BOWLING Inside

[Melrosie Marshal]

"Oh, I'm good, Lyra. I just ate." Melrose smiled to her roommate, finishing up her shoe tying. Was it right to mention she had "professional" training in this business of sport? Perhaps it'd come off too much like bragging. Just keep quiet.

Grabbing her light orange bowling ball and setting it onto the dispensing machine, she picked up on Tobias's comment. Well, comment back? Tell him he's a good bowler? Compliment him? Or agree with him?

Geez. Melrose couldn't believe she was actually freaking out over something as small and insignificant as this. The Tobias Craze had to stop. Now.

Or Melrose was going to explode.

[†Øߡ§™ Knight]

"You have a really pretty ball," Tobias commented, smiling at Melrose. If she blushed or something at his smile, then she probably liked him, right?

He carefully watched Melrose's expression, hoping to catch a sign of her feelings.

[Melrosie Marshal]

"A Pretty Ball".

Melrose blushed. She couldn't help it. Was he trying to get her attention, ors something? MAybe it was just all in her crazy, little head.

Thanks Tobias. I like your eyes. Oh who am I kidding?! Marry me. And then she'd jump on to a white stallion and ride off into the distance with him. It's a love story, Tobias. Just say yes.

"Uh, thanks. Yours isn't so bad either."

Or that, whatever.

[†Øߡ§™ Knight]

She blushed! Tobias grinned happily at Melrose. Yes! Looking good, Tobias, he thought to himself. "So whose turn is it?" Tobias asked, now in an infinitely better mood.

He smiled at Lyra and gave her a nod of approval.

[Lyra ♫♪ Calnote]

Lyra looked over, coming back with french fries and chicken fingers. What was up with the gazes and stares? Lyra took a sip of her cherry coke and she set the food down on the table, some of the fries spilled out. "I got food Tobias," Lyra said, looking at TK and grinned. Was this going to be more awkward? With Melrose and Tobias smooching or something- no, Melrose better not. She didn't even get Lyra's approval. Hell, she didn't even give Tobias her approval. Not that it mattered, but dammit Tobias had issues and love couldn't get in the way. "Food," Lyra pointed to the french fries and took a bite, "complete with ketchup."

[Melrosie Marshal]

Melrose grinned seeing Lyra bring over food. It oddly made things more relaxed. And suddenly her roommate became her savior.
"I suppose I could go next, yeah?" She suggested, grabbing her bowling ball and proceeding to the lane.

Alright, Focus. It was just like Sophomore Year, with Coach Jankowski breathing down Melrose's neck to get a strike. Except this time Melrose was breathing down her own back to not screw up and look like a total idiot in front of her roommate, her roommate's pal, and The Greek God, formally known as Tobias.

Melrose tried to imagine herself back in the championship last year. She only needed a strike and Girls' Varisty Bowling would officially "pwn" the Upper East Seagulls. And they deserved it to, everyone on the team was one of those snooty bowlers who carry their own bags and stuff. Anyway.... Focus.

Melrose lined up the arrows with her swing, took a leap of faith, and STRIKE!

That's right!
Melrose playfully squealed with glee, doing her Tiger Woods victory pose as she took her seat back by the tables.
Thank you Coach Jankowski, and your smelly breathe for breathing down my back.

[†Øߡ§™ Knight]

Tobias's eyes lit up at the sight of food. He had turned it down, but now he wanted nothing more than a salty fry, smothered in ketchup. He ran over to Lyra and began stealing her food.

Tobias turned to watch Mel bowl. Was she any good? She looks pretty focused he observed. And there it was, a strike. Tobias clapped vigorously for Melrose. "Nice shot!" he told her, while taking another fry.

