The Struggles Of Waiting ✔

TWELVE

2074

"This is was a horrible idea," Jaden grumbled as the pair watched the bowling ball sail into the gutter.

"You only think that because you're losing," Alexander replied with a laugh.

"Shut up."

Alex barked out another laugh. Jaden had suggested bowling the night before as something different they could do and apparently seemed to regret almost as soon as the game started. Alex hadn't been bowling in years but hadn't lost much of his skill. Jaden on the other hand, was not the best at the game and apparently hadn't expected Alexander to be as good as he was.

Alex's ball went rolling down the aisle, knocking down seven of the pins. He gave the other man a smug grin, wincing when he got a punch in the arm as a response. They were only halfway through the first game and Alex knew the mood would only get worse. Maybe in the second game, he would go a little easier.

"Now, that's just not fair," Jaden said, staring at the scoreboard.

"Not my fault you're bad at the game," Alex said, coming up behind the other man. He felt his hand graze the small of his back and pulled away quickly, realising he was way too close.

"Oh, hush it, I just gotta get into a rhythm," Jaden argued, spinning and grinning at him.

"Sure," Alex agreed, "Maybe then I'll have some competition."

Jaden scoffed in mock offence. "Who knew you could be so rude?" he said.

"Sorry, I just get a little competitive," Alex replied. He had been a little bit too rude, it always seemed to happen when he played games against others. Sometimes it didn't end too well for him.

"Nah, it's fine," Jaden said, face turning down into a frown. "I'm just playing around."

Alex's face flushed red with embarrassment. Trying to avoid facing his mistake, he rolled the ball again, ignoring the smug feeling he got when he got a spare. Jaden knocked their shoulders together, smiling at him and Alex knew it was okay.

"I'm such a dork," he muttered to himself with a shake of his head.

"Yes, you are," Jaden laughed.

"You weren't meant to hear that."

"Maybe you should speak quieter next time."

Alex only rolled his eyes in response, watching with his arms crossed over his chest as Jaden took his turn. The other man really was terrible at bowling, but it didn't stop either of them from having fun.

Inevitably, Alexander won the first game, much to Jaden's annoyance. The younger man still tried to convince him that he was just getting started and would be better in the next game. Part of Alex doubted it, but he let Jaden believe.

They were sitting at a table near their alley, eating overpriced soggy chips and watching the other patrons play their own games. They ate in silence, content with their own company. The bowling alley was small, only six lanes. Alexander had been surprised it was still around when he'd first walked into it. Most had gone out of business after being replaced by virtual reality counterparts.

He found that he missed bowling. He hadn't done since the early 2000s, when it was still a popular thing to do. He couldn't exactly say that to Jaden though. He'd dug himself too far in his grave with the lie about his age that there was no way he could crawl out now.

It was his own fault, if only he'd been honest from the start, but he hadn't wanted the pity Jaden and the others would give him. And they would have given him pity if he'd told them when he first met them, everyone did. No one wanted to be over a hundred and completely alone, no one wanted to wait that long. Now, they would just give him anger, something he didn't think he would be able to deal with, especially not from Jaden.