A/N: I'm FINALLY at a place where I can say I am a handful of chapters ahead of you guys! Expect more recent updates, at least for the next week or two :D WHEE.

*Chapter 19*

"Whoa, hey, you could tone it down a little, right?" Tessa snapped towards her brother; Oliver shot her a dull, incredulous look.

"Woke up on the wrong side of the brick pile, didja?" Oliver laughed with a wide, annoyed smile.

"Long day yesterday, or something?" Tammy wondered with a furrowed expression as the three, including Penny and Emery, moved across Game Central Station towards Dead Zed.

"I'm just tired," Tessa grumbled, though the station was warmly and comfortably lit; it was her only saving grace, "Why are we going to this... Thing... Anyways?"

"We're supporting the racers of Dead Zed," Tammy snapped, she began to feel protective of her best friend, Emery.

"We might even get to SEE Zed," Emery chimed in a girly way, her long, dark teal hair was in a usual low ponytail. Everyone was dressed casually, cladded in their own games' logos. The Arcade day had ended about an hour prior.

"What's so great about him?" Tessa wondered as she finally looked someone in the eye; she figured it'd be best to start out with Emery, whom of which she didn't see on the daily and had eons more patience for.

"Oh, h-he's just never around," Emery tried to remain cool, though Tammy furrowed her eyebrows in sly dismay.

"Yeah, that or you have the hots for him," Tammy barked, her tone and mannerisms mocked that of Calhoun's.

"How can you crush on someone you've never seen?" Penny wondered with a wide, girly smile and a dainty shrug.

"I've seen him!" Emery protested, her face turned bright red, though she knew she was fooling no one.

"She has a thing for blue hair," Oliver snorted, Emery rolled her eyes with a defeated smile.

"So his picture on the game cabinet is cute," Emery shrugged as the five gamers slowly entered Dead Zed, "A girl can dream!"

"You should ask him to the ball," Oliver shoved his loose fist to his mouth and stifled a laugh.

"Great idea!" Emery quickly nudged Oliver's arm; for their minor age gap, their difference in height was rather stark.

As Tessa was nearing her one year birthday, and Oliver three months behind, he held a small amount of height over all four girls. Tessa curiously eyed Oliver and Emery with a teasing smile; she nudged Penny gently to get her attention.

"Maybe you two should just go with each other, that'll solve the problem, right?" Tessa chuffed with a meek smile, though she immediately dropped her act as all four pairs of eyes landed on her, as if they were predators ready to pounce on helpless prey.

"You're one to talk," Tammy quickly barked.

"If that were to happen, would you just shut up and go with Zane?" Oliver retorted.

"Pretty sure you'd have a better chance with the surfer boy than I would with Zed," Emery giggled.

"You guys would make a cute couple!" Penny wailed in a girly, whiny voice as she latched onto her cousin's arm.

"User Almighty, you guys, I think you forgot the part where you kicked me when I'm down! Please, say more!" Tessa urged with largely furrowed eyebrows.

"You're not fooling anyone," Tammy dared to continue; Tessa glared at her with an annoyed smile.

Tessa heaved a hard sigh and wondered just when all of this teasing would be over with. She tried her very hardest to picture herself going on a date with her zaney friend, though she shook her head in a confused feeling of delightful repulsion and wrinkled her nose.

"I'm not embarrassed," Tessa said confidently as she crossed her arms, "I WOULD go with Zane!"

"You would?" Emery asked with an excited smile.

"Yeah!" Tessa said with a large hand gesture and a dumbfounded facial expression, "As friends!"

The whole group groaned and sighed in unison at Tessa's final word. All five gamers slowly moseyed into the rich, dense jungles of Dead Zed. A large path lay ahead, which was coated in rich soil and foliage for days.

"Oooo, complaining, I'm King at that," Zane suddenly chimed as he skid to a stop on his tattered mountain bicycle, "What is it this time?"

"Picking on me, as usual," Tessa glowered at her best friend, as if to beg for help, though she inwardly felt better in his calm and happy presence.

