It didn’t take long before Zack was back to his normal cheerful self. On the day Zack left to make up with Clarissa, he had gotten her not only a stuffed plushie but also some chocolate and went to talk with her. From what he had said, he had fumbled with his words, slightly unsure and nervous, but he did apologize again. It seemed to help, because he forgave him, yet they had a long talk.
Thanks to that, Clarissa had joined Zack and Oliver to the mall. It wasn’t like Oliver wanted too, but he didn’t have much of a choice, since they just accidently bumped into each other at the mall. It was the first time Oliver had hung out with her, since he did what he could to avoid her, since he didn’t want to watch them being all lovey-dovey.
They sat at one of the diners, eating sandwiches. Oliver glanced out the window and watched people walk by as Zack and Clarissa talked. Oliver sipped his soda, cradling his chin in his hand when Zack called his name.
“Hey, we are thinking about going to the bowling alley, you wanna join?” Zack asked and he looked at Oliver hopefully. Oliver chewed the inside of his cheek, unsure what to answer, but Clarissa spoke up first.
“If you don’t want to hang out with me, I don’t mind, we can just do it some other time,” she said, the last part directed at Zack.
“What? But I wanted to have fun with you and Oliver,” Zack complained.
“But I did impose on your time together, so I can understand if you don’t want to,” she looked at Oliver, giving him a soft smile, that seemed a bit uncertain. Oliver glanced at her then at Zack and the way he looked at him made Oliver sigh. He hated when Zack gave him big puppy eyes.
“No, it’s fine, let's go,” Oliver replied, and gave them a half-hearted smile.
They went to the bowling alley, just at the outskirts of town. Clarissa decided to pay for their lane and bowling shoes, and they all paid for their own drinks. Oliver had ordered a red soda, while Clarissa and Zack both ordered a Cola.
They went to their lane, Clarissa walked around to look for bowling balls she could lift, since the ones at the lane were too heavy for her. Oliver stood at the lane, checking out the bowling balls when Zack came over.
“You know, I really wanted you two to hang out. You are both so important to me,” Zack said in a low voice so only Oliver could hear it. Oliver glanced at Zack, who was looking at the bowling balls, fiddling with one. Oliver chewed the inside of his cheek before he sighed and wrapped his arm around Zack’s neck, flashing him a fake yet convincing smile.
“Dude, I’m flattered that you think so highly of me,” he hugged Zack with his one arm, “of course I want to hang out with you,” he said, but didn’t mention Clarissa.
Zack was the first one to start. He went over and got a ball, then went to the lane to get ready to roll it. Oliver sipped his soda as sat on the bench and watched Zack, deliberately keeping his distance from Clarissa. Clarissa was saying encouraging words to Zack, who seemed to enjoy it as he threw the ball and watched it roll down the lane. It hit four targets, which was good enough start. He walked back to grab another ball, looking at Clarissa then at Oliver, who quickly smiled and gave him a encouraging nod before Zack returned to throw his second ball, this time hitting two more pins and then it was Clarissa’s turn.
Oliver watched her as she picked up a pink ball and went to get ready. She stood there, staring hard at the pins, almost like she was trying to manifest where her ball was going to roll. Her white and red flowery dress that reached her knee swayed with her every movement, and when she went to throw the ball, the dress got pulled up a little. Oliver averted his eyes, since he wasn’t interested to look under her dress, but he noticed that Zack wasn’t complaining.
She managed to knock down five pins in the first round and three in the second round, which put her in the lead. When she came back, Zack was grinning happily as she sat down next to him. He was praising her like she had just won the whole thing and it honestly made Oliver nauseous. He got up, a bit more violent than he had planned, but it stopped the others from talking and focus on him.
“You can do it!” Zack encouraged him, not that Oliver needed it. He went to pick up a bowling ball, getting a feel for it in his hands before he went to the lane and got ready. He didn’t take long and quickly threw the ball, watch it barreling down the lane and hit eight pins, making a split. When he turned around Zack was whistling, clearly impressed. It wasn’t Olivers plan to show off, but he couldn’t help it. The competitor in him showed up, which meant he wasn’t going to show any of them mercy.
As if Clarissa could notice Olivers plan, she started to compete seriously, and they had a close race halfway through while Zack did his best to follow them.
As the competition went on, it felt more like they were competing about something else then bowling, it was almost like they were competing for Zack and none of them wanted to be the loser. In the end Oliver won, but he was impressed by how good Clarissa was, then he offered to buy her ice cream, which surprised both Zack and Clarissa.
They went to a small ice cream store and they each got two scoops of ice cream. Oliver had chosen a scoop of chocolate fudge and a scoop of salted caramel. Zack chose cookie dough and coffee, while Clarissa ice cream was fruitier with strawberry and pineapple. They strolled down the street and was about to turn around the corner, heading towards the centrum of the town where a small park was, when he saw Casper walking towards the park too. He stopped in his track and frowned before he turned around.
“Where are you going?” Zack asked confused.
“I’m not going, not if Casper are going to be there,” he replied and it sounded childish, but he really couldn’t stand Casper. The more he looked through his social media, the more he disliked him and his happy life.
“Oh, ok, then lets just head to the mall, Clarissa’s car is there, so she can give you a lift home, if you want to,” Zack said as Clarissa quickly agreeing that she wouldn’t mind it at all. Oliver didn’t want to take up her offer, but at the same time it was a free ride.
“Sure, let's go” he said, and they all headed towards the mall.
Oliver walked in front while the other two stayed behind him. He was halfway through his ice cream, but he wasn’t really noticing the taste anymore as his mind were occupied. He felt like he was seeing Casper around more, that he was starting to avoid areas that he had spottet him in.
