Meeting You

Chapter Nine

Emma's POV

It was about noon and Emma had just finished her last class, stuffing her books into her bag and walking out of the classroom. It had been about a week since Lily had been making cookies with Haz and Emma was really happy for her, this was the longest any of her relationships had lasted and Harrison seemed like a good guy. She walked a little further down the sidewalk and saw a familiar brown haired boy standing there.

"Tom!" she exclaimed, grinning at him, they had a date today but she didn't know exactly where.

"Hi, luv. You ready to go?"

"Yep," she said, following him to his car where he opened the door for her and she slid in. Closing the door behind her, Tom walked around the front and hopped into the driver's seat, putting in the keys and turning them, the engine rumbling to a start. He backs out of the spot and pulls onto the road, making sure not to swerve on the ice. After about an hour of driving, he pulls into a parking lot and parks in a spot, turning off the engine and stepping out, walking over to Emma and opening the door for her. She joins him out in the snow, tugging the leather jacket tighter around her as he hooks an arm around her shoulders, pulling her gently into him. They walk into a building and over to the counter, where a man is standing.

"Welcome to Topgolf, do you have a reservation?"

"Yes, Holland for two?" The man nods and gives them directions, leading them up to the third floor, which is practically empty. They get some hot chocolate and listen as the man explains how it works. You take a club out of the holder and swipe it over the censor, which shoots out a golf ball. Then you swing and aim for one of the ring holes in the ground, each is a different amount of points.

"You want to go first, Tom?" Emma asks after the gentleman leaves. He smiles and grabs a club, adjusting his hands on the grips with ease, before getting a ball and pulling back his arms and swinging with a mighty stroke. She squints into the sun and watches as the ball sails away from their perch and lands in one of the rings, scoring him twenty points. He takes his other two turns and his points are at fifty-five, he steps back and ushers Emma forward. Nervously, she walks over to the rack and pulls out a club. The only time she had golfed was Mini Golf with her family, and she always lost, no matter what. With a sigh she gets the ball and bends over, putting it onto the little tee. She gulps and swings with all her might, but she almost misses the ball, hitting it just enough that it rolls off the tee and down into the net and onto the edge of the grass, missing by a long shot. She hears a slight chuckle escape Tom's lips, but he quickly closes his mouth again and heads over to Emma, standing behind her and putting his hands on hers, moving them so that she can hit right. After a few practice shots they get a ball and he watches as she smacks the ball. This time it actually flies off of the tee, but it doesn't get very far and lands in the five-pointer. Tom smiles and gives her a high-five before she hits her next ball, which also lands in the five. After about an hour and a half, their time is up and the final score is Tom: 165 and Emma: 36. 

"It's ok, darling. You'll get better with time." Emma sheepishly kicks the toe of her shoe into the ground and looks up at him, a small grin on her face.

"Fine, but don't expect me to always lose. I challenge you to a game of Monopoly, tonight."

"Ok, my place. I'll tell Haz and Sam to leave us alone."

Emma smiles at him, "You're on." They put their clubs back in the holder and hop in the car, heading over to Tom's apartment, or 'flat' as he called it. Stepping inside, they walk forward and see Harrison and Sam sitting on a couch, their legs propped up on a glass coffee table, watching tv.