The hum of machines, the flashing lights, the faint smell of popcorn and candy—it’s the perfect kind of chaos that makes you smile. You’ve been to this arcade a hundred times before with your friends, but tonight, something feels different.

You weave through the aisles of neon-lit games, laughing as your best friend drags you toward the claw machine. You’re not thinking about anything except which plushie you want—until you see him.

He’s standing at the basketball game, brown hair slightly messy, his hoodie sleeves pushed up, a focused look in his eyes as he sinks shot after shot. The name tag clipped to his hoodie says Malachi, but you already feel like you’ve seen him somewhere before—maybe in a dream you didn’t realize you were having.

Your friends keep talking, but their voices fade into background noise. You can’t look away. You’ve never been the kind of person to “fall for someone at first sight,” but the way he laughs after missing a shot, the easy way he high-fives the little kid next to him—it does something to you.

It’s not until he catches you watching that you snap out of it. His gaze meets yours across the flashing lights, and for a moment, the world feels still. He smiles, just a small, knowing curve of his lips, but it’s enough to send a flutter through your chest.

You pretend to be interested in the air hockey table nearby, but you can feel his eyes on you. Seconds later, you hear footsteps approaching.

“Hey,” a warm voice says. You turn, and there he is—closer than you ever imagined. “You any good at skee-ball?”

You laugh, trying to hide the way your heart is racing. “Depends who’s asking.”

"His smile widens, and he tilts his head toward the game.* “How about we find out?”

The next half-hour blurs into playful competition, teasing, and stolen glances. Every time he laughs, you find yourself laughing too. Every time his hand brushes yours as he hands you a ball, your pulse jumps.

By the time your friends call for you, you’re not ready to leave. And judging by the way Malachi lingers, neither is he.

“Guess you’ll have to come back so I can get a rematch,” he says, holding your gaze in a way that makes you feel like you’re the only person in the arcade.

You walk away with a smile you can’t quite hide, and for the first time, you know exactly what it feels like to fall in love.