In Love With Death's Daughter

Mary

        "Prepared to lose?" Lucas asks me, smirking.

          "As if." I reply, taking his hand in mine, and walking toward the bowling alley. Something about wearing shoes that hundreds of other people have too, and throwing bowling balls down a lane is extremely exciting, and I've all but forgotten about tomorrow.

        "Just admit that you will not prevail. You've practically already been defeated."

          "Oh have I? The  I don't see the point of even playing. Let's just have you take me home then, I guess!" I say over-expressively, and turn back toward Lucas' car, but he spins me around, and kisses me softly.

       "You're not getting out of this," He whispers, "Even though you've practically lost, I still want the chance to live through owning at bowling."

        Lucas steps back away from me, and my brain starts to clear again. He smiles at me, and leads me into the bowling alley. By the time we enter the doors, I'm back to full consciousness.

        "I'm going to win.." I murmur with my arms crossed, and Lucas just chuckles.

        The bowling alley is old school. The wallpaper is faded, and falling off in a few places, the floors are made of slightly scratched and uneven linoleum, and the lanes themselves just look dull. The entire place literally smells old, and all the shoes they have have barely anything for soles. But it's my favorite alley. I don't even know why. Maybe it's because of the people who run the place, a lovely elderly couple who are so nice, and brighten my day. Or it could be how brightly lit it is, makes up for the age of the alley. It could how every Friday they have black-light night, where you can wear white and glow, and everyone spends their time swaying to the live music and bowling. Maybe it's the fact that they have a stage at all, even if it just has tables and chairs on it most days. No matter what it is, I love this place, the newer alleys could never compare.

        "Hi Mary, hi Paul!" I greet the owners (Who I've gotten to know over eighteen years of coming at least three times a month), and Mary hands me a pair of shoes.

        "Hello dear, how are you? And who is this? What's your shoe size young man?" Mary floods us with questions, and Lucas and I laugh.

        "I'm Lucas Mrs..." Lucas extends a hand to Mary.

        "Oh hush, just call me Mary!" She exclaims, shaking his hand and laughing, "A friend of Delilah here is a friend of ours, isn't that right, Paul?"

        "Right!" Paul calls from the back room.

        Then, Mary gasps, looking between Lucas and I, one hand on her cheek.

        "Why, Delilah this is that boy you were telling us about now isn't it?!" She exclaims, and I just laugh and nod, "Well isn't he handsome? Oh, you two look so lovely together! Paul, our god-daughter is all grown up, she has a boyfriend, and she's-- Say, aren't you graduating soon? Oh, how time goes by fast! I remember when you only came up to the top of my hip! Anyhow, I'm just-- It's so wonderful to see you with a boyfriend, I was starting to worry for a while there!" Mary suddenly stops her rant and leans in close to me, "Delilah, do you really like this boy? I think I like him, he's a good match for you. Do you love him dearly?"

        "I think I do, Mary." I admit, and she grins at me.

        "Oh, Paulie! Our god-daughter is in lo-ove!" She singsongs. I look over at Lucas, who's trying just so hard to keep himself from laughing. He notices my gaze, and leans close to my ear.

        "Your face is beet red, love." He whispers, and if it could, I'm sure my face would have gotten redder.

        "Oh dear, am I embarrassing you? I'll let you two go have fun, but not too much now." Mary whispers the last part to me.