6teen Fan Fiction ❯ 7teen: Bowling Bros ❯ Caitlin's standup ( Chapter 3 )

CHAPTER THREE

“And it just fell right over?” asked Jen, as we were all talking the next day. “Sure looked like that.” said Wyatt.

It was very strange for a pin just to fall like that, unless it was only wobbling softly and then just fell over. Still, the guys and I were getting worried. The championship game was only two nights away. That's when the grand game against us and the Rock `N Bowlers would take place. Winner got the cash.

Nikki and Jen didn't know what to say to us but just to try our best. They would be rooting for us all the way. Then we all gazed at Caitlin, and all she said was. “Go get' em, guys.” But she didn't sound sincere and just continued to look through her magazine.

“Gee… that could've sounded better.” grunted Jonesy.

I agreed with him and stated that Caitlin was being very supportive at all. Caitlin said nothing showing how much she really didn't care about bowling. Finally, we all had lost patience, and I slammed my hand down on Caitlin's magazine. “Listen! We're sorry you had one bad experience in your youth, but that doesn't mean you have to go and treat us bad because we like bowling and you don't.”

“Yeah…!” the others all sneered.

“Well, I'm sorry if I have a high standard of general hygiene.” snapped Caitlin, and she slammed the lemon lid down hard, right up on my fingers. “AAAAHH…!”

Caitlin popped back up again. “Oh! Mykan!” she cried. She tried to apologize but all I wanted ice… NOW!

My poor fingers were throbbing and swelling. They were bandaged up in no time, but I couldn't feel a thing, not even my bowling ball. From the looks of my fingers, I would need a few days for them to get better, which meant I wouldn't be able to participate in the league night.

Caitlin was really sorry now, but an apology wouldn't set things right, and she knew that. She was finally beginning to realize how unreasonable and insensitive she had been these past few weeks.

Not only had she busted my fingers, but without a fourth member on the team, the Bowling Bros would have to forfeit, unless they found a replacement. Jen and Nikki were about to volunteer, but surprisingly, Caitlin stepped up. “I will.”

“Huh…?!” we all exclaimed together.

Caitlin explained that she owed it to us after being such a pain, and for hurting my hands and putting the team in danger while we were so close to victory. Plus, maybe it was time for her to get over this thing she had about bowling alleys and confront them head on!

As honorable as that was, we were all still concerned. Caitlin had never been bowling before in her life. “Then you'll just have to teach me.”

“But Caitlin you can't learn bowling in one night, it takes months, years even.” said Wyatt, but he only got another angry glare from her forcing him to surrender. Jonesy and Jude whispered to one another that we were, so, going to regret this.

“I heard that…” said Caitlin.

…

Unable to talk Caitlin out of it, we gave her some crash courses in bowling. The first step was getting her into the alley, and no gloves or masks. Caitlin was still a little edgy, but she got through that okay.

The next part was getting her into the game. She was able a lift a ball, but with great difficulty and she couldn't lift it any higher than past her knees, and it was one of the lightest weights there was. Caitlin wasn't very fond of the shoes either, and asked if she could get any in high heels that matched her hair color.

The rest of us sighed.

Caitlin's style was also terrible, with all her might she tried to throw the ball down the lane. WHAMM! The ball slammed on the floor and rolled in the gutter instantly. “Watch it!” cried Nikki. “You're going to break the floor.”

“And you're supposed to roll the ball… not throw it…” added Jen.

Now even Caitlin was starting to doubt this was a good idea, but she continued to try. Luckily, the rules didn't say anything about alternatives. So Caitlin resorted to merely gripping the ball with both hands, and shoving it down the lane. It was working a little betted, only the ball wouldn't keep straight, and always seemed to roll off the edge and into the gutter.

After one whole day of trying, Caitlin hadn't knocked over a single pin. The only thing she managed to break was a nail, but she was too tired to complain about that. “Man… you suck.” Jonesy said. Nikki flicked his ear hard. “Ow…!”

All of us thought it was harsh for him to say that, but Caitlin felt Jonesy was right. “I'll never get the hang of this.”

“Sure you will…” Wyatt said. “Just… not by the game, that is.”

Caitlin sighed, and asked how my fingers were doing. I just held up my hands to reveal my freshly bandaged fingers that were just as swollen. “About the same.”

Jen and Nikki still offered for one of them to take Caitlin's place, but Caitlin still insisted to go through with it herself.

We gazed over at the Rock `N Bowlers who were there bowling a few lanes down from us. Blade got a seven-ten split, but then the remaining pins just fell over. “How do they do it, man?” asked Jude.

Nikki and Jen wanted to know the answer to that too. They had a sneaky feeling about those bowlers.

…

Caitlin kept trying, and she started to improve a little. She wasn't able to keep the ball straight, but she was able to knock down one end pin. Much to the team's dismay, and the big game was ready to begin before anyone knew it.

The Rock `N Bowler's narrowed their bully eyes at our team and cracked insulting-jokes at us mainly due to Caitlin being on the team. “Just you wait!” I snapped at them. “They'll mop the floor with ya!”

The Rock `N Bowler's didn't think so…

A lot of people had gathered to watch this final game. With ten-thousand dollars on the line, the tension was incredible. I sat on the sidelines with Jen and Nikki. I was feeling a little down not being able to bowl because of my fingers. “You okay…?” Jen asked.

“Yeah… I'm… I'm alright.” I answered, and then I called to the team, “Go get `em, guys!”