Now's time for the ultimate bowling match at the MSU. Erik, Raoul and Nadir vs. Christine, Brittney, and Meg. Who will triumph? We'll just have to see.

Chapter 3: The Deal

Brittney gave a cheer as she reached the door first. "Yes, I am the greatest."

"I would have won if Erik hadn't tripped me," Raoul complained.

"I did nothing of the sort. You tripped over your own two feet. Pansy."

"Erik, leave Raoul alone. I'm warning you," Christine said.

"People can we focus on the game plan please? I really want to go bowling," Brittney whined.

Erik pushed away from Christine and followed Brittney inside. Usually she was rather quiet, but if she got irritated she would get right to the point. He liked it when people didn't wait forever to say something or muttered things. People need to be more direct.

The others followed and Brittney led the way down to the game room. They still had some time left to wait, but at least they would get a lane.

"So Nadir what's your major?" Erik asked.

"Not sure yet. I thought a career in solving crimes or a forensics scientist would be fun. But I have to see the requirements. I'm having a talk with my advisor tomorrow."

"Hey I have an idea," Christine said as the desk opened and Brittney took the liberty to get them a lane. "We can make this game really interesting. If we girls win you guys will take us out to dinner our choice. If you win we take you out to dinner your choice."

"I'm game," Erik said before asking for some bowling shoes.

When everyone had their shoes and a bowling ball Brittney sat down at the desk and put their names onto the screen. She seemed to know what she was doing so nobody stopped her. "Okay we're all set let's play."

Erik and Brittney were up first. Stretching her arm out a bit Brittney let the ball fly down the lane knocking down all the pins. "Whoo hoo! Start counting your pennies boys you'll be buying dinner," she cheered. As she returned to the seats Meg and Christine gave her high fives.

"Don't be so sure of it ladies. You forget who you're dealing with," Erik smiled.

"Oh, you don't scare me. Come on impress me," Brittney said giving him a sly smile and crossing her arms in front of her chest.

Erik returned the gesture and in one fluid throw had gotten a strike. He came over towering over Brittney and smirked. "Like I said you forget who you're dealing with."

"Lucky throw."

Christine and Raoul were up next. Christine managed 6 in her first throw and picked up the spare, but Raoul only managed one in his two throws.

"I got one. I actually got one," he exclaimed jumping up and down.

Christine was the only one to congratulate him. Erik and Brittney had sat down, looked at each other, and shrugged. She had then leaned over and whispered something in his ear, which caused him to double over in laughter.

Nadir and Meg were up next. With all of her years of dancing it was no surprise that she managed a strike so quickly. Nadir had only managed to pick up the spare. There was no doubt in the girls' minds that they had won, but Erik didn't care in the least about a silly deal. He wanted more than anything to make Raoul's life miserable. After a time and the game was getting more serious Erik looked behind him as Brittney took her turn to see Raoul standing close behind him.

With a slight adjustment on his hold of the ball he threw it so that it flew backwards and roll right over Raoul's foot. Quickly Erik grabbed another ball and finished his turn as Raoul let out a pained cry.

"Raoul what's a matter?" Christine asked as Raoul sat down and clutched his foot.

"The ball just rolled over my foot. It hurts a lot."

"Sorry Raoul my hands seem to be getting sweaty," Erik said sitting down on the other set of chairs.

"You did it on purpose," Raoul cried out.

"You have no proof of that." He began changing his shoes. "That does it I'm done playing with any of you. I'm going back to the dorms." He stormed out of the bowling alley and dropped his shoes off at the desk.

"That didn't go very well did it?" Nadir asked.

Brittney quickly changed her shoes, threw them on the desk, and raced after him. She had reached the top landing just as he walked out the door. Afraid to go out after him she stood watching from the door as he sat down at the steps of the fountain his head in his hands.

Finally getting her confidence back she pushed the door open and walked up behind him. "Erik, are you okay?"

He spun around and glared at her. "What are you doing here? This whole thing was your fault after all."

"My fault? What did I do?"

"You invited us all to go bowling didn't you? And you knew I hated Raoul."

