“Good job class. I guess I’ll see you all on Monday since no school tomorrow.” I quickly shoved my shoes in my bag and reached for my bottled water. I was desperately out of breath and trying to hurry and throw my bag over my shoulder so I could get home and shower before hanging out with everyone tonight.
“You ready?” Chris’ voice came to my ears as I took the bottle’s rim from my lips. I quickly answered him, out of breath..
“What do you mean? I’ve got to go home and shower.” I rushed out. Chris slung his bag around his shoulder before snorting making me quirk my eyebrow and I stare at him.
“Why do you need to go home to shower? We’re just going out.” I motioned to my body which currently had the once loose cropped top flat across my chest, hugging to my sweaty form.
“If you don’t think this is gross than you’re weird.” He just chuckled at me as I took another swig from my water bottle and put on my regular boots.
“I didn’t mean it like that. You can take a shower in the locker rooms. They’re open for after school activities. I do it all the time after class.”
“Really?” Chris nodded. “I never knew that.” I answered him, dropping my bag back onto the floor. “How come nobody ever informed me?” I asked aloud, not really looking for an answer, but Chris decided to answer it anyway.
“It’s probably because you’re Anya, the principal’s daughter. We all would’ve thought you’d already know, but apparently not.”
“Whatever.” I mumbled, taking my boots off again, not caring about going into the locker room in dirty socks. “I just have no clothes to put on after the shower. All I have are my clothes I wore all day and these.” I peeled the drenched tee shirt from my skin and made a face. Chris must’ve been thinking the same thing because he made the same face.
“That may be a problem because those smell.” I rolled my eyes, putting my boots back on, again, and then draping my bag over my shoulder.
“That’s my cue to go home. I’ll text you when I’m done and you can tell me where the bowing alley is.” I went to give him a hug goodbye, but stopped when he took a step back. He lifted his hand to his nose so he could cover it.
“I don’t want to smell gross.” He whined. I childishly stuck my tongue out at him as I backed off, waving goodbye as I trotted towards the door to my car.
“I don’t smell that back.” I muttered under my breath as I pushed the doors open to walk towards my car which I had luckily been able to drive to school today. Once I got to it, I opened the door and threw my stuff into the backseat as I climbed into the drivers’ seat. “Or do I?” I questioned as I lifted up my arm to smell myself.
Let’s just say it wasn’t pretty…
It didn’t take me long to get home, shower and change so before I knew it I was back into my car and headed towards the bowling alley which Chris had texted me directions to.
The place was super crowded so I had to park down the street and walk down the sidewalk to the bowling alley. You’d think the parking lot for a bowling alley wouldn’t be this crowded, especially the way the building looked.
The building was old on the outside with reddish-brown bricks covering three sides and the front painted in some black and white bowling ball and pins design to make it look cool, but it looked like it had worn off over the years so it was a faded black and white mess over brick. The sign over the doors read Papa Louie’s Pizzeria and Bowling Alley. The name kind of fit the place, it got the point across.
What surprised me the most though was the inside… As soon as you stepped in the doors music was blaring, lights were flashing and you could hear people laughing and just having fun. You wouldn’t expect any of it from the outside or just from a bowling alley.
“Anya!” As soon as my name was called and I caught sight of Chris, I made my way threw the groups bowling and over to lane 7 which so happened to be where they had settled.
“Holy crap is this place cool!” I said as soon as I came close enough. Chris chuckled and so did a few other people I hadn’t really met, but knew their names from some of my classes.
“I know right? It’s one of the best places to just hang out on a Friday, or Thursday.” He agreed, taking a sip from whatever he was drinking. “Need shoes?” I nodded, setting my purse down and reaching into my pocket for some money.
“I’ll go with her!” Jess chirped, making her noticeable from behind two girls. She threw her bright orange bowling ball letting it crashed against the lane before speeding down and crashing into all of the pins. “Another strike whoa-hoo, take that Greg!” She cheered. I stared, jaw agape, at her bowling skills.
There weren’t any bumpers either!
“Come on On.” She giggled. “We need to get you some shoes so you don’t slip in those boots.” Without another minute wasted, I was twirled around and skipping towards the shoe rentals. Well, Jess was skipping, I was not.
“I didn’t know you could bowl!” I exclaimed as Jess rang the bell to let whoever was working the counter that someone was there.
