Unconditional Validation

Chapter 13

"Do you need help with that, man?" Justin asked with a hint of concern behind his voice.

"Y-Yeah", I nervously stammered.

Justin gently grabbed my left wrist into his hand. My stomach and heart started to flutter like there were massive butterflies inside of me. He wrapped the pink bracelet onto my wrist with ease. Was there anything he couldn't do?

"S-Sorry about that, but thanks Justin", I smiled softly.

"Hey no sweat dude!" Justin grinned and then gently patted my left shoulder.

He's too sweet, I was trying so hard to not blush in front of Justin.

The both of us walked up to where everyone gets their golf clubs and golf balls. Justin grabbed a green golf ball with its matching club. I grabbed the red golf ball with the red golf club. We then walked over to the fork in the path of the sidewalk.

"Which one would you like to do?" Justin asked me and pointed to the tiered sign in front of us.

The arrow that was at the top of the sign read "The Mountain" and pointed to the left of us. Right after that, in parenthesis, the arrow read "Challenging". The arrow at the bottom read "The Prairie", and pointed to the right of us. It also said, in parenthesis, "Easy".

I haven't played mini-golf before, so the one on the right would be the best option. I was thinking to myself on what to decide. However, I don't want to be seen as lame in front of Justin. I guess it's the course on the left.

"I don't mind the course on the left", I was trying to not sound nervous in front of my crush.

"Ayy, I love a good challenge!" Justin exclaimed with a grin.

Justin and I headed up the short flight of six wooden stairs. We had finally arrived at the first hole of the course!

"W-Who should go first?" I asked, trying not to stutter.

"Well, do you wanna go first?" Justin prompted the question.

"No it's okay", I replied softly with a smile, "You can go first."

"Then I'll go first", Justin smirked playfully.

He sat the green golf ball onto the small tee that was in the ground. With a readied stance, Justin gently, but with some force behind it, swung his club at the ball. His golf ball sailed down the rough, green pathway. It was headed for the opening in the ground as a hole-in-one, however, the ball's path had leaned for a bit, and swerved a bit to the right. It had bounced off the right rim of the wall that was the furthest from us. The first hole of The Mountain was just a normal course where it was just a short straight-away.

"Aw man, I thought I'd have that hole-in-one!" Justin was being a sore loser, but being a playful one at best. I giggled softly at him being goofy.

It was now my turn. I had sat down the red golf ball onto the tee. While having a somewhat loose grip on the handle, I readied my stance. I swung my club, but then I realized I had accidentally swung too hard! The golf ball went up in the air and over the hole! I watched in horror as I thought that my golf ball was going to land into the pond below. Thankfully, it didn't. The ball landed a couple of feet away from the shore of the pond.

"Damn, you're strong for a string bean!" Justin snorted. I glared at him nervously.

"T-To be honest, I've never played before", I sheepishly smiled. Justin's goofy grin turned into a slightly sad, yet guilty expression on his face.

There was an awkward silence between the two of us.

"Oh", Justin frowned, "I'm so sorry for saying that Tyler." Justin finished his turn on the hole by getting his ball into it.