Her Biggest Fan (Book 3 of JAF series)

Chapter 12 Oh We Got Trouble My Friends

I don't even have to get out, she is waiting for me at the bottom stoop and she climbs in to the car.

"Hi." She buckles the seatbelt and I pull away from the curb.

"Hello."

"Thanks for coming."

"Anytime." Now there is silence except for her giving out directions every so often.

She walks confidently into the bowling alley and I follow closely. The place is deserted besides the shifty looking guy behind the counter. I'm glad for the lack of an audience because I can't remember the last time I bowled. I try to talk but she doesn't respond besides telling me it's my turn. Finally I can't take it anymore. She sits after bowling a spare and I don't move.

"Okay, now can you tell me what we are doing here?" I ask firmly, she's not getting out of answering my question. But I'd rather be asking if she is okay.

She seems to collapse, head held in her hands she mumbles almost to herself. "Honestly, I don't know. When life seems to be falling into place it always seems to decide to blow up instead."

"You do know you're making about zero sense right now?" Coming together? Blowing up? This must have to do with her album.

"I think my sister's boyfriend is abusing her."

I don't know how to respond. I stare at her for a few seconds and she lifts her head up, her eyes meeting mine. It breaks my silence. "Why do you think that?"

"I know the signs, I know my sister. Are you going to take your turn?"

Clearly I need to be more patient. This is a tough situation. I study her face for a second before getting up and grabbing my ball. We don't talk for the next 5 frames, she's so far ahead that there's no way I could catch up but she won't let me concede. A wave of fatigue washes over me and I don't release the ball on the right step, I take two extra steps to make up for it. I cross the line and feel myself start to fall. I yell as I crash into the lane.

"Hunter!" I feel the floor shake a bit as she approaches "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." I try to laugh but a sharp pain shoots through my spine and I hold back a wince.

"On the plus side, guess who finally got a strike?" She looks over at where the pins are resetting then back at me. I can tell she's trying hard not to laugh.

"If that's the only way I can get pins down then I'm never going bowling again."

This makes her laugh outright. I limp back to the seats and let her finish out the games. On the plus side I get an 98 instead of the 63 I was at. Once back at the car I realize driving will not be my friend right now and I ask her to take me home. She obliges and I feel so bad, it's not her fault I fell but she keeps apologizing.

"You know, I jump around like crazy on stage night after night and nothing happens. But one little slip on a waxed floor and bam! I'm paralyzed." I chuckle but this only makes her bite back a grimace.

She pulls into my driveway and gapes at my house, I ignore it and work on figuring out how to get out without hurting myself worse. Right now I would kill for some pain killers.

"Can I borrow your car to get home?" She asks at the same time I realize she doesn't have a ride home.

"Uh, you know what, it's almost 4, just come in with me and we can put on a pot of coffee and pull an all-nighter. Or you can crash."

For a second she looks like she's going to fight me then she turns the car off. She gingerly helps me inside and I maneuver to the couch. "Coffee pot is in the kitchen, unless you want a k-cup, those are next to the coffee in the first cabinet by the fridge."