Accidentally On Purpose

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The rest of the week went by without a hitch. Lucas and Elle continued to talk and text basically nonstop. I hadn't been introduced to Lucas yet, but I assumed that was because they were still getting to know each other.

Friday night, Elle had spent the night and we woke late Saturday morning to a text from Lucas. Well, Elle awoke to a text from Lucas, I awoke to Elle's squawking about the text.

"What does he want. It's like 10:30. Who's up at 10:30 on a Saturday," I groaned when Elle pushed me out of bed and I fell to the floor very ungracefully.

"He wants to know if I want to go bowling! Alex! He wants to hang out!" Elle burst out dancing and I sat up on the ground.

"Just you? Like a date?" My voice is weary, they've been talking for less than a week.

"No, he said a group is going. He wanted to know if I wanted to join." Elle responded.

"When? And do you know the group who is going?" I asked and rubbed my back. I hit the floor hard this morning.

"He said 11:30. I don't know any of the people he listed except for Lilly Adams. But he said I could invite whoever I wanted."

"I'm assuming that means me," I said, not recognizing the name she listed.

"Yep. Get your butt up. We have to ask my mom and Renee. And we might need a ride." Elle walked into my bathroom and the shower started making it's groaning noise soon after she shut the door.

I groaned. It was going to be a long day with a bunch of people I didn't know.

• • •

Elle's mom drove us to the bowling alley, dropping us off in the front after going through several self-defense moves in case we were caught in some type of bad situation. I wanted to laugh, but knew I would get a lecture if I did. We lived in a small suburban town and it was noon on a Saturday. The chances of us getting into one of those situations was slim to none.

"Call me when you are done! And don't forget, finger to the eyeball!" Elle's mom called as Elle and I climbed out and Elle slammed the door, cutting off whatever further commentary that her mother had in store for. Mrs. Harden was notorious for going on and on about pretty much anything.

Elle hopped and skipped into the bowling alley. We were a little bit late as it took Mrs. Harden longer than expected to get ready and as Elle opened the massive doors, I felt jittery and nervous. This was my first time meeting Lucas and all of his friends and I didn't want to look stupid in front of them.

"It's cold, missy." Elle called, making exaggerated motions for me to enter the building.

I hurried inside, taking off my gloves and stuffing them in my pocket as the heat warmed me up.

"Elle! We're over here!" A deep, masculine voice called and Elle and I both turned to see Lucas gesturing over to where a group of teenagers had claimed two lanes in the darker part of the room.

Elle and I walked quickly over to where they were and stood there awkwardly, surveying the group.

"Guys, this is Elle," Lucas introduced and everyone offered up a hello or a wave.

"And this is Alex," Elle said, motioning to me and I gave a half-wave, feeling awkward as everyone laid eyes on me.

"Do you need to get shoes or..." Lucas stuffed his hands in his pockets and Elle lifted up the pair of shoes in her hand.

"No, our moms made us join a mother-daughter bowling league when we were little and they got so into it, they bought their own shoes." Elle explained a bit to much but no one seemed to care.

"So you're going to kick our butts?" A guy with black, short hair asked.

"Hardly," I laughed. "Elle can't bowl to save her life and I haven't been since the league ended. And we were like 4."

"I can too bowl," Elle stuck her tongue out at me and I nudged her in the side.

"I'm Logan," The black-haired boy said and stuck out his hand for us to shake.

"I'm Xander," Another boy, this one with long blond hair said.

Everyone began introducing themselves and we were attacked by an onslaught of names and faces. I knew I would remember them but Elle's face showed she was already forgetting them.

"Let's get bowling," A girl - Lilly - cheered and Elle and I stripped out of our coats and got into our shoes.

The computer was already set up with our names and in our lane was Lilly, followed by Lucas, then Elle and I, and then some boy named Sam.

Lilly and Lucas went and there was a lot of cheers from the other lane as they got strikes and spades. It seemed as though each lane was playing against each other, however there was very little banter between the two.

Elle got up to go and she grabbed a 7-pound ball - no doubt because it was pink - and stood almost on the foul line. She spread her legs and launched the bowling ball through it. It shot forward, knocking over two pins before it fell into the gutter.

I burst out laughing. "Nice try, stupid!" I called and Elle turned to glare at me as she waited for her ball to come out.

"Shut up!" She called back and I stuck my tongue out at her playfully.

"Do you guys always act like this?" Lilly asked.

"Yes. But can you really not make fun of her for the way she bowls? Look at her." I pointed and Elle had just let go of the ball and when it knocked down one more pin, she raised her hands above her head and did a tiny dance, not nearly as embarrassing as her normal ones.

"Your turn, Alex," She elongated my name and tried to make it seem like we were enemies.

"You know you're supposed to try to get down all the pins, right?"

"Let's see you do better!" She taunted and I stood up, grabbing a ball.

"Watch me," I shot the ball at the pins and got a strike.

"Boo-yah! That's how you do it!" I fist-pumped, then went back to take my seat.

"Good job," Lucas congratulated me as Sam stood up to bowl.

"Thanks, that was just beginner's luck though," I brushed my hair back and glanced over at Elle, who was sitting on the other side of Lucas. She gave me a pleading look, and taking the hint, I turned to talk to Lily.

When I glanced over again, Lucas and Elle were in a deep conversation about who knows what. I smiled; Elle was finally getting what she wanted and I was happy for her.