"Eh, that's a daily routine," Zane shrugged, though he beamed Tessa a playful smile; she furrowed her eyebrows and smiled the same smile back, though with a lot less fervor.

"We were just talking about the dance," Tammy said calmly. She knew further humiliation towards any of the wreckers meant bad news eventually.

"Bah," Zane largely waved his hand downwards, "I went last year. More fun if you go with friends."

"That's what I've been saying!" Tessa bursted.

"One of us will have the last laugh, here," Penny schemed as she crossed her arms and teasingly stroked her chin. She side eyed her cousin with a sly smile.

"I'M going with Kito," Tammy said proudly as she straightened her posture. She killed her fingers into the belt loops of her black, tattered jeans. Her usual blue fixing polo was untucked and lazily unbuttoned, revealing her white undershirt.

"We know," Tessa said in a dull, loud tone. Zane stifled a laugh and shifted his legs, which were planted around his bike, his hands gripped the handles.

"I hear Selka doesn't have a date yet," Zane said in sing song, mostly in Emery's direction.

"That's impossible," Emery rebutted as she dropped her arms in surprise.

"Better jump on that, Ems," Tammy encouraged, Emery shot her an incredulous look, as if to agree.

"So, it's settled then," Tessa grumbled, "Tammy is going with Kito, Emery is going to pine after this Selka person, and that leaves me, Penny, Oliver and Zane to go with each other. Sound fair?"

"That works!" Zane agreed with a lovable smile.

"Ok, so can we drop it then?" Tessa beamed with an annoyed smirk, she began to lead the group into continuing down the long path ahead, "It was hard enough to get permission to even GO to this stupid dance."

"Better make it worth it, then," Tammy said quietly; her and Penny slyly caught eyes with knowing smiles.

"Yeah, yeah," Tessa grumbled as she could feel herself reaching the end of her rope.

The six continued to push towards the town where Zane and Emery lived. Tessa remained quiet for the walk, as the rest of her five friends chattered loudly. She observed the game for everything it was. Dead Zed was very similar to Sugar Rush, in the aspect of size, but it had a wild and dangerous vibe to it. Every real plant was bright and wonderful, though most were armed with barbs or thorns. The game held onto its usual, inviting charm, though she knew getting lost in Dead Zed at night might very well be the end of her. She tried not to let her mind wander too far into the idea of what creatures were active at night.

The game's humid, warm climate enveloped the six as they finally neared clearing from the entrance's neck of jungle trees. The warm dirt soil underfoot was strangely inviting, the whole game eked a insatiable, welcoming heat. Tessa inhaled the thick, fresh air. It was unlike anything Sugar Rush smelled like, the atmosphere was rich with the smell of fresh earth and the beaming blue sky was beyond Sugar Rush's gentle pallete, candy spotted coding. Dead Zed was bold and beautiful in all aspects. Tessa felt her heart flutter; she made a mental note to come visit Zane's wonderful game more often.

"Zane, my man!" Came a sudden voice as they neared the outskirts of Zane's town. A tall, strapping young guy easily strolled up and approached Zane. They high fived and made a quick, welcoming handshake to one another. Zane's good friend, Selka, was someone that was often never hanging around for too long, likely because of the many plans he gets invited to.

"Selka," Zane chuckled softly.

"Look at you, bringing in the ladies," Selka grabbed Zane's shoulder in a brotherly way and shook it.

"Pah," Tammy beamed an annoyed smile and crossed her arms as everyone eased into Zane's and Selka's bubble, "We brought ourselves here. Zane just showed up."

"Stay clear of that one, too sassy," Selka joked, though he shot Tammy a warm and friendly smile nonetheless, which caused Tammy to scrunch her shoulders and lightly giggle, albeit the mild insult.

