Tuesday, July 18th. Nicki's POV. . . .
*First Draft*

I lean forward so I stand closer to the mirror, peering closer at my hair as I 'attempt' to use my curling iron to smooth my hair. Grabbing the last strand of my naturally wavy hair to the left of my face, I clip the device in, holding it just as instructed as I prepare to slide it down.

Right as I begin the downward movement, my phone, that's sitting on the sink to my right, lights up with a loud buzz.

My eyes unconsciously move from my hair, down to the phone screen.

I suck in a breath as a hot stab ignites on my left index finger. "Holly mother of-" I pull the hot iron off, holding it in front of my face a ways as I stick my smarting piece of skin in my mouth while I practically dance in place.

So I basically look like a ballistic monkey.

Taking my finger out to examine it, I place the hot iron down on the edge of the sink, turning my wrist to look my finger over. Nothing but a small red area.

"Well shoot," I mutter to myself, mentally banging my head on the wall for overreacting like the wimp I am. You'd think I'd just sliced my finger off or something.

In my defense, it did hurt.

Waving my injured hand in the air like a piece of paper, I reach down with my other hand, grabbing the phone off its perch. I furrow my brows as I read the text, and I scoff before I even realize I'd done it.

Scrooge < "Hey. Sorry I ruined the run on Saturday."

So now he's blaming himself. Why does that seem so cliché?

Me < "Don't do that."

Scrooge < ".....Do what exactly? 🤨"

Me < "Blame yourself. It wasn't your fault."

Scrooge < "Sure seems like it to me."

Me < "Ugh. U men are all alike. 🙄"

Scrooge < "I'm offended - among plenty of other 'men' I'm sure."

I resist the urge to make the same face of the emoji I just sent

Me < "You feeling ok now?"

Scrooge < "As good as can be expected after having a giant migraine."

Me < "Be serious."

Scrooge < "Ok, ok. I'm doing good now - Obviously if I can use my phone."

Me < "Don't be smart with me."

Scrooge < "Dunno what you mean? 🤷🏻‍♂️"

I can just imagine the smug smile on his face and the hallo above his head right now. Sweet and innocent as all get out.

Me < "Whatever. Does that mean you're going bowling with us?"

Yesterday I ended up working while Edward, being the good boy he is, watched Drew and Saige at their house. Apparently he's taking me out of the babysitting job while he's available. Screw him. But anyway, he invited me to go bowling with him, and possibly Drew if he was feeling up to it, today around seven.

Which is why I'm currently back early from the diner after working today too, attempting to make myself look a little more presentable. Not that there's a real reason to...you know?

Can't a girl just look nice without there being some alternative reason?...Not in my Mom's opinion at least.

Cue exasperated sigh.

I look back down at the vibration of my phone, Drew answering me after a seven second long pause.

Scrooge < "Possibly....But why would you want a grump like me to tag along with the likes of you two?...I'm also not a fan of crowds."

I frown, taking a moment to decide how to word my answer. It's obvious he's pondered this for awhile, probably unsure about whether he's wanted with us or not. Don't mess this up Nicki.

Me < "Of course I want you to come! I wasn't just friends with babyface here. I was/am your friend too."

I pause a moment.

Me < "Also, the bowling alley shouldn't be busy tonight."

I tap my finger on the sink as half a minute lags by, and my fingers hover over the keyboard.

Me < "You're not a grump 24/7. I've seen other sides of you."

Scrooge < "Dunno 'bout that now."

Me < "Sure I have! You just gotta show it a little more."

Scrooge < "Riiiight."

Me < "Sooooo?"

Scrooge < "Fine. But don't be upset if I end up being a grump."

Me < "Yay! I won't. Promise."

Scrooge < "😑"

Laughing, I shake my head before switching the power off. Placing my phone back down on the sink, I scowl at the hot iron before plucking it off the edge. Scrunching my nose up in distaste, I slowly bring it back up to my hair.

Geez, the torture people go through just to look mildly decent.

