My Best Friend's Brother (ON HOLD)

5. Bowling and Black-Eyes

"I can hear her chewing that gum from three lanes over." Dustin mutters causing me to laugh and Em to literally growl.

"Shut up, Dustin."

"So, what did Jason do to her?" Calvin whispers, using one hand to motion three lanes to the left of us and the other to hand me the blue ball which I proceed to almost drop.

"Played his usual game." I regain my grip on the twelve pound ball looking away from Jason Hastings. "Treated her like she changed him and them dropping her after getting what he wanted."

"The guy's such an ass." He mutters, shaking his head while I nod in agreement, glancing at my best friend who's currently forcing a smile.

Let me recap.

Emery and Eli have been fighting. Emery has a crush on the new guy and invited him to come bowling this weekend. Calvin ended up getting invited. Emery's ex-boyfriend, Jason, is here, with Blair.

This is gonna get ugly.

"Woah. Woah." Someone grips my wrist. "I get why you always lose now." Calvin laughs in my ear and I frown as I look down at blue galaxy swirl ball. "You hold the ball completely wrong." His hand slides up my arm, turning it outward, as he positions himself behind me. "Keep your arm straight." He mutters, slowly pulling my arm back. "And..." He swings my arm forward. "Let go."

The ball drops right into the center, rapidly rolling forward, hitting the first center pin and the rest fall over.

"Yes!" A squeal leaves my throat as a spin to catch Calvin's arm. "Did you see that?"

"I did." Calvin laughs, motioning with a slight tip of his head toward Eli. "So did he."

Eli's face is blank as his icy gaze remains frozen on Calvin's arm... and my hand.

"He's protective." I mutter, moving my hand. "I'm like his sister."

Calvin simply hums before leaning down to grab my returned ball. "Whatever you say."

Em goes after me. Hoots and hollers come from down the alley as she makes a spare.

"It least you're good at something." Jason yells from his lane, while Blair shoots daggers at towards us.

"Don't engage." I mutter, watching as my best friend grits her teeth.

"Let's just leave." Eli appears holding my purse out for me, his white shirt glowing under the black light. "We can go to a movie or something."

"No, it's fine."

"Emery." Eli growls, shoving my purse into my hands. "I'm not doing this. I didn't even want to be here in the first place."

"Then why did you come?" Emery whispers so sharply I take step back.

"You know why." Eli's voice is so low I barely hear it and then he stomps away.

"You guys really need to get this figured out." I mutter, watching Eli angrily bowl a strike before going back to sit down.

Ezra, Calvin, and Dustin continue with their conversation, not noticing the tension in Eli's shoulders, the tears in Emery's eyes, or the worry on my face.

"There's nothing to figure out."

"Em."

"He just needs to get over this stupid crush."

"It's not a stupid crush." I tell her, some of my own bitterness seeping into my tone. "He genuinely likes her."

"What did you just say?" Eli's sharp tone comes from behind us and I turn to see Dustin flanking Eli's left side, the both of them facing Jason.

"I said-" Jason speaks loudly, looking between Emery and I before his eyes go back to Eli, his tone lowered.

"Son of a bitch." Eli growls, launching forward, knocking Jason down. His fist clips Jasons jaw before Dustin, with the help of Calvin, pulls him off.

He's seething and it doesn't help matters when Jason throws his fist toward him, this time Ezra joins the fight, pulling Jason off. Now, the bowling ally's manager approaches us, a frown on her face as she takes in the scene.

"We were just leaving." I smile at her, grabbing Eli's hand and starting to walk away. I hear footsteps and the squeaking of sneakers so I don't stop until we're outside. Eli's tight grip on my hand is almost painful, his anger radiating off of him.

"Eli." There are tears in Emery's voice. "Eli, I'm sorry for whatever he said."

"Just get in the Jeep, Emery." He responds, squeezing my hand before letting go.

"Violet, you can ride with me." Calvin offers, holding up his hands as Eli turns to him.

"She can ride with us, we live next to each other."

"Sorry," Calvin steps back from a still seething Eli. "I just though you and your sister would like to talk."

"He's right Eli." I mutter, stepping toward Calvin's truck. "You and Em really need to talk, it can't keep going like this."

"We can talk at home." He insists, watching his sister say goodnight to Ezra and step toward the Jeep. "Vi."

"It's okay, Eli." I force a smile. "I'll see you guys tomorrow."

Eli's jaw clenches, and with a sigh, he steps away.

-

"That was a train wreck." Calvin mutters is he climbs into his truck. "And Eli was pissed at my being here."

"Jason puts him on edge." I mutter, thinking about the night, six months ago, that Jason broke my best friends heart.

It was the only time I've ever seen Eli cry.

"You put him on edge."

"Give it a rest!" I start laughing. "Eli and I do not like each other!"

"Maybe if you say it louder, it'll be true."

***

Crap update but an update none the less.