Journey of Life.

Chapter 45.

In order not to depress, we decide to go out somewhere. As soon as we go down to the kitchen, I notice my parents standing up. They look puzzled at Nikki's presence, but she doesn't care. She just puts the cup in the sink to then go to the exit.

"I don't like her Iris. She's one of the worst students! I won't let you out, I want you to stay home." Mom says with a cold tone.

"I'll be back soon, don't worry, mom." I respond heading slowly towards the exit.

"Have fun." My dad says instead with a smile, ignoring my mom's deadly stare.

"How can you like this...this type of music, with uncontrollable rhythms. It's giving me headache!" I exclaim lowering the volume a bit.

"It's called trap music baby!" She shouts laughing. "C'mon. Don't tell me you've never danced with these types of background music."

"Indie genre is better, trust me." I replicate waiting anxiously the traffic light to turn green. "But this, this is confusing. It doesn't convey me anything other than just, oh my god, I wanna turn it off right now."

"Let me guess, you have never been in a nightclub or in any parties before, right?" She asks opening the window to light and smoke a cigarette.

"I don't need to attend any of that for me to like this music. I don't like it, I don't like it. Period." I respond drinking a bit of water. "I would rather feel bad for those neighbors, they have to endure such noises."

"You're right but also very annoying." She replies throwing away the smoke. "Who cares, like, once in a while you have to get experience it, or else, when then?"

"We won't be always teenagers, even when we'll be adults, we can get to experience that." I replicate as I open my window to let the smell of smoke out of my car.

"Right, but you're saying all this, because you don't have much friends, otherwise you would have enjoyed being invited in a party and have fun with your friends." She says laughing silently.

I mean, guys go crazy when a girl dances sexy for them." I don't even consider those words. Perhaps I'm not comfortable talking about boys.

"And trust me, these kind vibes are perfect for seducing someone. Obviously it also applies to girls." The last word made her smirk.

In that instant, she starts staring at some girls walking. To immediately sighs by saying "Katie and I recently broke up, as soon as I realized I was really in love with her."

"I'm sorry to hear that." I want to continue, but strangely I couldn't speak properly. "You are free to decide whether to answer or not...but how come? I thought-"

"That she would wait for me? Unfortunately, she was who deluded me Iris." She notifies without glancing at me, rather I frame her observing those girls walking and across the street.

At the end, she found out that Katie didn't have her same sexual orientation. She understood it when she met a boy who, without reason fell in love with him. Her eyes are sad, but ready to start a new chapter. They also seem to want me to understand, that it wasn't Nikki who ultimately pretended to be herself. It was actually Katie. I don't know what to comment on that.

In fact, she answers for me by stating, "Love is complicated Iris."

We are at the bowling alley, which gives me the opportunity to beat her. I have always been a champion, I even won against my father. Not that I went often, but I can say that I had nice reflexes. Especially also thanks to the archery, which requires a certain ability to aim at the center. So I'm used to it, while it seems difficult for her. I observe that she's too stained. As a result I spontaneously help her. I take the ball, and start explaining my tricks. I keep my eyes on the track, and with some movement, I show how it should be pulled- reminding her to look at the center line.

At the first attempt she succeeds, except when she starts to enjoy. Although in my opinion, she does it on purpose. Just to make me laugh at her ridicule. In addition involving a child to challenge her. Because he had obviously made fun of her bad aim. I cannot admit it, the funny thing is that both are bad. All I do is laugh. Especially for her surprised face, when she lost to that kid. It looks like a classic expression, when you receive two straw socks as a Christmas present, instead of something you really desired. Then she decides to surrender, declaring that she's tired. I assume she wants to change place.

Hence we end up in a spot where there are a thousand types of games. Some are busy shooting points, enough to win something. Some compete for foosball, or those who dance on strange mats with maximum speed and precision. The only thing that attracts me is a large white plush. It's really soft. So I'm going to play to get it. But Nikki also seems to be interested in having it.

"Don't dare to challenge me!" I shout her happily. Naturally she doesn't pay attention, indeed here we are playing like kids for a toy.

The game consists in being able to dunk with a small ball in tiny hoops. It seems to me difficult, because they move by changing direction. I don't give up, also because seeing her being competitive spurs me to want to win. And it ends up having fun. Unfortunately after six attempts, I lose. As a consequence, she points joyfully to the boy that stuffed toy.

She hold it tight against her face, saying "It's softer than I thought!"

Of course she said that in order to make me jealous- in this, she has not changed at all. Instead I look around in search of new games. I involve her to participate in dancing on a track, which moves with the aim of following the arrows on the screen. Everything is based on music, luckily I can dance. As well as caring about winning, it just seems fun. Especially with this rhythm. It's a kind of music never heard before. It's not bad, but the words are from another language. I think it's Korean, that's why it's different. After a long race, in the end I win, laughing at her exhaustion.

She is practically lying on the rink, trying to recover. We both laugh at that scene. She claims "Believe me or not, I honestly no longer feel my legs. I think you have to pick me up. I can't walk."

A bit dramatic but whatever. Suddenly we both run towards a small cabin, like those two children who are excited to play. At that moment, a flash appears taking various photos. As soon as they go out, I laugh at my ridiculous, doubtful face. Then I stare at her, do some crooked tongues and eyes instead or horns behind my head. Obviously in this, I seem to be possessed, I was moving too much. And that's the thing that makes us laugh the most.