CHAPTER TWO

The bowling alley was almost empty when they arrived and the guy at the counter looked dismayed at having to actually work, or maybe it was something else. He kept looking at Conner funny, as if he had a bad memory of the kid. He charged them for two games and grabbed them some shoes.

'So, who d'you think'll win?' Wally asked the group when they were in their lane putting their shoes on.

'We all know it'll be Dick or Artemis,' Megan said.

'I dunno,' Dick said, 'Babs is pretty good too. My moneys on her.' This made Barbara blush.

'Well, I'm afraid I gotta vote for Artemis, boyfriend loyalty and all,' said Wally. 'Soz, Dick.'

'Whatever happened to bros before hoes?' said Dick.

'Chick before Dick happened,' said Artemis.

'By that logic, I gotta go Artemis too.' Megan high-fived Artemis.

'I'll vote for Dick then,' Conner said.

'Thanks, Con,' said Dick. 'And you, Babs?'

She lightly punched him in the shoulder. 'You, of course.'

Dick grinned and they held eye contact for a little longer than necessary. Barbara blushed again and looked away.

'Bring it then, boy wonder,' said Artemis. 'Youngest first.'

To Barbara's surprise Conner stepped up to the machine to type his name in. He typed in everyone else's names while the others were still chatting and stepped up to bowl, Barbara was surprised to see him pick up a 16 ball, the heaviest, as if it were a feather, and throw it down the lane like a cannonball. It knocked over all ten pins straight away with a resounding thud. Conner turned around with a smug look.

'Woah, calm down there, big guy,' said Wally. He patted Conner on the back as he marched back. 'Don't wanna put a hole in the roof like last time.'

'Your aim's improving,' said Dick, impressed.

'Improving?' said Wally incredulous. 'He just knocked down all ten pins like woom-bang-down they go. I'd say that's more than just 'improving.''

'Looks like someone's jealous,' Artemis said, leaning towards Megan.

'I am so not jealous,' Wally said.

Artemis only cocked an eyebrow in challenge.

Wally stood up from his seat and marched towards the lane.

'It's not even his turn,' Barbara whispered in Dick's ear. Dick put a finger to her lips and winked.

Wally tried to grab a 16 ball on the way but found it too heavy. The others laughed at him. He picked it up again and managed to fall over, the ball landing on his tummy. 'Ouch.'

'Stop trying to show off,' Artemis said dryly. 'It's clearly not working.' The others laughed even more. Wally stuck his middle finger up at the group.

Dick face-palmed. 'I'm sorry, Babs, I'd say he's not usually like this but that would be lying. Usually he's worse.'

Barbara found herself giggling despite herself, although she was worried that Wally might have hurt himself. The others didn't seem bothered about that.

'Hey, I heard that, Dickybird,' said Wally. 'And Con, mind putting this back on the thingy. The shoes made me slip up.'

Conner obliged, he picked up the ball and put it back on the stand Wally had got it from. 'Sure, it was the shoes.' Conner held a hand out for Wally, but he batted it away and pushed himself back onto his feet. Conner shrugged and seated himself beside Megan.

'Hey, Wally, try a 6 ball,' said Dick.

'Hey, Wally, try a 6,' Wally mimicked childishly as he went to pick up another ball.

'It's my turn, by the way,' Dick said, getting to his feet.

'Oh, c'mon.'

Dick pointed at the scoreboard. His name was after Conner's and highlighted blue to show it was his go. He picked up the 16 ball. Wally eyed it maliciously.

'Why did you let me go then?'

'So you could make a fool out of yourself.' Dick leant into Wally and spoke so that only he could hear, well, other than Conner. 'Can you sit with Babs while I roll?' Dick was all too aware that she was sitting alone while the other three shared a bench together.

Wally patted him on the shoulder and took a seat where Dick had been sitting. 'So, I must look like a total tool,' Wally said.

Barbara looked over to Artemis to see her reaction to Wally sitting beside her but Artemis really didn't look bothered. She was too busy talking to Megan.

'No,' Barbara said. 'Are you hurt?'

