The Arcade Aftermath

The group exited the arcade with the energy of a battlefield truce—jittery but victorious. They were still reeling from the chaos: claw machines, dancing games, and one very heated air hockey match that Nova swore was rigged.

Theodore was the first to break the silence. “Okay, I’m starving. Let’s eat.”

Callie, still annoyed at losing in a driving simulator, gave him a side-eye. “And? Do we look like your meal planners?”

“I’m inviting you,” Theo shot back, grinning. “Call it... reparations for crushing you at the arcade.”

“Crushing me? You cheated!” Callie fired, but the laughter tugging at her lips betrayed her annoyance.

The rest of the group quickly fell in line. Hunger outweighed any leftover competitiveness, and soon they were deciding where to eat.

As everyone made their way toward a nearby restaurant, Carsten noticed something—or rather, someone—missing.

Owen had strayed off course, slipping back toward the arcade. His tall figure stood out even from a distance, his hands casually stuffed into the pockets of his Off-White sweatpants. The nike jordan 1 retro metallic navy sneakers he wore made no sound against the arcade tiles as he approached the counter, his black Prada hoodie snug around his broad shoulders.

Carsten, in her oversized Fendi hoodie and Nike joggers, didn’t call out to him. Instead, she adjusted the strap of her LV tote bag and followed. Quiet. Curious.

She found him at a claw machine.

Owen stood in front of the glowing contraption, his face unreadable but his movements... deliberate. He pulled a token from his pocket and slid it into the machine with a precision that didn’t match his usual nonchalant vibe.

Carsten leaned against a nearby machine, arms crossed. What is he doing?

The claw descended. Gripped. Slipped.

Instead of frustration, a small smirk tugged at his lips. He tried again, his focus sharp, the muscles in his forearm flexing slightly as he maneuvered the joystick. This time, the claw latched onto an orange tabby plushie and carried it triumphantly to the prize chute.

Carsten didn’t mean to smile, but she did. The sight of Owen Knight—cold, cocky, and usually so composed—looking genuinely excited over a plush toy was... unexpected.

He picked up the plushie, holding it up to inspect it before tucking it under his arm like it was a treasure.

And then, he turned.

Their eyes locked for a moment—his, sharp and amused; hers, startled but steady.

“Enjoying the show?” His voice was calm, teasing.

Carsten straightened, masking her surprise with a smirk. “Didn’t know you were into stuffed animals, Knight.”

Owen shrugged, his lips curling into a faint grin. “Even kings have hobbies.”

Before she could respond, he walked away, the plushie still tucked under his arm. Carsten stared after him, her thoughts swirling.

What just happened?

THE RESTAURANT

By the time Carsten rejoined the group at the restaurant, the air was already lively. Theodore was deep in an animated argument with Callie about their earlier game. Twyla and Nova were scrolling through TikTok, Selene was silently scanning the menu, and Elara greeted Carsten with a knowing look.

“Where’d you go?” Elara asked, raising an eyebrow.

Carsten slid into her seat and shrugged. “Nowhere important.”

Across the table, Owen walked in, the plushie nowhere in sight but the shadow of a smirk still on his face. He dropped into the seat opposite Carsten, meeting her gaze for a fleeting second before turning to the menu.

Theodore leaned forward, his eyes darting between the two of them. “What’s with you two? You’ve been weird since we left the arcade.”

“Weird?” Carsten echoed, scoffing. “You’re projecting, Theo.”

“Definitely projecting,” Owen added, his tone deadpan.

Theodore rolled his eyes. “Fine. Just don’t kill each other over dessert, okay?”

As the group ordered and settled into laughter-filled conversations, Carsten found her mind drifting back to the claw machine. To the unguarded look on Owen’s face as he won the plushie.

She caught herself smiling and immediately stopped.

Owen glanced her way, catching her in the act. His lips twitched as if he knew exactly what she was thinking.

“You’re quiet,” he remarked, his voice low enough that only she could hear.

“Maybe I’m just enjoying the peace,” Carsten replied, her tone equally soft.

Owen’s grin widened, but he said nothing more.

Across the table, Callie nudged Elara. “Is it just me, or are they... vibing?”

Elara chuckled. “They’re something, that’s for sure.”

The restaurant was lively but not loud—a balance of warm chatter, clinking plates, and the faint hum of jazz playing in the background. Their group had taken the largest table in the room, pushed together at the center to accommodate everyone. Plates and glasses were scattered across the table, evidence of a satisfying meal shared among friends—and rivals.

