Status: 02/18 - Sorry for lack of updates. I've been very busy. I will update soon.
Secrets Don't Make Friends
Capítulo Sete
It was Friday, four whole days since October talked to William. To her amazement he didn’t bother her once in those four days. And October was actually starting to get worried. But walking up the bleachers at lunch a piece of paper was taped to the railing. Peeling it off the metal bar, October opened it and almost choked on her drink.
how about bowling tonight? - xo.wb
October looked around the courtyard and noticed William sitting in his usual seat. Not once in the past week did he glance her way. It actually bothered her that he wasn’t hounding her as usual and as she looked at him now, he laughed at something Mike said before looking up at the bleachers waiting for her answer. October closed her eyes, biting her lip. Without thinking she nodded her head before she could think and chicken out. When she opened her eyes, William smiled widely at her before resuming his conversation with Mike and Jason.
The rest of the day passed slowly and it seemed as if a whole day passed since lunch; the bell for the end of the day rang as October rushed out of her Statistics class. A figure was leaned against her locker and automatically October braced herself for Jason’s slew of insults But much to her relief—and surprise—William smiled at her and moved out of the way so she could get to her locker. Nerves spiked along her body the closer she neared him. Looking behind William October could clearly see Jason glaring in their direction. Noticing October’s stare, William followed her gaze and repressed a smirk.
He knew that if he waited at October’s locker before Jason, he wouldn’t attempt to approach them as William asked October about their “date” that night. October’s cheeks flared pink when she heard him ask her about an All-Night-Bowling Special the alley was having. Just the thought of spending more than five minutes at a time with William sent October in a frenzy. But she accepted, nodding shyly. William flashed her a bright smile before walking with her out of the building.
“Great, I’ll pick you up at seven then.”
October paced the hallway outside of her room waiting for William to pick her up to go to the bowling alley. She wrung her hands together thinking of all the possibilities that could go wrong. She couldn’t seem to find a good side to this as her pessimism shone through. She could already feel herself blocking all emotion in the corner of her mind; already promising herself she wasn’t going to let herself fall into William’s charm.
Faintly she heard the sound of a car door slam and the crunch of gravel. October worried on her bottom lip, almost making it bleed as her nerves went into overdrive. When the doorbell rang, she practically jumped in the air before nervously descending the stairs. Through the frosted glass she could see William’s tall shadowed frame. Her heart jumped in her throat, blocking her air flow. She’d never been so nervous about a boy before; let alone one she barely knew.
When she opened the door William turned to face her, an awkward yet confident smile stretching across his face. His hands were stuffed deep in his jeans pockets and his posture was almost nervous, but the smile on his face proved otherwise. Taking a breath, October asked him to wait a few moments while she rushed to the kitchen to scribble her mom a quick note. Slapping the sticky on the fridge, she picked up her jacket off the couch and joined William outside.
“Ready?” William asked, seemingly at ease with waiting in the cold Illinois weather.
Swallowing the lump in her throat she nodded and followed him to the car. Being so much taller than October, William managed to reach the passenger’s door before her and opened it to allow her in. A light blush crept up her neck when she realized what William was doing. A barely audible thank you slid through October’s lips as she sat in the front seat. The car door shut and October jumped slightly at the loud sound. She was slightly nervous riding in a car her mother wasn’t driving.
The ride to the bowling alley wasn’t long but it was extremely awkward—on October’s part at least. The silence that settled over the two suffocated October and when William pulled into the parking lot of the alley, October had to repress a sigh of relief. She didn’t want to give William the idea that she was dreading the date. Although in a sense, she was. She was afraid that she was going to make a fool of herself; say the wrong thing; slip and fall; something to embarrass her further in front of William.
Before she could even unbuckle herself, William was on the other side of the car, opening her car door once again. She smiled softly at him before climbing out and following him to the reception desk in the heated building. She looked around, watching all of the families and friends and couples bowl in the small fifteen-lane alley. October hadn’t been here since before Audrina had died. Every weekend the two would make plans to bowl and spend the day together. When she stepped up next to William, the boy behind the desk did a double take.
Landon Strong, the owners son, looked incredulously at her. She smiled tightly and looked down at the ground. Landon was more than surprised to see October at the lanes, much less with a guy.
“Hey October,” Landon greeted, punching in William’s lane information. “You haven’t been here in a while…”
She shrugged, wrapping her arms around her stomach. “Yeah, I’ve been… busy.” She attempted to deter the conversation from her and Landon took the hint. He smiled at her before throwing out the price for William, who stood silent and awkward through the short conversation.
After paying and collecting their shoes, William and October walked silently to their respective lane neither speaking openly. As William set up the bowler registration on the computer, he carefully watched October from the corner of his eye. He saw that she tried hard to mask the anguish she felt while glancing nostalgically around the small alley.
Tears threatened to show themselves as she sat down in the plastic chair. Guilt and sympathy squeezed at William for choosing the bowling alley. If he had known she’d get upset, he wouldn’t have picked the alley; but he figured the movies or a dinner would have been too commonplace and unoriginal. Swallowing his remorse, he selected the Bowl button and turned to October who quickly wiped a stray tear.
