Afternoon Run (Camren)

eighteen; ❝archery❞

"Let's go out for a run?" I ask Lauren, intertwining our hands together playfully.

It's been about a week since our skit, and longer since I had last seen my dad. Everything felt better now. I was schedule to meet with my therapist on Tuesday and life feels surprisingly good right now.

I've been trying to not allow my thoughts and worries to control me, or at least, not bother me as much as they used to.

"So the truth about the running is that... ok. One day, I looked out my window and I saw you doing your run. I thought, 'damn, that's a hot girl' and that's why I started running. Not because I actually liked it— in fact, I'm not a fan of running at all," Lauren confesses to me.

"Wow."

"Don't be mad at me! I didn't want to admit it to you because I felt like you would be mad."

"Look, babe, I'm not mad. It doesn't matter to me because there's other stuff we can do together."

"Thank the lord," she says. "I thought you would be mad."

"Babe, it's fine. Let's just find something else to do."

"Well, do you want to play my instrument with me?" She asks me, adding a wink.

"Sorry, but I'm not a fan of playing. You made way too many dirty jokes the first time I played with you," I tell her.

"But—"

"Something else. A sport?"

"I don't really like sports unless, of course, it's archery which I love."

"Let's play archery then!"

"You're sure? It's just that I'm a pro at that and I don't think you've ever played."

"I can learn," I tell her, trying to defend myself.

"Ok," she says. "I know a good place that I used to go to to play so we can go together. Don't worry, they have the kid levels for you."

"Haha," I remark, rolling my eyes. "You'll see! I'll probably be better than you at it!"

She hums, laughing at me and lays a kiss on my cheek. She grabs her phone and seems to search up something, smiling when she's done.

"There's an opening today. At the archery place."

"Let's go?" I suggest, more so asking.

"We should."

"Don't we need a bunch of stuff?"

"Don't worry! I've got everything we'll need. You just need to show up with me."

And so we get ready to leave.

****************

"We're here!" Lauren exclaims when she parks into a space in front of a building.

I had never been to this side of town, where the archery place is and other wild game stations are around. The arcade is across the street and a club is down the road. We get out of the car and walk together, hand in hand, toward the multi-colored building that practically screams, 'sports.'

"Looks okay," I say, noticing the brightly painted blue walls that seems friendly enough when we walk inside.

"And just so you know, two other people are showing up," she tells me.

"Who?"

"You'll see. They should be here soon."

She takes my hand, leading me further into the building and she signs us both in. When she's done, Lauren tells me that we have to wait in the room until the other two people show up.

The door opens and Shawn and Niall arrive. Of course, it's them and they're wearing matching sports outfits.

"Aw! I love you so much, Lauren," I tell her and I turn to them, saying, "hey guys! Long time no see!"

After the incident at the restaurant, I hadn't spoken with Shawn and Niall. I had wanted to talk to them but whenever the memory came back, it quickly put that want to rest.

I stand up, hugging Shawn and then Niall.

"Yeah, long time! I was so glad Lauren called us to tag along," Niall says, smiling at us.

"It has felt like forever since we last saw each other! We will never go back to that restaurant," Niall tells us, rolling his eyes at the thought of the rude manager.

"That manager was a bitch," Lauren declares.

"Never going again," Shawn adds.

"Let's get started!"

We follow Lauren into the main room and we meet the instructor, a man in his 40's that seems to deeply enjoy archery, making it seem as if his life depends on it.

That's how a lot of men are about sports. They can never just like sports. No, they have to make it their entire life and personalities.

I don't mind it right now though, because he's actually effective at teaching us the rules of archery.

We spend the rest of the day at the practice and shockingly, I'm actually decent at the sport which surprises Lauren.