At the heart of it all sat two pizza boxes. One, now empty, had held the Burger Pizza that Nova and Kairo had practically inhaled. The other box—once loaded with an All-Meat Special—held a single, solitary slice.

Carsten stared at it like it was a prized treasure.

Owen leaned back in his chair, his Nike Jordan1 Metallic Navy sneakers crossed at the ankles and his eyes trained on the same slice.

“I’ll take that,” he said casually, reaching for it.

Carsten’s fork shot out like lightning, stabbing the box an inch away from the slice. “Over my dead body.”

The table froze.

Nova raised an eyebrow, her iced tea halfway to her lips. “Uh... are we really doing this over a piece of pizza?”

“It’s not just a piece of pizza,” Carsten snapped, pulling the box slightly closer to her side of the table.

“It’s an All-Meat Special—the perfect balance of bacon, sausage, and pepperoni. My favorite.”

“Correction,” Owen said, sitting up and casually rolling up the sleeves of his black Adidas sweatshirt to reveal his toned forearms, “it’s my favorite. And I’ve been eyeing that slice since Nova stole the last burger pizza piece.”

Nova, unbothered, shrugged. “Survival of the fittest.”

Selene crossed her arms, leaning into the dynamic like she was watching a tennis match. “This is the most ridiculous fight I’ve ever seen.”

“Ridiculous?” Carsten said, pointing her fork at Owen now. “What’s ridiculous is him thinking he has any claim to this slice when I clearly deserve it more.”

Owen smirked. “Deserve? What makes you so deserving, Azaria?”

“I’m the one who ordered it!”

“And I’m the one who stopped Theo from eating it five minutes ago.”

Theo, seated between Callie and Jace, raised his hands in surrender. “Hey, I offered to share.”

Callie rolled her eyes. “Let them settle it. Honestly, I’m invested now.”

“Fine,” Owen said, leaning forward. His LV wallet sat beside his plate, as if to emphasize his confidence. “Let’s settle this like adults.”

Carsten mirrored his posture, her Coach shoulder bag still hanging off the back of her chair. “I’m listening.”

“We split it. Half and half.”

Carsten snorted. “Oh, please. Splitting a slice of pizza? That’s like asking someone to share a Tic Tac. No thanks.”

Owen raised an eyebrow. “Then what do you suggest?”

“Simple,” Carsten said, lifting her chin. “Winner takes all.”

“And how exactly do we determine the winner?”

A sly grin spread across Carsten’s face. “Rock-paper-scissors.”

The table collectively groaned.

“You two are impossible,” Rin muttered, sipping his black coffee.

The tension at the table was palpable as Carsten and Owen squared off, elbows on the table, hands poised.

“Best two out of three?” Owen asked, smirking.

Carsten rolled her eyes. “Obviously.”

The first round was a draw—both went for rock.

The second round, Carsten’s scissors cut Owen’s paper.

The third round, Owen’s rock crushed Carsten’s scissors.

It all came down to the final round.

“Ready?” Owen asked, his tone as smug as ever.

“Always,” Carsten shot back.

They counted off: “One, two, three!”

Carsten threw paper.

Owen threw scissors.

“Yes!” Owen declared, grabbing the box triumphantly. He pulled the slice out like it was a trophy and took a slow, deliberate bite.

Carsten glared at him, arms crossed, practically fuming. “You’re the worst.”

“And yet,” Owen said between bites, “this tastes like victory.”

The table erupted into laughter, even Carsten cracking a reluctant smile.

As the conversation shifted back to lighter topics, Carsten caught Owen glancing at her. He smirked, and she rolled her eyes, but there was no denying the energy between them.

It wasn’t just about the pizza.

— — —

Carsten adjusted her rearview mirror as Nova fiddled with the playlist on her phone. The interior of the sleek BMW M4 smelled faintly of lavender air freshener, contrasting with the faint hint of pepperoni and cheese from their earlier dinner. The matte black finish of the car gleamed under the glow of city lights, a fitting ride for someone like Carsten.

Nova finally settled on an upbeat track and leaned back, her head lightly bumping the seat. “Tonight was... something,” she said, her voice a mix of exhaustion and amusement.

“Tell me about it,” Carsten replied, her hands firm on the leather steering wheel. The car purred smoothly as they merged onto the main road leading to their condo.

