Bonded

Twenty Five

Harry picked up a large orange ball from the return table. He put his fingers inside the little holes as he stepped up to the lane for his turn. He got into stance, pulled his arm back and rolled the ball down the alley. He watched as his ball spun along, mentally willing it to stay out of the gutter, and it did, slowly spinning till it rolled into and knocked over three pins. It was his second roll and he knocked over nine in total, one pin away from getting a spare. 

The scores didn't seem to matter to the other two though. Rather, the game was used simply for something to do. A way to break up the conversation and pass the day. 

Harry went back to the little seating area. He plopped himself down beside Louis, who slowly got up to take his turn, leaving Harry alone with Lottie. She was seated across from him, with her knees bent to one side, and her back perfectly straight, looking very prim and proper. 

She was a cute, petite, little thing, with her frilly pink blouse, beige pleated skirt and mandatory bowling shoes, which somehow seemed stylish and cute on her. Her hair was loosely tied half up behind her head with a few delicate, loose brown strands left to wisp around her face. Her makeup seemed expertly done while still being light and added to her warm and homely glow. 

She offered Harry a smile. "Do you like bowling?" she asked with a small shrug of her shoulders. 

Harry nodded a bit stiffly, even though he didn't really feel uncomfortable. He had initially been very nervous to meet Louis's best friend. He had felt a lot of internal pressure to make sure Lottie liked and approved of him. But after having met her, his fears seemed to be slowly dissipating.

"I haven't bowled in a long time," he said meekly, "but I do find it fun. How about you? Do you and Louis bowl often?"

"Louis really likes coming and I don't mind it but it's definitely better when there's more than just the two of us." Lottie casually told him.

Louis came back after having rushed through his turn and sat beside Lottie. "What are you guys talking about?" He asked.

"I was just telling Harry that the three of us should come bowling again," Lottie replied.

Louis looked towards Harry, who nodded while adding, "She said bowling is more fun with more people." 

"The three of us should definitely come bowling again," Louis readily agreed. "Or we could do something else. We could do whatever you guys want as long as we hang out again."  

Lottie smiled and nodded in agreement before getting up to take her turn.

Louis watched her for a moment, as she picked up a small pink ball, but then he got up as well. He stepped around the little table between the seats, and came to sit down beside Harry. "Noah sent me a funny video," he said, pulling out his phone. "Do you wanna see it?"

"Sure," Harry replied as he scooted closer to see. 

The game continued, with each of them taking turns playing while the other two chatted and watched random videos together. By noon they had completed two games and Harry was pleasantly surprised at how well Lottie and he were getting along. Despite being a B, Lottie seemed to have accepted him just as easily as Louis had. Even for Harry, his nerves were unusually calm, almost as if there was a natural camaraderie amongst the three of them. 

It was Louis's turn to bowl and start a third game but he didn't get up for his turn. Instead he turned to the other two and asked, "Do you guys want to play again, or should we go eat first?" 

Lottie dramatically rolled her eyes. "Not all of us got to sleep in this morning and eat a late breakfast, I'm starrrrving!" 

Louis held his hands up, jokingly, in surrender. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he said. "I really don't know how you and Harry managed to roll out of bed this morning when you were both up just as late as I was."