Thirty minutes later, Aditya pulls into a parking lot and kills the engine. I glance out the window and blink in surprise, my eyes widening as I take in the brightly lit sign.
“A bowling alley?” I ask, surprise colouring my voice.
He grins. “Yup. Figured it’d be more fun than just sitting in a restaurant like boring couples do.”
I smile, a laugh bubbling up. “I haven’t been bowling in years. I’m probably terrible at it.”
“Relax. You’ll do just fine,” he says before coming around to open my door.
Taking my hand, he helps me step out of the car. We walk side by side toward the entrance, but the second we step inside, I come to an abrupt halt. The place is completely empty. The neon lights are on, the lanes polished and gleaming, and there is a faint hum of pop music playing in the background, but there’s not a single person in sight.
I turn to him. “Is the place closed?”
He shakes his head. “Nope.”
My mouth falls slightly open. “Wait... did you...?”
He rubs the back of his neck, looking almost bashful. “Yeah, I booked the whole place. Figured it’d be more fun without a crowd. Plus, this way, you won’t have to worry about anyone seeing how bad you are.” He winks at the last bit.
I can’t help the laugh that escapes me. “Wow. You went all out for a first date.”
His eyes soften. “You’re worth it.”
My breath catches, and for a second, I forget how to speak. But then he claps his hands together, breaking the spell. “Alright, let’s see what you’ve got!”
We move to lace up our bowling shoes before he picks out a ball for me, handing it over. “Here. Try this one.”
I weigh it in my hands, frowning. “Are you sure? It feels a little heavy.”
He grins, moving behind me. “Here, let me show you.” He steps closer, his chest lightly brushing my back as his hands wrap around mine, guiding my grip on the ball.
“Hold it like this. Fingers here and here... yeah, just like that,” he murmurs, his voice caressing my ear.
I can barely focus, my heart racing from his proximity. “Okay... now what?”
His hands linger over mine for a moment before he steps aside, his eyes never leaving me. “Now, aim straight down the lane. Swing your arm back, and just... let it roll.”
I take a deep breath, trying to focus. I pull my arm back and release, watching as the ball glides down the lane and veers straight into the gutter.
I groan, covering my face with my hands. “I told you I was terrible!”
He laughs, the sound rich and warm. “Hey, that was just practice. You’ll get it.” He picks up another ball. “Watch and learn from the best.”
“You really need to learn the art of being humble,” I quip, raising a brow at him.
He chuckles and shakes his head, then moves towards the lane, his stance perfect, his movements fluid as he rolls the ball. It barrels down the lane and crashes into the pins, sending them flying. A perfect strike.
I gape at him, my jaw dropping. “Show-off.”
He flashes me a grin, his eyes twinkling. “Told you, I’m the best.” He steps closer, his voice softening. “And teaching you? That’s the best part.”
A wild flutter stirs in my chest as I look up at him. There’s something so disarming about him, like he knows how to get through to me.
He doesn’t break the gaze as he bends to grab another ball. But the next second, he curses under his breath, and I look down to see his fingers snagged between two heavy bowling balls.
“Aditya!” I gasp, rushing to him as he yanks his hand free, his jaw tight with pain. Without thinking, I grab his hand, my thumb brushing over his bruised finger. “Are you okay?”
He tries to tone it down, forcing a smile. “Yeah, it’s nothing. Just a little—”
