starter for: @travishawthorne & @itsbraedanmueller
location: rock ‘n bowl
time: 7:30pm, friday
Since Sam’s epic misunderstanding and subsequent humiliating display of making an ass of himself with Braedan and Jamie, the single dad’s club of mystic hadn’t really had a chance to meet. Or rather, Sam hadn’t wanted to meet with Braedan. But since mending fences at the beach party, Sam figured a drink or two, some good pizza and, for the heck of it, some good old bowling was probably overdue. He’d called his friends and arranged a time they could meet up and now, here they were.
Letting go of his lime green bowling ball, Sam sent it careening for what he hoped would be bowling pins. At the last second, the ball instead dropped off into the gutter. “Damn it!” he groaned, before turning back to their chairs and plopped down on his in defeat. “Okay, someone please explain how on earth you two agreed to bowling when we all know damn well I shouldn’t be allowed to step foot in a bowling alley?” he chuckled glancing between his two friends.
Braedan couldn’t remember the last time the Single Dads Club had reunited for a few beers, pizza and fun. Definitely before that strange night when Sam made a scene in the middle of the restaurant after seeing him and Jamie having dinner together. Thankfully, after a talk and a few drinks at the beach party, the two men had finally fixed their relationship and the story was now forgiven – because obviously, he would not forget to crack a few jokes about it to his friend.
When he received the call for a bowling night, he knew that he could not refuse. Not that he was an extremely talented player – oh hell no – but he knew that this night would be great, and he missed their little group dynamic. He pleaded his sister to watch his son for the night and headed to the Rock ‘n’ Bowl. Entering the place, he looked around. It seemed like the décor had never changed, and he felt a bit nostalgic for a short moment, before being interrupted by the sound of his friend’s voice. His gaze turned to find Sam, and he quickly turned to see the ball roll into the gutter. Laughing at the man’s question, he smirked, picking up his own bowl, knowing too well that he was not exactly better. “Because it’s great to see you send the ball straight in the gutter. It comforts me.” He joked, before letting go of his own navy blue ball. He was not much more successful. Just as he thought he was going to hit the bowling pins, the ball curved to the right, and fell into the gutter. “What the hell, I was super close! It’s so unfair!” He complained, laughing. “I’m gonna grab some beers. This game is rigged.”
Now that the dust had settled and his two best friends were on speaking terms, Travis had been looking forward to a night out with the boys. Although their plans had usually landed them at Moonie’s or one of the mens’ houses, the bowling alley offered a nice change of scenery, and an opportunity for competition that Travis couldn’t turn down.
Sitting off to the side, the vice principal watched as Sam took his first shot, laughing as his lime green bowling ball rolled straight into the gutter. “Sam, that is exactly why we agreed to this. Gives Braedan and I an edge on the competition,” he teased, before leaning back into his seat and allowing his other friend to take a crack at knocking the pins down. “Although judging by Braedan’s abilities, I may be at even more of an advantage than I thought.”
Selecting a red bowling ball from the rack, Travis lined up his shot and swung back his arm, watching as the ball rolled down the center of the lane and crashed into the pins, knocking them all down on his first shot. Whether it was the number of field trips he had attended or children’s birthday parties he had hosted, he had certainly developed a unique skillset over the years. “It’s not rigged at all. You guys just needed to stand back and let an expert show you how it’s done. Although I’ll definitely take a beer if you’re buying.”
