Hanging By A Thread (Asa Butterfield Fanfiction)

He pushes the door open, and we step in, breathing in the typical bowling alley aroma. Jona waves at a guy in a uniform, and he flashes us a grin as he walks towards all of us. "Hey man! Gonna bowl?"

"Yeah," Jona hugs him, and shakes his hand. "Josh, where can we?"

"Oh yeah, alley 12. Right next to the nacho section," he points to the far left, and we thank him as Lottie rides on Kelvin's back.

Asa brings out his camera, snapping a photo of the arena. For the first time in two weeks, he looks at me, and this time, he doesn't look mad. He rounds me and stops me. "Um, I'm sorry for being really distant and avoiding you. I know you're sorry, it's just...well, yeah. But today, maybe we can just put the past behind us."

I smile, realizing he was no longer angry at me. I nod, as I follow the rest of the clan and get some bowling sneakers. What a massive wave of relief.

"Do you guys have a size 6?" I ask, searching through the cabinet. "Oh, I found it," I reach out for a rather worn out faded crimson colored sneakers and put them on.

"C'mon, let's go! We wouldn't want to waste time, now do we?" Kelvin ushers all of us to the alley, handing us some bowling balls. I reach for an average sized blue one.

Jona goes first, swinging a heavy orange bowling ball. Lottie backs away, and stumbles on the floor. She chuckles, and I carry her on my shoulders. "Go Jona, Go!"

"Woooooo!" He shouts, getting a strike. He pats Kelvin on the back, as he adjusts his position and readies his bowling ball.

"If you don't get a strike, I'm totally disowning you!" Max screams, and I punch him on the shoulder. He laughs, and grabs my waist, giving me a quick peck on the cheek.

"If you want me to puke and lose, don't have some PDA here," Kelvin jokes, snorting. Max releases me, and slumps down to the nearest chair.

Kelvin finally swings, getting two misses. He grunts in annoyance, and he ushers me to the alley. "Your turn, Catherine!"

"I'm totally going to beat your sorry ass, Kelvin!" I tease, taking a last sip of my soda, getting a high five from Lottie. "I'd like to see you try, Stones!"

"Watch me," I adjust my position, shifting a little. "Oh this I want to see," Kelvin mocks, munching on some nachos.

I swing my arms, and the bowling ball slides down the alley. It hits the pins and shoots them all down. I smirk at Kelvin, as he rolls his eyes.

"Beginner's luck," he snorts as I pass him, and I pay him mockingly on the back. "It's okay Kelvin, you'll get it soon."

Max steps up on the alley and gets his bowling ball, a light green one. He practices swinging his arms, moving his hands around. "This one's for you, Cathy!"

"Better make that phenomenal!"

"It will!"

He swings his arm, and his bowling ball strikes all of the pins down. "Phenomenal, right?"

Kelvin gapes in disbelief, annoyed at how his younger brother beat him. "Could've been better."

"Okay, now let's twist the rules a bit. Asa, explain." Jona gives Asa a pat on the back. "Alright, so first, position your hand like this," Asa demonstrates as he flips his hands on the bowling ball.

We follow, mimicking all his moves. "Got it?" He asks, swinging his arms. All the others nod, except for me. "Er, Asa?"

"Oh, you don't understand, Cathy?" He goes towards me, and I nod, embarrassed. "Okay, Asa teach Cathy how to do it. Me and the others will go and bowl." Jona tells us, as him and the others go back to the bowling ball.

Max pecks me on the mouth, and I let him. I hear Asa shift his feet, and faces the other way. Max goes with the others, and I tap Asa on the shoulder. "Still up to teach me?"

"Yeah, yeah," he says, forcing a smile. I do think that Max overdoes a little, but I do enjoy and appreciate the little sweet things he does. He gives me a different ball, lighter than my previous one.

"Okay, first, wrap your fingers around the ball like this," he shows me, as I helplessly try to copy him. I turn away, embarrassed at how I was horrible at it. "Sorry."

"Don't need to be sorry, it's okay. C'mere," he gestures his hand to come closer, and I follow. "Here, I'll teach you."

His arms wrap around my waist, and his other hand guides the other and fixes my fingers on the bowling ball. "See, this is how you're supposed to hold it."

My stomach turns, and I quiver a little. I never reacted this way towards anyone but Asa, not even with Max when we get a little sweet and intimate. He pulls me a little closer, adjusting my position as his head rests on my shoulder, fixing my arm.