My Complicated Love

Chapter Thirteen: Bowling with Miles

*Chapter Thirteen: Bowling with Miles*

That Saturday, they had rehearsal from nine to three. Alex had been texting Miles all week and they talked when they saw each other in the halls. Whenever they had a break, she would go straight to her phone to text him.

So how long do you have play practice for? he asked when she was at lunch. She was eating with Caleb and Drew, of course. Until three, she told him. She barely even paid attention when Amelia and Jace came and sat by them, she had learned to ignore them. "So, you really like this Miles guy, huh?" Drew said, picking at the label on his water bottle. He knew her history with Miles, who used to break her heart when he flirted with other girls. "Yeah... I think he's changed..." she said, smiling when she got a text from him. So when you're done do you want to go bowling?

She gasped, dropping her phone on the ground in shock. Miles Storm just asked her to go bowling. "What?" Caleb asked, picking up the phone. "He asked to go bowling? That's why you're freaking out?"

"Miles asked me to go bowling! Of course I'm freaking out! What should I say?"

"How about yes?" Drew said, looking confused. She nodded. "Okay... Wait, I don't have makeup! I look like shit! I can't let him see me like this!" Amelia laughed, grabbing Alex's shoulder. "I have makeup! You can use that!"

Alex grinned. "Really? Thank you!" She pretty much launched herself at Amelia, tackling her with a hug. She texted Miles, telling him yes.

When he got into the school, she was with Amelia in the bathroom, putting on makeup. "Hey man," Caleb said, going up to him with Drew and Jace. "She's in the bathroom getting ready. She'll be out in a few." Miles nodded. "Thanks..."

Jace studied the boy in front of him. He had blonde curly hair and brown eyes and bigger muscles than Jace, probably due to years of football and basketball. He was the complete opposite of Jace. The boy was rocking back and forth on his feet, messing around with his keys. "Nervous?" Drew asked him. He chuckled. "Is it that obvious?"

"Why?" Jace asked more rudely than he had meant to. "You probably date lots of girls." Miles shrugged, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. "Yeah, well I don't actually like most of the girls I date..." Just then, Amelia walked out, grinning from ear to ear. "Okay good, you're here! She'll be out in a second..." As if on cue, Alex walked out. She still had her sweatpants and t-shirt on, but she had makeup on and was wearing her contacts instead of glasses. Her hair had been taken out of the bun and was now slightly curly and falling on her shoulders. Jace had the urge to go over and kiss her, but Miles beat him to her. "Hey... Wow, you look good."

She blushed, looking at the ground and Jace huffed. She was blushing over some half-assed compliment that he'd probably told a hundred girls before her. She didn't just look "good" she looked beautiful. She always did, even without makeup.

Just then, Conner walked out of the auditorium and stopped when he saw Alex. He hadn't talked to her or Jace since their fight. "What's going on here?" he asked, a smile playing on the corner of his lips. "I'm going bowling with Miles," Alex said, hoping to get her friend back. He smiled. "Oh... Well then, Miles, if you touch her without her permission or hurt her I will snap you like a twig. Got it?"

Miles' eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Uh, yeah Conner, I got it."

"Good. Now, have fun." He walked over and hugged Alex, and she smiled hugging him back tightly. "Okay, let's go!" she said brightly, grabbing Miles' hand and leading him out, waving to everyone with her other hand.

"What do you think she sees in Miles?" Jace asked that night. Caleb and he were both in Caleb's room and he was lying on the bed tossing a soccer ball in the air and catching it while Caleb was sitting at his desk doing homework. Caleb shrugged. "I don't know... She's liked him since like a month before we became friends..."

"He's just some idiot football player who's going to hurt her eventually..." Caleb shrugged. "Alex is a big girl, Jace, she can handle herself. They're just going bowling anyways. It's not like they're going to some secluded area all alone in his car."

Jace nodded. "Yeah, you're right. She... She just looks really ugly when she cries; I don't want to see it." Caleb rolled his eyes. It was pretty obvious something was going on with his brother and Alex, but he didn't want to get involved unless he was asked. It was just too much drama. "Oh, speak of the devil," Caleb said, as he got a Skype call from Alex. Jace sat up, but didn't move over into the camera.

"Hey," Caleb said. Jace could see Alex grinning from ear to ear. "Guess what!" she screamed, making both Caleb and Jace jump. "What?" Caleb laughed. "Miles said he wants to do it again!" Jace sighed, lying back down on the bed. "Wow, that's great!" Caleb laughed.

"Yeah! Whenever either of us got a strike the other one had to kiss the other on the cheek. He's just so cute..." Caleb rolled his eyes. "You really need to get a friend that's a girl..." She giggled. "Yeah, I know... But I'm so happy... He's the one guy that I've ever had strong feelings for..." Jace suddenly felt rage pulse through him. So he was the idiot for still having feelings for her? He grabbed the soccer ball that was sitting next to him and threw it at the wall next to the closet, making a loud noise.

Both Caleb and Alex jumped. "Who's in your room with you?" she asked. Caleb shook his head. "Um... It's Jace... Listen, I should probably go..."

"Okay... I'll talk to you later..." He hung up, going over to his brother. "Jace?" he said timidly.

"Yeah?" Jace snapped, but Caleb wasn't fazed. He was expecting it. "You love Alex, don't you?"

Jace shut his eyes, hoping he could block out everything. His brother's knowing stare, his feelings for Alex, and the fact that he would just end up hurting Amelia. "I don't know what you're talking about," he mumbled, but both of them knew he was lying