Chapter 105: Endgame

[Quest completed!]

[Title,{Aw, they grow up so fast}, applied.]

⸢Exclusive Quests

› Muscle Up! Muscle Up! Muscle Up!

└ Defeat Flash Johnson at High Striker – [1 LP Awarded!]

-

"And that, as they say, is that." Aiden dusted his palms in satisfaction.

Then he looked over to Flash, the dirty-blonde haired currently staring at the High Striker like it had personally betrayed him.

Casper and Damian on the other hand were notably impressed, though it didn’t stop them from snickering in the corner.

Damian especially would’ve said something to troll the youth, had he not felt that the ugly expression on their rival school’s football captain wasn’t already perfect as is.

Aiden had eked out a victory over Flash by a single level... which might as well have been a pound more than Flash’s bell rising as high as the number six on the Striker.

"Now, your contact information," Aiden didn’t bother giving the youth the room or time to process his defeat as he whipped out his phone.

He had to head over to the claw machines soon.

Clicking his tongue in clear dissatisfaction though, Flash let out an annoyed sigh, his arms at akimbo as he stared at the floor, seemingly contemplating something.

Then he asked a moment after, his gaze serious;

"How about two out of three?"

"You, shameless, little shit--" Damian was already calling him out on his bullshit when Aiden replied;

"Sure. But that’s two more favors."

To that, Casper and Damian burst out laughing as Flash’s expression contorted into an annoyed frown, their thoughts seemingly of a hivemind;

’He’s even more shameless!’

"Deal!" Flash accepted nonetheless a moment after.

Five minutes later, Aiden stared at Flash’s contact details on his phone’s screen. Then he tucked the device into his pockets, a satisfied expression on his visage as he began walking away.

As for Casper whom was next to him, he was currently laughing his ass off, as was Damian whom was currently pointing at Flash, the dirty-blonde haired youth looking to the sky in clear defeat.

In any case, Casper soon texted the rest of the gang that they were on their way to the booth where they would claim their grand prize.

Upon converging there, the Theo and Clyde admitted that they hadn’t managed to beat the respective high scores, hence they were unable to get the required ticket for the grand prize.

Having expected that they’d have to give up on said prize because of it, the rest of the gang--with the exception of Casper whose shoulders were already shaking--watched in confusion as Aiden casually whipped out his phone.

Dialing a number immediately after, the coal-haired youth casually said;

"Hey, Flash. I’m gonna need to call in a favor."

As for the youth on the other end of the line, he was currently staring at his phone in clear annoyance.

Then, after dragging a palm down his face and muttering about how this was his own doing, he replied begrudgingly;

"Sure. What do you want?"

Within minutes of that conversation, Flash arrived at the store, slapping two more tickets into Aiden’s palm.

Without so much as a word, he left immediately after, vanishing into the sea of crowds.

To that, Casper burst into yet another round of boisterous laughter, one that had the rest of gang looking to both youths as Aiden handed over the tickets to their blonde-haired buddy, an amused smile on his lips.

Having had his fill, the youth then walked into the store, his buddies lingering outside as they engaged in mundane conversations.

A few minutes later, Casper walked right out, carrying a four-feet, pink plushy teddy-bear in his arms.

To that, the rest of the gang simply blinked and stared, each of them utterly bamboozled.

Given there were other prizes in the form of trending and rare collectible cards that were worth quite the tidy sum (not that they needed it), high-end electronic items like a mini-drone and special top-tier vouchers that could make their next visit cheaper, their damn buddy decided to go for a freaking, jumbo toy?!

"What?" Casper asked a moment after, clearly puzzled as well by the look they were giving him.

"It’s for Daisy."

No sooner had he said that, Benjamin and Larry attacked him, both of them ready to strangle him as they simultaneously declared;

"Why, I oughta!"

Aiden, Theo and Clyde on the other hand, burst into genuine laughter as both individuals grabbed Casper by the neck, shaking him vigorously as the youth let out exaggerated gags.

Soon enough, the gang stopped their youthful shenanigans, all of them dispersing to explore other parts of the fairgrounds, specifically the rides.

Aiden, however, had already arrived by the claw machine, waiting on his girl to arrive as well.

"I swear to God, if this falls..."

"Dang it! How am I supposed to get the darn plushie if the grip’s shitty!"

Watching the brother cuss out the machine in clear frustration, the tween then let out a resigned sigh a moment after.

Then he turned around, lowering to a foot as he looked at his younger sister whom was no older than four years of age and softly said;

"I’m sorry, Layla. Maybe next time. I’ve spent all my tokens on it."

Despite the tears brimming on her eyelids, the little girl nodded in understanding and both proceeded to leave.

At the same time, Clarissa arrived, her party-glasses resting on her forehead and a sweet lilt to her voice as she said;

"Miss me~?"

"You haven’t the faintest idea." Aiden flashed her a fond smile.

Then he raised a finger and said;

"Hold on a minute, though,"

Walking over to the siblings whom were just about to leave, Aiden then asked;

"Would you like to give it another try? I know someone around these parts that could get you at least ten more tries."

Given how they’d been raised, both kids knew better than to trust a stranger.

However, with the genuinely warm smile on his features, the lady a few meters behind him smiling just as fondly as well, they soon found themselves nodding.

To that, Aiden’s smile grew warmer as he said;

"Alright. Give me a minute."

