Chapter 14

We get to the bowling alley, get our shoes, put in our names in and go to our lane. There's a family on our right, the mother's giving us dirty looks, while on our left there are a few boys that look like nice people. It looks like they just started, they are only on their second turn. They are five skater boys, their skateboards all put in a corner. They all have light jeans and oversized hoodies, three of them have beanies on, two black ones and one pink one. It's funny because one of the two black beanie guys has a flamingo pink hoodie, matching perfectly with the flamingo pink beanie guy who has a back hoodie. And now they're kissing. How cute. The other black beanie guy has a buzz cut and a white hoodie. The tallest guy looks at me, smiles and looks away as I smile back. He has red vans, light azure jeans and a black hoodie. His straight blonde hair isn't long but it isn't short either. He looks like the kind of person the new me would socialize. I make a mental note to introduce myself if I get the chance, but in a casual way. I look back at Savannah who already took off her shoes. I sit beside her and put on my bowling shoes too. "Uhm, Savannah?" I say. I'm kinda nervous.

"Yeah?" she answers.

"I never really bowled before."

"You're joking, right?"

"No, my friends and I never used to bowl. It was considered for lame loosers that went on dates in my school." I flinch at how bad that sounds, sadly it's the truth. I'm starting to regret even more of my choices in Italy. In a way I thank God I came here in LA, or I'd have missed out on many things that I did here in the last months.

"And what would you do on dates?"

"Well, they used to smoke and stuff, or they'd go to McDonald's and go back home to fuck each other until their parents came home and ground them." Again, I feel the regret. Jeez, I hate this, why did I bring it up?

"What about you? What did you do on dates?" She looks genuine but also hyper-attentive.

"I never really went on dates." I'm kinda embarrassed to admit that but I shouldn't be, it's normal not to have ever gone on dates at this age, right? Plus it wasn't my fault, no girl ever asked me out and I don't want my first date going that way. Oh no, she looks surprised, I should have said I did that too. But then I'd be lying and I don't think she'd like that, at least not after the conversation in her car. And I'd be even more ashamed to admit that I did, if I had done that stuff.

"Oh. Wait, so you're a virgin? God, I'm so so sorry for making those jokes at the ball, really, if I made you uncomfortable-" She's so nice it hurts.

"No, no, I'm not a virgin, don't worry." this time I don't have to lie at least. Unfortunately, it would have been nice loosing it with a girl. Ugh. Can't bring back bad memories though. I shouldn't think about this, I'm going to give myself a panic attack. Shit, Rose why of all thoughts you had to think about that? Wait no, I need to calm down, poker face on, Savannah can't see you like this.

"Oh. Ok. Uhm, don't get this the wrong way, I don't mean it like that, but you had friends? Like, that kind of friends?"

"What kind?"

"Like all sex and vandalism and teasing and stuff?"

"Uhm, yeah." and I'm embarrassed for the gazillionth time. But I'd never do something so stupid to blush and show how bad my position is, right? I'm sure the heat crawling up my neck and going into my cheeks is nothing. Damn, this Sav and the old me were quite similar position-wise. Nothing alike in character unfortunately. Maybe if I were a little more like her I could have kept my head up and stood up for myself, instead of following the others.

"Oh, damn." She jerks her head, looking straight and pulling it a bit backwards, her eyes wide, and incredulous look on her face.

"What?"

"Nothing, it's just that you don't look the type."

"I just drank and smoked a few times, haven't done drugs or anything. Plus drinking and smoking at eighteen's legal there."

"Yeah, yeah I remember." We stand up. "Ready?" I nod even though I'm really not.

"I'll teach you, don't worry."

She's first to she gets in position and explains how she does it. I nod again, but I'm really just confused. There are a million thing to think about. I walk backwards to leave her space, she concentrates on the ball and takes a step forward. The second her foot hits the ground I hit something behind me. I turn around and see the blonde guy turning around too, staring at me blankly.

"Oh, God I'm sorry, I wasn't looking."

"No it's fine." he smiles. Damn his teeth are so white it's almost blinding. Why is everything so goddamn white in America? "By the way my name's Tyler, nice to meet you." he takes out his hand and I shake it as I say "Hi, my name's Rose." smiling politely. He's so tall we have to bend our necks quite a lot to look each other in the eye. Behind me I hear a "YES!" I turn around and see Savannah scoring a strike. She looks at me, beaming, but when she sees my hand in Tyler's her smile fades a bit. I turn around, mumble an "I have to go" and go back to Savannah, who's still looking at the guy.

"So it's my turn then?" I say with a smile. She answers a low "Yeah", looking back at me only when she finishes saying the word.

"You ok?" I ask.

"Yeah yeah, don't worry." her smile comes back on her face.