I was completely confused, I really was. “Who?” I asked myself if he was playing around with me.
“My stupid friends,” he said his voice soft and clear. “They told me they were going to walk around, I was waiting for you and your friend.” Maite! I forgot about her, where was she.
“I doubt it, ‘cause Maite is not here either. What If they did something to her, Cristofer, what if…?” I didn’t even want to think about it.

“Trust me, she’s fine she might have sidetracked. I can’t believe they did this to you, hold on.” Even though I did trust him I held his hand and kept close to his side.
The figures came out of the shadows in which they were hiding. They were all laughing, yet they all gave a shy wave to me. I wasn’t taking that crap, I lost hold of Cristofer’s hand and stepped towards them, “What the hell is wrong with you freaking morons?” I felt myself shaking and I felt my eyes water. I don’t know what happened next but the last thing I remember was Cristofer, trying to pull me away from the guys. I had someone’s shirt in my fist I held it and pulled with all my strength.
“Alexis, calm down, Alexis please let go off him.” I instantly did, I don’t know why but I let go off the shirt once he asked. He had his hands around me, preventing me from another breakdown. “You guys are messed up I can’t believe you did that, why on earth would you…?” He didn’t finish the sentence, giving me a chance to talk.

“Where’s Maite? What did you do to her?” My voice shook a bit. I felt Cristofer’s grip tightened.
“She was in it too, I think she’s still hiding with Johnny.”
I heard some whispers, which sounded angry but teasing as well, and then Maite and some guy with black hair came out, I guessed that was Johnny, he mussed his hair, but said nothing. I honestly didn’t even care about Johnny, I turned to Maite and glared. “Sorry?” She had her hands up in the air, The nerve of her, did she really think she would get out of it that easily? Oh no, no she wouldn’t. I ignored the comment and turned the way I came. I gave large steps not bothering to care how I looked, Maite didn’t try to catch up, but Cristofer did.
“Where are you going, we have to go this way.” Poor guy, he still thought I was going to go. I didn’t stop walking, in fact I walked faster.
“I’m not going Cristofer, I honestly don’t want to meet any of your friends if they’re this immature.”
He stopped walking by me, I noticed because I couldn’t feel his presence which was very strong. For a moment I thought he was mad at me, but then I turned to face him and he had this shy look on. “Well you see… I called you because…well not for one of my friends but for myself. I thought it would be cool if, you know, we hanged out.” That caught me off guard, I looked at him and looked away after seeing his face. It was the cutest one so far, he was looking at me with the sweetest eyes I’ve seen on anyone.
“I’m sorry, I’d love to hang out with you, but not with them, not now. Call me later if you want, bye Cristofer.” I began walking faster than before.
“Oh…OK, I’ll, um call you later.” I allowed myself one last look at him, his face didn’t hold that outgoing look anymore, and instead I saw disappointment and confusion.
No! No, I wouldn’t care, so what if I’ve made him sad, life wasn’t fair and filled with disappointments, and in anyway why would he be sad, he could call up some other girl. And yet that idea made my body curse with trembles, the idea of him with another girl was displeasing. I didn’t notice I was walking until I stopped, I looked back, he had his back to me, his friends had their heads down, I heard one say to him “forget about her , we’ll find someone else” and I saw the guy Johnny slap the other in the head.
I sighed loudly and walked back to Cristofer. Well actually I ran, but in anyway the point was that I was now next to him. “Um…I’ve never went bowling so, that would be a nice experience. You will teach me right?”
He didn’t even bother hiding his surprise, or the way his face lightened, I know because I could easily read his face. “Yeah…sure whatever you want.” We walked side by side, him smiling again and me playing with my fingers.
“Hey can we pass and get Stephanie she said she wanted to come,” Johnny said. I saw Maite’s face, she obviously knew nothing about any Stephanie.
No one answered which I guess was a yes. “Who’s Stephanie?” I asked.
“She’s Johnny’s best friend, we think there’s something going on between them since he won’t go out with anyone, and he brings her everywhere.” Cristofer’s voice was a soft whisper, husky but soft and melodic.
“Well he sure seems like he’s free, he’s a flirt isn’t he?”
“Yeah, don’t know why, since the guy is really into Steph.” I guessed Steph was Stephanie.