“Let’s bowl.”
how about bowling tonight? - xo.wb
October looked around the courtyard and noticed William sitting in his usual seat. Not once in the past week did he glance her way. It actually bothered her that he wasn’t hounding her as usual and as she looked at him now, he laughed at something Mike said before looking up at the bleachers waiting for her answer. October closed her eyes, biting her lip. Without thinking she nodded her head before she could think and chicken out. When she opened her eyes, William smiled widely at her before resuming his conversation with Mike and Jason.
The rest of the day passed slowly and it seemed as if a whole day passed since lunch; the bell for the end of the day rang as October rushed out of her Statistics class. A figure was leaned against her locker and automatically October braced herself for Jason’s slew of insults But much to her relief—and surprise—William smiled at her and moved out of the way so she could get to her locker. Nerves spiked along her body the closer she neared him. Looking behind William October could clearly see Jason glaring in their direction. Noticing October’s stare, William followed her gaze and repressed a smirk.
He knew that if he waited at October’s locker before Jason, he wouldn’t attempt to approach them as William asked October about their “date” that night. October’s cheeks flared pink when she heard him ask her about an All-Night-Bowling Special the alley was having. Just the thought of spending more than five minutes at a time with William sent October in a frenzy. But she accepted, nodding shyly. William flashed her a bright smile before walking with her out of the building.
“Great, I’ll pick you up at seven then.”
October paced the hallway outside of her room waiting for William to pick her up to go to the bowling alley. She wrung her hands together thinking of all the possibilities that could go wrong. She couldn’t seem to find a good side to this as her pessimism shone through. She could already feel herself blocking all emotion in the corner of her mind; already promising herself she wasn’t going to let herself fall into William’s charm.
Faintly she heard the sound of a car door slam and the crunch of gravel. October worried on her bottom lip, almost making it bleed as her nerves went into overdrive. When the doorbell rang, she practically jumped in the air before nervously descending the stairs. Through the frosted glass she could see William’s tall shadowed frame. Her heart jumped in her throat, blocking her air flow. She’d never been so nervous about a boy before; let alone one she barely knew.
When she opened the door William turned to face her, an awkward yet confident smile stretching across his face. His hands were stuffed deep in his jeans pockets and his posture was almost nervous, but the smile on his face proved otherwise. Taking a breath, October asked him to wait a few moments while she rushed to the kitchen to scribble her mom a quick note. Slapping the sticky on the fridge, she picked up her jacket off the couch and joined William outside.
“Ready?” William asked, seemingly at ease with waiting in the cold Illinois weather.
Swallowing the lump in her throat she nodded and followed him to the car. Being so much taller than October, William managed to reach the passenger’s door before her and opened it to allow her in. A light blush crept up her neck when she realized what William was doing. A barely audible thank you slid through October’s lips as she sat in the front seat. The car door shut and October jumped slightly at the loud sound. She was slightly nervous riding in a car her mother wasn’t driving.
The ride to the bowling alley wasn’t long but it was extremely awkward—on October’s part at least. The silence that settled over the two suffocated October and when William pulled into the parking lot of the alley, October had to repress a sigh of relief. She didn’t want to give William the idea that she was dreading the date. Although in a sense, she was. She was afraid that she was going to make a fool of herself; say the wrong thing; slip and fall; something to embarrass her further in front of William.
Before she could even unbuckle herself, William was on the other side of the car, opening her car door once again. She smiled softly at him before climbing out and following him to the reception desk in the heated building. She looked around, watching all of the families and friends and couples bowl in the small fifteen-lane alley. October hadn’t been here since before Audrina had died. Every weekend the two would make plans to bowl and spend the day together. When she stepped up next to William, the boy behind the desk did a double take.
Landon Strong, the owners son, looked incredulously at her. She smiled tightly and looked down at the ground. Landon was more than surprised to see October at the lanes, much less with a guy.
“Hey October,” Landon greeted, punching in William’s lane information. “You haven’t been here in a while…”
She shrugged, wrapping her arms around her stomach. “Yeah, I’ve been… busy.” She attempted to deter the conversation from her and Landon took the hint. He smiled at her before throwing out the price for William, who stood silent and awkward through the short conversation.
After paying and collecting their shoes, William and October walked silently to their respective lane neither speaking openly. As William set up the bowler registration on the computer, he carefully watched October from the corner of his eye. He saw that she tried hard to mask the anguish she felt while glancing nostalgically around the small alley.
Tears threatened to show themselves as she sat down in the plastic chair. Guilt and sympathy squeezed at William for choosing the bowling alley. If he had known she’d get upset, he wouldn’t have picked the alley; but he figured the movies or a dinner would have been too commonplace and unoriginal. Swallowing his remorse, he selected the Bowl button and turned to October who quickly wiped a stray tear.
“Let’s bowl.”