Emma
I've been on awkward dates before—ones where the conversation is forced, where my date spends more time on his phone than actually getting to know me. But tonight? Tonight isn't like that at all.
After we leave the restaurant, none of us are quite ready to call it a night. The Texas air is cool but comfortable, the stars shining like tiny beacons above us. It's the kind of night that makes you want to stay in the moment, stretch it out as long as possible.
"We should do something else," Grace suggests, glancing at me.
I know that look. She wants me to say yes—to prove that this double date wasn't a total disaster. And honestly? I kind of want to.
Jaxon crosses his arms, smirking. "Like what? It's late."
Grace rolls her eyes. "It's barely past nine. Don't be dramatic."
"I vote for something fun," Nate says, stuffing his hands in his jacket pockets. "Something that doesn't involve sitting at a table."
Grace snaps her fingers. "Bowling."
Jaxon scoffs. "Seriously?"
"What, afraid I'll beat you?"
His eyes narrow, a challenge sparking between them. "Fine. But when I win, you owe me coffee for a week."
Grace folds her arms. "And when I win, you're buying me coffee for a week."
I exchange a look with Nate, suppressing a laugh. "Do they always do this?" I whisper.
He sighs, shaking his head. "More than you'd think."
The Bowling Alley
The place isn't fancy, but it's buzzing with energy—families, college students, groups of friends all sharing the space. The scent of buttered popcorn and soda lingers in the air, and the neon lights give everything a warm, nostalgic glow.
We grab a lane, and it doesn't take long for Jaxon and Grace to turn this into a full-blown competition.
"You're going down, Reed," Grace taunts, grabbing a bowling ball.
Jaxon just smirks, leaning against the scoring table. "Talk is cheap, Carter."
She rolls her eyes and steps up, her ponytail swinging as she lines up her shot. The ball glides smoothly down the lane—and bam. A strike.
Grace spins around, triumphant. "Boom."
Jaxon blinks, clearly not expecting that. "Beginner's luck."
Grace arches a brow. "You wish."
I shake my head, amused, as Nate nudges me. "You bowl often?"
I shrug. "Not really. But I'm decent."
"Decent, huh?" He grins. "I'll hold you to that."
When it's my turn, I take a deep breath, aim, and release the ball down the lane. It's not a strike, but I knock down eight pins.
"Not bad," Nate says. "Now let's see what you're really made of."
I focus on the last two pins, rolling the ball carefully—and somehow, I get them both. A spare.
I throw my hands up in victory, and without thinking, I turn to Nate and high-five him. The moment our hands touch, there's this tiny spark, like static electricity. It's quick, barely there, but enough to make my heart skip.
I pull my hand back, laughing to cover the weird jolt of nerves. "Guess I'm not so bad after all."
He smirks. "Guess not."
We watch as Jaxon mutters something about "strategic adjustments" while selecting his bowling ball, and I turn to Nate. "So, what's something you're actually bad at?"
He tilts his head, pretending to think. "Parallel parking."
I snort. "Seriously?"
"It's a tragedy, really," he says solemnly. "I'm great at normal parking, but the moment I have to squeeze between two cars? Chaos."
I shake my head, grinning. "Remind me never to let you drive in the city."
He chuckles, then leans in slightly. "Okay, your turn. What's something you secretly suck at?"
I hesitate, then admit, "I can't whistle."
His eyebrows lift. "At all?"
I shake my head. "Not even a little."
He grins. "Hold on, we need to test this."
"No, we don't," I protest, but he's already watching me expectantly.
"Come on, just try."
Sighing, I purse my lips and attempt to blow air through them. The result is... embarrassing. A faint, pathetic wheeze.
Nate laughs, and I glare at him, but it's hard to be mad when he looks so amused.
"Okay, okay," he says, raising his hands in surrender. "That was pretty bad. But at least now I know you're human."
I roll my eyes. "Glad I could entertain you."
"You always do."
The words slip out so casually, but there's something in his voice that makes my stomach flip.
Before I can respond, Grace calls out, "Emma, you're up again!"
The moment passes, but the warmth lingers.
The Ride Home
By the time we leave, it's almost midnight. Grace and Jaxon are still bickering, but in that way where you know they secretly enjoy it.
We step out into the crisp night air, and Nate stretches, looking over at me. "Need a ride home?"
I hesitate. It's not that I need one—I have my car—but something about ending the night now feels... unfinished.
"Sure," I say finally. "Thanks."
Jaxon offers Grace a ride too, and the four of us split up.
Nate's car is nice—not flashy, but clean, with the faint scent of peppermint lingering in the air.
As he pulls out onto the quiet road, he glances over at me. "So, be honest—did you have fun?"
I smile. "Surprisingly... yeah. I did."
He nods. "Good. Me too."
There's a pause, but it's not awkward. It's the kind of silence that feels easy, like we don't need to fill it with meaningless words.
"So," he says, tapping his fingers against the wheel, "tell me something about you that most people don't know."
I think for a second. "I used to want to be a singer."
His eyebrows lift. "Seriously?"
I nod. "When I was little, I would make my mom sit through my 'concerts' in the living room. Hairbrush microphone, choreography, the whole thing."
He grins. "And now?"
I shrug. "Now it's just something I do for fun. In the shower, mostly."
He glances at me. "You any good?"
I smirk. "Wouldn't you like to know?"
He chuckles. "Now I'm curious."
"Well, too bad," I tease.
"Fine, fine," he says, shaking his head. "Your turn. Ask me something."
I pretend to think. "What's the weirdest thing you've ever done on a dare?"
His lips twitch. "I once jumped into a freezing lake in the middle of winter."
I blink. "Why?"
"Jaxon dared me to."
I laugh. "And you actually did it?"
He shrugs. "I was fifteen, and I had a point to prove."
"Which was?"
"That I wasn't a coward."
I shake my head. "Boys are ridiculous."
He grins. "Agreed."
We pull up in front of my apartment, and for a moment, neither of us move to get out.
"Thanks for the ride," I say softly.
He nods. "Anytime."
There's something in his expression—something unreadable, but warm.
And as I step out and close the door behind me, I realize something.
Tonight wasn't just fun.
It felt... different.
And maybe—just maybe—it's the start of something I didn't even know I was looking for.