21 Steps to Get the Wrong Guy

The last time I went bowling was about three years ago. Lilly, Heather, and I went together and I remember being so excited because these hot guys started bowling beside us.

My attention was completely on them. They looked like they walked out of a movie with their gorgeous smiles and deep voices. Keep in mind, this was like freshmen year and these guys were definitely not freshmen.

They didn't have the squeaky voice and lanky body. These were men. They looked like college kids and very fit.

Heather slapped me when it was my turn to bowl and I was too nervous I would mess up in front of the guys. I tried to put them out of my mind so I could go again but there was still this small part of me that screamed incessant wonders about the guys.

Unable to concentrate, I still tried to take my turn. I don't know how it even happened but somehow I managed to drop the ball right beside my feet, not making it go anywhere. Heather and Lilly cracked up about a second before the guys did.

I felt so humiliated that I picked up the ball, rolled down the aisle without much care where it went, and sat back down. Lilly told me I got a strike but I was so mortified that I couldn't even enjoy it.

Then, the hottest guy in the group took his turn and he pretended to be me, which his friends laughed at. I will never forget that day. It's etched in a hall in my brain, the hall of humiliation I like to call it.

"I can't do this," I declared to Cam. He kept walking with my hand in his as he dragged me along.

"I believe you can. I'll help you," he promised.

The fear of doing something stupid grew with each step and by the time I had the bowling shoes on, my insides felt like they were being battered by butterflies on steroids.

"Lady's first," Cam said as he typed in my name as player one. While he typed in his name, I went to find a really light ball. Half of the reason why the ball fell beside me last time was because it was too heavy.

Once I came back with the ball, I couldn't make myself walk up to the start of the aisle. My brain sent messages but something wouldn't let them get to the nerves in my legs. I stood still and bit my lip, as if that would help me get the courage to try again.

"What's wrong?" Cam asked. I looked at him and then explained the whole story. He listened to the whole thing and then laughed hysterically at me.

"It's not funny. It's mortifying and sad," I told him.

He stopped laughing and promised he'd help me out. He pushed me up to the aisle and held my arm as I held the bowling ball.

"Just let go at the right time," he whispered in my ear before pulling my arm back and I let go but the bowling ball kind of bounced before starting its trek to hit three pins off the left side. "You let go too late that time."

I sat down and Cam went. He was ridiculously good. The ball curved before hitting the front pin dead on and knocking all the other ones down. My jaw dropped and Cam turned around in excitement.

The game went on like that and by the sixth time, I made a strike. Cam kept making strikes but would occasionally leave one or two pins standing. He was a good sport about it and never rubbed it in my face and he was never angry when it wasn't a perfect strike.

We played another game before ordering chili cheese fries and sitting in a booth. "Where did you learn to bowl like that?" I questioned him before taking a fry.

"My dad went to college on a bowling scholarship," he explained. That had to be the funniest yet coolest thing I've heard.

We finished the fries before walking into the arcade. Seconds after walking in, I noticed these beautiful eyes staring back at me from the other side of bulletproof glass.

"It's so adorable," I squealed as I ran over to the claw game and pinned my hands against it as if they could melt the glass so I could reach the cutest stuffed puppy.

It looked so soft, my hands ached to feel the smooth plush.

"Win it for me please?" I begged Cam. He laughed but promised he would try his best.

It took him two tries to get the dog. I have never won anything from claw games and I have spent at least fifty bucks trying.

I grabbed the dog from the metal box and hugged it close to me. The feeling was better than touching silk. It was so soft and comfy, I couldn't help wishing my couch felt the same way.

"Thank you so much," I thanked Cam and gave him a hug too. When I tried to pull away he held me tighter. "Cam... you can let go now."

"Who knows when you'll let me hug you again," he replied and just held me.

At first I just stood limply in his arms, waiting for him to pull away but then I hugged him back. I wrapped my arms around his torso and gave him another gentle squeeze before pulling away and he let me this time.

"Was that an earthquake?" he asked.

I gave him a confused look. "I didn't feel anything," I responded.

"Oh, must be you rocking my world again," Cam announced and we both laughed.

"I was wondering when you're old jokes would pop up again," I claimed.

He shrugged. "So if you were a pirate, would the parrot go on this shoulder, or this shoulder?" he questioned as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders and held it there.

I laughed but didn't push him away. I leaned into him and we walked out of the arcade like that. During the car ride home, I couldn't help looking at him.

Weeks ago, I found him too annoying to talk to and now he was taking me home from a pretty good night out and I had an adorable stuffed puppy on my lap.

"I know I'm gorgeous but you can stop staring," Cam teased me with a smile on his face as his eyes stayed on the road.

"I'm not staring," I lied and looked away.

He chuckled and reached for my hand when we stopped at a red light. I looked at him, waiting for him to say something but we slowly moved closer to each other until he smiled. "Do you need a band-aid? Maybe a cold towel for your forehead?" he asked.

I pulled back and checked my forehead and face for any cuts or heat but I was perfectly fine. "No, why would you ask that?" I asked.

He laughed and started driving again as he answered with, "It just looks like you're falling for me."

I was about to retaliate but I shut my mouth and looked straight ahead as I tried to figure out how I felt about Cam. Surely, I don't like him.

He's just a friend. A good-looking friend. A good-looking friend that makes me laugh. I don't think I could date him. We couldn't be together. Christian was his best friend. He probably has some of the same traits. I couldn't click with Christian, why would I click with Cam?

That reminded me of my meeting with Christian tomorrow. I started to think of what he could possibly want to talk about. It was an easy thing to distract myself with.