Summary: Annie and Elijah go bowling for date night.
Author's note: Let me know what you think, this was based off a TikTok I watched, and the idea came to me and the words flowed xoxoxo, I'm dipping my toe back into writing, please excuse any errors.
‘Niggas be like, oh yeah lets go bowling and then make the ball spin and twerk on yo ass and put 150 on the board’ -Tiktok User @say.laii
For a Thursday night, the bowling alley had just the right amount of life to it, not crowded enough to feel chaotic, but definitely not empty. A handful of lanes were occupied, the low rumble of bowling balls rolling down polished wood mixing with the sharp crack of pins being knocked down. Neon lights glowed over the lanes while colorful screens flashed scores above each group, the faint smell of buttery popcorn, pretzels, churros, pizza, and sugary ICEEs lingered in the air. 80s music played overhead, just loud enough to fill the space without drowning out conversation. There were a few groups of friends scattered around, a couple of families with younger kids finishing up their games, and the occasional pair on a date night like Annie and Elijah.
Bowling night was supposed to be simple, fun and cutesy as a different date night for Annie and Elijah but as she stared at the bowling bag sitting on the bench beside him and the way he laced up his own bowling shoes, she didn't know what kind of night to expect anymore. She stood there for a second, two ICEE’S, one cherry and one blue raspberry flavors in her hands that she had purchased because he paid for the game watching how serious he was, he was always serious but this, this was different.
He looked up from lacing his shoes at his girlfriend who had a look on her face, "What?"
"You lookin at me funny," he said as he stood and walked over to the ball return monitor to put their names in game as Annie set their drinks on the table and glanced down at the opened bowling bag.
"Oh fuck no," she mumbled as she reached into the bag and pulled out a navy blue bowling ball with 'E.L.M' carved into it in cursive. She couldn't stop the laughter as Elijah realized what she was laughing at.
"Oh c'mon man," he said as he walked over and reached for his ball out of her hands.
"Your own ball? Where did you even get this? How long have you had this?" Annie asked as he took the ball out of her hands and placed it in the ball returns rack.
Annie narrowed her eyes, "Sometimes?" Between the ball, the shoes and the bag her boyfriend seemed more like a professional than an amateur.
He sighed "Sometimes I play Elias."
He sighed louder "Annie..."
"No baby tell me, y'all got matching shirts? Because I think that's cute, how come you never wear it for me?" She teased but he found nothing funny.
"Anicia c'mon man," the laughs that left her lips made that flat smile turn into a small smile.
"Alright alright, do you uh, want to show me how it's done?"
"Oh yeah I'd love to see a pro at work," she smacked his butt and squeezed it playfully which brought the flat smile back to his lips and another giggle out of hers but she took a spot near their lane with her ICEE. As the pins were set up, he made his way down the lane, spinning the ball in a manner only professionals would know, making her sit up straight. The ball curved but rolled down perfectly and cracked all 10 pins, the ICEE was suddenly not interesting anymore, no joke had formed in her brain to comprehend what she just witnessed.
"Oh FUCK no," she said out loud. She stared at the ten pins laying perfectly still at the end of the lane, then she looked at Elijah and back at the pins. The bowling ball had barely finished rolling before the automatic pinsetter started gathering the remains of his strike and he turned around like he hadn't just committed a crime. He walked back toward her, wiping his hands casually on the sides of his pants.
Annie's mouth was still hanging open. "What?"
She slowly stood from her seat. "What the fuck was that?"
His lips twitched. "A strike."
"I know what a strike is!"
"Because y-" She pointed toward the lane. "You just threw that ball like you were in the damn Olympics!"
Elijah shrugged and picked up his ICEE. "I told you I bowl, sometimes."
"Baby, that wasn't sometimes." Annie narrowed her eyes. "You practiced that."
"You have a whole bowling ball."
"You have your own bowling shoes!"
He looked down at his feet. "Obviously."
"And apparently you have a technique" That finally made him smile, a real one, small and annoyingly satisfied.
Annie caught it immediately. "Oh, you think you cute."
"You don't have to boy, your face is talking." He walked past her toward the ball return but her questions continued.
"How many times have you done that?"
"I don't care what it's called."
He picked up his ball. "Well, you asked me to show you."
"I thought you were gonna bowl like a regular person!"
"What's a regular person's bowl?"
"Somebody who rolls the ball straight!"
Elijah laughed under his breath. "That's boring."
Annie folded her arms. "So you just been walking around all this time knowing how to do this and never told me?"