Tessa furrowed her eyebrows and pushed through the group, having been at the back of it daydreaming the whole stroll to town. She quickly caught eyes with Zane before her eyes landed on Selka. She furrowed her eyebrows harder and slowly came to a stop. She blinked a few times in confusion, at the new presence, and gazed at him as a whole. Selka was strong, strapping and handsome. He wore a modest t-shirt, casual cargo shorts and flip flops. He looked as if he was headed to EZ Living. Tessa cocked an eyebrow and felt her stomach dip a little; she felt a million inward insults, directed towards herself, hit the inside of her skin. She now knew why Tammy and Emery were so head over heels for this guy. He reeked of subtle power, a gentle air of dominance that seemed to rise off of his skin.

"I know you've met Tammy," Zane chuckled and kindly motioned towards Tammy; she lightly nodded and rolled her eyes towards her friend, Selka. Zane motioned towards Tessa, Oliver and Penny, "These three are my best friends from Sugar Rush."

"Sugar Rush, eh?" Selka smiled a kind smile towards the three, "Racing's your game, too?"

"Yep," Oliver beamed proudly as he just barely puffed his chest, "Mine and Tessa's mom and dad are King and Queen."

"Oliver," Penny hissed quietly, as if to try to keep him humbled down.

"You don't say," Selka furrowed his eyebrows in surprise and held his gaze on Tessa, "So, that'd make you princess?"

"Me?" Tessa snapped out of her thoughts and shook her head nervously, though she suddenly realized what he asked and beamed a nervous smile and nodded, "Y-Yeah, I'm... Sugar Rush's princess."

"Rightfully so," Selka said warmly; in one delicate, swift movement, he kindly took Tessa's hand and bent down slightly, though he gently swooped her hand upward and placed a delicate kiss atop the back of her hand. He pulled away and smiled kindly into her eyes, "I didn't realize I'd be graced with royalty today."

"U-uh," Tessa beamed a girly smile and felt her face get hot, she bit her lip lightly and felt completely twitterpated, "I-It's nothing, really."

"You going to the Academy dance that's held at the end of the month?" He asked gently, Tessa felt as if she was the only person on planet Earth, though she could still see all of her friend's confused and shocked facial expressions from beyond Selka's palpable presence. Tessa long blinked a few times and had to remind herself where she was.

"Y-yes, I am," Tessa said softly as Selka gently removed himself from her presence and began to step away from the group lightly.

"You'll have to save me a dance, hmm?" Selka wondered with a small wink directed at Tessa.

"Sure...!" Tessa said in an unsure voice with a delicate wave.

"Catch you later, Zane," Selka waved, "It was nice seeing you all."

"Bye Selk," Zane said in a dull tone of playful annoyance as he lazily saluted him away.

"User in Arcade!" Emery hissed as she grew closer to Tessa. She grabbed Tessa's hands and burst into her bubble, "How the hell did you manage that?!"

"It's because she's royalty!" Oliver said in a loud whisper as he threw his hands up, "Somehow, royals always get the good stuff! Dunno when it's going to start happening for me, though!"

"I'll be damned," Tammy barked with a small laugh as she crossed her arms, "THE Selka asked YOU for a dance. Usually girls have to beg him to just hang out with him at any of these fancy balls."

"What just happened?" Tessa beamed an annoyed smile as her eyes darted around the group of friends that suddenly enveloped her.

"You just got blessed by the entire universe, that's what happened!" Emery cried, though she slumped her shoulders in pure annoyance, "I wish I was royalty!"

"Selka only likes to involve himself with people who are deemed important, in his eyes," Zane rolled his eyes with a wide smile towards one of his only guy friends.

"But you're not royalty, or anything," Oliver softly wondered as everyone laid eyes on Zane, "How come he hangs around with you?"

"O-Oh, well," Zane raised his eyebrows, "He doesn't. W-We just went to school together. We had a lot of the same classes."

"You're going to have to learn to dance, now, you realize," Penny worried lightly with a sheepish smile, she held onto Tessa's upper arm and gave her an apologetic look; Tessa immediately slumped her shoulders.

"I don't know how to dance," Tessa loudly worried, "I-I mean look at me! I'd look like Donkey Kong out there!"

"Don't rag on Donkey Kong," Zane laughed with an irresistible smile, "That guy's got some moves!"

