Yeah, I totally suck at bowling. I'm even worse now.
"Marc, it's all right, I was awful at bowling too. Not that I'm great at it now. I don't even like bowling." Ezra tried to console me while whispering the last part.
Still, I'm so losing face right now. I feel like people are looking at me and judging me. I just wanna hide my face and somehow become invisible right now. The others in my team are awesome. A lot better than me. Why did it have to be bowling first ugh ?
Duke and David are the rival team captains. They're both superb and at the same level. But they will never admit it. Lance obviously decided to be in the opposite team as that of Marvin just so he can kick his ass. Ezra is on the opposite team as me, but we are the team slackers. We're dragging the scores of our teams down, but I'm obviously the worst. I'd managed to score the least. Felix is doing well. Liam and Ryan are pretty good too. Kairn just bowled another strike.
So David, Kairn, Felix, Lance and I are in one team. And Duke, Marvin, Ezra, Liam and Ryan are the rival team. My hand hurts already. And here goes the ball into the gutter. Again.
("Some legends are told, some turn to dust or to gold. But you'll remember me, remember me for centuries....")
I love Fall Out Boy, but it's not helping that they're playing Centuries.
"Hey" Kairn stood beside me while it's Lance's turn and the guys are cheering for him. I greeted him back. But before he could say anything, Marvin did a very Marvin thing, catching everyone's attention.
"My Lancelot, you got this. Even if we're in opposite teams, you know I'm always on your side." Marvin winked. There were chuckles. Marvin being Marvin to Lance. Damn, he can be annoying. Or I'm just in a pissy mood.
Lance ignored him and focused on his goal. He got eight but missed the other two in his spare.
He then charged at Marvin like a bull and stopped when he was face to face with him.
"Ughhh why? Just why? Lancelot is NOT my name. It reminds me of that stupid dude in Merchant Of Venice. I hate it. You do that at school, but we're at the mall. Not that I'm fine with you calling me names at school." Lance sneered while crossing his arms.
"Well, I think of Sir Lancelot from The Round Table first. But okay, Lance is perfect on you, anyway. You get to call me .... mmmph."
Well aww, I guess? Also, what does Lance get to call him?
Marvin did not get to finish that sentence since Lance silenced him first. Not that the rest were listening, they were busy trying to beat one another and cheering for their team. Marvin and Lance are just left with their drama sometimes. I focused on the others as well.
("We've been here forever. And here's the frozen proof. I could scream forever. We're the poisoned youth...")
"Hey Marc." Kairn called me, returning my attention back to him. It was just his normal gaze, not pity or frustration or annoyance or even that understanding look. Just Kairn. Looking at me like he always does when I look at him. I like that, really.
"Hey Kairn." I tried to smile. It must look really fake. I'm kind of down right now.
He smiled at me still. "Try this. Keep your wrist and hand straight while swinging the ball out and back. Rotate your wrist and hand towards the opposite side of your body when the ball comes forward and let go of it near your ankle. Try to keep your hand in handshake position after you release the ball." He explained while holding a ball. He helped me when I held one too and tried to imitate his movements. It took a few tries. All the others were busy with the game, arguing and cheering.
"Nice. Try to keep that in mind next time. You're doing really well." It was a genuine smile. And I couldn't help but reciprocate that smile. This really lifted my spirits up. I felt I could be a little better at least.
Ezra cut in, "You tried to teach me too, look at me. I'm still bad at this."
"And you never bothered to learn. You don't even play every time. And you don't even like bowling." Kairn lowered his voice and dragged the last sentence for dramatic effect.
"Shhhh don't tell the others. I here, aren't I? That's what matters."
"I don't think it's like they don't know that." Kairn had that 'like seriously, it's obvious' look, like it's not that hard to figure it out. He then faced me, "Don't listen to him, you're doing great. You'll improve, at least. That's what counts."
"Thanks a lot, Kairn. This really helped me. I can't wait to try it out."
