Spin the Bottle Soulmate | Dreamnotfound

24 Hours Until my Birthday

I woke up to the sun in my eyes and a large family staring at me. I jumped a bit, didn't expect to see everyone right as I awoke. Mom had a big grin on her face, dad was smiling a little, Emily was jumping up and down, and Jack was scrolling through something on his phone. I sat up leaning against the headboard. Not realizing my soulmate was gonna rail the shit out of me two months against that board.

"So are you excited?" Mom asked.

"About what?" I asked rubbing the eye boogers off of my lashes.

"Your birthday is tomorrow! It's a special one since it's the year the letters begin to arrive," Mom explained.

"Oh yeah, now can you guys get out so I can get ready?" Morning wood wasn't something I wanted the entire family to see.

Dad shoved them out since mom wasn't going to budge. I sat up checking the iPhone that sat peacefully on the table beside me. Nothing but boring streaks on Snapchat. Getting dressed was hard, considering it was my "pre-birthday party" mom created it when we were little. She liked having private family parties before a friend one. If you didn't wear a specific outfit she'd make you change. I learned the hard way. I put on a blue shirt since that's the easiest color for me to see. Black jeans slid up my legs as my dad poked his head in the door. I ripped them up fast so no one would see my boxers.

"Hey, your mom is losing her shit right now about timing. We have a bowling reservation in 30 minutes. Might want to hurry up."

"Yeah be right out."

I buttoned the button then grabbed the phone. Mom was always big on timing. There would be an itinerary for the whole day. Not once did it involve anything I liked, just fun stuff for the family for the pre-birthday party. I hurriedly ate a bowl of cereal. Emily was barking up my leg about skipping breakfast and just eating lunch. I picked up the bowl to throw it away. I just gave in to what they wanted these days. No point in arguing.

We arrived at the bowling place 10 minutes early. Of course, someone was wrapping up a game at our spot so we waited around. I wanted to go play the arcade but mom insisted we stay put. Anything I wanted to do on MY pre-birthday wasn't important. Whatever is good for the family was important. I know I sound like a brat but we have done this since Jack was seven, he is seventeen now. Jack hasn't found his soulmate. His two letters are K-A. I think the name is Kallie, but mom swears it like Kate or something basic.

After waiting for around fifteen minutes they let us play. I never really enjoyed bowling, just something I grew up doing. Dad suggested instead of being and I quote "being a little pussy YouTuber, you should do bowling". That sent me over the edge and I cussed him out. I was grounded for weeks. As we played Jack ended up leading for most of the first game. Mom could barely hold the ball anymore. Three kids destroyed her strength completely. Emily was always in last since she would cry if she didn't hit the pins. Jack and I would always get really close until the end where he would do this odd move that could get him strike after strike. I could never do the move considering he was double-jointed somewhere that helped him a lot.

Dad was either in third or last. He would have good days or bad days. Today was his good day. I enjoyed bowling since I had got ahead of Jack towards the end. The signature move he normally used was no good after tearing a muscle last week at the gym. So it was my time to shine. I had two turns left, Jack was only three points behind me. Two strikes and I was done for. I got up to the line then released the ball as hard as I could. Jack laughed at me when the ball only hit nine pins, leaving one standing. I picked up another ball then aimed at the last pin. I was able to knock it down.

Jack was able to get a strike which blew me out of the water. I sighed then tried to get one myself. I got close then accidentally sent down a gutter ball on my last try. Jack cheered once he realized he'd won. I facepalmed then sat down. Mom told us that we had to be at a putt-putt course in 30 minutes.