Oliver could hear the others talk behind him, but it was so low he couldn’t hear what they were saying. He had a feeling it was about himself, but he didn’t care.
It didn’t take long for them to reach the mall and by the time they got there, Oliver had already finished his ice cream. He suddenly stopped up and turned to look at the others, which made Clarissa jump a little by the sudden movement and they both looked at him.
“Where is your car parked?” Oliver asked and he tried his best to give her a smile, but it came up tight-lipped. Zack frowned a little as he probably could sense how coldly Oliver was being towards Clarissa, but she didn’t seem to notice, or maybe she pretended she didn’t as she smiled at him.
“Second basement,” she replied, “it’s a white Toyota Ayago.” Oliver nodded and turned towards the elevators, the others following right behind him. It wasn’t Clarissa’s fault that Oliver was in a bad mood, and he knew he shouldn’t let it go out on her, but he couldn’t contain his feelings.
They reached the elevator, and they all went inside. Zack stood between Oliver and Clarissa, but he kept glancing at Oliver, while holding hands with Clarissa, like he was protecting her or comforting her. Oliver glanced at them and clenched his jaw before he spoke to break the tension that had grown between them.
“You were pretty good at bowling, how come?” he asked Clarissa, who looked at him slightly surprised, as if she hadn’t expected him to talk with her. Truth be told, he didn’t want to, but he was trying to make an effort for Zack.
“Oh, well, my dad loved bowling, so he taught me how to do it. He got injured last year and have to take a break from bowling,” she explained, giving him a small smile, “the doctors don’t think he will be able to again, but my dad hasn’t given up and keeps doing what the doctors are telling him to, so he can get better faster.” Oliver noticed how her eyes soften as she spoke of his dad, that he had to look away. Had he ever looked like that while talking about his own dad? He doubt it.
“Well, you are good,” he said again then they fell went quiet as the elevator stopped and the doors opened. Zack and Oliver followed Clarissa’s lead as they walked to the other end of the parking garage.
“You okay?” Zack asked Oliver, probably worried about his mood.
Oliver shrugged. “I’m peachy,” he answered, but it sounded emotionless.
“Thanks for the ride,” Oliver said to Clarissa while he fists bumped Zack.
She smiled back at him. “No problem, it’s not really a detour to my house anyway,” she said, trying to make it no big deal. Oliver nodded and took a step back as they others drove off. He let out a sigh and went up to his house.
The door was unlocked which mean someone was home, so he went inside, and he could hear the tv going in the living room. He peeked in and saw his dad sitting on the couch, working on his laptop. His dad looked up as Oliver was about to leave the doorway.
“Welcome home,” he said with a smile. He didn’t seem as exhausted as he had been, and Oliver wondered it was because his work were giving him a break.
“Thanks, what are we going to have for dinner?” he asked as he leaned his hip and shoulder up against the doorway.
“Roasted chicken with potatoes, vegetables and gravy,” he replied. Oliver nodded and just as he was about to leave, he looked at his dad’s empty cup of coffee.
“You need a refill?” he asked his dad. He looked at his cup a bit surprised then smiled at Oliver.
“Yes, I would love a refill,” he answered.
Oliver went in and took his dad’s cup before going to the kitchen where the coffeemaker was. He poured the coffee in the cup before he stopped up and decided to pour himself one too. He added milk and sugar in his own, since he honestly didn’t like coffee, but had a strange craving for it.
He went back to his dad and handed him his coffee before he sat down on the couch. His dad was eyeing him with a raised eyebrow before he sat down the laptop on the coffee table and Oliver had a feeling, he knew what was coming up.
“Are you okay son?” he asked and instantly Oliver felt awkward and regretted he hadn’t just gone to his room.
“I’m fine,” he answered even though it didn’t sound convincing. His dad turned to look at Oliver, giving him his full focus.
“You know you can talk to me, right?” he tried to ensure Oliver, but hearing that just annoyed him that he placed his full cup of coffee on the table.
“Can I? Can I really talk with you?” he asked, “how? You are never home and when you are, you have your nose in your laptop, that I’m surprised you haven’t gone blind,” Oliver looked at his dad, his eyes were wild as his temper rose with every word he said. “When we needed you the most, you left us to take care of ourselves. And after that, all you do is pouring yourself over Jake, praising him for everything he does, but with me? You always complain, you rarely praise me and not once have you ever really tried to help me.” He stood up, pissed off and was about to leave when he turned to his dad. “’If only I wasn’t such a disappointment, if only I was just like Jake’, aren’t that what you are always thinking? Well reality check dad, I’m not him, I will never be him and I just wish you wouldn’t compare me to him!” He stomped out of the room and went up the stairs, two steps at the time.
When he reached his room he entered and then slammed the door behind him, so it sounded like a bang. He quickly searched his room and find his stash, hidden behind his clothes in his closet. He quickly swallowed one dry before he went to the window and opened it, letting in the nice cool air. He grabbed his pack of cigarette and shook a stick out then placed it between his lips. His hands were trembling with anger that he had to ball his fists, so hard they turned while. He lit up his cigarette and took a long drag like his life depending on it before he exhaled the smoke while closing his eyes.
It didn’t take long for his body to feel strange and for him to me tripping. He was lying on his bed, headphone on which were playing music so loud that he couldn’t hear anything else around him. He was staring at his ceiling which was spinning, and he couldn’t help but grin and wondered what his dad would say about it, but he never went down to eat, and his dad didn’t come up to his room.
Comments (2)
See all