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 Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2019 4:01 pm
There had been a coupon that had come up in her email about bowling, and honestly…Olivia took that to pretty much be a sign from…well. The universe perhaps. She had sent the rather excited text message a few days prior, and now it was finally the day that she and Hannah were going to go have fun.
She was going to go have fun an do something with a friend.
Honestly, she couldn’t be more nervous. Most of the morning had been spent trying on different outfits and trying to think of something to do with her hair. Finally, she gave up and put on jeans and a nice flowing shirt and threw her hair up into a messy half bun and called it a day.
Hannah wouldn’t judge…or so she hoped.
She headed to the bowling alley and worked hard to battle the butterflies that kept threatening to overtake her stomach. This was going to be fine. They were just bowling. It was going to be fun. There would be laughter. They would make plans to hang out again soon.
She wouldn’t…put her foot in her mouth. She wouldn’t mess up…even though Olivia was sure that she would.
By the time she made it to the Bowling alley, she was a mess of nerves and went to sit inside, placing her elbows on her knees and drawing out her phone, trying to find the coupon once more.
Hannah would be here soon. They would have a good time.
It became a mantra that she repeated over and over.
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Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2019 12:20 pm
Upon entering the establishment, the sound of the bell chiming was drowned out by pins bouncing off one another clamoring against the backdrop as the ball slammed into them. It was there, over by the shoe rental desk, that she spotted the same red-haired green-eyed girl she had met at the lake looking as nervous as could be.. “Olivia?” A gentle hand was placed on the young woman's shoulder once it had been made clear that she hadn’t realized Hannah had arrived yet. It had been a week or so since they last saw each other; but true to her word Hannah made time in her hectic schedule to meet up; though she felt concerned that Olivia may be having second thoughts. “Are you ok?” Hannah asked with a concerned expression on her face.
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Posted: Fri May 10, 2019 8:45 am
The touch made Olivia jump in surprise and she glanced upwards and then broke into a relieved smile when she saw Hannah standing over her. “Hey! You’re here…I was…you know. Working myself into some sort of frenzy thinking that you wouldn’t show…”
It was stupid, though she stood and stretched. “Ah, well! Here we are.” Olivia was beginning to grin now, her excitement growing. “I haven’t…I mean. I don’t think I’ve been bowling before, but who am I to really say, you know? I haven’t been there in um. Recent memory at least. But I’ve watched some videos about it…and I think I know the theory pretty well by now.”
She wasn’t quite sure about the shoes though. Why they had to rent shoes in order to be able to roll a ball…was utterly beyond her.
“We can get snacks too! If you wanted. There’s a snack bar…and I keep smelling some of the food they bring out.”
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Posted: Tue Oct 08, 2019 10:11 pm
“I apologize, we had a walk-in patient come into the clinic last minute. I couldn’t leave until they had been seen.” Hannah felt incredibly guilty for making Olivia worry. She knew that she should have called but her phone had been stowed away in her locker until she got out and the bowling alley was only about fifteen minutes away. “Next time I’ll let you know if something comes up and I’ll be late.” It was her fault that the poor girl seemed very antsy or apprehensive. Then again it could just be nervousness. Hannah understood more than most realized how terrifying it could be to put yourself out there and meet new people. Trust is a very delicate thing and once you’ve been hurt or abandoned once it’s hard not to carry the mentality of ‘it’s only a matter of when, not if, it will happen again. “Are you sure you feel up to doing this?” She adjusted her side bag then placed a gentle hand on Olivia’s shoulder. “We can go get our shoes and a lane then some snacks before picking out our bowling balls,” this place allowed snacks in the seating area thankfully, not just at the bar area at the top of the stairs overlooking the lanes. “Or we can find something else to do instead. Your choice.”
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Posted: Wed Oct 09, 2019 8:02 pm
Olivia managed another smile, still trying to look excited. “No, I’m sure I feel up to doing it…I want to try it, but…” She bit her lip and looked at Hanna with a happy expression. “…What else would you want to do, look, Hannah I’m just happy to be hanging out with someone, I don’t care what we do, honestly.”
If the other girl was tired, she didn’t want to push her into bowling, which did look a little bit exhausting…or at least looked as though it could be.
“Would you rather just get food together and maybe see a movie? That could be fun too. I’m really…I’m not picky at all, I promise.”
She just wanted friends…badly. She wanted a reason besides Tavi to stay in this world, to stay as she was now. It was so important to have…lifelines. Olivia knew that now more than anything else. Or at least…she tried to.
“I’m just so happy you’re here.”
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Posted: Fri Oct 11, 2019 7:42 pm
“Why don’t we go ahead and stick to the original plan?” A movie would be fun but it left little room for conversation until the credits started rolling and it was time to leave. That is, unless they were to watch it at one of their homes. Hannah would have to ask, but she was sure that her boyfriend wouldn’t mind if she had company. She smiled and motioned with her hand for Oliva to follow her to the front desk. The older man, likely the owner, behind the counter turned around and gave them each a wide welcoming grin. “I see yer friend here finally showed up.” With his thumb, he pointed to Hannah who in turn was trying not to laugh. “So, ready ta bowl?” “Yes, one lane please.” Hannah placed her purse on the counter and pulled out her wallet and from it her ID. She then handed it to the man in exchange for two pairs of bowling shoes. “Size 7-½ please.” Glancing at her friend she pointed at her own shoes. “What size? So he can get you a pair.” She explained.
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Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2020 7:18 pm
Olivia nodded, giving a little smile. “That sounds good to me.” She nodded a little shyly at the man and gave a little grin, pleased that he could at least see that she wasn’t crazy and that she did have a friend coming after all. “Size eight for me, please. And thank you so much for not kicking me out while I waited!”
She knew she must have looked a little silly sitting there, but that was over now. Hannah was here…and they were going to have an amazing game of bowling and everything was going to be wonderful.
“I am really excited you know. And I really…just want to thank you for coming to hang out. I appreciate it, and I’m so very glad that…that I get to be your friend, Hannah. I just want to let you know that.”
There was no way to know how good she’d be at bowling, but Olivia was excited to try. And if today went well…more could follow.
No…more would follow. She wouldn’t fall back into her old patterns of depression and nothingness. She wouldn’t get into a rut and go and forget everything again. She was going to live. And she was going to enjoy it.
This time.
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