Chapter Eleven
"Ah, bowling," Rebecca sighed, grinning over at Aaron. "This brings back memories."
"Good ones for you?"
She shrugged.
"Bad ones for me," Aaron told her. "One of my first efforts to become friends with you. Didn't turn out too well. I felt so cut off, and you and your sister kept exchanging glances. I felt like I was missing something. And you two whispered to each other while I wasn't looking!"
Rebecca only laughed, and in truth, she didn't know what to say to that. He knew the reasons she had been 'shy'. Why repeat them?
"It was like in elementary school when the big kids had their group, and they wouldn't talk to you or even look at you unless you were in it. Which you, of course, never were," Aaron angled his head as he sipped on his straw. "Remind me why we are here, bowling, when we did the same thing a few months ago?"
"Because we have run out of things to do. And this alley was cheap on Wednesday nights."
Bowling was the only thing to do with Rebecca that they could do alone. Of course, movies were off limits because people might think the wrong thing. Hanging out at Wendy's or some other fast food restaurant was something he and his friends did, not a thing you do when you're with Rebecca. The Rec. center was not something he would suggest to her either either, considering she bruised easily nowadays. And the only gentle not-bruising activity there was the hot tub.
Strictly forbidden. He didn't even allow his thoughts to go there for more than a few seconds.
"You're too nice," said Aaron, meaning every word of it. "Picking something cheap to do just because of me."
She shrugged.
"And you know that the real reason you picked bowling is because it's the only thing you can beat me at."
"More like whip your butt," Rebecca replied.
Aaron shot her a double-take, astounded that she would use such a term. She seemed so polite and sophisticated; he hadn't realized the word 'butt' was in her vocabulary.
Rebecca grinned. "I am capable of being playful."
He sat back in his chair and studied her, putting down his pop but keeping his hand around with so it wouldn't be awkward to not have something to do with his hands. After several moments of just staring at her for no reason whatsoever, he realized she was getting embarrassed.
"Speaking of playing, it's been your turn for quite a while," he said quietly, supplying a way for her to get out of the awkward situation.
For a few seconds Rebecca just stared back, as if she wasn't going to acknowledge his statement. But after a while, she blinked slowly and got up to get her ball.
Rebecca didn't know whether she wished Ruth had come along or not. It was great to have some time alone with Aaron to just hang out and talk about things… and to beat him at bowling. Again.
They'd run out of things to do. Board games with both their families, hanging out at each other's houses, they'd seen every good movie in theatres, had spent an entire evening at Cold Stone, and had even been to several evening services at church and a few concerts at some Christian-owned coffee shops.
There was one thing they hadn't done, though, and tonight she was in the mood to do it.
She came back to where the two of them had been sitting, sliding into the chair beside him. "I win."
"Grrrr," was all Aaron said, moving to start the game over again.
Rebecca held up her hand. "Wait. Skip bowling, the youth group and I have done it so many times it's not even funny."
"Why didn't you tell me this?"
"Because I wanted the satisfaction of beating you. Now," she grinned at the look on his face and paused to do so before continuing. "There is a certain activity that we have not done."
Aaron raised his eyebrows, not letting her know that he was stunned… or what was going through his head that made him stunned. "And what might this activity be?"
"We have not been to Wally World," Rebecca said with finality, as if this statement explained everything.
He didn't know whether to be relieved or puzzled at this statement. "And…?"
"Come on," she said, shaking her head as if she couldn't believe that he didn't know what she was talking about. "Let's drive to Wal-Mart and I'll show you what we will do."