I Just Need You - J. Nathan Page 0,38

bowl.

Marco and Tristan stood off to the side with their bowling shoes on and arms crossed.

“You two need to loosen up,” I said. “You’re lucky I didn’t make you go clubbing with us.”

“That’s next,” Alice declared with her cup raised in the air.

We took turns bowling, but it was no surprise that Marco and Tristan were kicking our asses. But I didn’t care. I sat back and watched everyone, taking it all in. It seemed so normal. So unlike my life. Elodie and Alice were having so much fun even though most of their balls landed in the gutter. Their laughter was infectious and I had no choice but to join in. This night was about so much more than bowling for me—or my birthday for that matter. This was about finding the people I felt comfortable and safe with. It was about having people around me who cared about me—at least they seemed like they cared about me. It was about seeing Marco and Tristan loosen up even a smidge.

“We need another pitcher,” Alice announced and she and Elodie headed back to the bar for more beer.

Tristan threw a strike and turned around like it was no big deal. I drank him in as he walked back. He was so good looking that I almost needed to look away sometimes for fear of being caught with my mouth gaping open. That electrical jolt I felt that first night I’d run into him buzzed to life, and I couldn’t tear my eyes away from him.

Marco walked over to bowl next. Tristan eyed the vacant spot on the bench next to me. I held my breath, hoping he sat beside me. He, however, opted for the scorer’s chair and sat with his back to me.

Did he not trust himself? Was he turned off by my tipsiness? Freaked out by my gawking? Or just as confused about our strange rollercoaster of a relationship as me?

Marco threw a strike before turning around with a smirk.

“Show off!” I called as I pushed myself to my feet, stepping past them both to get my ball. I felt their eyes on me, and I prayed I didn’t throw a gutter ball. I approached the line, eyed the pins in their perfect triangle, and released the ball. It rolled straight all the way down the lane. “Come on, come on, come on,” I murmured. The ball hooked left just before getting to the pins and hit one pin.

“Show off,” Marco called.

I turned around and smiled. “All part of the game, my friend.” I grabbed another ball and stood on the line again. I focused on the remaining pins and released the ball. It stayed straight all the way to the end and hit the front pin, knocking all the others down. Spare! My arms shot up as I spun to face them.

Marco shook his head, amused by my obvious excitement. When I looked to Tristan, he was grinning. I blinked hard, his grin nearly stopping me in my tracks. It was so foreign. So strange on his face. But at the same time, so beautiful and breathtaking.

I snapped out of my momentary haze and lowered my arms, walking back toward my seat. “That’s how it’s done boys,” I said as I passed by them.

“Oh, is it?” Tristan said, almost playful.

I froze, scared that one of the other Tristans would return if I spoke.

“We’re back!” Alice and Elodie called.

I turned my attention away from Tristan as Alice placed another pitcher of beer down on our table.

We spent the remainder of our time sharing the pitcher, getting worse at bowling, becoming a tiny bit sloppy…and a smidge too loud. My spare was a thing of the past and gutter balls were how I finished my night. Marco and Tristan didn’t seem to mind though. They must’ve known I needed this.

On the car ride home, every time a new song came on the radio, one of us screamed out that it was our favorite song. We proceeded to sing the songs at the top of our lungs. At one point, Marco opened the window, likely trying to drown out our bad singing with the noise from the air outside. But we didn’t care. We kept at it until we reached our dorm.

Tristan pulled to a stop in front of the entrance.

“I just want to thank everyone for celebrating my birthday with me,” I said with a slight slur, hoping they all knew how much it meant to me. “This was