“I can also ride a unicycle.” She informed me, smiling like crazy. My mouth was still open as she hit the bell another time. She wasn’t even fazed by it!
“I can’t do that even with bumpers!” She laughed aloud, shaking her head.
“What are we going to do with you Anya, I’m not even that good compared to Ivy and Penelope. They’re amazing, but they’ve been playing on leagues since they were old enough to even lift a bowling ball. Is anyone coming?” She slammed her fist against the bell a few more times before an angry girl popped her head out from a ‘staff only’ room.
“Chill out! I’m coming!” She sneered, taking her sweet little time. Jess huffed, crossing her arms and glaring at the girl.
“Wait unicycle?” It finally clicked for me. Is that was Jess just said?
“Wow, what’s with you tonight? First, you’ve haven’t closed your mouth since you walked in. You may want to close it before some bugs fly into it. It may be fall, but they’re still bugs flying around that’ll be able to get caught in there. Second, you think I’m good at bowling, and third! Can you hurry the hell up?!” She practically screamed over the counter. The girl didn’t even bother to pop her head out this time.
“Sorry, I’ve just never really thought of a bowling alley as a hangout place before. Before I moved here we just went to see a movie or something.” Jess smiled.
“Oh we do that also. We just play mini golf, go bowling and go-carting more.”
“I’ve never been go-carting.” This was Jess’s turn for her mouth to fall open.
“You’re joking, right?” I shook my head. I had never gone go-carting. I had always seen people do it in commercials on TV, but never actually did it myself.
The girl finally was at the cash register for the shoe rentals, but it didn’t faze Jess as she just stared at my in shock.
“What the hell do you want?” The girl asked us, more directed towards Jess.
“Can I get a size 8 shoe?” The girl rolled her eyes once before turning around and grabbing a pair of women’s shoes. I took off one of my boots and handed it to her so she could mark the place where the bowling shoes that were given to me just were. “Isn’t it rude to stare Jess?” I joked, handing the girl a five dollar bill while grabbing the shoes she had just given me.
“Have you been living under a rock?” Jess blurted as I started to walk away from her.
“No. I just never got out much before I moved here.” It was the truth.
“I see that.” Jess yelled over to me as she jogged over to Lane 7.
I didn’t bother join the game everyone had just started so I took my time putting on my bowling shoes, trying them tight so that they wouldn’t come off like Greg’s had while he was throwing his green ball down the lane. He wasn’t as good as Jess, but Jess was right when she said she wasn’t the best… Penelope who I had just met and Ivy were just as she said, amazing. That was another reason I took my time, I didn’t want to look like a fool in front of everyone.
Just as their second games ended, Ivy winning overall with almost a perfect score, the laser lights started going and the music changed to a station where they were playing no commercials.
“You ready Anya?” Greg asked me, smirking. I had told him how bad I was and he just kept making fun of me.
“No.” I simply answered. Everyone laughed, but I was serious.
“You want bumpers?” I scowled at Greg and flicked him off.
“No I don’t need bumpers, do you?” He just chuckled as Chris handed me a bright pink and white marbled ball.
“It’s the lightest one.” He informed me.
“Thanks.” I muttered, standing up. I so wasn’t looking forward to this game.
“Hold up! I want to be added in!” Everyone turned around to see who yelled that and I took that as my chance to throw the bowling ball down the lane. When I say throw, I mean throw.
There was a loud thud as the bowling ball was three quarters of the way down the lane. It was rolling towards the pins, but at the last second curved and only hit three of them.
“Nice one Anya.” Greg snickered from behind me. I wanted to turn around and punch him, but Jess beat me to it.
“She’s never really played without bumpers before so leave her alone you jerk!” Everyone else just stared, shocked. I don’t know if they expected more from me or less. I was really hoping less.
“I didn’t think I distracted you that much Anya.” Parker, who I assumed was the one who just arrived, said in my direction, winking as if to say play along.
“Well you know, you just had to yell so loud, it made me jump.” I lied, twiddling my thumbs behind my back as I stared down at the ground.
“Thank God because that was terrible!” Chris exclaimed making Ivy, Penelope and Jess laugh.
“Yeah I know.” I nervously laughed. I was going to have to do better…
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Thanks to those who have added the story to their library and fanned! It means so much to me! :)