Off to the races, we go. Well, maybe that's a bit of an extravagant way of putting it. Rebecca wants to go in and play a racing game, so it looks like we're up for a little fun. Concentration, sure, but fun. Out of all of the games we've played together...Grand Theft Auto, Wipeout, LitteBigPlanet, and half a dozen others, the racing games seem to have an effect on Rebecca. We don't play games all that often. About two or three times a week, we turn the PS3 on and go at it. At least, when both of us are awake. I'm guilty of not being able to sleep some nights and creeping downstairs for a nice, quiet game of flOw to help calm my nerves down.

Maybe the racing games are better, to her, because they're easier for her to play. Truth be told, it's not exactly easy to play a game with a controller that is one-third of your entire height. There's no way Rebecca can ever wrap around and use the triggers, analog sticks, and the face buttons at the same time, like I can. With racing games, however, it's easier for her. She can just lean against the X button to get her vehicle to go forward and drag her hands around on one of the analog sticks to move around curves. With this in mind, she's not the best player in the world, but she doesn't really have to be. We're just there to have fun.

As we get back into the living room, she lets me go and jumps back up onto the couch. Jumping isn't the right way to put it, though. She jumps at the couch, and then pulls herself up with her arms clenched onto the cushions. She makes it, though, and gets herself sitting down, her legs and feet extended to the edge of the cushions. “Alright, go grab the other controller while I get things going! We're gonna play Wipeout for awhile, first!” My face makes a smile as I walk away from the couch to get the second wireless controller. To think that this woman I found outside was not only a good, adorable person, but also someone who came to love playing games.

Some soft music comes through the television's speakers as I walk back to the couch. Wipeout Fury's music is playing in the background and, by the time I get to the couch, she's already at the title screen, setting up a multiplayer game. “Alright, I'm gonna sit down, so--” “...so I'd better be careful, right?” she interrupted. She looks at me for a second and grins. “This is not the first time we've sat on the same couch. I know what to expect. So, just get your butt down here, next to me. We've got a race to do!” She knows me better than I think she does. Am I really that predictable to her? I suppose I am, in some ways. She knows I look out for her. Maybe I say the same things often?

“Player 2, choose your vehicle.” says the automated voice on the game. Rebecca goes through these menus fast, despite the fact that she has to press hard on all of the large buttons of the controller. Sometimes, I think she's better with this thing than I am. I slowly cycle through vehicles until I find my regular model, the Assegai vehicle. “Still going with the Ass Car, huh? Because you like being behind my car's ass?” asked Rebecca, a giggle coming through the room. I always forget what she does to me because of that. She's definitely comfortable around me, to be able to make fun of my vehicle like that. Still, it is a bit humorous. I let out a slight chuckle and nod to her.

“H-hey! Don't make fun of it. It's a great Ass Car! Let's just start the race!” I respond, trying to show her that I'm having as much fun of this as she is. “Yeah, sure. We'll start the race.” said Rebecca, moving her hands across the buttons, going through the final set of stages. Before long, we're at the screen that shows us a piece of artwork from the game as the map and cars are loading. This time can be taken for Rebecca to have a break. She may not like to admit it, but I can see just how much work she has to put into doing all of this. It's not easy for her to play around with a controller like that.

“You know, it's a shame they don't make controllers your size, Rebecca. It would probably make things a lot easier for you.” I mention this to her, not really having a solution in mind for making things easier for her. I mean, I can go buy her a remote control for the PS3, which would make the face buttons easier to use, but it would still make playing the games a little awkward. She'd practically be sitting on the remote to reach said buttons. “Easier?! It doesn't need to be easier. I can kick your butt just fine like this!” Her response is a bit cocky, but predictable. I just nod to her and the race starts, stopping me from saying anything else.

The buzzing of techno music plays through the speakers as we are set off, the screen split by a horizontal line in the middle. On the top is her car, and on the bottom is mine. We set off, my thumb gentle pressing down on the buttons of the controller, while Rebecca's body pushes forward, her arm resting on top of her X button. The race goes onward, only the two of us in the race. With Rebecca's difficulties, I never think it necessary to have AI opponents. As we set off, I pull ahead of her, having been place in the starting lineup. “Hey! You get back here! I'm gonna get ya!”

Her adrenaline is starting to rush as a Quake wave comes blasting through the raceway and knocks my vehicle into the wall, raising it's damage level up to 49%. “Whoa, there, missy. Packing some firepower back there, I see!” Rebecca's vehicle then whizzes by mine, and she starts laughing at me. “Yeah! That's right!” She always gets like this when we race. It's like games are a sure-fire way to get her blood pumping and her concentration on something, other than what's going on in the house, or what's going on in that head of hers.

We keep this going for nearly an hour, all in the same race. I can hear panting next to me, and I know she needs a break, but her attitude hasn't given up. She's got such a competitive nature to her, when it comes to this stuff. Every time I hit her with something, or we come close to one another, she's like some sports announcer or something. It's hilarious, at times, but also interesting. As the kitchen timer goes off, she quickly pauses the game and jumps from the couch. “All right! Dinner's ready. Let's go get it!” One quick statement and she's gone. It's like she's a little kid, full of energy. I slowly get up and follow after her, laughing as I go...