[Lyra ♫♪ Calnote]

Lyra's focus was not on Melrose, but on Tobias. He vaguely told her what happened last night and Lyra needed to talk to Tobias. But now wans't the time or place. She dipped a chicken finger in ranch and took a bite. Lyra's attention shot to Melrose and Lyra put her bitten chicken finger in the tray. "Great job, Mel!!" Lyra exclaimed and clapped wildly for her friend. Luckily for TK (not that it's a threat or anything), Mel's accomplishment masked Lyra's rage at TK.

Why would he be so stupid? Lyra thought, her eyes gazing back to Tobias. She picked up the same chicken finger to finish it. Stupid boy, Lyra thought again. Stupid her! She was the only who did this silly arrangement.

[Melrosie Marshal]

Ohhh Melrose, check you out wit ur bowling skillz. The kidz back home used to make fun of you for being on the varsity bowling team but they can all just go jump out cliffs now. Why? Because Mr. Tobias Knight is impressed. "10 points Hufflepuff!"

It's true, by the way, Melrose is a Hufflepuff. She's taken a ton of quizzes a ton of times on the internet. Hufflepuff. Cheya, I know.

"Looks like it's your turn, hott shot!" Melrose grinned to Tobias, feeling awfully confident all of a sudden. She looked over at the food, feeling no appetite. Working at Pizza Planet will ruin any appetite. Just ask Aaron.
Though Lyra looking pretty tonight, Melrose had to admit.

"I like your hair-do, Lyra. It's cute!"
Oh yeah, Melrose's confident was through the roof.

[†Øߡ§™ Knight]

Hot shot? Tobias shook his head and laughed. "Okay, but I doubt I'll do as well as you, Mel," Tobias replied. He walked up to the ball dispenser and picked up his bowling ball.

Tobias aligned himself with the lane and took a deep breath. He exhaled slowly to calm his nerves. TK slowly stepped forward and began his approach maneuvers. His arm swung back and then swung forward. He released the ball...and prayed.

The ball rolled down the lane and neatly knocked over one whole pin...on the left side. At least it wasn't a gutter ball. Tobias turned around and bowed, determined to play off his poor skills as if he didn't care that the cute girl before him had gotten a strike.

[Ethan Hawke]

Ethan sat and watched as the others bowled. He spaced out so he wasn't exactly sure of what was going on, but went with it anyway.

[Melrosie Marshal]

Aw, he's so cute when he messes up.

Melrose couldn't help it anymore. The Tobias Craze was just going to have to take its course and run wild through her mind, or else she'd simply go crazy.

"Wooo! Yeah, Tobias. Just shake it off!" She smiled with encouragement.
Maybe one day Melrose could teach him what she has learned from "The Great Jankowski". Except Melrose wouldn't be a rotund, rancid breath, middle aged woman.

And in the end, her and Tobias could ride off of on their white horse again into the sunset.
Yeah.

[Lyra ♫♪ Calnote]

Lyra touched her hair. It was in a messy bun, hell, not even a bun. Half-pony tail, half-bun with a barrette at the side. "Thank you, Mel!" Lyra exclaimed. Mel was so nice, such a cute sweetheart girl. And Lyra thought all girls from New York were stuck-up, bitches, and rude. Not Mel! "I like your hair too, it's always nice," Lyra said. Nice and blond, nice and blond. Lyra could never go blond. She did not have the guts.

Tobias went. She laughed when Tobias' knocked one pin down. "Good job, TK!" Lyra exclaimed and cheered for him.

[Melrosie Marshal]

Melrose smiled at her roommate, "Geez. Thanks Lyra!" Melrose loved Lyra, she really did. "So who's your, um, pal?" She gestured over to the guy with the dazed look on his face.

She wondered whether he was an interest of Lyra's or perhaps just a friend.

He certainly looked friendly, but above all, the poor guy looked terribly confused.

[Lyra ♫♪ Calnote]

Lyra looked over at Ethan- and it was his turn to bowl! "This is Ethan- Ethan uh," she had to admit... she forgot his name. "This is Ethan!" Lyra flashed a smile, her hands gesturing to the junior boy. "He goes to Oceanside, too," Lyra said.