Forever Roses {Harry Styles AU}

Chapter 3: Grayson

Chapter 3: Grayson – September 21, 2011

Other than all of the conversations in the expansive building, all that we can hear is the clunk of bowling pins hitting the polished wood lanes. April, Emma, and Caitlin, one of April's other best friends, are going bowling with Graham and I. We're almost finished with our second as well as last game. It's a shame because I've hardly gotten to talk to April, nonetheless spend any alone time with her. Caitlin and I have been talking a lot instead. I've never noticed before that she's such a smiley person, kind of like April.

"Tell me another joke," Caitlin insists.

I rack my brain. "Oh! What kind of cheese doesn't belong to you?"

Caitlin's eyes just stare into mine in anticipation like an excited child’s, waiting for me to answer the joke: "Nacho cheese!"

She starts to laugh but then bites her lip to hold it in. I don't know if she had a lot of candy or what before, but she's laughing at all these corny jokes like they’re the funniest things she’s heard in ten years.

"Caitlin, your turn!" Emma calls from up front.

Caitlin scurries up, smoothing out her dress as she did so. "I shouldn't have worn this dress," she complains. “It keeps getting in my way.”

"Why did you then?" April asks curiously.

Caitlin just shrugs before picking up the purple ball and knocking down seven pins.

"Nice!" April says supportively. Her friend smiles in return and there's a slight shade of pink on her cheeks when she does so.

Just then, the doors behind us open. Not only do the bells ring in greeting, but the boys that are coming in are really loud.

I look over my shoulder to see if I know them. "Hey Andrew!" 

Andrew waves at me, walking like he owns the place. Grayson and Norman, the two most popular guys in our grade, are with him. A couple other guys from my classes that I'm friendly with tag along too.

Graham hollers a hello to them before turning back to our bowling game. I've already finished bowling for the whole game, and only April and Emma are left after Graham.

“Yes!” Graham shouts when he knocks down nine pins. April giddily claps for him. She’s been watching everybody and encouraging them like she’s a parent.

In the midst of my April Observation, Grayson Carr struts over to our group. His light brown hair is smooth and shiny like April’s.

And speaking of April, that’s who he makes his way over to as Emma picks up a pink ball to bowl with. Emma slows down her movements to catch what Grayson is about to do.

“Hey, Ape,” he nicknames April somewhat unflatteringly, but coming from him it’s supposed to sound cool. It actually sort of does.

“Uh, hi, Gray?” April giggles at her attempt to nickname him in return.

Grayson flashes her one of his charming smiles. “So, I was thinking. I wanted to take you out, just you and me. How does tomorrow night sound?”

April’s body goes still. Her eyes flicker to Emma’s. Emma is frozen, too, and her hand looks like it’s about to break off from holding the heavy bowling ball for so long. As I bounce my eyes back and forth in a matter of seconds between Emma and April, my panic increases. Graham glances at me, knowing that I’m kinda sorta really into April.

“Er…I don’t know if I can do that,” April manages to squeeze out, ending her frozen-eye conversation with Emma.

Grayson’s shoulders slump incredibly slightly. He’s losing confidence. However, he plays it off. “Then maybe Sunday night?”