*Time Skip*

By the time seven o'clock rolls around, I'm dressed in my nicest pair of jeans and a cream colored shirt with my favorite pair of flats, my hair done and only minor casualties suffered from the experience.

I bounce my left knee as I sit on the front steps to our house, absentmindedly scrolling through Etsy.com as I wait for Edward and Drew to show up, seeing as they're my ride and all.

Five minutes late. Where are they?! And people think woman are the one's who are late all the time. Ha, this just proves them wrong!

I lift my head at the sound of a car engine coming down the road from their direction, and my eyes land on an older model of the Jeep Wrangler. The army green paint seems a little worn in a few places, some rust up along the cracks. But it still has a preserved antique look to it even I can appreciate.

It pauses so it idles next to the driveway, and I pick myself up from my seat. Brushing my backside off before walking over in their direction, I double check that I have my wallet in my back pocket.

Satisfied that it is indeed there, I pull up a large smile, pulling open the passenger door side. Edward immediately greets me with a smile of his own, and I spot Drew sitting in the back on one of the two seats with his arms folded over his chest and his eyes shut as he leans back against the window with his earbuds in his ears.

"Hey, Nicki." Ed shifts the vehicle into drive, and I shut my door. "Nice ride, Edward." I praise, admiring the interior before I pause back on Drew. "Good to see you too, Drew." I sarcastically say, and he peeks an eye open at me.

"Nicki," he mumbles in what I'm assuming is a greeting, even going so far as to smile at me before closing his eyes again.

I was going to mention that he didn't really seem to be trying to be happy, but he did smile. So maybe it's just subtle?

Facing forward again, I buckle up as Edward pulls back out on the road. I relax back in my seat as Eddy switches the radio to a classic rock station, a surreal feeling falling over me as I gaze out the window.

Just think, a few weeks ago I didn't even think I'd ever see these guys again. Then, here we are, riding together in Edward's Jeep to go bowling of all things.

We stay silent for the short drive, and I can just barely hear music coming from Drew's earphones if I listen hard enough.

Edward pulls into a parking spot in the parking lot of the local bowling alley, shifting to park before he turns the headlights off and unbuckles. He smiles over at me as he pulls the keys out, then he pops his door open, stepping out of the vehicle.

I do the same, and Drew expertly climbs out from the back. I hold my door open as he steps down on the blacktop, shutting it once he moves to the side. He shoves his hands deep into his navy blue hoodie's front pocket, a scowl on his features as he looks the building over.

I playfully bump my shoulder into his, a giggle leaving my lips. "What happened to you trying to not be grumpy?" I question. His scowl recedes into a softer expression, and he tilts his lips up in a smirk.

"What happened to you not judging me?" He shoots back, scrunching his shoulders together as Edward walks around from the other side of the Jeep. "Shall we get going?" He inquires, tilting his head towards the specific building.

"Let's!" I loop my right arm through Drew's left, surprising him, and my left through Edward's right, much to his amusement. "Peppy as always," Edward mutters, shaking his head before one of the most adorable smiles I've ever seen on him lights up his handsome face.

A smile that's directed at me.

Butterflies start up in my stomach, and I can feel my cheeks redden just a shade. Darn hormones.

Once we've made our way inside, paid and grabbed our shoes, we head over to the bowling ball area.

I practically bounce over to the wrack of bright balls, probably looking them over as if I was a child in the candy shop for the very first time. Drew walks up beside me, his disinterested gaze moving from me, to the balls.

"They're just bowling balls, Nicki." He lifts his arms up he still has in his pocket in a shrug. Edward comes to stand next to Drew, his face one of amusement. "Don't bust her bubble, Drew." He moves his gaze from him, to me. "She can imagine them to be whatever she wants."

I blink, feeling my face heat up again.

Drew stares a second at his brother before he makes a face. "Oh lord, just gag me now," he mutters to himself before shaking his head and walking over to another row of bowling balls.

