A Perfect Pair

First Glance

KC's POV 

     I stepped into the alley, the smell of sweaty socks and burned up lane oil hitting my noise in an instant  The sounds of screaming children and drunken adults as they cheered when they somehow managed to hit pins didn't stun me even slightly. With my mother by my side, we began to bypass the thirty-eight lanes of crazy hell and move towards what most would call the "party room".  The party room consisted of ten lanes, a pair of couches and a table at each one. The lights were dimmed, showing off the awkward light mustardy-colored walls, and the quite colorful bowling pin covered carpet. Two steps led down to each set of lanes, and there was a large variety of tables for people to sit at, as well as a personal bar with no tender to lead it. It was a room I had always wanted to be in, a room filled with people that I truly admired: The High School Bowlers. They had open summer gyms every Monday, from the beginning of May all the way until the season started at the end of October, but I had missed the first few.

     I was fourteen, and I wasn't the prettiest thing to look at in my opinion. My hair was down to about my mid-night, a slightly wavy and deep brown flow. My eyes, nonetheless, were the worst eye color someone could ask for: shit brown. There was no other way to put them other then shitty brown. My body was a bit on the curvier side, a handful of my weight being placed in my stomach and thighs  I was always insecure, being a 5'3" chunky little girl people liked the ridicule. With my pink ball bag on my shoulder and my purse strung across the other, we began to move towards the girls side of the bowling alley. I recognized the one girl, her name being Katie, from a tournament I had competed at. 

     She was now a senior, and she had been helping recruit people for the high school team when I had won for the girls division. We hadn't talked much in the last four months, but she was beyond kind to me and she seemed like someone to trust. She was a bit taller than me, her hair a dirty blond and pulled back pretty much always as it rested down her midback. She was beautiful, her black lenses glasses framing her face, despite the slight patches of acne that rested on her cheeks. And then there were two other girls, who were up and waiting to bowl as well. The three of them were laughing and talking and socializing together in a way that I had always envied to have someone to do that with. Sure I had friends, but not very many close ones anymore. I vaguely remembered who Katie told me about, and I began to guess who was who. I believed that Kayla was the shorter girl, her hair resting against her neck as she picked up her ball, a cheesy cartoon laugh slipping from her lips. Up on the other side was Alexis, a much taller girl compared to us, her hair also up in a ponytail, a blonde and bushy party of it swaying as she came off the approach after shooting a ten pin. I often used hair to recognize people, which may sound weird, but if I didn't know someone's name and face yet, then I'd often remember their hair color and style instead. 

     I turned to my mom, letting her grab my shoulder gently. She and I didn't look too much alike, at least in my opinion. She was just slightly taller than me, her short and thin hair dyed a jet-black like color. Smoking had begun to ruin her hair and her teeth at a younger age, but she was still quite marvelous. And despite everything our family had gone through this year, she still stood proud and tall, just like the woman I so deeply admired. 

    "Are you gonna be okay if I leave?" She asked softly, her hazel eyes staring down to try and find mine. 

   "Mom, I'm not five. It's two hours, I'll be just fine. I'll make friends, I'll bowl my ass off, and everything will be fine".