She stood at the end of the hallway, hidden by shadows, leaning against the wall, watching the game.

A race against a clock. An animated character ran around everywhere in a bright coloured setting. It looked fun.

The timer counted down. 3. 2. 1. 'TIME'S UP!' appeared on the screen. The next screen told of his performance and showed he was just a few points away from success.

All of a sudden, she saw herself and realised the situation. How creepy she seemed to be. Stood in the dark. Silent. Watching. She stepped out and stood behind the couch. With a forced burst of courage, she said, "Hi."

He whipped around fast, almost making her jump. "Jesus," he said, clutching his chest. "You scared the hell out of me."

"Sorry."

Glancing towards the hallway, he asked, "Where's Levi?"

"Asleep."

He raised an eyebrow. "Is everything good? Why aren't you with him?"

"I just couldn't sleep." She began to regret coming out here. Levi mentioned Jensen didn't really like her too much. He wouldn't want to be making small talk with her. Being distracted from his game. Maybe I should say goodnight and head back to Levi.

"Do you wanna play?" He held up his controller for her to see. A bright blue light came from the front of it.

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"I don't know how to play." I'll just go back to Levi. I'm sure I'll fall asleep eventually.

"No problem. I'll teach you." He grabbed the second controller and turned it on. The same blue glow flashed on.

She walked around the couch, uncertainty slowing her down. He scooted over to give her space and she took a seat next to him. She watched as he operated the controller. Flicking through and clicking the options until the character selection screen popped up, showing two characters.

He handed her the controller and they both picked their characters. She chose a pink purple alien thing. He picked a cat.

As the game loaded up, she asked, "What is this game?"

"It's called 'Overcooked 2.'"

Overcooked 2. She would have to remember that if she decided to buy herself a gaming console. Something she'd been considering for some time now, but never sure if she should.

After skipping over the storyline, the game started. 'READY?' 'GO!'

"Okay, go to that lettuce box," he told her, and she followed his instructions, standing in front of a picture of a lettuce. "Great. Now, hit A to grab one." She had to look down at her controller to find the A button. "Now, bring it to me." She walked her character over to the counter separating her character from his. "Press A again to drop it." The lettuce jumped to the counter, and he took it. Placing it on a chopping board she couldn't reach from her side, he chopped it and gave it back to Renna's magenta alien. "Now, grab a plate from behind you and click on the lettuce again.

The lettuce jumped to the plate. "Great. It's good to serve. On that, there, with the arrows." He leaned forward and pointed at the screen. "Yeah. Fantastic. Good job. Okay, on to the next order. See at the top?"

The top left of the screen showed what ingredients to grab next for the incoming orders.

She smiled. It was so simple yet so fun. Handing over ingredients. Placing the chopped food on plates. And serving.

She grabbed a tomato and walked it to the counter.

"No, not there." The tomato disappeared. "That's the bin."

"Sorry." She retrieved another one.

He chuckled quietly. "All good."

Renna moved through the game slower than Jensen and she had to keep looking down to check she had her thumb on the correct button, but Jensen never complained.

Handing him a cucumber or zucchini—whatever it is—he rushed to cut it while she placed the cut lettuce and tomato on a plate. He placed the cucumber straight onto the plate.

"Quick. Serve it," he said.

As soon as she served it, the timer ran out. 'TIME'S UP!' The screen faded black.

"Well done," he said. "You did great."

"Thanks. That was fun."

"You wanna play another one?"

She hesitated. Should I go to bed? "Yes, please." I hope Levi will stay asleep.

With a wide smile, he said, "Alright. Let's do it."

They played another level. Jensen taught her a few more things. The longer she played, the more familiar she became with the controls. It didn't take her long to be running around almost as well as Jensen.

As they fell silent to focus on the game, Renna decided to ask, "How was your date tonight?"

He cleared his throat, flicking a quick glance to her. "Good. Briella's fun to hang with."

"She told me you two were going to stay friends?" she said, uncertain. As soon as the words slid off her tongue, she second guessed herself and panicked that maybe she said something wrong.

"Oh, yeah. We didn't connect on a romantic level." He paused. His character ran around in meaningless circles. "What...what else did she tell you?"

She looked sideways at him. He kept his eyes on the game, but she caught the glimpse he gave her from the corner of his eye.

"Nothing else."

He nodded. They both focused on the game, then he asked, "How was your night? Did—Err...What did you do?"

"Nothing much," she lied. "Watched a movie and ate dinner."

"That's it?" His character paused for a moment. "Did he...What did you talk about?"

What? "Err...work, the movie, I don't know."

"Nothing significant? He didn't ask you for something that you might remember?"

"What?" What is he getting at?

"Nothing. Nevermind." He focused on the game, and soon Renna let the strange conversation go to do the same.

After several rounds, exhaustion creeped up on her, but she was having too much fun to stop.

Two more rounds, and Jensen announced, "Alright, I might go to bed now. You can stay and keep playing if you want."

"No. It's okay. I'm going to bed too."

They put away their controllers and Jensen turned the tv off. Dim moonlight streamed in through the glass door leading out onto the balcony.

Stood in front of the blackened tv, he asked, "You need anything before I go?"

"No. I'm just going to get some water."

"I'll get that for you." He walked into the kitchen and grabbed a glass from the cupboard. From the fridge, he pulled out a water jug and filled the glass to the top. "Here ya go."

"Thanks." She took the glass and gulped down the cold water.

He took the glass from her and refilled it. "Anymore?" She shook her head. He drank the water and left the glass in the sink. "Anything else?"

"No. I'm good."

They walked down the hall together until they reached their separate doors.

"Thanks for playing with me," he said as they strolled through the darkness.

She smiled knowing he couldn't see her. "Thanks for teaching me."

"It was no problem. You caught on fast."

"I had so much fun."

She could hear the smile through his voice as he spoke. "I'm glad." He opened his bedroom door, opposite Levi's, spilling a dull blueish light out into the hall, and turned back to her. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

He shut the door, leaving her in the dark. I wasn't expecting to have so much fun with him. And he didn't seem to mind my company like I thought he would. Maybe he's changed his mind about me. Or was he pretending?

She moved slow and careful to open Levi's door, and breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing Levi's light snores as she stepped inside and shut the door.

Climbing into bed, he stirred and she paused. A couple seconds after he stopped moving, she slid down under the covers and settled down. She shoved her phone under her pillow. I hope it has enough charge to last the night.

Sleep came easier now. She drifted away. Thinking about the game as she went.

♡