She stared at him. "I've watched you play basketball with Elias a million times."
His face scrunched at her comparison "That's different."
He shrugged "It’s basketball, this is bowling - same goal, different technique."
"And you never thought to mention you're secretly a nerd?"
She glanced at the embroidered initials on his ball. E.L.M, then at the bowling bag and at his shoes. "Baby."
"Whatever." She laughed, grabbing her ICEE again and taking a sip as his words caught up to her.
"Wait, wait, wait. You said Stack plays too?"
He shrugged "No, we play for fun or sometimes money"
Annie continued with her imagination. "With a lil bowling team logo and everything?"
"Do you have one?" she asked
Elijah gave her a look. "Annie."
He looked away and she gasped. "You do!"
"Can we just bowl please mama?"
"You have a whole uniform!"
"Can we bowl, Anicia?" She started laughing again.
"Baby, I'm sorry. I'm just trying to process this."
He shook his head and walked back toward the lane. "Process it while I bowl."
Annie pointed at the pins. "Do that again."
He smirked. "You impressed?"
Annie immediately scoffed and folded her arms under her chest "No."
He rolled his eyes "Sure you not."
He picked up the ball and made his way towards the lane. "Then stop watching me."
"Thought you wasn’t impressed."
"I’m not, I'm just studying." she informed him.
She grinned. "That my boyfriend is secretly a nerd."
Elijah laughed as he stepped onto the approach. "Watch this nerd then."
Annie sat down, she didn't even touch her ICEE this time. She watched him take his steps, one….Two….Three, smooth release again. The ball traveled down the lane, curving gently toward the pocket and Annie's eyes widened, the ball slammed into the pins.
CRACK…Ten pins disappeared, again.
She shot upright. "Oh, FUCK no!"
Elijah turned around with the most obnoxiously calm expression she'd ever seen and Annie pointed at him. "No. No, because what the hell?"
He started walking toward her. "What?"
"What's the point?" he asked dryly.
"The point is I thought you were taking me bowling!"
"No!" She grabbed the bowling ball bag.
"I bought the ICEEs! I thought we were gonna laugh, take pictures, maybe make fun of each other when we got gutter balls!"
Elijah took the bag from her. "We can still do that baby."
"How?" she asked, confused.
"You can get the gutter balls."
He smiled, setting the bowling bag back down on the bench. "Come on."
He reached for her hand and she let him pull her toward the lane, still shaking her head.
"And don't you dare laugh if I suck."
She pointed at him suspiciously. "And don't secretly be mad if I beat you."
Elijah paused and thought about it for a sec.
Annie's eyes narrowed. "Why'd you pause?"
He looked down at her. "How you gonna beat me."
Annie stared at him. "Oh, you're cocky."
She stepped onto the lane. "Okay, Mr. Confident."
He handed her a lighter ball. "Hold it like this."
He positioned her fingers carefully on the ball.
Annie looked down at her fingers, then back up at him. "Like this?"
She took a breath and he stepped back. "Now walk."
Annie took two awkward steps, swung the ball, and released it, it rolled directly toward the gutter and Elijah immediately turned his head and Annie could hear the snickers escaping.
Annie gasped. "You said you wouldn't laugh!"
"I'm not!" His shoulders were shaking as he tried to control the laughs.
"You are shaking!" He finally broke, laughing as Annie covered her face.
He walked over and wrapped an arm around her waist and pecked her forehead. "You will."
She looked up at him. "You better not let me lose."
Elijah smiled. "I ain't gonna let you win either."
Annie's jaw dropped. "See? That's the problem with men!" She shoved his chest. "Everything always gotta be a competition! That’s that freaky twin nature!"
He laughed. "You asked me to show you, you think I’ma pay for the date AND lose"
"I asked for a cute date night!"
"It still is." She glanced toward the lane, then at him.
"Fine, but if you start making the bowling ball spin and twerk, I'm leaving I promise you Elijah."
Elijah burst out laughing again. "I wasn't gonna do that."
"Uh-huh." She pointed at him. "I know how you get."
He shook his head, still laughing. "Come on, baby."
"Your turn." She sighed dramatically and stepped back toward the lane.
Elijah leaned against the ball return, watching her. "Show me what you got."
Annie took a breath. "Don't regret teaching me."
Elijah came up behind her again, his eyes following the way she held the ball. "No, don't grip it so hard."
"Because you're standing there watching me!"
He laughed. "I'm teaching you."
"Well, teach me without staring."