I playfully jab Edward in the side, laughing up at him. "Stop being so sappy, Ed. You're making your brother hate us." I say in an attempt to move the conversations way from any possible comments on my reaction.

Edward's face immediately goes red, and he reaches up to rub the back of his neck. "Sorry. I think Mom and her romance novels she blabbers on and on about are starting to get to me." He makes a familiar face to what Drew made, an imaginary shudder going down his back.

I look away, biting my lip in an attempt to distract myself from what he just said.

He just admitted to saying something romantic, to me.

I quickly shake the thought off, testing a few different weights before deciding on a pink twenty-pound bowling ball. Walking over to the boys', I see Edward has a blue forty-pound ball while Drew, unsurprisingly, has a black thirty-pound one.

Walking over to the section with the tv hanging above it with our names highlighted up at the top, we place our balls down on the conveyer belt. Drew plops down on one of the lounge chairs, absentmindedly fiddling with his phone.

Edward glances over at Drew before scoffing. "Guess I'll go first then?" Drew doesn't look up from his phone. "Go for it, hotshot," he mumbles just loud enough for us to hear.

Edward frowns before shaking his head and looking over at me, his face instantly softening. "Care to go first?" He gestures over towards the alley lane, a small smirk playing on his lips.

I smile sweetly up at him, leaning over to grab my ball off the belt. Walking up to the correct spot on the floor, I hold the ball up to my face, aiming with one eye before I swing my arm back and step forward.

The ball glides down the lane in almost a perfect line before it curves off to the right, knocking the second one to the front. Seven pins fall down, leaving three oddly aligned pins left.

Gosh darn it.

I hear Edward whistle from behind me, and I turn around with a smirk on my own face. "That was pretty feisty." Edward comments, giving me a little golf clap. I do a mock bow. "Why thank you, my good man." I say in a overly deep voice, trying to contain the laughter boiling in my stomach.

After I get two of the three pins left standing, Edward takes his turn, knocking down nine and missing the last one on his second turn.

Drew glances up from his phone after Edward curses, rather loudly if I might say, from missing the last pin, taking that as his cue for his turn. He slowly stands up to his full height before sauntering over to the belt to retrieve his ball. He fiddles with the three balls for a few seconds, turning each of them around so they show their weight, almost like he's checking to make sure he has the right one?

I watch from my seat at our little red table as he finally picks his ball up, a small smile tugging at my lips for some odd reason. Edward sits with his legs stretched out from his seat next to mine, arms folded over his chest as he leans back in his seat.

Drew raises the ball up once he reaches his designated spot, eyes down the lane before he swings his arm down and brings it back up while moving forward. I watch in surprise as the ball glides down the isle as if it wasn't even touching the ground before it smacks right into the leading pin.

And they all go tumbling down....

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Drew turns around, looking just as nonchalant and disinterested as he has been all evening. Not as if he just got a strike like it was nothing!

Edward groans as Drew walks up to us, smacking his hand to his face. "I knew I shouldn't have brought you." He hangs his head. "Getting showed up by my own little brother," he mutters to himself, glancing over at me.

I snap my jaw shut I hadn't even realized I had open, looking at Drew with a new prospective. "You know how to bowl?" I question without thinking, feeling inferior to his obvious skill.

I don't know, I just didn't peg him as the type to know how to play. I mean, come on, he likes to run for heavens sake! Those two just don't go together if you ask me.

Drew absentmindedly shrugs his shoulders as he retakes his seat on the other side of me, already pulling his phone back out. "Of course," he answers with about as much enthusiasm as a sloth. "It was one of the few things to do back in-" He suddenly cuts himself off, making me swing my head over to him from my spot next to the balls.

Back in....? California?

My ball dangles in my hand, and I look questionably between the two as I realize they've both tensed up considerably, the expression on Drew's face morphing to one of contempt, like he was about to say something he shouldn't have.

What's up with this family?

Edward has an alertness in his face as he stares over the table at Drew, barely even sparing a blink. Drew, on the other hand, blinks multiple times, fingers posed over his phone he has his upper body bent over.

