Daydream Believer

xcv. luck and new information

xcv. luck and new information

Bowling was still one of the few good things in my life. It was like a stress reliever for me. Aaron had started coming to more of our games, but he mostly used them as an excuse to chat with Michelle.

"Is Aaron here today?" Michelle immediately asked as soon as I entered the bowling alley.

I shook my head. "Not today," I told her. "He had to study for a test." I looked around and quickly found my lucky bowling ball.

"I was kind of hoping he would come," Michelle said.

"I could tell. Are we playing anyone today?" I asked, trying to change the subject. There was no point in talking about Aaron.

"Nope. It's just practice," Michelle said. "When's Aaron going to come again?"

I rolled my eyes. "How am I supposed to know that? Why do you care so much anyways?"

Michelle shrugged. "I like talking to him."

I didn't blame her there. Aaron was fun to talk to. There was more to the story, but I didn't bother to ask. I rolled my ball down the lane and got a strike.

Michelle seemed distracted throughout the entire practice. At some points, it didn't even seem like she was trying. She just tossed the ball down the lane, not caring where it would end up. At least we weren't playing anyone. If we were, we would have lost for sure.

"Are you okay?" I asked her at one point.

"Yeah," she said. "I just have a basketball game after this and I'm trying to plan for that."

"Okay," I said, deciding that Michelle had a legitimate excuse for being distracted.

"I'm hoping my boyfriend will show up to that," Michelle added.

"You have a boyfriend?" I said. I was a little surprised that Michelle didn't tell me. Usually she told me everything, whether I wanted her to or not.

"Yeah. Sorry I didn't mention it," Michelle said.

"It's okay," I said. "What's his name?"

"Well, it's kind of someone you might know. Promise you won't kill me?"

"I promise."

"It's Aaron."

I felt a confusing mix of emotions rush towards me, but Michelle couldn't know that. Instead, I shrugged and said, "Okay."

"I figured it wasn't that big of a deal," Michelle explained. "I probably should have mentioned it sooner though."

"No, it's fine," I said. Yet I felt something that told me things most definitely weren't fine.