Unbroken

Chapter 17: A Date... Sort of

A/N: Apologies for the long wait. I'll just, um... leave this here. Just, please don't hate it. *throws it on the table and runs away to hide*

I stared out the window from where Kacen parked his car. Miniature golf? This had disaster written all over it. My dad used to take me and Ari on occasion. Surprisingly, Ari was much better than I was. Then again, that wasn't hard. Our last time had been two years ago, when my ball bounced off the side of a small bridge and straight into Dad's... well, you get the picture. The time before that, I'd taken one of the blades out on the windmill. I think that was also the time when my ball bounced over the barrier on the other side of the hole and smacked into someone's ankle.

I got out of the car, dread welling up in the pit of my stomach. As we walked in, I noted the lack of people around, but maybe no one wanted to go golfing first thing in the morning. The guys didn't speak much as we went inside, and walked to the counter. No one seemed to pay, and it confused me as Kacen handed me a golf club and ball.

I didn't question them as I followed to the first hole. Rook gestured for me to go first. "Ladies first."

Heck, no. If I was going to do this, I at least wanted to watch someone go ahead of me. I shook my head, cursing my shaking hands. They'd see my golfing skills and walk away. Or laugh their butts off.

With a shrug, Nix stepped up and placed his ball down. This one wasn't too bad. The green area was mostly straight with a large circle at the end, but a planter box sat in the middle, giving us a narrow path to hit the ball down.

He made a big show of lining it up, making me giggle. I could see his efforts for what they were; trying to get me to relax. Right before he whacked the ball, he winked at me, making my face heat.

I took a few steps to the side to see where his ball landed. "Oh, so close!"

"Your turn, Em. Bet you can't do any better than I did."

Wiping my sweaty palms on my pants, I step up to the start gripping my club tightly. There was no way I wanted them to witness me doing something idiotic, like throwing the club as I was hitting the ball.

Deep breath in. Deep breath out. Swing. For a moment, the ball was airborne, and my heart leaped into my throat. And then it landed on the green, taking nearly an identical path to the one Nix's took. Nix grinned, bumping fists with me, and then Rook moved behind me. "Let's play teams. Me and Emma against the two of you."

Kacen grinned. "I'm g-g-game."

"Bring it," Nix replied. And with that, all four of us played our best until we got to the tenth hole.

Nix sent his ball down the center, bouncing it off of the brick edge, where it stopped. So far, nothing bad had happened, but I couldn't let down my guard, yet... and that's when it happened. Something buzzed past my ear just as Kacen stepped by me. With a screech, I stepped away from the sound, and my golf club connected solidly with something.

My eyes were huge when I turned to see Kacen kneeling on the ground, sucking air in through his teeth. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" When I dropped down next to him, he held a hand up, stopping me. I took that as a sign that he wanted me to stay back. Had I permanently injured him? Crap, they were never going to want to hang out with me again!

Rook reached us first, wincing in sympathy at the pain I'd inflicted on poor Kacen. "Want me to get some ice for that?"

With a frantic shake of his head, Kacen held up five fingers.

My heart raced and tears pricked at my eyes lids. Before I could figure out what to do, a pair of arms pulled me to my feet, and then into a solid chest. "He'll be fine, Em. Promise." Nix's voice was soft and he rubbed my back gently.