Together Again / Brendon Urie

12. Brendon

"I'm going to need bumpers," she leaned up to whisper in my ear at the counter. I was in the middle of paying but stopped when her hand touched my bicep. "What?" I ask her laughing a little but wipe my face clean when I notice she is in fact serious. "No you won't, it's ok I'll teach you." I explain and finish handing over my card. It's monday night so they have a special where you pay by the hour. I tell them to keep it open until we leave. I'm not rushing this, plus I place an order for pizzakm. We are seated at our lane and lacing our rental shoes and Adler is uncomfortably quiet. "You ok?" I ask and she nods. "I'm really bad at bowling." She admits again for like the fourth time and I find it adorable. "Don't worry I'll help you, just relax and have fun." I smile and finish tying my knot. I walk over to the keyboard and put our names in. Addie and Urie.

"Why not your first name?" She asks and I shrug. "It's shorter and I'm impatient. She laughs with me and the pins drop signaling the lane is ready. "Ladies first," she shakes her head and her eyes are wide. "Ok, well let's find you the proper ball first. Anything with a six on it. Needless to say she was drawn by color not the number. "This one?" She asks holding up a hot pink ball with an eight it. "That's going to be too heavy." I inform her and I find a ball her weight but it's a dark green color and I know she won't like it. "Here, this is your weight." She takes it without hesitation and looks it over. "Ok now what? Like I know how to play but like what would you recommend I do differently." She confides in me and I smile. "Well first throw and then I'll let you know." Addie bites her lip worriedly and shuffles over to the lane. I watch her hold the ball correctly, stand in front of the lane, probably eyeing up the pins at the far end. She swings her arm back and releases it directly into the right gutter.

I don't laugh at all and I think she was expecting me to. "I warned you," she states defensively and I walk over to the ball return. "I didn't say or do a thing." The ball spits back out and I grab it for her. "Here, do you know how to do a walk up at all?" I ask her still holding the ball. Addie shakes her head no and I nod. "Ok we'll start stationary then. Stand here," I show her with my body. "Bring your arm back and bend down so you are more lined up with the floor," I demonstrate for her without releasing the ball. "This way it glides from your hand to the floor. Instead of flying in the air." She watches me carefully and nods. "Ok?" She nods again silently. She goes to stand and it's already off. "Wait," I correct her placing my hands on her hips. She stiffens at my touch but I don't move. "Relax your shoulders and wrist." She's still very stiff. "Relax," I whisper in her ear and she shudders. Her body reacts quickly to mine and I move closer to her. Her ass almost pressed against me.

Eventually Addie relaxes and even exhales a breath. "Good," I whisper in her ear again and release her. "Now throw." I say walking backwards away from her, well away from harm's way. She tries to do what I tell her and it's better, still rough, but better and she manages to get two pins. She jumps up and down and cheers and I smile brightly at her. "Oh my God! Did you see that? I got two! I never hit any before!" She cheers enthusiastically and I go to high five her but she wraps her arms around my neck and I quickly catch her hug. I wasn't expecting that, just like I also wasn't expecting her to smell like vanilla. I release her hug and she blushes. "Sorry, that was a little much." She admits sheepishly and I shake my head. "Not at all, you did great!" I cheer her on and now she smiles. "Your turn!" She cheers and I grab my number ten ball, I'm debating if I should down play my skills or not but then what's the fun in that?

I throw my ball and get a strike immediately and I turn around to a very shocked Addie. "You are so full of shit!" She laughs and smacks my arm when I get nearer. I smirk at her and shrug. "I play a lot, it just takes practice. All right, your turn! Let me see ya!" I cheer and she trudges over obviously deflated by my actions. She throws and gets another pin, but her second goes in the gutter. She doesn't say anything but takes a seat. "Addie, it's fine. We're just here to have fun, you want a beer?" I ask because I'm already dying for one. "Sure, I'll go get them," she stands to leave but I hold her back. "No I'll get them, stay put." I squeeze by her and make my way to the counter. I order two coors light because it's really the only thing they have. Our pizza is also done so I bring that back with me and she eyes it up happily. "Oooooo!" She coos and takes the beer I handed her. This is nice, I haven't done this in a long time and I'm thoroughly enjoying myself. I pull a slice out of the pie and hand her one on a plate before doing the same for myself. "Thank you," she says quietly and I pause mid bite. "You're welcome." I take a bite and she is still looking at me. "No thank you for this, I haven't been out anywhere since I moved here and its finally starting to feel like home and less of a mistake."