"How I'm supposed to teach you if I don't watch?"
Annie rolled her eyes but loosened her fingers. "Like this?"
"Yeah." He reached down and gently adjusted her hand.
"Thumb goes in first, these two fingers go in here and don't try to muscle the ball."
"I wasn't gonna muscle it."
"You holding it like you mad at it."
Annie laughed. "Well, it’s disrespecting me."
Elijah shook his head. "Okay, keep your wrist straight."
He moved beside her, demonstrating the motion without a ball. "Four steps and don't rush it, let the ball swing naturally."
Annie nodded seriously. "Okay."
"And when you let it go, don't yank it."
"....You just threw it into the gutter."
He laughed. "Come on." He positioned her again. "....Watch the arrows, not the pins."
Annie looked down the lane. "Why?"
"Because you trying to aim at the pins is gonna make you pull the ball."
"Relax your arm." She took a breath.
"Four." she repeated as she took the steps.
"Nice and easy." she repeated
"Let it swing." She stepped forward…One….Two…..Three….Four.
Her arm swung and for half a second, Annie thought she had completely screwed it up again, then the ball rolled; straight. It didn't go into the gutter and made it all the way down the lane, and then…. CRACK! Six pins went flying and Annie froze.
Her eyes widened as she turned around. "I GOT SIX!"
Elijah's eyebrows lifted, surprised himself "Yeah, you did."
"Baby!" She jumped into him, throwing her arms around his neck. "I got six pins!"
He laughed, catching her around the waist and steadying her. "You did so good."
He looked toward the lane then back at her. "That's a good start."
She pulled back and grinned. "Are you impressed?"
He nodded. "Alright, I'm impressed."
Annie smiled so hard her cheeks hurt and his heart swelled. "I knew I could do it."
"I knew you could too, you just needed to stop fighting the ball."
She ignored him. "Did you see that?"
"I was standing right here."
"No, I mean, did you see that?" she emphasized.
Elijah smiled at her. "I’m proud of you."
She hugged him again. "Okay, now teach me how to get all ten."
He screwed his face up at her request. "Oooo baby, that's gonna take a few more practices."
"Because you gotta learn your release."
He walked her back toward the lane. "Now, I'm gonna show you again."
Elijah picked up his ball. "Watch."
Annie immediately sat down and sighed. "Here we go."
He stepped onto the approach, his entire demeanor changed. Annie watched him take his steps, smooth and controlled, his arm swinging naturally before he released the ball. It hooked perfectly, straight into the pocket. CRACK.
All ten pins disappeared again and Annie's mouth fell open, she slowly looked at him.
She pointed at the lane. "Seriously?"
Elijah turned around and shrugged. "What?"
"You couldn't let me have my six pins?"
"You waited until I got excited and then had to show off again!"
He walked toward her, fighting a smile. "You mad?"
"Because I just got six and you got ten! AGAIN!"
"That's how the game works."
A pout formed on her face "I don't like this game."
He laughed as Annie folded her arms. "You so annoying."
"You want me to teach you or not?"
She stared at him for a second then sighed. "Yes."
"That you need to be humbled."
"Okay." He leaned down and kissed her, it was quick and soft..
When he pulled back, Annie blinked. "What was that for?"
"That's dangerous." she said sarcastically.
He ignored her sarcasm "Let's make this game interesting."
Annie's eyebrows rose. "How?"
She immediately considered it. "Okay."
"Winner gets whatever they want and the loser pays."
Annie smiled as a spot formed in her head
Elijah's face fell. "Man, no."
"And? You've never been!"
Annie stared at him. "Exactly! That's the problem, I've been wanting to try Mr. Lee's with you for weeks."
"There ain’t nothing wrong with Piggly’s BBQ."
"Piggly’s BBQ again? There's nothing wrong with it because we've been there over one hundred times, you know the menu better than you know yourself."
"And you order the same thing every time."
"Because it's just THAT good." he countered
"You don't even look at the menu anymore." she continued
"I know what I want." he said casually as he finished his ICEE.
Annie rolled her eyes. "And you've never tried Mr. Lee's."
"...Because you won't go."
"....Because Piggly’s is across town and worth the drive."
"Not better than Piggly’s"
"You haven't even tried it!"
"I don't need to." he repeated.
She stared at him. "You sound ridiculous."
Elijah smiled that same devilish grin.
"How about it?" Annie waited. "If you beat me, we go to Mr. Lee's."
Her eyes narrowed. "And if I don't?"
She groaned. "Of course."
