ÉRŌS - Joseph Quinn

4

Cara and I have been sitting at the restaurant for another hour, talking and gossiping, before we paid and left. I hugged her goodbye and walked over to my car. Once I was in it I grabbed my phone to check the time. It was 4:30 pm meaning I had some time left before Maya would pick me up.

private chat
Sadie🧡 + Alexis

Alexis
Are you coming to
bowl as well?

Sadie🧡
Yesss
Why are you asking?

Alexis
Well, I was just having
lunch with Cara and now
I thought I could come over?

Sadie🧡
Oh
Yeah sure

Alexis
Kay
I'll be there in like
half an hour or so

Sadie🧡
Alright

•••

I texted Maya that she wouldn't have to pick me up later and drove off towards Sadie's place. After about thirty minutes of driving and singing along to the radio I arrived at Sadie's house. I got out of my car and headed towards door.

»Hey.« Sadie opens the door. A huge bright smile on her face as she pulls me into a hug.

»Hello.« I hug her back tightly.

I followed her into the house. We walked into the big living room where I sat down on the couch. Sadie brought us something to drink and sat down as well.

»Are you okay?« Sadie asks me. »You look a bit uneasy.« She furrows her eyebrows.

»Yeah. No.« I sigh. »It's about Joe.«

»I figured.« Sadie smiles at me unsure.

»I don't get it.« I start. »I've met him only once and we barely talked but I can't get this man out of my head. How is that even possible?«

»You're crushing hard on him.« Sadie seems amused.

»Oh, really?« I ask sarcastically before burying my face in my hands.

»Well, y'know, you'll see him later again and maybe you'll talk more today. He's quite shy, so don't be sad or disappointed if he's not the most talkative, okay?« Sadie reassures me. »It took him quite long to open up and have actual conversations with us, not just small talk.«

»Thank you.« I look at the younger one.

»What for?« Sadie asks me with her eyebrows furrowed once again.

»For always being there for me and for listening to my weeping.« I smirk at her.

»Of course.« She chuckles.

•••

Sadie and I got out of my car once we arrived at the bowling hall. We walked towards the building and Sadie once again told me that everything's going to be okay. Once we changed our shoes we looked for our group. Caleb, Gaten, Finn, Noah, Millie, Joe, Maya, Jamie and Joseph were sitting at a booth, talking and laughing. We joined them and quickly hugged everyone before sitting down with them. Natalia and Charlie were the last ones to arrive.

Since we were so many people we decided to split the group in half. I was in a group with Sadie, Maya, Joe & Joe, Jamie and Millie. The others already started playing while we still talked about who would gonna start.

»Okay, I'm gonna start then.« Maya says as she walks to get a bowling ball.

All of us watched her as she threw the ball towards the cones. Unfortunately the ball rolled to the side and didn't knock over any cones. She turned around and looked at us with a smile on her face that said sorry. Everyone started laughing and we continued playing. Eventually it was my turn. I grabbed a ball and concentrated on the pins. It's been a while since I last bowled and I forgot how heavy those balls were.

»Oh shit.« I look at the ball which I accidentally threw backwards instead of forwards as I was trying to gain momentum. (please tell me that has happened to anyone else as well 😭)

Everyone jumped to the side and started laughing. What a great start. I grabbed the ball after we calmed down and tried again. This time I actually managed to throw it towards the pins and I knocked over 3 of them. The guys behind me clapped and cheered.

We ended up loosing against the other team. None of us were surprised because we were all pretty bad at this. We sat down again and ordered drinks. Sadie and Maya were whispering in front of me the whole time, making me feel a little uncomfortable because they were looking between me and Joseph. He didn't seem to notice since he was chatting with the guys. Noah called Millie over to his table. She sat down with him and the others, leaving me with Maya & Sadie and the guys.

»We're going to the toilet.« Maya tells us as her and Sadie get up.

»We'll be right back.« Sadie smiles at me and then the others.

What are they doing?

I sighed quietly and felt how my hands started sweating.

»Why are girls always going to the toilet in pairs?« Keery asks.

»Yeah?« Jamie joins him and now the three were all looking at me.

»I don't know?« I shrug. »We gossip in there quite a lot.«

»I should've known.« Keery says.

Him and Jamie continued their conversation but Joe didn't join in. He looked at me, thinking I wouldn't notice. I thought about how I could start a conversation with him but I was too nervous.

»How was filming with them?« I look up at him.

Really? That's all I could think of?

»It was... interesting, to say the least.« Joe smiles at me. »But, yeah, they're all very kind and it was a lot of fun.«

»I can't wait to watch this season.« I smile back at him. »You won't give me any spoilers, will you?«

»No.« He shakes his head and flashes this beautiful smile at me once again.

I couldn't help but stare at his lips. Luckily Maya and Sadie came back right in this moment. They sat down next to me, making me look at them and away from Joseph.

»We've decided were gonna help you.« Maya speaks quietly.

»Help me? How?« I look at them confused. »What are you talking about?«

»We wanna bring you and him together.« Sadie says.

»Jesus, are you kidding me?« I raise an eyebrow at them.

»No.« Maya and Sadie look at each other and then back at me.

»And how are you planning to do that?« I ask.

»Well, we don't know yet.« Sadie says.

»But we'll think of something.« Maya speaks louder.

»Think of what?« Keery asks.

»Nothing.« Both Sadie and Maya say at the same time.