Part Four
A pout visibly displayed on his face, Matt was none too happy about his current situation. Not only did he not get to spend his Friday night the way he had wanted to, curled up in bed with a cheesy romance novel, a glass of red wine, and a box of Godiva chocolate, he had been tricked by his on-screen girlfriend. Jeff needs a chaperone, she said. It's just for one night, she said. I promise that you'll have fun, she said.
"Are these blindfolds really necessary?" he asked from the back seat of the rental car.
"Quit you're whining," Lita said, punching the gas as the light turned red. "Just be lucky I decided not to hogtie you and lock you in the trunk."
"You wouldn't do that, would you, Lita?"
Silence.
"Lita!"
"I guess you'll never know." She laughed maniacally.
"Come on, Matt," Jeff said as he bounced energetically on the passenger's side. "You really need to loosen up. Think of this as an adventure! Besides, I don't want this date ruined by your sour puss."
"Just you wait," Matt mumbled. "I'll show you a sour puss."
"Leave me alone or else I'll get my boyfriend to beat up your boyfriend."
"I don't even have a boyfriend!"
"That's what you think..." Jeff sang.
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"Oh... Nothin..." He laughed.
Matt gulped. For the first time in his life, Jeff knew something before he did. No way, he thought. This is just a game... Just a gag... He's trying to make me sweat!
"Lita!" he yelled. "What's he talking about?"
"It's a secret between me and Lita. And she won't tell you."
"Will to!"
"Will not!"
"Will to!
"Boys... Boys," she shouted. "Keep it down! Don't make me have to turn this car around!"
"He started it," Jeff whispered.
"Doesn't matter," she said. "We're here."
"Okay, boys... You can take off your blindfolds now."
Not needing to be told twice, the Hardy brothers hurriedly removed their blindfolds. Their expressions were mixed, to say the least.
"I can't believe this is happening..." Matt said, squatting on the floor until he was able to make himself as compact as possible as he rubbed his temples.
"I can't believe this is happening!" Jeff exclaimed. He threw his arms around Lita's shoulders and began jumping up and down. "I LOVE BOWLING!!!"
"Matt?" Lita asked, slightly worried. "What are you doing?"
"Going to my happy place..."
"Look on the bright side," she said. "It's making Jeff happy. Just look at him..."
Jeff was still jumping up and down. A crowd was beginning to form. "Bowling! Bowling! Bowling!" he chanted.
"Yeah..." Matt said. "But it takes so little to make him happy..."
"Don't worry about it." She pulled him to his feet. "Come on... I'll buy you some cheese fries."
After exchanging their street shoes for the ones at the bowling alley, Jeff bounded over to the lane reserved by his fellow Superstars. Lita and Matt trailed behind him, carrying trays filled with junk food. By the time they arrived, he was having an energetic chat with Kane and Taker. Bradshaw and Farooq were going to keep score. As they set their trays down on the table, Edge and Chris Jericho walked over to the group.
"It's Edge!" Jeff announced.
"What about me?" Chris asked, mussing up Jeff's multicolored hair. "I guess no one loves me anymore." He turned away and pretended to wipe a tear from his eye.
"Aww... It's okay, Chrissy." Jeff jumped up and gave him a huge hug. "We still wuv you..."
Lita giggled. "This is such a Kodak moment."
Suddenly, there was a bright flash.
"I figured this would come in handy," Trish said, holding up a disposable camera. "I guess now I have something to blackmail you with, Chris. Wouldn't Hunter love to see this?"
"NOOOOO!!" Chris proceeded to chase Trish all over the bowling alley, knocking over children, leaping over tables, knocking over tables, and leaping over small children.
"Cut it out, you two!" Jeff shouted. By this time, Chris had finally caught up with the buxom blonde. He thought that he'd had the upper hand... Unfortunately for him, that didn't last long. Trish had Chris locked in the Walls of Jericho and was cackling madly. "We have to make teams... Besides, you're making a scene."
"It's nice to see that the boy has his priorities in order," Taker mumbled.
"Don't even try it," Kane said before practically shoving his brother off his seat. "You know you're a closet bowler. I've seen the trophies."
Taker put on the most innocent looking face that he could muster. "I have no idea what you're talking about." It didn't work.
"Sure, bro... Whatever you say."
"And don't you be pushin me, boy."
"I'll push you whenever I want to." He promptly shoved Taker yet again. "Whatcha gonna do about it, Dead Man?"
Taker didn't reply. At first glance, one would think that he had given up, conceding defeat to his younger brother. But, in actuality, he was waiting for Kane to turn his back. Once he had, Taker got up from his chair and rose to his full height. He lightly placing his foot on the small of his brother's back and, in one swift motion, pushed with all his demonic might, knocking Kane out of his seat. Unfortunately, he also took Jeff with him and the two landed in a heap on the floor, Jeff pinned beneath him.
"S-sorry, Jeff," he stuttered as he tried to lift himself off of the smaller man.
"Oh, that's okay," Jeff replied, smiling. "You can lay on me anytime."
"Huh?..."
Jeff blushed as he brushed himself off. "I mean, I don't mind being beneath you."
"What?..."
He was interrupted in mid-apology by Taker's deep, full-bodied laughter.
"Please excuse me while I kill my brother." Grabbing the nearest soda filled container, it was now Kane's turn to chase Taker around the bowling alley, threatening to drench the Phenom with it's carbonated goodness, while Lita and Trish took pictures.
Edge took a seat next to Matt and snatched a cheese fry from his plate as they both watched the spectacle. "Blindfolded?" he asked.
"Yep."
"By your brother?"
"Nope. Lita."
"Harsh."
"You're tellin me."
"Gonna get revenge?"
"Definitely."
"Got a plan?"
"You know it."
"Can I help?"
"Sure." Matt leaned over and whispered into Edge's ear. A wicked smile slowly spread across hisface.
"Do you understand?"
"Sure Matt... But where are we gonna find silly string at this time of night?"