it by being rude. He's really cute."
"Mom, shh."
During our three games, I glanced between the two groups, but mostly looked at Lucas. I wanted to know who he was casually dating. Mom was also trying to watch discreetly.
Mom won our bowling game hands down, but the night wasn't a total loss, I beat my top score. I now had the honor of a ninety-three for my new record.
I turned to see Casey and her group still playing. Watching them made me miss my California friends. They wouldn't be hanging out at a bowling alley though; they would be at the under eighteen nightclub downtown. At least there's loud music here, kinda like a club.
While mom and I changed our shoes, I noticed the bowling alley had cleared. Lucas and his group were one of the few still playing. He was talking to Rachel, Sasha's friend from gym.
"I'll be right back," Mom said. "I'm going to return this ball."
"Okay." I started humming the song that was playing. It was a song you couldn't help but dance to. I bounced in my seat.
"Eliana, are you leaving already?" Lucas asked from behind me.
I jumped and grabbed my chest. "You startled me. Yeah, I'm tired. It's been a long day."
"Oh, I thought it might have been your mom who's tired." He looked back at his friends.
"Hi, Lucas." Mom had returned.
"Hi Ma'am…I mean, Sophie."
Mom smiled.
I said, "I'll be right back. I'm going to put this ball away."
"Take your time, honey."
Lucas followed me. "I was going to invite you to join us for a game."
I turned and gave him a confused look, and then looked toward my mom. She'd obviously overheard his offer by the grin on her face. "Um, I think I'm going to leave with my mom. I don't want your date to get the wrong idea."
"She's not my date."
"Does she know that?"
"I hope so. Besides, you and I are just friends, remember? Friends can hang out."
I looked at my mom again and then back at Lucas.
"Well, I came with my mom. I didn't drive myself." I placed the ball on the rack.
"You're on my way home. I can give you a ride."
I rubbed the side of my head and looked over at his group of friends. Rachel was staring at me and that made my decision easier. I already had one person threatened by me. I didn't need another. "I think it would be best for everyone if I left with my mom. Besides, your date doesn't look very happy right now."
Lucas looked disappointed. "Eliana, I'm really trying to be friends, but you're making it difficult."
"If you knew what I went through this week, you would understand. Believe me, if it were under different circumstances, I'd be staying to hang out with you. I truly would."
He shook his head. "Sure, maybe another time."
"Please don't be mad."
"I'm not mad. You're just confusing."
"Sorry." I looked at my mom. "I've got to go. I'll see you around."
"Yeah. Have a good night." He stood motionless as I walked back to my mom.
"Please don't say anything. I just want to go," I whispered.
"I'm not saying a word. Let's go pay."
After we paid, I glanced back at Lucas with his friends. He was sitting next to Rachel, but staring at me. I smiled, hoping to get a response, but he just gave me a blank expression.
As we walked toward the exit, I glanced at Casey and her group. Casey smiled and waved, and Sasha glared.
Chapter Six: My Haven
"Mom, what do you have planned for tomorrow?" I asked, breaking the silence on our way back to my grandparents' house.
"Nothing really, your dad is supposed to call. So, I'm staying home. What do you want to do?"
"I want to take the whole day and hike in the mountains. I only get a few hours after school to run. There are some areas I'd like to explore in the daylight."
"I don't know if I feel comfortable with you up there by yourself. What if something happens?"
"I'll take a bag of essentials: cell phone, first aid kit, water, food, map, and chalk to mark the trees. I've hiked enough with Dad to know what precautions to take."
Mom sighed, "Let me think about it."
We were silent the rest
"Mom, shh."
During our three games, I glanced between the two groups, but mostly looked at Lucas. I wanted to know who he was casually dating. Mom was also trying to watch discreetly.
Mom won our bowling game hands down, but the night wasn't a total loss, I beat my top score. I now had the honor of a ninety-three for my new record.
I turned to see Casey and her group still playing. Watching them made me miss my California friends. They wouldn't be hanging out at a bowling alley though; they would be at the under eighteen nightclub downtown. At least there's loud music here, kinda like a club.
While mom and I changed our shoes, I noticed the bowling alley had cleared. Lucas and his group were one of the few still playing. He was talking to Rachel, Sasha's friend from gym.
"I'll be right back," Mom said. "I'm going to return this ball."
"Okay." I started humming the song that was playing. It was a song you couldn't help but dance to. I bounced in my seat.
"Eliana, are you leaving already?" Lucas asked from behind me.
I jumped and grabbed my chest. "You startled me. Yeah, I'm tired. It's been a long day."
"Oh, I thought it might have been your mom who's tired." He looked back at his friends.
"Hi, Lucas." Mom had returned.
"Hi Ma'am…I mean, Sophie."
Mom smiled.
I said, "I'll be right back. I'm going to put this ball away."
"Take your time, honey."
Lucas followed me. "I was going to invite you to join us for a game."
I turned and gave him a confused look, and then looked toward my mom. She'd obviously overheard his offer by the grin on her face. "Um, I think I'm going to leave with my mom. I don't want your date to get the wrong idea."
"She's not my date."
"Does she know that?"
"I hope so. Besides, you and I are just friends, remember? Friends can hang out."
I looked at my mom again and then back at Lucas.
"Well, I came with my mom. I didn't drive myself." I placed the ball on the rack.
"You're on my way home. I can give you a ride."
I rubbed the side of my head and looked over at his group of friends. Rachel was staring at me and that made my decision easier. I already had one person threatened by me. I didn't need another. "I think it would be best for everyone if I left with my mom. Besides, your date doesn't look very happy right now."
Lucas looked disappointed. "Eliana, I'm really trying to be friends, but you're making it difficult."
"If you knew what I went through this week, you would understand. Believe me, if it were under different circumstances, I'd be staying to hang out with you. I truly would."
He shook his head. "Sure, maybe another time."
"Please don't be mad."
"I'm not mad. You're just confusing."
"Sorry." I looked at my mom. "I've got to go. I'll see you around."
"Yeah. Have a good night." He stood motionless as I walked back to my mom.
"Please don't say anything. I just want to go," I whispered.
"I'm not saying a word. Let's go pay."
After we paid, I glanced back at Lucas with his friends. He was sitting next to Rachel, but staring at me. I smiled, hoping to get a response, but he just gave me a blank expression.
As we walked toward the exit, I glanced at Casey and her group. Casey smiled and waved, and Sasha glared.
Chapter Six: My Haven
"Mom, what do you have planned for tomorrow?" I asked, breaking the silence on our way back to my grandparents' house.
"Nothing really, your dad is supposed to call. So, I'm staying home. What do you want to do?"
"I want to take the whole day and hike in the mountains. I only get a few hours after school to run. There are some areas I'd like to explore in the daylight."
"I don't know if I feel comfortable with you up there by yourself. What if something happens?"
"I'll take a bag of essentials: cell phone, first aid kit, water, food, map, and chalk to mark the trees. I've hiked enough with Dad to know what precautions to take."
Mom sighed, "Let me think about it."
We were silent the rest
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