“I mean, you and Owen over that last slice of pizza?” Nova snorted, kicking off her shoes and curling her feet up on the seat. “I’ve never seen anyone wrestle a piece of food with that much passion.”

Carsten rolled her eyes. “It was my favorite slice. He’s such a pain.”

“And yet, you couldn’t let him win. Interesting.” Nova wiggled her eyebrows teasingly.

Carsten shot her a side-eye. “Don’t start, Nova.”

Nova just laughed, pulling her phone out as they reached their condo’s parking lot.

---

In the girls’ group chat, chaos was already in full swing.

*Selene: *I swear, next time Theo tries to flirt with Callie during dinner, I’m throwing a fork at him.

*Callie: *OMG stop 😳 I’m not even sure he was flirting.

*Twyla: *He totally was. The guy was practically drooling over your pepperoni slice.

*Elara: *Can we please talk about Carsten and Owen’s pizza war? I thought someone was going to get stabbed with a fork.

Carsten sighed as she collapsed onto her bed, her Coach wallet and shoulder bag placed neatly on her bedside table.

*Carsten: *In my defense, that pizza was my favorite.

Nova: Carsten, you literally growled at him.

*Selene: *Not surprised.

*Twyla: *Lowkey impressed.

*Callie: *I mean... Owen does have that aura that makes you wanna punch him, ngl.

*Elara: *Or maybe... steal a slice of pizza from him?

Carsten groaned, typing rapidly.

*Carsten: *You’re all traitors. Next time, I’m eating my pizza in the car.

*Nova: *And yet, you still didn’t let him win. Classic Carsten Azaria.

The chat buzzed with laughing emojis and teasing remarks, making Carsten sigh dramatically before chucking her phone onto the bed. She leaned back, staring at the ceiling.

“Tomorrow,” she muttered to herself, “I’ll win the next round.”

Nova, poking her head through the doorway, smirked. “Talking to yourself again, or planning your next strategy against Knight?”

“Go to bed, Nova.”

Nova just laughed. “Sweet dreams, Carsten. Try not to dream of pizza wars.”

Carsten threw a pillow in her direction, missing by a mile, but the sound of Nova’s laughter filled the condo as the night stretched on.

---

In Owen’s penthouse, the city lights sparkled through the floor-to-ceiling windows. He lounged on the couch, scrolling through his phone. His Adidas sling bag rested on the floor by his feet, still packed with the evening’s chaos.

The group chat had been lighting up since they all got home.

*Theo: *I swear, Callie is just… different.

*Kairo: *Bro, she’s out of your league.

*Theo: *You’re just jealous. You saw the way she smiled at me when I handed her that napkin.

*Zeph: *It was a napkin. Relax.

Rin: I think the pizza had more of her attention than you did.

Owen chuckled as he typed.

*Owen: *Let him dream, Rin. It’s cute.

*Jace: *Almost as cute as you and Carsten fighting over pizza tonight.

Owen paused, raising an eyebrow.

*Owen: *What about it?

*Kairo: *Oh, don’t even act like you weren’t enjoying it, dude. The way you smirked every time she got more pissed? Chef’s kiss.

*Theo: *For real. You were practically goading her on. Honestly, I thought she was gonna throw the pizza at you.

Owen smirked, leaning back against the couch.

Owen: What can I say? She’s competitive.

Rin: And yet, you made sure she didn’t win.

*Owen: *Because I’m better, obviously.

*Jace: *Or… you just wanted to see her reaction.

The chat erupted into laughing emojis, with Kairo spamming GIFs of couples fighting in rom-coms.

*Owen: *You’re all idiots. I wanted the pizza.

*Zeph: *Sure, let’s pretend it wasn’t personal.

*Theo: *Lowkey, though, Carsten has some fight in her. Respect.

*Kairo: *Respect, or a little crush?

Owen rolled his eyes, sending a single reply.

Owen: I don’t lose. That’s all you need to know.

*Jace: *But you let her get under your skin, huh?

Owen: Goodnight, Jace.

The chat quieted down for a moment before Kairo sent one last message.

*Kairo: *You think she’s dreaming about the pizza war, too?

Owen didn’t reply, but the ghost of a smirk lingered on his lips as he locked his phone and tossed it onto the couch.

“Dreaming about pizza wars…” he muttered, shaking his head as he stood to grab a glass of water.

Still, as he looked out at the city skyline, the image of Carsten’s fiery expression and determined glare stuck with him.

He smirked to himself.

“Not bad, Azaria. Not bad at all.”

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***