Elijah shrugged. "You know it’s my favorite."
"You've been there so many times I know they know your order before you walk in."
Elijah nodded in agreement, "They probably do."
Annie shook her head. "Fine."
Elijah held his hand out. "Deal?" She looked at his hand then at him.
"Deal." She shook it and Elijah took advantage of her hand in his pulling her into his chest and stealing another kiss.
As they pulled apart, Annie spoke "But I'm warning you now."
"We ARE going to Mr. Lee's."
He laughed. "You gotta beat me first."
He leaned closer. "Because I don't plan on losing."
Annie smiled sweetly. "Neither do I."
He kissed her forehead. "Good."
Then walked back to the ball return and picked up his ball. "Let's bowl."
Annie watched him walk toward the lane and muttered under her breath. "Mr. Lee's here we come."
"Nothing." she answered sweetly.
"No." she answered too quickly
He smiled. "You plotting."
Annie picked up her ball. "...I'm plotting dinner."
She stepped onto the approach. "Hope you're hungry for sushi."
He laughed. "Hope you like your brisket plate."
She smiled. "We'll see about that."
She took a breath, four steps. Swing. Release and this time, the ball stayed away from the gutter and Annie wasn't watching the pins anymore.
She was watching the scoreboard, she had a bet to win.
The game got progressively worse for Annie: not because she was bad, that was the problem. She was getting good. By the fourth frame, she had figured out how to stop fighting the ball. By the sixth, she was consistently keeping it out of the gutter. By the eighth, she had started getting comfortable enough with her release that she was knocking down six, seven, sometimes eight pins at a time and Elijah wouldn't stop talking.
Annie watched her ball roll down the lane and knock over eight pins she turned around with a grin.
She immediately frowned. "For me?"
He took a sip of his ICEE. "Yeah."
"Baby, I've been bowling for two hours."
"...And I'm getting better!"
"Then say that." She folded her arms underneath her chest.
"No, you said 'not bad.'"
"That's what good means."
She narrowed her eyes. "You're annoying."
He smiled. "Come on, it's still your turn."
She picked up her ball and every time she started to get confident, he'd casually throw another strike; or a spare, or some ridiculous shot that made her wonder why she'd ever agreed to compete with him.
She'd knock down eight, he'd knock down ten. She'd get a spare, he'd follow it with a strike. She'd celebrate a clean frame and he'd nod like he'd just watched a toddler successfully tie their shoes on their own.
"Stop saying it like that!" she fussed
"Like you're proud of me but also disappointed."
"You sound disappointed."
"I'm not." He laughed at her accusations.
By the time they reached the final few frames, Annie's excitement about Mr. Lee's had begun disappearing, slowly and painfully. She looked up at the scoreboard, then at Elijah, and back at the scoreboard. Piggly’s BBQ suddenly felt less like a threat and more like an inevitability. She could practically smell the place, she pictured the yams, mac and cheese, ribs. Damn it. She liked Piggly’s BBQ, their brisket plate was her favorite, that wasn't the problem.
The problem was losing, losing to Elijah felt personal.
"You're quiet," Elijah said as he sat on the bench next to her doing his favorite pastime, observing her..
He laughed. "You thinking about that sushi?"
Annie looked at him. "No."
"I'm thinking about how you're cheating."
"How am I distracting you?"
"Exactly." He laughed again and looked at the scoreboard.
His smile faded just slightly, he wasn't as far ahead as he had been earlier, Annie had noticed that too as she looked again. Twenty-two points, that's all she was down. Twenty-two; not impossible but not easy, still possible.
She looked at the lane, then at her boyfriend.
He picked up his ball. "Don't get excited."
"Like you think you're about to win."
"Uh-huh." Elijah stepped onto the approach and she watched carefully, his first shot wasn't a strike. Seven pins but his second shot knocked down the remaining three, a spare. His final ball was another seven, not too bad. But not Elijah's usual performance, he walked back toward her.
Annie stared at the scoreboard, twenty-two points and she could do that. She would.
He grabbed his ICEE. "Think you can beat that?"
She slowly stood. "I know I can."
His eyebrows lifted as sucked his straw out of an empty ICEE cup to annoy her. "Oh?"
She picked up her ball. "All right." and walked toward the lane. For once, she wasn't thinking about the pins, wasn't thinking about Elijah and she wasn't even thinking about the scoreboard.
She remembered everything he'd taught her: don't grip too hard, keep the wrist straight, four steps forward, don't rush, watch the arrows, let the ball swing, don't force it.
