Opposites Don't Attract

Chapter Twenty Three

I shrugged my shoulders. Maybe he was right. It was along time ago. I'll be much better. But what if I'm not? Being laughed at isn't a nice place to be. 

We returned to our seats and Abbey and her dad were ready to go home. It was past seven o'clock. They reached for the door and outside there was a car parked in front of my house. It was Abbeys older sister Caitlin, who was waving her hand frantically in the air. Abbey and Tom waved goodbye to us all and disappeared into the car and off they went. 

The snow was gone a little thinner since it stopped snowing. I began to shiver. Someone could seriously freeze to death if they stood outside for more than a minute. Or even thirty seconds. I quickly shut the door and tried to get warm again. 

I began to moan at my parents but they just said I was being a silly little baby. Is that what they think of me? A silly little baby? I went upstairs. I felt tired so I decided to have a nap. Maybe for an hour nor two.

*** 

Ughh!! I hate that stupid alarm clock. Its practically driving me BONKERS! It was only ten thirty. What? Ten thirty. I remember setting it to twelve. Dad! He always does this. I know its him because I saw him creeping into my room and fiddling with that clock. I couldn't be bothered to say anything because I was way to tired. 

I rolled over to the edge of my bed and crash landed onto the floor. Ouch! My nose. My eyelids were still heavy so they stayed shut. That meant I had to walk like a blind person. I got up and tried to find my way to my bathroom. Ouch! I just banged my head into the wall. Great. Well, at least it woke me up. I decided to have a shower and so I did. 

I was now all fresh and clean. I got dressed into a plain white, collarless shirt and light blue jeans. On top of my shirt I wore my black jacket. I ran downstairs and had toast with chocolate spread for breakfast. By the time I had finished it was eleven thirty. Dad, mum and James already had their breakfast so we set off right after I finished eating. I was still nervous but I tried not to think of it. I tried hard to imagine myself as 'The Star Of bowling' but the only images in my head was 'The Star Of Being A Loser At Bowling'. 

We first went over to Abbeys and they all got into a car and both cars were off to the bowling alley. Abbeys family was following our car of course. 

It was exactly one o'clock and we arrived at Queens Ice & Bowling. We entered the bowling alley, paid the money and got our shoes and a bowling ball and we were ready to bowl. I got a blue ball and Abbey got a orange one. Everyone had a different colour ball except from James and Claire. They both had lime green.  

I noticed James kind of staring at Claire. Hmm. I wonder if he likes her. Don't be stupid. Of course he does. He doesn't smile that often.

I felt all the blood rushing to my head. I can't do this. I'm rubbish at bowling. I was still nervous. I should have never agreed to this. I'm such an idiot. Abbey was the first to try bowling. She swung the ball and off it went and wow. I have to admit but she's good. Really good. She knocked down all the pins. My smile faded when I thought of myself again. I am never going to beat that. 

Dad was next, he almost got a strike, just one pin left. He managed to knock it out in the second try. Then it was James and he got a strike, so did Tom. Mum missed out one and failed to crash the last pin on her second try. After mum it was Claire. I could tell she too was nervous. She swung the ball up and threw it towards the other bowling rally and still she got a strike. Alex and Caitlin had a go too. They wern't as good as Abbey but they did manage to make the pins fall. 

Now it was my turn. The ball was shaking in my hand. The sound of laughter began to takeover my head. I copied what everyone else did and gave it ago. The ball was rolling. Still going. This ball was taking its time. I should have added more pressure. No! To my horror the ball is gliding of the track to the side. I didn't dare to look back at everyone. I knew there were all laughing. I grabbedanother ball and tried again and still I failed. Stupid ball! I felt a rush of humiliation run through my body. Jordan, your a man. Men don't cry.