"User help your little soul," Tammy chimed as she daintily tapped Tessa's nose with her finger, her and Emery began to head farther into town as Tammy continued over her shoulder, "Study up! The dance is in two weeks!"

"Oh, I'm sure you'll be fine," Oliver waved his large hand downward and began to eagerly follow Tammy and Emery.

"Just sway to the music! Usually works, right?" Penny giggled with a dainty shrug as she skipped to catch up with her three friends that strolled away.

Tessa heaved a shaky sigh and watched everyone, but Zane, pile away. She closed her eyes tight and felt a massive dilema hit her skin. She shook her head and finally peeled her eyes open to the ground. She wondered just how she could manage to get a slice of a date with anyone just as handsome and important as Selka without even trying. She had to wonder why she was suddenly excited to have such an honor. She finally peered at Zane in a curious, bashful and almost annoyed way.

"What am I supposed to do?" Tessa beamed in an unsure way and shrugged lightly, "I have NO dancing skills."

"I could teach you," Zane said nonchalantly with a shrug and a smile.

"You? Teach me?" Tessa cocked an eyebrow and put her hands on her hips, "What kind of dancing will even be done at this ball?"

"Eh," Zane lightly shrugged, "It's typically waltzing."

"Waltz!" Tessa slumped her shoulders and gestured her hands nervously, "I-I... What did I get myself into!"

"You didn't get yourself into anything!" Zane laughed as he threw his head back, "Selka roped you in! Coulda sworn you'd catch on to what Emery was babbling about. The guy is a magnet. On a typical day, that guy is being paraded around by at least a handful of girls from town."

"Does he date any of these girls?" Tessa asked in a largely confused way, her face was bruised with blush, "Or offer to dance with any of them too?"

"No, not at all," Zane's facial expression dropped, "He hasn't had a girlfriend for awhile. As much of a mans man he is, he's really selective with who he involves himself with."

"So I should be honored?" Tessa crossed her arms and side eyed Zane in a confused way; he shrugged and gave Tessa an almost painful look.

"I'd say," Zane said quietly with a friendly smile, "Congrats!"

"Yeah," Tessa heaved a hard sigh and suddenly felt sick to her stomach; she smiled at the idea of going to be able to dance with someone as dashing as Selka, and with such a high honor, but she had to wonder if she would instead make a total fool of herself.

"So, you want me to teach you or not?" Zane chuckled as he lulled his hands into his pockets.

"You know I can't do that," Tessa argued, Zane slumped his shoulders.

"And whynot?" Zane laughed.

"Do you SEE the group of people I walked in with?" Tessa largely flung her hand in the direction her four friends escaped to, "They'd tear me to shreds! I'd never hear the end of it!"

"Then it'll be our secret," Zane said in a soft tone with a warm smile and a shrug that humbly boasted his strong shoulders, "You come over while everyone is at Academy and I'll teach you at my home."

"But what about Penny and Oliver?" Tessa worried, "They don't go to Academy."

"Hmm," Zane fingered his chin, which was dotted with short, black prickly hairs, "Just tell them we're going to help Emery with a school project. It's a big one, and she needs all the help she can get?"

"They might buy that," Tessa trailed off and looked down to the ground, though she shot Zane a curious smile, "Alright, magic man, how many other hobbies do you have? You surf, you skateboard, you race, you DANCE?"

"That about covers it," Zane laughed with his usual, kind smile. His light blue eyes earnestly gazed into Tessa's soul, "I do, however, make a mean lasagna."

"User, AND you cook," Tessa spat with an annoyed smile as she flailed her arm down and looked away in an amused way; she shook her head and lightly giggled, "Unbelievable."

"Whatdoyah say," Zane said softly as he lulled his hands into his pockets and shrugged lightly, "I'll teach you, so that you'll be confident when it comes time to dance with Selka. Walzting is easy, I'll show yah."

"Fine," Tessa heaved a hard sigh and gave Zane a curious, side eyed look, "Though not a word of this gets to the group. Deal?"

"I promise," Zane chuckled as he gently reached out and shook Tessa's hand, "Deal."