“Are you a flirt?” I tried to sound casual, don’t know how hat worked out.
“Nah, I’m stable…at least I think so.”
“Sure Cris.” I said and chuckled lightly.
“So is Cris my nickname? Since we have nicknames do I get to give you one?”
“I…yeah I guess that’s your nick name,” I don’t know what that was all about, I just thought it had a nice ring to it. “As for me, I don’t know I mean my name is short as it is.”
“Yeah, you’re right; I like your name anyway.”
We kept quiet after that. The night was really beautiful, now that I could enjoy it. An airplane passed through the sky, there seemed to be no stars that night so I decided to pretend it was a shooting star . I closed my eyes and made a wish. I felt someone take hold of my hand.
“What are you doing?” I opened my eyes and turned my head around to see Cristofer’s face above mine.
“I’m making a wish. Pretending the Airplanes in the night sky are shooting stars.” I don’t know what he was thinking but he stood quiet while staring at me.
He broke the stare and asked, “Can I know what you wished for?”
“I can’t,” I softly said, even though I knew they wouldn’t hear, Cristofer and I were on the back of the group, not worrying about time. “If I do, then it won’t come true.”
He just nodded, not taking interest to my words. He looked like he was thinking deep about something so I stood quiet.
I don’t think me or Cristofer talked at all, everyone was joking and screaming in front of us, but we said nothing until we got to Stephanie’s building.
I saw Maite’s face flared up face, when Johnny rang the bell for Stephanie. After three or five minutes some girl with blond hair came bouncing down the stairs. Once Maite saw her she went red all over, and I did too.
“So, do you hang out much with Stephanie?” I asked Cristofer.
“Who, me? Yeah I guess,” I must have looked mad, because he tried explaining himself better. “I mean you know the usual, it doesn’t matter anyway, since she’s not really my type, and Johnny wouldn’t even let me get close to her. She’s really tough and all.”
“I just asked you if you hanged out with her, and besides she doesn’t look tough.” My voice sounded too harsh I guessed, because he didn’t answer back.
Some girl with black hair and purple highlights came springing after Stephanie. “I invited Julian hope you guys don’t mind,” Stephanie squeaked.
She looked me up and down with out minding to disguise it. I wouldn’t take any part in an immature act, so I only turned another way and walked away.
“Really Stephanie? I see no reason for you to be rude.” Cristofer approached Stephanie.
Stephanie shrugged but said nothing. Julian was the cheerful one I guessed, since she smiled about everything. We all kept in our own comfort zone, me staying away from Stephanie and Julian, and everyone else acting like complete idiots.
“So, you really have never been bowling?”
I turned to Cristofer’s direction, ”Nope, I wanted to, but something always stopped me.” I began kicking a rock, trying to distract myself.
“Sad, it really is a fun game. I challenge you to play with me, loser has to buy lunch for the other.”
“That’s no fair! You know I probably will lose, I’ve never even played.” He wasn’t taking it, he shrugged it off. “Why don’t you pick on someone your own size,” I muttered.
“I probably should, shouldn’t I. Oh well guess I’m just going to settle for the role of the bully.”
“You?! That’s really hard to imagine,” I laughed even more when seeing his face. “You’re softer than my pillow.” I snickered despite my corny joke.
“You little brat,” and he mussed my hair, well tried to because I moved out of the way. He began chasing me, while I began running not wanting to have somebody else mess around with my hair.
When he finally did catch me, he just lightly pulled my hair and dropped his arms that were around me. “Why are you so scared of me?” He tried playing it cool, which made me laugh a bit.
“My brother does it every time he comes home. I think I have enough of it.”
“You have a brother? Well there’s something I didn’t know of you.”
“Yeah Timmy, or as he calls himself “Tim”. He’s in college, so I can survive.”
“Really what’s he studying?” Was this guy really interested in my personal life?
“He got a scholarship for football, he really wants to study mathematics though.”
“Really? No way, I wouldn’t expect a football player to ever be interested in math. How about you?”
The question took me by surprise, “Me? I don’t know, my mom wants me to be a mathematical wizard since everyone in the family is, but I’m really into English and stuff in that category.” We had arrived to the giant bowling place.
“Wow, that’s something huh? So are you not good at math, or why do you not like it?”
