, Sophia grinned. “[color=dodgerblue]Loser buys dinner?[/color]” She stuck out her hand for a handshake on the deal, unafraid of basically asking the guy out on an official date. Traditions were overrated anyway, right? [sub][@Saint Girralo][/sub]

Anthony smiled. Sophi really wasn’t afraid of social conventions, was she? Taking her hand, Anthony felt a little [i]spark[/i] along the nape of his neck, and he said, [color=Khaki]”You’re on, Sophi.”[/color] Turning back to the game, still smiling, Anthony chose a slick-looking car, and settled into the seat. Dear god, was he [i]blushing?[/i] He thought he had gotten over that years ago. Nevermind that. It was game time. Focusing intently on the screen, Anthony looked ready to completely [i]own[/i] Sophi at this game. It was at this point that he realized, [i]”I have no idea how to play this game. At all.”[/i] 

“[i]Yes!![/i]” She thought as he took her hand in his. “[color=dodgerblue]It’s a deal then![/color]” Giddy, Sophia couldn’t help but smile as she turned to the screen and picked out her car; a bright red Corvette. After picking an easy map, their two chosen vehicles appeared on the screen and slowly rolled out of a garage. They revved their engines as the countdown showed on the screen. 

“[i] 3… 2… 1… GO![/i]” 

A woman in a bikini appeared on screen and waved the black and white checkered flag and the cars sped off, wheels squealing. Sophia quickly sped around the computerized cars, including Anthony’s. She giggled, “[color=dodgerblue]Hurry up, you slowpoke![/color]” She glanced at him for a brief second, then turned her eyes back to the screen to make sure she didn’t crash right into a tree. She couldn’t lose now! There was a date on the line here! 

Working the pedals like a master, Sophia sped through every checkpoint and made nearly every turn perfectly. She went off track once, but was able to regain her first position quickly. There was no way she was going to lose this race.

Anthony was completely focused on his screen, barely registering Sophi’s “slowpoke” comment. How was this so hard to do!??! He had driven before, but the wheel on this machine was [i]way[/i] more sensitive than one on any car Anthony was behind the wheel of. However, he thought he had gotten the hang of it- aaaand he crashed into a tree. [color=Khaki]”Damn.”[/color]Anthony winced as flames started to pour out of his car’s hood, and his little driver leapt out of the vehicle, running in circles, until the screen went black, putting him back on the road. 

Now that everyone was ahead of him, Anthony could have room to breathe. Accelerating, he listened to the purr of the sports car’s engine, and found himself wishing that he had a car as nice as that. Driving down the road, he found himself overcorrecting, and slammed on the brakes hard, taking a deep breath, Anthony figured that he had a decent control of the…. controls, and burnt digital rubber, trying to  catch up with Sophi. 

[i]WINNER!![/i]

The words displayed across Sophia’s screen and confetti fell from all around on screen, while fake people cheered for her. “[color=dodgerblue]I win![/color]” She threw her hands up in the air, triumphantly. Grinning, she looked over at Anthony’s screen and watched as he placed in damn near last place. She laughed, “[color=dodgerblue] So where are you taking me, sir?[/color]”

Anthony smiled and shook his head. [color=Khaki]”I blame the trees. The game is showing favoritism.”[/color] Standing up, and looking at Sophi, he said, [color=Khaki]”Well, I have work in about an hour, hour and a half, but later, I just might take you out to dinner at Giovanni’s later, and would you mind if I took you to The Underground after?”[/color]

“[color=dodgerblue]Giovanni’s and The Underground?![/color]” She had only been to the famous Italian restaurant once before, but it was delicious the last time she was there! The Underground was a comedy club, which was always bound to be a good time. “[color=dodgerblue] So fancy.[/color]” She laughed, getting up from her race car chair. “[color=dodgerblue] Of course, what time?[/color]” She took out her phone and unlocked it, handing him her phone. “[color=dodgerblue] Want to put your number in there? [/color]” She smiled with half a smirk, watching him with Jack Daniels confidence. 

Anthony grinned and navigated his way to the contacts, and put in his number, and first and last name. [color=Khaki]”Be sure to text me, I need your number as well.”[/color] Handing back the phone, he continued, [color=Khaki]”I’ll be around 7:00 to take you to Giovanni’s, where do you want me to pick you up?”[/color]

Sophia took her phone back, saving the contact in her phone. “[color=dodgerblue]I’ll text you my address.[/color]” She smiled, beginning to walk with him out of the arcade and back onto the sidewalk. “[color=dodgerblue]Thank you for coming with me… I appreciate it.[/color]” She met eyes with him, her words no longer playful but instead solemn and genuine. It was nice having a distraction. 

Anthony nodded. So everything was set. [color=Khaki]”No problem, Sophi. To be honest, I was glad you invited me. It was fun.”[/color] Anthony looked into her eyes, sincerity in his steel grey gaze. She really needed this, huh. Well, if he was to be perfectly honest with himself, he needed this just as much as she did. He had been crippled with indecision for a long while, and she broke through that particular shell. [color=Khaki]”Alright, I need to head to work. See you at 7:00!”[/color]