"Aww... We're out of chocolate." Whines Flanna, looking into the two empty bowls.

"I guess we can't play the game anymore, then. What would you like to play instead?" I ask, and she thinks for a second.

"Cards Against Humanity!" She cheers, bouncing toward me on the couch.

"We don't have enough people. It wouldn't work well with the mechanics of the game." I state, and she leans back to where she was, thinking intently with her eyebrows furrowed, and her hand on her chin.

"Why don't we play Chutes and Ladders?" I suggest, and Flanna bursts out laughing.

"How do you get from Cards Against Humanity? To Chutes and Ladders?!" Her raucous laughter eventually fades into giggles, and once she's completely calm again, she shrugs. "Sure, why not?"

"I'll go get the game, then," I say, standing up and going to the game cabinet. I grab Chutes and Ladders and set it up on the coffee table. "I always play as this girl," I state, holding up a little cardboard girl with black hair in a ponytail.

"Good! 'Cause I always play this one!" Flanna announces, holding up a cardboard girl with a blonde bowl cut and a gap in her teeth.

"Now, we spin to see who goes first. The highest number wins." I say, flicking the spinner. It lands on the 5.

"My turn!" Flanna exclaims happily, and I hand her the spinner. It lands on 3. "I guess it's your turn, then!"

~ ~ ~

"How are you so good at this?!" Flanna complains, pulling at her hair as I land on 100. "I demand another rematch!" She shouts, slamming her hands on the coffee table.

"Are you sure, Flanna? We've been playing Chutes and Ladders for the last hour, and you haven't won once." I remind, skeptical that she actually wants to play.

"Actually... Maybe we should play something else... Candy Land?" I giggle, packing up Chutes and Ladders.

"Sure, I don't see why not. But remember, we have games other than these." I say, putting Chutes and Ladders back and pulling out Candy Land.

~ ~ ~

"Why are you so good at games?!" Flanna shouts, throwing herself back onto the floor.

"I have a lot of practice. Would you like to play Uno?" I suggest.

"Absolutely! Do you have any interesting patterns?" She asks.

"Patterns? Do you mean what's on the cards? If that's the case I have The Simpsons." I say, grabbing the box.

"Oh! I love the Simpsons!"

"They're funny. When I was little, I owned the first 12 seasons on DVD. I left them in the city, though."

"I- actually haven't seen those. I only watch what's on TV." Flanna chuckles. "So I've only seen the recent seasons."

"I'll send for the first 12, then. I think they're better. The characters more rounded and all that show-critic nonsense." I say, shuffling the cards.

"Aw- these are so cute! I love that-" Yeah, hi. Author here, I don't actually know if I'm allowed to talk about the game in this book? I mean- it's nothing important, but... I'm not risking it. I'm not going to talk about the game further. Just in case, I guess? I don't know how this Copyright stuff works.

~ ~ ~

"You're good at this game, too?! This is so unfair! I haven't won once tonight!" Flanna whines, throwing her head back.

"It's a talent, I guess. I've been playing these games for years, and I've always been lucky." I say, picking up the cards.

"Yeah- I've had enough of being beat. Why don't we do something else?"

"I say we make the sugary-est pancakes ever. I have syrup, berries, candy, and popcorn. What do you think?"

"I think you're a sleepover genius! What do ya want in your pancakes? What kinda' berries ya got?"

"I have blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and bananas."

"Perfect! We can put the blueberries in the pancakes and pile the rest on top! Let's get cooking!" We dash into the kitchen, grabbing bowls, spatulas, whisks, and a griddle. "I need AP flour! Baking powder! Butter! Milk! Sugar! Salt! Nutmeg!" She shouts, and I run off to the pantry.

We work furiously, laughing at how serious we are about pancakes. And then the fruit of our labor is complete. Six pancakes, two stacks of three, topped with syrup, fruit, gummy worms, gummy bears, M&M's, popcorn, butter, and chocolate chips.

We eat them in the living room, watching Enchanted. It's a wonderful musical, you should watch it.

I didn't think anything could be that sugary. My mouth was covered in a film of sugar for hours after. But it was fun, gorging ourselves on a monstrosity of our own making, and barely being able to finish it. Singing along to a musical with exaggeratedly bad voices. I don't think I've ever had a friend like her.