Paradise // Brandon Arreaga

Chpt. 7

>>>I can't stress this enough about how this song in the picture above really coordinates with the arcade part of the story at the bottom!! Please listen to it while reading it! It's in the story! Also thank youuuuu for continuing to read this I'm trying to keep up with it all!! I love y'all! Get to reading:))))

Brandon strolled in with his phone in his hands going straight for the food. He grabbed a plate and stood next to Edwin looking around at everyone while munching. I realized I'm not even dressed to go anywhere I'm still in my pjs and messy bun.
" Imma go get dressed real quick," I muttered so Edwin heard me. Although I felt Brandon's eyes on me too but I decided to ignore it. I turned around and made my way out the kitchen. I heard Edwin shout "Don't take too long!" as I left. " I'll try!" I shout back but I was already up the stairs. I quickly threw on some white ripped jean shorts and a simply navy shirt and a couple bracelets and white converse. Also some light make up considering I'm trying to hurry. I finished tying my shoes and putting my hair down and brushing it so it's not a mess. I looked at myself in the mirror one last time to make sure I looked alright and with that I grabbed my purse and headed out. I was walking down the stairs and saw everyone was chilling in the living room. Even Jenna changed her clothes.
"Y'all ready?" I said making my way to the bottom of the staircase. Brandon was the first to make eye contact with me, he was starting to stare but right as he was about to say something Zion cut him off.
" Yea lets roll out I'm ready to beat y'all in some bowling!" Which of course sent everyone into mini arguments onto who will win.
" the Lyft is here," Austin said winking at Nick. I don't get their inside jokes at all. Like literally never.
We all hop into the black SUV and head toward the bowling alley. Once we arrived we all got out the car and made our way inside, we all picked out our shoes and bowling balls. The guys decided we should use the last 4 lanes at the very end of the bowling alley.
" Alright were doing teams," Edwin started,
"Mara let's go!" Jenna yelled at Nick while clapping her hands. We all broke out into laughter and nodded, Nick followed her towards her lane. " I got Jessica," Brandon stated quite confidently looking at me in the eye, before I could even respond Jenna joined. " HA! good freakin luck! I've seen her lose to every Wii character when playing bowling on the Wii." She laughs which of course all the guys did too.
" hush it! I've gotten better you just haven't seen yet !" I defend rolling my eyes walking towards our lane.
" should we put up the kiddie bumpers just in case?" Brandon shouts walking over still laughing. Geez his laugh..stop that. Don't do this to yourself. He clearly has something going on with someone else probably considering how much he's on his phone. Austin, Edwin and Zion all team up together, after we all put our names on the screen the games began.
" Get ready to eat my dust losers!" Jenna yelled across to everyone as she bowled a 9/10 on her first throw. Which is pretty impressive. Brandon went next and got a 7/10 which is not bad..then Zion went and got a 9/10 as well. Over the course of the game Jenna and Zion were neck in neck constantly getting either a 8 or 9 out of 10 or a strike. Everyone else was bowling either a 7 or 8 out of 10 and I'm either hitting the gutters or getting like 2. I'm out of practice okay?!
We're on our third game and it's still a constant battle between Jenna and Zion and Nick he's also been hitting a lot of strikes recently. Jenna is probably helping him just to win, she's too competitive sometimes. It was my turn and honestly I was getting frustrated, everyone else was focused on there teams getting points and I'm just losing over and over. I don't even get why Brandon wanted to partner up with me. He's been stand offish this morning. I hate mixed signals it just makes me wanna never talk to that person again, really it's too much confusion. But he's been such a good sport during the game. Cheering me on and clapping for the other team and joking around. Just being reallly positive and I really like it. I like it..
I grabbed the ball, with a huff I brought it to my chest and turned to walk towards the lane. I felt a body press against my back and grab my right arm with the ball in it.
" I'm gonna help you with this one okay? Just lean forward and let your arm swing back and...." I let the ball go as we swung together and it hit all the pins head on! A Strike! I got my first strike!
" Oh my gosh I got a strike! My first strike!" I threw both hands in the air and jumped up and down and turned around Brandon smiling so brightly grabbed my arm and pulled me in for a hug spinning around. It felt as if it was all in slow motion, the dark purple lights of the bowling alley glowing all around, every thing around us was a blur and it was only him. Tunnel vision.

(A/N:this is where you would play the song)

"Let's go to the arcade?" He whispered in my ear as he put me down.
"Yea lead the way" I agreed. He hit the button on our game that said end and started walking his hand still holding mine. As we walked in to the almost empty arcade which was right inside of the bowling alley we went straight for the skee ball machine. He put a few coins in the machine and we started. I actually won this round. I may suck at bowling but skee ball is what I got to offer. We decided basketball next which was definitely more his type of game bc he won and beat me 55 to 18. Yeah definitely not my sport.
" Not fair you have bigger hands I can't even grip the ball!" I shout at him as we're on round two of basketball.
" Come on it's simple!" He smiled looking over as he's still shooting basket after basket.
"No it's not it's a unfair advantage!" I yell back still missing every basket I shoot. Next thing I know those same familiar arms are around mine helping me shoot the baskets and actually make them. I felt myself smiling as the points went up. I was so distracted that I didn't even notice his hands were on my waist and I was throwing the Ball and making it on my own. The final score was 55 to 52! I turned around to face him then I realized how close our faces actually were. My back was against the machine and his hands were still on my waist. My arms made their way up to his shoulders and our eyes met. I smiled at him, " you helped me, again"
"Well I'm a pretty nice guy," he muttered still smiling brightly, looking down at me. The feel of the room completely changed, the dark purple glowing lights of the machines, the song on playing throughout the arcade echoing " Heaven and Back" by chase Atlantic. I looked back up at Brandon, meeting his deep brown eyes, he mouthed the lyrics of the song looking right into my eyes.
"She just went to heaven and back"