She took a breath….One….Two….Three….Four….Swing….Release.
The ball rolled smoothly down the lane and Annie's eyes followed it. CRACK, Nine pins.
She gasped and Elijah stood up beside her. "Okay!"
Annie turned to him. "Nine!"
"Keep it up." She grabbed her ball again, one more and she knew what she needed.
She stepped forward, breathed. Four steps, swing, release, the ball hooked and Annie watched it curve toward the pocket. CRACK. All ten.
"I got ten!" She was grinning now.
But the scoreboard was still updating, she waited and Elijah leaned forward the only sound being pins falling at nearby lanes and old 80s pop songs playing on the speakers around the alley, Annie stopped smiling as the numbers appeared.
She stared at the scoreboard then looked at Elijah and back at the scoreboard.
Elijah's final score sat two points above hers. Two fucking points.
Annie slowly lowered her head. "No."
Elijah's grin appeared to be widening. "Yep."
He started laughing. "Baby."
"Run it again!" she repeated
"By two!" She held up the count with her fingers as Elijah laughed and mimicked her action
Annie stared at him. "You've got to be fucking kidding me."
Elijah laughed so hard he had to put his empty ICEE down. "Come on."
"No." She couldn’t control the familiar pout forming on her lips as Elijah comforted his pouting lady.
"You did good." he encouraged.
"You almost caught me." Annie sighed.
"I don't want to hear that." He stepped closer and kissed the top of her head as she fell into his chest, sliding his hand under her hoodie and rubbing small circles on her back.
"You played really well."
She looked up at him. "I still hate you."
….And that’s how Annie ended up at Piggly’s BBQ. A few hours later, the smell of barbecue hit her before they had even reached the table. Piggly’s BBQ was exactly the kind of barbecue spot Annie knew Elijah loved, casual, loud, comfortable, and unapologetically Southern. The walls were covered with framed photographs, handwritten specials, old signs, and memorabilia. The dining room buzzed with conversations over the clatter of silverware and the occasional laugh from behind the counter. Smoke curled through the air from the kitchen and pit, carrying the unmistakable smell of slow-cooked meat, pepper, vinegar, and sweet sauce.
Annie's stomach betrayed her immediately as the smell of smoked meat filled her nostrils.
She looked down at the plate in front of her, mac and cheese, candied yams, greens and a piece of cornbread.
She sighed, it smelled so damn good but she was still irritated. Across from her, her man was having the time of his life. He sat comfortably in his chair with his rib plate in front of him, sauce already coating his fingers as he pulled a rib apart with his hands and that damn grin across his face. That shit-eating grin.
Annie stabbed her mac and cheese with her fork. "You know you cheated, right?"
Elijah looked up mid-bite. "I cheated?"
He laughed. "I didn't cheat."
"You knew what you were doing."
"I've been teaching you how to bowl all night."
He leaned back. "So I cheated by teaching you?"
Elijah shook his head. "You lost."
"By." She pointed her fork at him. "Two."
He nodded. "That wasn't on me, that was your roll."
Annie's eyes widened. "That was your coaching!"
Elijah laughed. "That's why it pays to listen, mama."
He took another bite of his rib as Annie stared at him, she hated that he was right and she hated that she'd actually gotten better because of him. And most of all, she hated that the mac and cheese was this damn good.
Elijah caught her staring at his plate. "You want a rib?"
"Yes." He held one out anyway.
Annie looked at it, then at him and back at the rib. "...Maybe."
She took it from him. "Don't get comfortable."
"Too late." Annie bit into the rib.
Her eyes closed as she chewed slowly. Damn.
She opened her eyes and Elijah was watching her. "Good?"
She swallowed. "It's okay..."
He laughed. "That means it's good."
"Oh you really like it then."
"You did, with your face." Annie rolled her eyes and reached for another bite.
Elijah leaned back in his chair, completely satisfied. "Mr. Lee's would've been good too."
She looked at him. "Don't."
He smiled. "If you had won."
"Two points." He held up two fingers on his hand.
She kicked him lightly under the table and he laughed. "You violent when you lose."
He reached across the table and grabbed her hand and she tried to pull away but he held on.
Annie looked at him. "Even though you cheated?"
He kissed her hand "Even though I won."
She rolled her eyes. "You so irritating."
She looked down at their hands, then back at him.
Unfortunately...he was right about that, too.
Author's NOTE: Thank you for reading this far, please excuse any errors and let me know what you think, what you hateed, etc <333, thanks for reading!
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