She sat down beside him. "What I don't understand is why you hate him."

"Christine still likes him. She used to talk about him a lot. I wanted her to be my girlfriend, but she still had ties with him throughout high school. We were only friends," he said his voice more calm almost sad.

Brittney felt awful and placed a supportive hand on his shoulder causing him to look at her, his golden eyes on the verge of tears. "At least the two of you are still friends. My mom always told me it's better to be best friends than to be boyfriend and girlfriend. I hope you and I get to be best friends."

"You want to be my friend?"

"Of course; hey just a thought, but would you like to go for a walk with me?"

"Where shall we walk to?"

"Anywhere is fine with me. I'm anxious to explore my new home seeing as my real home is 6 hours away in Wisconsin. Where's your home Erik?"

He stood up and started walking. "I don't have one."

"You don't have a home?" she asked jumping up and coming up next to him.

"Not one that I can call my own. My parents died when I was young and since I had no known relatives I was placed in foster home after foster home, because no one wanted me. But at the age of 6 one family finally adopted me so I could go to school. Even though they had done that they still had things about me they didn't like. I was quiet and isolated, I got into fights at school, and when I was 15 if I wasn't at school I was out looking for a job. That task was just as difficult, because it seemed like no one wanted to hire me."

"Why wouldn't they hire you? I'm sure you have some wonderful skills that the work world is just dying to see," Brittney said hoping to encourage him.

"Thanks. But I guess people just don't see talent anymore. They're too judgmental, because I would have the right requirements for the job, but they would turn me away none the less. It even took my parents a long time to realize I had a love of music. They had a piano in the living room that I would sit at and play all night. It wasn't until my music teachers in middle school told them of my talent and for a graduation present that year they had gotten me the electric piano, my first and only real gift."

"Did you ever get a job?"

"Yeah I lucked out when the local radio station by my house was looking for someone to play classical music live on the radio. I audition and everyday from 3:30-7:30 I was on the air playing classical music. Then I would complete my homework when I got home. On the weekends I worked with children's theatre painting and building sets, sewing costumes, and working lights. It was great."

"I'm really impressed that you were able to make up for such…a…"

"You can say it; depressing childhood."

"Well I didn't want to say it that way. But I'm guessing with all the work you did you had enough to come here right?"

"Yeah, I saved it up at the bank gaining interest for I had no real need for it, because I already had the one thing I wanted. I got my piano and a few pieces of sheet music to write my music on. Then along with my job I did so well in school I managed a couple of scholarships in music, theatre, and choir."

Brittney was surprised that Erik was being so open with her. She shared some of her life with him saying how all her life she was picked on in school, she liked to read, write, and draw, and that being away from home for a change was such a great feeling even though she missed her dog terribly.

They had walked into a small clearing in the woods surrounding the rugby field and they were just standing there talking. The only things around were two trees. The sun had gone down and the sky still burned with the beautiful hues of the sunset making Erik's mask glow.

"Erik, please don't find me rude in asking, but why do you wear that mask?"

Erik's eyes flared and he grabbed onto her wrist. "Why does every one ask me that? Why can't they just let well enough alone?"

"You're hurting me," Brittney cried and he let go. Her eyes were now filled with tears as she rubbed her wrist. "I'm really sorry," she said her sobs caught in her throat.

Erik realized his mistake and reached out for her, but she pulled back. "Brittney I didn't mean to get upset; it's just that for me that's a really touchy subject. Give me your wrist I promise I won't hurt you." She watched him carefully as she held out her wrist. He took it into his hand and began to massage it. "Dry your tears. I hate to see young ladies cry on my account."

"I always cry when I feel threatened or get yelled at. I'm someone who runs when there's a fight or someone is angry with me. I'm not one to stand and fight."

"Then why didn't you run from me?"

"I had wanted to, but I couldn't when you were holding on to me like that," she said wiping away a few last tears. "I had only thought that, because you were being so honest with me that this wouldn't be such a problem. It wasn't my place to ask."

"It's alright. I've never shown anyone what my face looks like without them pulling the mask off themselves." He looked around to make sure they were truly alone. Then he reached up and pulled the mask off.

