CHAPTER 5: Chris

"Hadoken! Aww yeaaahhh!"

"Shut up!"

That's basically all we say when Andrew and I are playing video games, which are mostly fighting ones. Today we were playing Street Fighter and Andrew once again beat the s**t outta me using that Ryu guy. 

Dad was out getting his car repaired cause the engine was busted or something and Mom was doing whatever. Andrew was staying over for the summer mostly because his parents didn't give a crap to whatever he did. So he just packed his things in a plastic Wal-Mart bag, told his parents, and walked here. 

We were both leaning on a short table, our backs slumped and our hands moving constantly to keep with the beat.

"Christopher! Get in here!" Mom bellowed. 

"Ooooooh." Andrew mocked.

"Can it, pea brain." I muttered and clicked the game on pause. 

I walked over to the kitchen to see Mom and a girl next to her. At first I didn't recognize who it was, but then I did.

   Dusty. Yes, Dusty. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail and she wore a T-shirt and jeans with Nike sneakers. 

"Dusty here says she knows you." Mom said, her hand on Dusty's shoulder which I could see was making her uncomfortable. 

"Yeah, mom, she helped me with the accident yesterday." 

Dusty stepped forward, in her hands was a lilac Duffel bag. 

"My mom's not gonna be home for a month, and I need to stay with someone."

Uh oh.

She continued, "And all my friends are somewhere else and my relatives live back in Colorado. So, you guys told me if I needed anything, or wanted to hang out, should call you."

"You didn't call." I remarked. 

"Yes, I did."

I dug into my jacket pocket and got out my phone.

Three missing calls

Shoot

"Oh." I sighed. 

"Well, I was wondering, if I could stay with you guys..." Dusty said. I could tell she wasn't on board with this whole idea, but it was her last resort. 

Mom butted in and stated "I talked to her mom and all, she agreed, but all I need is approval from you."

"Please hold." I quickly responded. 

I dove into the living room to see Andrew, who unpaused the game, and beating my not-moving character. 

"Quit your nonsense and listen me duckweed!" I retorted to him, grabbing a controller and clicking pause. 

"What the hell, man?" Andrew groaned. 

"Dusty. In my kitch-"

"Dusty. Pretty Dusty from yesterday?" 

"Yeah, anyways-"

"Man, she must like us 'cause no girl-"

"Quit interrupting and listen! She's askin' if she can stay over for a month or something cause her mom outta town or whatever." 

"Woah. WOOAAH MAN. That is some serious s**t."

"Yeah, I know, so, yes or no?"

"Dude, would you want a girl to live here to bother us nonstop with her girly s****y-ness?"

We exchanged high-fives.

5:36 Evening.

Dusty lives in the guest room now. Andrew and I share my room, like always, and Mom is happy to have one of her kind in the house.