I stay silent, unsure about what's happening, or what's happened to make the joyful atmosphere suddenly turn dark. The sound of others knocking pins down reverberates around us, the soft hum of the machine next to us and the old 80's pop music filling the space.

Drew slowly shoves his phone back in his pocket, clearing his throat as he stands up in one jerky movement. "I'll be...." He trails off as his eyes momentarily lock with Edward's. He quickly looks away. "I'll be back in a...minute." He says before turning and hastily booking it for the door in the most discreet fast-walk I've ever seen.

Edward watches his back until he's disappeared out the door. Once he's gone, he practically seems to deflate in his seat. He slouches, bringing his eyes down to stare at a certain scuff on the table as he absentmindedly rubs the pad of his thumb over it.

I gently set my ball back down, taking a step closer to him. "Ed?" My eyes flicker back up to the front door before landing back on Edward. "Ed?" I repeat, placing my hand on his shoulder.

That seems to jerk him back into working order as he abruptly snaps his gaze up to me. He stares a second before standing up from his chair, fidgeting a moment before his eyes meet mine again.

"I'll be back." He gets out before he too is heading for the front door, his stride long and his back tense.

"What's with them?" I mumble to myself as I stare at the door, recalling how our dinner at Chili's had a similar incident. I shrug, moving to collect my ball before taking my position. Scoring a total of nine pins after both my turns, I take my seat, perching both elbows on the table as I cup my chin in my hands.

Why do I even bother with the brain power to ponder these questions anyway?

Five stinking minutes go by before my patience wears thin.

Huffing a breath out, I roughly stand up, scanning the interior before I make up my mind.

Another five minutes later and I'm sitting back in my seat, stuffing nachos in my mouth with a side of soda as I continue to glare at the door.

What's keeping them?...Please don't tell me they ran off and left me here to my own device?

Nah.

I'm finally rewarded with the sight of Edward, fallowed closely behind by Drew, as he pushes the glass door open and walks straight towards my direction. His locked jaw loosens as his eyes fall on the table in front of me, slowly looking over the three sodas and three orders of nacho chips before he smiles.

"I leave you for, like, ten minutes. And I come back to find you've already raided the snack bar." He jokes as he pulls out his original seat before retaking it. I dryly laugh, dipping my chip in a little extra cheddar before biting it. "Just be happy I got you something." I say through a mouthful of cheese and chips.

Drew, with his hands shoved deeply into his hoodie pocket, stiffly sits himself back down in his seat, keeping his gaze averted from ours.

The smile on both mine and Edward's face fades a degree.

I grind my jaw, occupying my mind by repeatedly dipping a chip down in cheese as I find myself trying to look at Drew's face. He suddenly looks up like he could feel my stare, and I catch the slightly red tinge to his eyes and the sudden exhaustion that weighs under his eyes before he looks away.

I feel a jolt of worry hit my chest, and I open my mouth to ask him what's wrong before a sudden sharp look from Edward stops me in my tracks. I furrow my brows over at him, and he simply gives me a slight shake of his head before he takes a sip from his soda.

Frowning, and very unhappy might I add, I plop back against my backrest, taking a sip of my own drink. I clear my throat after a minute of the thick silence. "I got those for you, Drew." I gesture to the nachos and the drink sitting next to him.

He slowly glances over at it before resuming his vigilant staring contest with his knees. "Thanks," he mutters, using his right hand to pick at the bracelets on his left wrist.

I look over at Edward, only to see he's currently staring at Drew with an almost compassionate expression on his face.

A couple more minutes goes by before Drew is happily munching on his nachos, the atmosphere growing a tad lighter, thank goodness. Edward and I, having finished our nachos already, resume the game.

And it ends up Drew beats both of us by fifty plus points.

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A/N
So much going on with this book yet I feel like I've barely revealed any of the good stuff yet. I hope you guys like it! As always drop a comment and hit the star!