𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐧𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐬 || Jameson Hawthorne

strip bowling

༄ "𝐒𝐎 𝐇𝐎𝐖 𝐎𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐍 𝐃𝐈𝐃 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐘 𝐀𝐓 𝐇𝐀𝐖𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐄 𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐒𝐄?"

I almost choked on those words. The answer in real time was always, but telling Avery that would only lead to more questions, and the last thing I wanted was to tell her too much.

"Not too much. Me and my family didn't move here until a couple years back, so it was just visits up until then." My tone was neutral, not giving too much away.

"Oh," Avery said. "Really?"

"Yep." I made sure to pop the P on that.

Avery looked like she was contemplating saying something, but she didn't. Instead, we walked down the corridors of Hawthorne House in silence.

"So," I said, breaking the silence. "What's your story?" besides the fact that Avery Kylie Grambs was on every media story and news article possible, I didn't know much about the mystery girl.

"Honestly, the only thing I was focused on was finding a place to sleep every day."

Oh.

I suppressed the pang of guilt rising in my chest as we turned down the hallway. The bowling alley.

"Have you seen the bowling alley?" hopefully I would be able to shift the topic and awkward feeling floating in the air.

Avery smiled, "Once, but it was in a rush with Alisa."

"Well," I said, "How about we give you an in depth tour this time?" I held the door open for Avery and she smiled, walking past me and into the bowling alley.

When I caught up to Avery, my smile faded as I saw the multiple members of Hawthorne House. I knew this game, and it wasn't one I wanted to be involved in.

Strip Bowling.

Unfortunately, Xander saw me and Avery and waved his hand up high. "Lizzie! Avery! Come play with us."

No!

Avery smiled, "Wanna play?" she looked at me, and though I felt the urge to chuck a bowling ball at Xander, I smiled.

"Sure."

Me and Avery took a seat down on one of the couches and watched as Jameson chucked a bowling ball into the gutter.

"Tough shit," Xander said, "Strip."

"I don't know how much more Jameson can do." Nash added, gesturing to the pile of clothes next to him. Jamesons clothes.

Xander stood up. "It hasn't been that much. Just.." he eyed the pair of pants by Nash. "socks, shoes, rings—"

"We get it," Jameson held a hand up at Xander. He pulled his white collar shirt off his body, revealing..

"Damn," Xander said. "Ladies, are you sure you're okay with this?" he pointed at Jameson. "Might be a little much to—"

"Xander." Nash warned.

Xander looked like a kid who had stolen the last cookie out of the jar. "What?"

Jameson shook his head, looking down at the ground. The small smile on his face almost melted me— almost— but I kept composed.

"Hey," Xander sat down next to me, wrapping his arm around my shoulder. "Where's Rebecca? I haven't seen her since school got out."

I shrugged. "Neither, I haven't been home since this morning."

Xander smirked. "Why? Has Lizzie been seeing someone?" Pfft. The only person I should be seeing is a therapist, but I kept that thought concealed.