Prince | .

PRINCE• quinze

PRINCE ❥ chapter quinze

"What do you think about bowling?"

I look away from the TV screen to see Nikolai staring at his iPad, scrolling through what I assume was his Instagram feed. His blue eyes seem to focus on the interface before him, and I almost don't believe he said anything to begin with.

"Bowling," I echo, shifting in my seat on his loveseat. He doesn't look up, but I notice a slight nod of his head. "Where at?"

"What? Are you picky about your bowling spots?"

"Maybe I am," I say with a small smile, pausing the suddenly uninteresting episode of How To Get Away With Murder. Nik finally glances up at me before rolling his eyes.

"There's this new bowling place at the Gardens Mall, it's a little get-together with some of my middle school friends and etcetera."

"Is that what's happening?"

"What do you mean?"

I grab the iPad out of his hands and begin to scroll--he's on the website of the assumed bowling arena. "Isn't Guy's Night Out supposed to be something sacred? I mean..." My eyes widen at what I'm about to say.

"What?" Out of the corner of my eye, I spot Nik cracking a smile. As if sensing my embarrassment, Nikolai reaches out and takes both the remote and iPad and place them on the mini table. He stands and helps me up from my spot on the seat and leads me out of his bedroom. "It isn't some Guy's Night Out. I said middle school friends, I recall being extremely pleasant to all genders."

"Oh, so you weren't just a ladies' man? You played both teams," I nod with a smug smirk. Nikolai rolls his eyes once again before dragging me into the kitchen. I take a seat on a stool at the counter and watched him pull out a bottle of water for me and himself.

"If I did, you would probably have no chance with me."

"Oh, so this is my chance?"

"Shut up, Ellie. Do you want to go bowling or not?" He uncapped the bottle and sipped.

"Why not? Can I bring Del?"

"If you'd like. But if you bring her, I'd bet anything she'd just gonna be sucking face with Devyn."

"Good point. So that means Caspian and Milo will be there, too?"

"Of course." At this point, Nikolai wad already standing and preparing to do God knows what, so I shot my hand out and grasped his wrist. "What? Miss me already?"

"Far from it," my nose crinkled. "But how about I bring Del, and you ditch Devyn?"

"I mean, this is a reunion with my friends."

"That may be true, Nik, but you have lots of friends." I licked my lips cautiously, "And you see Dev everyday."

"Oh, so he's Dev now?"

"And your name is Nik."

"I know my own name."

"Nikolai, if Delphine doesn't come, then neither will I."

"Then don't come." The words left his lips effortlessly, and I know I really should not have been, but I felt a little hurt.

"I thought you wanted me to come."

"I asked if you wanted to. I would have liked you to be there, but you don't have to be. It's a reunion for me and my friends, and I wanted you to meet them, maybe see how you interacted with them, or something. But I don't exactly need you, El."