“Well for one, its math, and besides, I am great at math, it just holds no interest in me.” He asked me a few more questions, and then stopped when it was our turn to get our bowling shoes.
I went to sit by Stephanie, who I was forced to sit with since it would be rude to go anywhere else. She appraised me once again, roaming her eyes over me. I began taking my converse off, and tried ignoring her. When I raised my head she had her attention somewhere else, which made me sigh in relief. I could have said something, but it wasn’t in my nature to hurt anyone, either physically or emotionally.
“So you’re his new girl.” I noticed how she didn’t ask, almost as if she was sure of her observation.
It took me a little while to respond since I didn’t know what she was talking about. “Um, I’m not—I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I tried looking at anyone--maybe even Johnny--for help, but they were too busy buying food.
“Come on, do you really think that Cristofer just brought you here because you’re friends, “she emphasized the word ‘friends’, “Fer, is looking for something, and its not friendship.”
I assumed ‘Fer’ was short for Cristofer, which not only sounded ugly but stupid as well. “Well I just met him, and he just met me, and I doubt he’s that fast as to wanting to go out with a girl who he just met.”
“Oh honey, you have no idea who you just got into with, it’s obvious you don’t know who Cristofer is.” She didn’t say anymore, because once she ended her sentence, everyone came with multiple drinks and snacks in their hands.
Someone placed a cup of smoothie in front of me. I turned around, and I should have guessed. Cristofer was being a total gentleman, he had two bags of skittles in his other hand.
“I wasn’t sure if you wanted strawberry or blueberry, but I went for strawberry since it’s my favorite.” His words captured my attention, would we be sharing the drink? To my luck he had another cup in his other hand, the same as mine. I was being paranoid after what Stephanie had told me.
“Thanks,” I said, gratefully for him choosing my favorite flavor. I began sipping on the straw, but was pulled by someone after my second sip.
“Come, I promised I would teach you, besides I think you need as much practice as possible.” He grabbed my hand and began pulling me towards the isles.
He began, showing me an example on how to hold the ball and the amount of force needed to throw it. I tried my best to memorize the techniques, after all I didn’t want to end up being the loser. When it was my turn I did manage to knock something, and that was the pins in the other isle. I tried for five times, all attempts with no success. Finally Cristofer came to help me, he wrapped one arm around the arm I was holding the ball with, and the other at my waist. I felt his warmth vibrate through me, his touch soft and—no I would not think of him like that.
His hand surrounded mine, moving my fingers in the right place. I was comfortable so far, until he held me tighter by the waist, which I instantly tensed up after. “Relax, don’t stand up straight,” he fixed my position and lightened his touch.
“Good, now remember straight, don’t try to be fancy and make another move.” And with precaution I let the ball fall from my fingers and down the floor, it slowly made its way to the pins. I knocked all but one.
I instantaneously wrapped my arms around Cristofer, crushing my body against his, feeling his astonishment. He did the same, as enthusiastically as me. “I did it,” I whispered to him. He too embraced me, and suddenly let go.
I unwrapped my hands from his neck and shyly said sorry, I guess my enthusiasm was too much. He was looking at something, or someone. I turned around to face whoever was behind us. There was no one, and for a minute I was worried if I had somehow insulted him when acting the way I did. He didn’t even seem to be paying attention at me. I followed his eyes, at the very end of the room there was the entrance, I only saw people who passed through without taking any notice in us. While I was looking through the people I saw a motionless figure standing in the middle of the entrance, looking straight at Cristofer and then her eyes glided towards me. She had light brunette hair, her eyes big and wide with surprise but they still had a small sparkle which could hold your eyes. I noticed she was glaring at me, I looked up to Cristofer, I hoped he could read the questioning in me eyes.
“Why don’t you go get us some…I don’t know get something filling I’m kind of hungry.” For a moment I wanted to hesitate, but instead I walked away and headed to the food court. I met Stephanie there her eyes were gleaming with anger. I wondered if it had to do with anything I’ve done, but she wasn’t even looking at me. When she did see me she snapped out of it and smiled shyly. I turned the way in which she had been facing and again I saw the girl that was glaring at me. She was making her way to Cristofer.
“Who is she?” I softly asked Stephanie.
She gave me a disbelieving look but still answered me, “That is Rosaline…Cristofer’s ex.”