We Are Monsters

Chapter 8: First Date

  
   When Mia arrives at the bowling ally, Aaron smiles. He watches as her hair blows from the gust of wind that hits you when you first walk in. He looks on with glee at the way she walks towards him. The ultra violet lights reflect off her jacket, and highlight her dark hair with blue.

"Hey" he says, he can't help but smile with adoration at her presence. "I'm glad you could make it Mia." He loves the way her name feels in his ears.

"Hey" she says, brown eyes deep like the ocean and beautiful beyond comprehension. Her smile shown with the light of stars, and that light danced on his vision like pure divinity. "I have to warn you, I haven't been bowling in years. I don't even know how to play really."

"It's easy, I'll show you." He reaches out and takes her soft, olive hand, leading her to the shoe rental booth.

His hand feels warm in hers, and has a slight dampness in the palm. She looks at his blue polo shirt, noting the way it fits perfectly on his figure. Her gaze drifts to the shoe rental booth, then to the sign above listing the prices. Her smile drops.

"Oh shoot... I didn't realize bowling shoes cost money to rent" she says regretfully. "I didn't bring my bag, which on second thought was kinda stupid. I'll pay you back, I promise. Gosh, I'm such an idiot." She stops abruptly, noticing she was rambling.

"No worries, I was going to pay anyways." He says, still smiling brightly.

-

   Aaron finishes lacing up his bowling shoes. He looks up, and over to Mia. Her smile as she laces up her shoes makes her face glow. He takes in a long, deep breath, then stand up, making his way towards her.

"If you'd like I can go first." He reaches out a hand to help her up from her knelt position. She takes his hand and launches onto her feet. Looking into his brown eyes, his dark skin making the whites of his eyes pop. "You can watch me bowl, maybe that'll jog your memory." He scratches his head awkwardly, fearful he did wrong by not letting her go first.

    She looks away from his gaze and quickly back, "sure" she gives a small shrug. She sits in the leather booth seat of the waiting area. Watching him pick up a green bowling ball, he gives her a quick smile then turns towards the lane. He swings his arm back behind him, stepping his left foot behind the other, and launches the bowling ball. The green ball went straight down the middle, leaving a 7-10 split.

   He sighs, "I hate it when that happens" he says with a small laugh, which Mia finds quite cute. The green bowling ball reappears and stops with a clank, Aaron picks it up and resumes his bowling stance. He looks confident and strong, Mia can see his passion for the sport radiating off him. He launches the ball once again, this time hitting only the pin to the right.

   He turns to her, "okay, did that jog anything?" He asks with a weak smile, clasping his hands together. She shakes her head, and he gives a light frown. "I'll show you" he gestures to the rack of bowling balls, "pick one that's not too heavy but not too light".

   Mia walks over to the rack and picks up a yellow ball with the word 'easy' spray painted in black letters. The ball is heavier than she expects, but not too heavy that she needs both hands to hold it. She makes her way over to the lane, and places her fingers in their respective holes. She turns to Aaron, "could you show me?"

"Yeah, no problem" he says reaching towards the ball in her hand. He stands beside her and adjusts her position slightly.

    Their hands are clasped together atop the bowling ball as they stare into each other's eyes. Aaron feels his face begin heating up and they both look away immediately. He removes his hands from the ball "I'm sorry I should've asked first" he says quickly.

"No it's okay, I just wasn't expecting it. And I didn't realize that was what I was saying when I asked."

"No worries" he says, embarrassed. "I can go through how I do it, then you can try it."

"Oh," she says, looking at the floor "I actually don't mind if you show me what to do, ya know, how you were before" she twists the toes of her shoe into the floor. Her cheeks turn a shade of rose, Aaron couldn't help but notice the beauty of the color against her skin.

   He smiles, taking her arm and guiding it into a swift, rocking motion. He holds her side with his free hand. "You just swing it like that, then release" he swings her arm once more and she lets go of the bowling ball. She looks back with a prideful smile and their eyes meet again. Their faces only inches apart, he can feel her warm breath on his face.

   They both step back from one another and he releases her arm and waist. "And that's all it is really. You bowl twice, then it's my turn. And we do that until the scoreboard fills up." He points to the monitor above them "who ever knocked over the most pins wins".

"Sounds simple enough." She says, awkwardness thick like honey.