Amy Flemming | After the Flames

15

The sound of Valerie's alarm clock is something that woke me up and surprised me. Her setting her alarm on a Saturday is something that is very uncommon. "What is up with you?" I ask her as I see her getting ready for what looks like a running session. "I just felt positively motivated to get ready and go for a run." Valerie tells me as she puts on her running shoes. "Mason is coming with me. At least that is what he said before eating the bowl of chocolates before bed so I will see." She says with a big smile on her face before leaving the room. I stay in bed for a little longer listening to the birds outside before getting out of bed.

I take a shower to wake myself up a bit more as I hum along to a song that was played last night. I dry myself and change into the jeans, black top and a lilac coloured cardigan. I brush my hair through and let it down.

Heather, Brooke, Ethan and Chester are already at the breakfast table when I arrive downstairs. "Good morning." They greet me before I take a seat. "Good morning." I say as I fill my cup with tea. "Thank you so much for last night." Chester says as he lays my hand on my thigh. "It was so much fun." Ethan says with a bright smile. "You're welcome. It was fun." I say with a smile as I take one of the jars with the apple cinnamon oats that Brooke made last night.

"This is so good." I say when I finished the jar of oats. "Thank you. My nana always made us oats." Brooke takes a spoon and a jar so she can eat one too. "She made all sorts with chocolate, caramel, vanilla or strawberries for breakfast when we stayed at her place." Brooke smiles after taking a bite from the oats. "It always reminds me of our childhood." I fill a bowl with some red fruit as I listen to her stories about her nan and her family.

The front door opens and closes again as we hear two pairs of footsteps on the tiles in the hall. Two people with red faces come inside the room

"I so beat you with running today." Mason says as he nudges Valerie aside so he can sit down at the table. "No, you didn't. You walked the last few meters because you were so tired." She rolls her eyes at him as she fills her glass with water and finished the glass in one go.

Paige walks inside the living room with a smile. "I have the best idea." She says as she sits down at the dinner table. She holds up the flyer for the Meadowwick Bowling Alley. "What do you think?" Paige asks as she looks at us. "I am in." Brooke says with a smile. "I am willing to go." I reply.

I put on my coat as I lean against the table in the hall and wait for the others to come down. Valerie was going to take a shower and change. Mason was showering too. Chester puts on his jacket as he walks down the stairs and greets me downstairs. He kisses me and gives me a kiss making me lean back little. I smile as he makes his kiss more passionate but quickly breaking our kiss when someone's footsteps on the wooden stairs are heard. "We will continue that later." He whispers in my ear. I smile as I give him one more kiss before Valerie, Ethan, Brooke, Lucy and Paige. "Come on, guys. We are leaving!" Mason, Heather and Elijah come along as well. We take the bikes from the shed before cycling towards the bowling alley.

After fifteen minutes of cycling, we lock our bikes and go inside the bowling centre. We all put on our bowling shoes and get ready to play.

"Too bad!" Elijah mutters a little to loudly when Lucy's ball only hits one pin. Then Elijah has his go. His ball falls into the right gutter, not even having a change to hit one pin His head hangs low as he walks back. "Too bad!" I say. He gives me a glare before he gives me a smile. He sits down beside Lucy before I have my go. My ball rolls down the lane and hits all ten pins. "Good job!" Ethan says who is overexcited since I just made our group the leading team with the most higher score.
The next one to go is Heater. For some reason she doesn't put her fingers in the 3 holes on the bowling ball. "You have to put your fingers in the holes if you want to score." Mason says as he is looking at her with a confused expression. "Oh watch me." Heather says rolling the ball which rolls and knocks over all 10 pins. Elijah looks at her with a dumbfounded expression. "I am not going to ruin my nails." Heather says waving her French manicured nails in his face. She smiles as she gives her team mates a high five.

We order some drinks and a platter with snacks before continuing the game. Our team lost just by a few points which makes competitive Ethan mutter the whole afternoon. His smile finally returned when we are at the Bites Club which is a bar and restaurant. Heather had booked a seat for us. We take a seat in the booth that was booked for us. The waiter brings us the menu cards while we order our drinks. The guys order some ginger beers. I go for a mango Ice Tea as the other girls order some sodas. We order some nachos and garlic bread, which is the best, for starters.

The head courses including my garlic shrimp pasta comes to the table. Heather and Paige are ranking some of the football players of the school's football team based on their looks. "Have you already heard something of Mr. Pile?" I ask Mason who is talking about the sports universities he had looked into. "Well, I think we may be getting something on that next week." Lucy gives him a reassuring smile. Lucy told me, while he was gone to the restroom, that he wants to get in to the programs but is feeling insecure about himself. "I am sure that you can do it." I tell him with a smile. According to Valerie he was one of the fastest runners during the Meadowwick Marathons the previous years.

I feel Chesters hand on my thigh. He is trading small circles on my skin. I look at him with a smile while focusing on the conversation with Lucy and Mason. "Well, we I don't think I stand a chance but it is not that sports is something I'm that interested in." Elijah reacts. "Except when Manchester plays a match." He says with a smile. "My dad and I watched every match. Every time we used to have snacks which my mom and I would have made." He says with a smile looking back at probably the memories. "But now I watch it with you." He says as he shrugs Mason knowing that Mason is a supporter of Liverpool. Mason gives him a glare before taking another big bite of his cheeseburger which seems to be delicious since it is almost finished while he just started eating. 

The plates are empty and taken away by the waiters so we pay the receipt before making it back to our bikes. It is cold while cycling home so it is a good thing that Mason and Valerie are cycling up front keeping a good pace to heat up a bit. I adjust my scarf so it covers my neck some more.

After getting home and registered back in, we drink some tea and coffee with some sweet snacks. Kate listens to our stories from the day. "I am happy that I can take of these heels." Heather says as she takes them off before setting the pair down next to her on the floor. "I am still wondering how you could cycle with those." Lucy says as she takes one of the heels and looks at them. "Years of practice. It is not that hard. Kate does it too." She says pointing at Kate's green peep toe heels. "Well, I have started wearing them since I started working my full time job and when I do cycle, I always make sure to put on flats." Kate says looking at Heather with an impressed look on her face as she looks at the high heels Heather owns which are very high compared to hers.

After a while of talking, I decide to head to bed since I am starting to feel really tired. I give Chester a kiss before also saying good night to the others. I go upstairs and change into a new set of pyjamas before going to the bathroom where I use the toilet and brush my teeth. My book stays on the nightstand not wanting to read anymore. I turn of the lights. Somewhere in my sleep I did hear Valerie come in to the room and head to bed.