Captivated Hearts

Chapter 17

Cam pulled his wallet from his back pocket and slid the guy a twenty, getting two putters, two golf balls and eleven dollars back in a ten- and one-dollar bill.

He handed her a white ball and a putter, which had a larger oval shape at the end, along with a ticket to get in.

"Keep it for memories." He winked, walking past the booth where the guy continued to hand out golf balls and putters for a trade of some cash or a credit card.

They walked past the fainted black number one with an arrow pointing to the right and turned in that direction. They were met by a few dozen holes all around them. People were coming back and forth, chatting and cheering, putting their balls and retrieving them after the celebration of getting them in the hole before they moved along to the next one.

They stopped at an empty course which she figured was the first one. It was the shape of a perfect rectangle, a little more than 15 feet long. A hole about the size of an apple at the very end and a stick poked out of the hole where a bright red flag waved in the wind.

Cam leaned over, placing his ball just far enough so could get up on the green platform.

"Alright Arya, watch closely."

Arya gnawed on her lower lip, peeling the skin off just enough to let it bleed. Her eyes went to Cam and his putter, making sure she didn't miss anything.

"So first, you want to get in the same position you would be in if you were playing baseball. Have you ever played baseball?"

He turned around, his smile was gone, and his face was somewhat serious when she shook her head.

"Obviously. You think my dad wouldn't ever teach me? I'm not an idiot."

Cam smirked, "Debatable."

Arya rolled her eyes.

"So, after you're in the stance, put your putter to the side where you can almost latch on to the ball before you hit it. Make sure the putter isn't too far above or too close to the ground. You want to tap it light and then...hit it!"

He swung the putter lightly to hit the ball and just as he had showed her, the ball went far and right into the hole.

"Yes!" Cam shouted.

Arya felt a smile creep on her face at Cam's excitement. It was like watching a little kid open a gift they really wanted on Christmas morning.

After Cam retrieved his ball, he stepped back to where Arya was, and she stepped up to the platform.

Arya could feel his eyes on hers while she placed her ball down near the same spot he had. Trying to remember the steps he told her, she hit the ball, barely even thinking about it. The ball went flying down the platform and disappeared over the stone frame that challenged any balls to escape.

She could hear Cam laughing behind her, and she began sprinting around the side to look for the ball. It took her a second to find it but when she did, she went right back to the platform to try again. This process repeated itself a few times before Cam stepped in.

"Wow. You said you were bad but, I didn't expect you to be this bad."

"I can't be that bad, can I?" Arya pouted.

"Oh, you can." Cam laughed.

Cam stepped behind her, his arms coming around her and reaching for the putter. He set his hands over hers and stepped into the same baseball position that she was in. The air caught in her throat, her eyes barely catching his and then went back down to the putter.

"Let's try this again." Cam spoke softly.

This time, when Cam helped her hit the ball, it went right in the hole. She jumped up and down, excited that she got a ball in. Well, that they got a ball in.

"I did it!"

Arya turned to Cam, still jumping up and down and could tell by the way he stared at her the moment she got excited was like nothing she'd ever seen before. His glare sent shivers up and down her spine. And without thinking, she simply stepped away and went to grab the ball.

She refused to acknowledge whatever it was that just happened, in hopes it would go away and to save a friendship in advance.

"Time for the next one." She spoke softly.

Arya pinched the claw clip in her hair open, rearranging her ponytail and clipping it back in place. Just like they had before, they stepped on the second platform. This time, she went first, positioning her ball, putter, and feet just right, hitting the ball and just as she expected, it went to the side, a few inches away from the hole.

When Cam stepped on the platform it didn't take long for him to hit the ball. His stopped just beside hers.

Arya shook her head, a smile growing on her face.

"I'm going to win you know."

It was in her best interest to tease him; it was all she really had ever known to do when being around a guy. But it wasn't like the teasing the night of her party, it was a different kind.

"I'd like to see that happen." He huffed.

She went to hit the ball again and just as she did, she was almost knocked down, but the ball still went in, sending her into a series of laughter.

"I win! I beat you!"

She spun herself around and quickly grabbed her ball, headed to the next platform with Cam following behind her defeated.

For most of the time they spent mini golfing it was a competition to the two to beat the other but, most rounds Arya beat Cam. Which was surprising since she had never played before.

For a while, they spent time talking about their favorite color, food, drink and basically anything that fit into the conversations they had.

"I can't believe you don't like tacos! That has to be inhuman!" She laughed.

"They just taste funky!" Cam protested.

"Just stop. Stop speaking."

The last time she laughed this hard was probably her tenth birthday party when the clown fell into her birthday cake. Her mom was pissed but, she found it hysterical and spent almost an hour crying over it because it was so funny.

"I'm going to pee." Arya continued to laugh.

It felt like the oxygen had removed itself from her throat, her eyes welling with tears from laughing so hard. Cam seemed to find it just as funny because he was laughing along with her.

At the last platform Arya got her ball in first time, yelling with excitement.

"In your face! I won!"

Everyone was staring at them, but Arya didn't care. All she cared about was that she beat Cam.

Cam didn't even bother to attempt at getting the ball in, he knew he had lost. When they returned their balls and putters back to the guy at the booth, they walked in the direction of the car.

"Thank you for taking me. I can't believe I beat you my first time." Arya boasted.

Cam rolled his eyes. "Yeah whatever. I let you win."

"Keep lying to yourself sweet cheeks." Arya
said confidently.

Cam quickly began shoving her before getting into the passenger seat.