Evolving

Grade Nine

"You get one shot, Shay, don't screw this up."

"Shut the hell up, Jesse."

Shayle adjusted her position and steadily brought the ball down. Just before she was about to release it, an obnoxious sound of an imitated whale giving birth ripped her out of her concentration, causing the bowling ball to fly straight into the gutter.

Shayle turned around and attacked Jesse with her fists. "You jerk, I almost had it!"

"No you just suck at bowling, that's all."

Mara Lyn got up to take her turn. "Thanks Jesse, now I can pass Shay up."

Shayle took a seat in their rented booth and grabbed her soda. "What a great friend you are."

Mara grinned back at Shay. "I try."

Jeremy took the seat beside Shayle and put an arm over the back of her chair. "You can take my turn if you want practice."

"Um, no, we're in the championship right now, Jer," said Jesse.

"So what?"

"Yeah, it's not like Shay would actually score a point for him anyway," Mara interjected, as she grabbed another ball. "No offense."

"I'm saying, does Stephen Curry call up his wife to come make a grand slam during the championships?"

"Maybe, who knows?"

"No. He doesn't. You're up."

Shayle's phone buzzed with a text from her father reminding her the time she was scheduled to be home.

She smiled shyly up at Jeremy. "I have to go in a little bit."

"Okay, I'll walk you out."

Shayle wrapped her arms around herself as they stepped out into the cold evening. Jeremy noticed her shiver and put an arm around her.

She smiled. "Thanks for walking me outside."

"Yeah, no problem."

The silence that followed afterward was uncomfortable for Shayle so she racked her brain for something to fill it.

"Today was great. I haven't been bowling in a long time," she said.

"Really?" He eyed her with slight amusement. "You haven't been doing much over the break have you?"

"Nope. Just reading really."

"Sounds eventful," he joked.

She chuckled. "Sure."

"...So... you aren't busy at all?"

Shayle was acutely aware of what he was on to. "No, not that I know of."

"Good, then do you maybe want to come to the movies on Thursday? There's this movie that just came out and it seems really cool."

Shayle blushed. "You're asking me out on a date?"

"Yeah I am," He brought her closer to him. "And if you don't say yes this is gonna be pretty awkward."

"I'll have to ask my parents, but my answer is a big 'yes.'"

Mr. Everest's car pulled up almost on que.

Jeremy took his arm off of her. "I'll see you soon."

"Bye, Jeremy."

"Um," her dad said as soon as she got into the car.

"He's a friend, dad," she lied.

"Sure."