Unconditional Validation

Chapter 13

Ugh, he totally thinks I'm so lame! I was nervously panicking in my head. I didn't let it show though by quietly, yet swiftly grabbing my ball and bringing it back.

"N-No", I stammered apologetically, "You wouldn't have known. I didn't tell you beforehand."

"I can help you if you want me to", Justin offered with a smile.

"I'd love that", I was practically in shambles on the inside, while I put up a soft smile on the surface.

Justin came up behind me to help me with my skills. He gently placed his hands upon my own. It felt like I was in a dream! I definitely didn't want to wake up if it was. This was the feeling that I wanted to have all of the time. With Justin's guidance, I swung the club more gently than before. This time, the golf ball rolled swiftly across the greenway. The ball stopped rolling at the edge of the hole, however, the golf ball had teetered into the hole with ease!

"That was so cool! You got a birdie! I knew you could do it!" Justin exclaimed proudly while the two of us exchanged a high-five.

"Thanks", I smiled softly, yet modestly. "You did also help me."

"You are so welcome, your highness", Justin smirked playfully with a bow.

I tried so hard to hold in a laugh, but it totally failed. Justin started laughing with me.

"Come on, you goofball! We still have eight more to go", I grinned at Justin, after calming down. I squatted down over the hole, reached in, and grabbed my ball.

"Yeah, yeah, I know", Justin chuckled while retrieving his ball from the hole.

The next eight holes of the course were challenging as we kept going, but they were still pretty fun. I was definitely getting a better understanding of mini-golf as time went on. It showed as well because I was beating Justin, but only by a mere four points. We were at the ninth and final hole. To be honest, this one looked more challenging than the ones before. First, there was an incline that slightly went up. There were two sets of blockades on the incline. Right after that, there was a short, flat straight-away with an opening at the end. You would have to hit the ball through the opening, which would turn into a cave-like tunnel that spiraled down. When someone's ball would come out of the other end, it would have to dodge these three bigger blockades. Finally after all of that nonsense, you have to get the ball into the hole in the ground. Of course, Justin tried to be a show-off, but that totally backfired. His ball bounced off the wall to the right of the tunnel opening. Luckily, the ball didn't roll back down the incline.

"I thought I could pull off that trick shot!" Justin groaned in frustration.

"At least you tried", I smirked in a playful tone.

"Hey now", Justin rolled his eyes and chuckled, "Don't be giving me attitude mister."

"Whattt?" I snickered, "I'm not giving you attitude."

"Yeah, sure. I'll believe that when pigs fly", Justin laughed. I laughed alongside him.

It was my turn to do my initial shot again. I readied up my stance and swung the club. Somehow, I managed to get up the incline, without hitting the blockades, and even into the tunnel! I was so excited that my golf ball was ahead of Justin's, I forgot about the couple of concrete steps down to the hole! I guess I became too unaware of my surroundings.

"Oh no!" I cried as I put my hands out in front of me to catch myself.

As if Lady Luck herself was standing nearby, I felt a pair of arms wrap around my abdomen and waist.

"Gotcha!" Justin grunted as he stopped me from hitting the concrete face first.

"T-Thanks", I was red as a tomato from embarrassment. I started to look in every direction but Justin.