In the moonlight Brittney could see the bits of thin skin around his eye and edge of his mouth that made the face look haunting and frightening to look at. She let out a startled gasp and backed up a bit, but when she saw Erik lower his head in shame she came up and gently stroked it. His eyes flew open and he gasped as she traced out the scar. "You know it's not that bad. I've seen worse on the show Ripley's Believe it or Not! This isn't even half as bad."

He let out a laugh. "I never really watched television. I have no clue what you're talking about."

"Next time it's on I'll invite you to watch it with me if you want to that is," she said still touching his face.

"I'd like that. You know I'm surprised that you weren't afraid of me."

"I was a little at first, but I saw that I had caused you pain and I didn't want to ruin our friendship all ready. I want to prove that you can trust me."

"I do." He put the mask back on and took her wrist again. "Does it still hurt?"

"No, it feels a lot better. Thank you."

Suddenly he pulled her into a hug. "I should never have hurt you. I promise it will never happen again. Besides now I have someone I can trust. Christine once had the nerve to pull off my mask in front of the whole lunch room. I never forgave her for that no matter how many times I said I did."

For the first time in years Brittney felt like she was wanted and she hugged him back. She had someone that trusted her and she trusted him back. She pulled back and smiled at him. "Actually to tell the truth I have a scar on my face too."

He looked closely at her face and shook his head. "I don't see any."

She reached up and pointed out a scar running from the left corner of her lips to her cheek. There was a red strip of skin that looked like it had been burned years ago. "I ran into a hot cookie sheet when I was a little kid. I suffered from 2nd degree burns on my face and my mother told me I cried for about an hour after I hit it. Now I'm left with this horrible reminder."

"I couldn't see it until you showed it to me," he said pushing some hair out of her face. "At least no one can see it hidden within your beautiful features, but they can see mine." He pulled away from her and stood with his head against the tree closest to them.

Brittney was surprised. "Did he just say I was beautiful? Wait I'm imagining things. He still likes Christine. What could he possibly see in a common girl like me?" she thought as she looked down at her wrist, which had regained its normal color.

She looked up at the sky to see it had grown dark and she saw the stars twinkling in the sky. Deciding to change the subject she called over to him. "Erik look the stars are out. They're so beautiful."

Erik looked up at the sky and sighed. They were indeed beautiful, but he wondered if what he had said to Brittney had frightened her or meant anything to her. He still liked Christine, but a new feeling was tugging at his heart. "Hey Brittney what is your sign?"

"I'm an Aries. What about you?"

"I'm an Aries too. What date are you? I'm March 25, 1986.

"April 10, 1986. That makes us both 18 with you being 2 months older than me. My mom told me it would be a wonderful experience meeting kids my own age, but it seems like with all you've told me I've known you all my life, but that wouldn't be possible." She started laughing. "I'm not making any sense am I?"

"No, it's perfect sense." He looked at his watch. "It's 11:30. We should head back or the others will send a search party out to look for us. I'll gladly assist you back to the dorms."

She smiled at him and leaned in for another hug. "I'm glad we're friends," she said.

"So am I."

xxxxx

When they got back to the dorms they arrived on the floor to see everyone standing outside Raoul's room waiting for them. Brittney saw her roommate talking amongst them as she moved things into the room.

"There they are," Christine exclaimed. "We were worried about you."

"We went for a walk," Brittney said stepping forward. "It was just so nice I decided I didn't want to go in yet and Erik agreed to go with me just in case."

"Oh, okay. But by the way seeing as you guys left the game the guys owe us dinner. Because they lost their best player they couldn't keep up and we whipped them thanks to Meg," Christine said with a smile.

"All right," Erik said as if he didn't really care. "Where do you girls want to go?"

The three of them huddled together and discussed it. Finally they all turned to face them. "We have come to a verdict," Brittney announced.

"TGI Friday's!" they exclaimed.

Okay no flames please. I know I made it seem like Erik has a soft spot for Brittney, but a lot of people talk like that when they first meet and who knows maybe something will become of this. Just be patient and don't bite me head off.