And I got a little better next time. At least the ball didn't go straight to the gutter this time. I got five in my first time. And another three in my spare. I then focused on the game as much as I could. I even got a nine once. I was so glad that I ran up to Kairn and tried to hug him, but it looked like a tackle or something. And he ended up balancing us both. I had a huge grin on my face while still in his arms. He was smiling too.
"THANK YOU SO MUCH. I never thought I could even bowl, well nobody taught me either. Thanks." I was still so excited. And we even won.
"Alright love birds. Let's have some food, then we can try out other games." Duke said while leaving the bowling alley with disappointment written all over his face. Maybe if he had bowled another strike, they would've won. But food makes everything better, and he isn't a sore loser. We then let go of each other and Kairn mumbled a 'welcome' and 'you did good'.
Lance teased Marvin a little, but he didn't mind at all. We joined three tables to accommodate all of us. Felix was first to voice what he wanted. "Let's get boba drinks."
"Yeah of course. That's the first thing you say the very second we sit down, every damn time." Duke smiled, shaking his head. Felix gave him a cheeky grin in return.
"Well, how many of you wanna have boba drinks? I'll just get a coffee for me." David asked for a voting. Duke wanted an iced tea. Liam wanted chocolate milkshake. Ryan wanted some mocktail. Marvin and Lance went to buy some food. Ezra, Felix, Kairn and I got boba drinks.
"I'll have strawberry milk base with kiwi bubbles." It took Felix five minutes to decide.
"I'll have lemon ice tea with strawberry bubbles." Ezra ordered happily.
"I'll have lavender milk base with rainbow jelly bubbles." Kairn decided too.
"That may taste weird. I have never tried it. And why's lavender even a flavour?" Felix chuckled, lowering his voice for his doubt to not offend the servers. He looked cute with his nose scrunched up, knitted eyebrows and his head tilted to the side. Kairn just shrugged. He just felt like it I guess.
"I'll have mango milk with blueberry bubbles." I just felt like blueberries today. And I love mangoes.
We got our drinks and found our seats again. Duke was already there waiting with Marvin and Lance. They were sipping on some cold drinks. They already ordered for some combo bucket. Ryan and Liam joined us in a little while too. They brought chicken wings as well. We sat at the table waiting for others. Kairn said he would look for David and help him. David went to get his coffee, Duke's iced tea and some snacks. So we started chatting about random stuff while waiting for them.
("I see us dancing by ourselves, we do it when no one around, yeah just you in my imagination, yeah. In my imagination.") The song played in the background while we were busy with stupid talk. Hmm, I like this song.
"Yeah so she just hugged me suddenly, and I froze. It looked like she was hugging a log, that's how stiff I was. And all the other students were watching. She's not even my close friend and-"
"Where's one fourth of my drink?" I stopped because Kairn suddenly spoke up when he joined us with David.
Felix pointed at me the very second. "I don't even like sharing drinks... or food." I eyed him to convey what I really wanted to say, Hello, traitor.
"What Noooo. That's how much they served you." Maybe he'll believe me. But no, he kept staring at me seriously. This is making me squirm in my seat. We're all just sitting in an awkward silence now. The silence is so uncomfortable. I GIVE UP.
"Oh, come on it's just a little. Look at the colour, it's so pretty. And if you were worried it'd taste weird, it tastes fine." I smiled at him and tried to look innocent. I wouldn't want anybody trying out my drink either... but it looks so pretty. Should've asked him, though. I didn't think he would notice or mind.
Ryan laughed, "Kai you're so stingy. It's not even one fourth. So specific."
"Well, he doesn't share." Liam reasoned. I hope he's not really mad.
He looked at his drink for a few seconds, "Eh it's all right, I would've been mad if you drank like half of it."
"Really? I'm sorry though. You shouldn't leave your pretty drink unguarded like that. If you'd told me 'don't drink that' sternly, I wouldn't have touched it, though maybe that'd make me want it more." I said the 'don't drink that' part with all the poker face I could muster. Kairn and I snickered, then laughed out loud looking at each other.
("I see us dancing by ourselves, we do it better with no one around, yeah. Just you in my imagination, yeah. In my imagination...")
Songs used :
- Centuries by Fall Out Boy
- Imagination by Foster the People
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