Twisted Symphony

“Bowling?” Johnnies face became contorted at the sight of the flashing neon lights. “That’s stupid.” He shrugged it away.

“You can come up with something better.” Reid wasn’t too thrilled.

“Come on guys.” I touched the handle to the neon colored bowling alley.

“It’ll be fun.” Kayla pulled at Johnnie.

“Most exciting city in the world and you want to go bowling.” Johnnie teased, following after me. “Typical Gabrielle.”

“Excuse me, but there is nothing typical about me. I smiled perching a hand on my hip, waiting at the head of the entrance.

“That’s for sure.” Reid wrapped an arm around my waist.

“So how are we going to break up the teams? Kayla tried to lace her fingers into Johnnie’s, but stuffed his hands in his pockets.

“Size?” The young pimple faced girl lit up at Johnnie’s face.

“Twelve.” She handed him a ticket and asked for one shoe.

“Size?” She looked at Reid.

“Eleven.” She smiled at Reid. She couldn’t be more than fifteen.

“Five.” I looked down at my feet.

“Well, obviously you’re an elf.” Johnnie teased as he examined my miniature rental shoes, holding one in his hand.

“I’m sorry! I have freakishly small feet!” In comparison to my 5’7 and a half stature they made no sense.

“It’s cute, I guess.” He shrugged and tossed me the shoe.

“How should we break up the teams?: Kayla asked once we were secure in our alley.

“Boys against girls.” I suggested.

“Too easy.” Reid waved away the idea.

“Excuse me?” I teased.

“You’ll lose without me.” He shrugged.

“Oh?” I took a step closer to him.

“If you play boys against girls, I’ll- we’ll just let you girls win.” He glanced at Johnnie.

“So?” Couples?” Kayla asked as she punched names into the screen.

“Nope. I don’t need you.” I poked at Reid. “And I don’t need your sexist pity.”

“So, how should we play?’ Kayla raised an eyebrow.

“Let’s go, Johnnie.” I pulled him towards one side of the lane.

“But I can’t bowl.” He whispered, half nervous.

“What?” I could feel my eyes going wide.

“I’m good at a lot of things, but bowling just isn’t one of them.” He was obviously embarrassed.

“Well, there’s no trading you now. You’re going to have to fake it till you make it.” I shrugged.

“I don’t think you understand how bad it is.” He walked up and grabbed a ball to take his turn.

He bowled two consecutive gutter balls. I felt my jaw drop. He mouthed an apology as Reid took the chance to laugh at me like no other.

“You’re screwed!” Reid pointed and smiled, satisfied.

“I warned you.” Johnnie shrugged helplessly.

“It’s okay. It’ll be fine.” I breathed and walked up to take my turn. I took my ball and quietly bowled a strike. I smiled coyly and walked back to my seat.

“Oh shit.” Johnnie was in slight awe. So was Reid.

“We’ve got this. You may just have to hit a pin or two.” I smiled confidently at him. “We are winning.” I declared once more.

“Yeah, well I’m shit at bowling.”

“You can do it.” I smiled.

“I’m just going to disappoint you.” He ran a hand through his hair.

“No. We are going to win! Positive attitude!” I ordered, but Johnnie already looked defeated.

Forty-five minutes later, Johnnie threw his ninth consecutive gutter ball. I had bowled a nearly perfect game, but I was having a little trouble saving us. Kayla wasn’t as bad as I had hoped, and Johnnie was worse than I thought. My coaching and demonstrations had gone wasted on Johnnie. I had declared him hopeless and Reid was almost as good as me. It was Kayla’s turn.

“If you want to win so badly why don’t you just take one for the team?” Johnnie motioned towards a tentative Reid.

“I refuse to win that way.” I dismissed the idea completely.

“Come on.” He nudged me.

“If you didn’t suck so badly we wouldn’t be in this position!” I snapped back.

“All I’m saying is, be smart! If this carries into Fitz’s class one of us is going to die.” He threatened, ironically calm.

“You wouldn’t have to if you actually hit a pin!” Kayla’s had stopped bowling, amused by our behavior. Reid joined her.

“I’m sorry, okay? I’m sorry I don’t live in the middle of nowhere and bowl in my free time! And I hit a pin!” He jeered.

“The machine malfunctioned when it was resetting the pins! You are the worst bowler I’ve ever met!” I threw my arms up in my defeat. “Good!” He seethed.

“And their always like this?” Reid turned to Kayla.

“Yeah, pretty much.” Kayla nodded.

“You’re going to make us lose! You know that?” I crossed my arms over my chest.

“It doesn’t even matter! Screw it!” Johnnie threw the ball down the alley.

I watched as the screen flashed to a strike.

“I did it!” Johnnie pointed down the alley.

“You won?” Kayla looked at the screen in awe.

“What?” Reid spat.

“We won!” I nearly screamed as I ran over to Johnnie.

“We won?!” He was in shock. I gave him a celebratory hug, and he squeezed me tight ofr the victory.

We were nearly. Back at our dorms. Reid was forced to buy Johnnie and I celebratory frapachinos from Starbucks, and I demanded a kiss. None the less, our night was coming to a close. Johnnie had even managed a proper conversation with Kayla, and Reid had an arm resting on my shoulder as we walked in comfortable silence.

“Want to try?” I offered him a sip of my drink.

“I hate Vanilla.” He scrunched up his nose.

“Okay.” I shrugged. “More for me.” Silence. “Can I ask you something?” I looked up at him as we came to a stop. “What’s up?” He looked at the ground, then up at me.

“Guy, we’re about to break curfew right in front of our building. We need to get inside.” Kayla ushered everyone in. The butch security guard glared at us with suspicion.

“No lobby. Rooms now.” She ordered as she scanned our i.d. cards.

“We’ll talk tomorrow.” I pecked Reid on the lips, as he resisted the urge to wipe the taste of vanilla away.

“How do you do that?” Kayla whispered as we walked down our obviously still active hallway.

“What?” I pushed open our door.

“Help me.” She pleaded, propping down on her bed.

“With what?” I began to change into my shorts.

“I obviously don’t understand anything about boys.” She shrugged helplessly. “I don’t understand anything about Johnnie.” She covered her head with her pillow.

“Well, what do you want?” I pulled my hair into a ponytail.

“Why can’t I get Johnnie?” She pleaded for answers.

“Because.” I looked at her. “You’re making it too easy for him. You’ve given him free range of your emotions. He controls you.” I pulled back my sheets. “When he wants you you’re always there. Even if it’s for all the wrong reasons.” I shrugged. “You can’t do that and expect him to come running. You’ve got a lot to offer. Make him work for it.” I felt a yawn coming closer.

“It’s harder than you make it sound.” She had already changed her clothes.

“No, It’s really not.” I turned my lamp off.

“Easy for you to say, isn’t it?” I could feel her rolling her eyes, burning them into my back.