Then just as quick as it had come, the song ended and the moment was over.
"We have a new Champion" The electronic voice shouted out to the crowd. When Adam turned around, he froze and turned the color of a tomato obviously embarrassed, though about what he had just done, or that there were so many people around Mac wasn't sure. The guarded look came back over Adam's face; only a little less guarded this time.
"Damn Adam" Flack going over to Adam and clasping him on the shoulder, forgetting how much Adam disliked physical contact, and snapping Adam out of his daze with a flinch. "I though you said you didn't know how to play."
"I don't… didn't" Adam said staring at his feet
"Well damn kid you have some intense gaming skills then" Flack told him his grin voicing how impressed he was by itself.
"Well" Sheldon said coming up, he and Stella had caught the end of the performance, "looks like Don has some new competition."
"Don't I know it" Flack said with a grin.
"You know what" Stella exclaimed coming over to them, trying to salvage Adam's openness, and excitement the crowd was quickly taking away, "I think this calls for ice cream. Flack, Adam whatta ya think?"
"I think that's a great idea Stell, come on Adam, this ones on me."
"That's okay you don't-
"Nope don't ya know Adam, the looser always treats the winner."
"But-"
"Sorry it's the rules," Flack said with a wink at Stella "Can't go breaking the rules now, can we?"
"But you and Danny break the rules all the time." Adam told him completely serious
Stella howled, Sheldon snorted, and Flack glared at both of them. "Yes, but we're bad influences, you shouldn't listen to us."
"but-
"Hey I wanna play the kid next" A kid screamed from the crowd
"No chance, I'm playing him" Another kid shouted.
Adam tensed and shuffled towards Flack, as if Flack could protect him from the soon to be mob.
"Sorry guys, but the kid has other plans, maybe another day." Flack told the crowd in a firm voice, secretly pleased by Adam's almost unconscious move closer to him, taking it to mean that Adam trusted Flack to protect him.
"Oh come on, one more" The crowd shouted
"Maybe two"
"Nope, got to go we're going to be late" Flack told the crowd with a glare as if daring them to defy him. One person in the crowd almost did, but when Mac, and Danny came to stand by the group the crowd backed off, before it finally disapated completely.
"Not bad Adam, maybe sometime you can show me how its done" Mac suggested as they headed towards the ice cream stand.
Adam stared at Mac as though he'd grown two heads, "you want me to teach you to play a video game."
Mac laughed at his expression "Something like that."
"Hey, so when are we getting together to finish the project?" Lindsay asked "It's due on Friday."
"Well" Mac told them, " I've almost finished putting the board together, so all that's left to do is to add the finishing touches, come up with how we are going to present it, and put our reports together" Danny froze. "You did all finish your reports didn't you?" Mac asked eyeing Danny
"Hey why do you instantly look at me?" Danny asked offended
"Because you're the one that stopped when I mentioned it."
"Well" Danny looked around sheepishly "I may or may not have forgotten to finish it."
"So how far are you on it?" Mac asked with raised eyebrows.
"Well I um…"
"Please tell my you've at least started it."
"Okay… I've started it"
"Danny" Mac scolded
"I'm just teasing it's worth a quarter of our grade, of course I finished it." He grinned playfully.
"Not funny Danny!" Lindsay smacked him on the arm angrily
"Yes it was, you should have seen your faces." He said laughing
Lindsay glared at him, and then smiled mischievously "Careful Danny, I know where you keep your comic collection"
Danny's smirk dropped, "You wouldn't
"Oh yes I would."
"Montana"
"What's a comic collection?" Adam asked Danny
Danny just looked at Adam "You've never read a comic book?"
"No"
"Okay, tomorrow my hou… on second thought lets go to the library."
"Danny suggesting the library? Check for a fever" Flack teased
"Ha ha" Danny 'laughed' as he glared at Flack
"Seriously though, you hate the library, what's up at home?"
Danny's face darkened for a moment, "Louie's friends are coming over"
"Sorry man, shouldn't have asked" Flack told him
Adam looked back and forth between them, curios as to who Louie was, but seeing their reaction hesitant to ask.
"No it's alright man, it's not your fault my brother's an idiot, but anyways," He said turning to Adam, "tomorrow you and me library,"
"You guys could come over to my place, I think I might have one or two comics stashed away somewhere." Mac told them
"No way, Mac comics, you?"
"Hey, I resent that"
"It's just your so… so… so Mac-y"
"Mac-y?"
"Yeah Mac-y"
"Am I Mac-y?" Mac asked the others
"Well um… yeah" Lindsay told him
"Mac-y about describes it" Sheldon told him
"You don't think his Mac-yness is contagious do you?" Jo asked shuffling away from him, and hiding behind Adam, "Because I catch things really easy"
"Ha ha, that's fine Jo, you can drive yourself home." Mac told her with a slight smile.
"That's just cold Mac"
"Yeah well he can be as cold as he likes, just as long as my ice cream is still cold too." Flack said as he gestured towards the stand, indicating that they should get moving once again.
Hey guys so thanks again for reading. So just so you know, the plan is to do a couple more chapters dealing with the here and now, then skip to halloweenish, and christmas. But thats just the basic plan, so I would love to see what you think and well for all you out there who are waiting for some angst, it's coming...
Kaddie out.