Casually, he retrieved his phone and dialed the most recent number;

"Hi there, Flash. I need another favor."

Once again, Flash whom was on the opposite end of the line and was just about to eat his burger, dragged both of his palms down his face whilst muttering a few curses under his breath.

Despite his frustration though, he grudgingly asked;

"What do you need this time, North?"

Much like before, the youth met up with him a couple minutes later, slapping twenty-something tokens into his palms.

Before he could storm off this time though, he caught sight of the chestnut-haired lady who looked like she’d just stepped out of a summer dream despite the evening sun being high up in the sky.

It also didn’t take long before he realized that the beautiful, adoring smile on her lips was directed towards Aiden whom was currently placing half of the token in the tween’s palm, he and his little sister visibly excited as they made their way over to the claw machine after giving their thanks.

"That your girl?" Flash asked for clarification.

"Yeah, that’s her." Aiden replied, a sweet smile touching his lips.

It was really nice to hear that.

"Haa~," Flash pinched the ridge of his nose and frustratingly let out with a click of his tongue a moment after;

"I hate you, North."

"Hasn’t been your lucky day, huh?" Aiden egged him on as well.

"Screw you!" the dirty-blonde haired youth cussed him then turned to leave without saying a thing.

Not that it stopped Aiden from reminding him, his tone amused;

"I still have a favor left."

"Buzz off!" Flash waved him off as he slipped into the crowd.

"What was that about?" Clarissa walked over and asked, clearly amused.

"Oh, he’s just being salty." Aiden replied, chuckle lightly as he added;

"C’mon. I’ll give you the deets as we try to get that plushie of yours. Hopefully we can get it in a few tries--"

Aiden hadn’t finished that sentence when the tween suddenly exclaimed in excitement;

"Yes!"

Watching the siblings do a little victory dance afterwards, Clarissa and Aiden couldn’t help but share a genuine laugh, their faces full of mirth.

Then, after the kids thanked him once more, they proceeded to give him the rest of the coins to which Aiden waved it off and told them they could go use it on other gizmos.

With a pep in their steps, both kids soon left the area, leaving Aiden and Clarissa to themselves as they proceeded to try their hand at claw machine.

Though it had taken Aiden nine tries, he had eventually managed to get the plushie, much to Clarissa’s excitement.

Then, after spending the rest of their tokens on other games, the couple soon found themselves strolling down the beachside pier hand in hand as the cool-breeze washed over them.

Several of their peers scattered around its expanse, all of them taking in the view as well as the vista of blue skyline that contrasted beautifully against the late evening sky.

Daisy was currently holding onto the pink plushie in one arm, whilst holding onto Casper’s hand with the other.

The gang happened to be nearby, all four in a crouch as they doodled on the sand whilst partaking in the general ambience as they shared and engaged in mundane discussions.

Lizzie happened to be seated on a fairly mid-sized rock, her legs tightly tucked to her chest as Kevin stood next to her, both individuals sharing a quiet, yet seemingly comfortable silence.

Damian, Megan and a bunch of familiar faces from the Student Council stood at the shore of the beach, the gentle waves brushing against their feet from time to time, their shoes held in their hands.

The couple also happened to be holding theirs as well as they strolled down said shoreline, the waves cascading over their feet as well.

"Graduation’s in just a week and a half, huh?" Clarissa quietly spoke.

"That it is," Aiden replied much the same.

"You know, I’m really looking forward to college, especially since we’re headed to the same Uni," Clarissa began.

"But I have to say, I’m also a bit worried. High school’s the last bastion of true youthfulness we’ll ever have." she continued, a soft sigh escaping her as she added;

"Everything from here on out, well... it feels like a lite trial of adulthood. And I don’t think anyone’s ever ready for that, really."

Aiden understood where the lady was coming from. Perfectly.

More so when his Pops was always hammering it into his head about how he should treasure his youth.

Still,

"We’ll weather it," he simply said, then tightened his hand around hers briefly in assurance;

"Together."

In response to that, Clarissa turned around and gave him a soft smile, her hazel-irises reflecting his olive-greens as she said;

"Together."

Then she proceeded to lean in for a kiss, only for Aiden to suddenly place down his shoes and unzip a compartment of his sling bag.

Through it all, Clarissa watched in curiosity as he pulled out two necklaces a moment after, each one holding a halve of the same moon.

Then he said;

"I never formally asked you out, so I figured this was as good a time as any,"

To that, Clarissa’s eyes widened as Aiden placed one necklace in her hand, the lady equally dropping her sneakers onto the ground.

Then, upon placing the one in his hands around her neck, he proceeded to ask;

"So, Clarissa Hale, will you--"

Aiden hadn’t managed to get the rest of the word out before the lady pulled him in for a sweet kiss.

Pulling away from it a moment after, her cheeks flushed, she breathlessly replied with a loving gaze;

"Yes! Yes, of course!"

Then she went in for yet another, and this time, in comparison to the previous kiss that had caught him off-guard, Aiden melted fully into it.

High school romances often faded with time, undone by circumstance, distance, or the countless reasons young love rarely ever found its way to forever.

Yet, for Aiden North and Clarissa Hale, they had already made their choice.

They weren’t content to simply be another Chapter in each other’s lives.

They were dead-set on being each other’s endgame.