'No, course not. It's the shoes, I slipped. And I'm a fast healer.' Wally was grinning despite feeling like a complete idiot. 'Hey, look, it's your turn.'

Barbara looked up at the scoreboard and saw Dick's score. Another strike. How was she supposed to follow that? She stood up and walked towards the lane, Dick squeezed her shoulder as he walked past with an encouraging smile on his face.

Dick sat next to Wally. 'She's actually super nice,' Wally said.

'Yeah, I know.'

'She's a keeper. You two are gonna get married some day and have beautiful babies.'

'Wally,' chided Dick. 'Shut up.'

'She likes you, and you like her.' Wally's face looked as if he found this completely adorable. 'Is it bad luck to say I ship it?'

'I'm gonna kill you,' Dick growled.

'Dick and Barbara sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-'

Dick put his hands over Wally's mouth and leant into him to apply pressure. 'Shut up!'

At that exact moment, Barbara had finished her go, a spare, and turned to see the two boys struggling with each other in a rather compromising position.

Artemis noticed looking Barbara looking completely lost. 'Psst.' She patted the bench beside her.

Barbara hesitantly walked over and sat beside her.

'Sometimes they get a bit touchy-feely. They can't keep their hands off of each other for some reason. It's weird,' whispered Artemis. 'It's best just to ignore it. It's Wally's turn, so I'm gonna take it.'

Barbara nodded. Artemis slipped away to take the turn.

'Oh, he's not gonna like this,' Megan giggled.

'Shh, M'gann,' said Conner.

Megan kept giggling but held her hands over her mouth so as not to look so obvious. Barbara noticed that she was incredibly cute, surreally cute, guys would love her cuteness but there was something incredibly fake about it. Barbara couldn't put her finger on it.

Barbara watched Artemis. She took a few moments testing the balls and eventually went with a 12. She picked it up and rolled it down the gutter. Then she picked up another 12, went to roll it down the gutter but then thought better about it. She looked back at the others and shrugged. Conner mouthed something, Artemis grinned and nodded. She rolled the ball down the lane with precision so that it only knocked one pin down.

The next turn was hers, so she picked up another ball and rolled a perfect strike.

Megan, Conner, and then Barbara applauded.

And then Wally noticed what had happened. 'Ah, c'mon, babe. Why do you treat me this way?'

Artemis strutted back to her seat. 'You gotta stop playing with your Dick in public. It's embarrassing.'

Barbara couldn't stop giggling at that. Neither could Conner or Megan.

Wally's jaw dropped. He pushed Dick off at the same time as Dick struggled to get back onto his feet. 'You gave me one point?'

'It was a pity point.'

'Ah, come on.' Wally groaned and dragged his fingers down his cheeks. 'I'm not even worth two pity points?'

'M'gann, it's your turn,' said Artemis without looking away from Wally.

Megan clapped her hands together and leapt to her feet. 'Yay!'

The game continued in mostly the same way. With everyone laughing and making fun of each other. Halfway through, Wally announced he was hungry and so ordered a dozen plates of nachos, all to himself, and one for the others to share. Dick had won the game, but only because Wally tickled Artemis while she was throwing her ball one round. Barbara had come third. Conner had come last, despite his fluke strike in the first round.

After the game was over they said goodbye to Conner and Megan, who said they had a long journey ahead so they best be going. They held hands as they left the others.

'So what are you guys gonna do?' Wally draped his arm over Artemis' shoulder.

'Dunno.' Dick shrugged, he looked at Barbara. 'It's up to Babs.'

'I don't mind,' Barbara said, kind of hoping Dick would take her home now.

'You guys can come around mine,' Artemis suggested. 'Mum's at physio so the apartment won't be crowded.'

'That sounds like a great plan,' Wally said. 'What'd you say, Babs?'

How could she refuse? 'Yeah, sure, sounds good.'

'What time's your curfew?' asked Dick.

'I need to be back before dark,' said Barbara.

'Awesome, we've got ages then,' said Dick with a smile that Barbara hoped would never break. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all.