Bowling Lanes 5-8
 

Lane Six yo
 

Sophie sighed. Hopefully with the family get-together the whole family would be able to turn a new leaf and not just her parents. Orlando being in their lives she had the distinctive feeling would only be good for them all. Her face turned into a big smile when Orlando promised to come over. Sophie wanted to jump up and down and hug him but settled with just beaming "Awesome. I'll tell mum when I talk to her later tonight."

Cleaning shoes? Ewwww. Cleaning things were definitely her least favourite shore but it was just one of the things you just had to do regardless of your feeling towards it. Smiling Sophie followed Orlando down to lane 5 where shoes were stacked beside the bowling balls. Choosing a pair of red bowling shoes Sophie slipped them on before turning to her half-brother smiling. "Thank you for saying that. But it’s a long way to go before I can title myself healer." Going over to the bowling balls she picked out a blue ball and weighed it in her hand. "So who shoots first?"

Smiling he nodded "Sounds good." he was slightly nervous about meeting the family after so many years, but it couldn't be that bad could it? No, he was sure it would be painful but it couldn't be like the last time, where he'd ended up walking out right at Christmas. He'd just go in with a smile for them hopefully not to pained and hope for the best.

Following her down to where the alleys were, he headed for the rack of shoes and grabbed a pair of black ones and set them on a seat by lane 5. "I haven't done this in awhile." he said with a shake of his head "Kind of sad considering I work here." Looking up at her comment he just smiled "Yes but your on your way at least, which is better then I can say for myself, went to school to be a liaison and I sit here in the bowling alley." After testing a number of balls, which were either too light or the holes too small, he finally settled on a silver one, "Feel free, I'll put my shoes on while you bowl." Setting the head into the slot he sat down and pulled his trainers off.

Her mother probably knew best but inviting Orlando to the big weekend with every relative they had and knew the name of stopping by could end in disaster or success. Sophie prayed for the latter for everyone’s sakes not just Orlando’s.

"Really?" Sophie asked a little surprised."I guess being the manager of the place keeps you from actually bowling with the customers that come here to bowl." She commented quietly."But now you get to bowl with me so you must be happy?" Grin. And at the same time he got to know her better. A win, win situation Sophie thought as she stepped up to cast her first shot. With some force behind it she released the bowling ball and watched it roll down in the slot to the left of the court not hitting one skittle in the process.

Hiding her disappointment she asked "Liaison? What kind of a liaison?" Like those she had heard worked at the ministry?

Orlando was a little nervous about going to the family gathering, but heck if it worked out that they accepted him then all the better. It would definitely be good to get to know his family, after all they were all he had, and he wanted to know them better!

"Yep, not exactly fun bowling alone either though." he said shrugging, "Having someone to join you is a lot more fun." Nodding at her comment "Sometimes, it does. Other times, it's fun bowling with new people who want to be taught how. And I'm definitely happy getting to bowl with my sister." he said with a wink and grinned back at her. Watching as she threw her first ball and watched it land in the gutter, "Awww nice try." he said kindly "Try swinging more even with your arm."

"Ministry. To work between countries and help settle disputes." he said with a shrug. "The ministry here was full up so I didn't apply for it, they also think I'm a little young to do that." Pfft, how the heck was he supposed to learn the position if he didn't work it until they figured he was old enough?

Sophie tried to push the impending family gathering far back into her mind behind lock and key. There really was no use worrying herself sick before the gathering had even started. Nodding she said "I get that. Most activities are more fun if you do them together with someone." And bowling was definitely one of them. Beaming at her brother Sophia took another bowling ball she practiced a little before shot away her ball. This time the ball didn’t end up in the gutter but it was very close. Grimacing Sophia mouthed out in frustration. "Just perfect, I usually aim better than this."

Shaking her head she picked up another ball and debated her next shot while Orlando spoke about the ministry. Turning to him Sophie exclaimed "That sounds fun and important. You should apply anyway. If you dazzle them with an awesome application then maybe they will look past your age. Don't just give up, if working as a liaison is your dream." She urged. Orlando was not going to give up if she could have anything to say about it.

"I agree with you there." he said nodding "They definitely are. But somehow I scare away all the girls, and somehow a bowling date with a guy just appears awkward." Yeah he wasn't going there! Friends or not it appeared to look like it shouldn't, and really he didn't like giving that impression!!! Beaming back he watched as she sent the second ball down the alley and grinned as it looked like it might hit a few then pulled a face "You're just warming up don't worry."

Picking up his first ball, he moved to send it down the alley, once it came to the front and he should have released it the hole closed around one of his fingers "It would be fu...n OUCH!" Grabbing the ball he tried yanking his thumb out of the mouth hole, "Let go!" A squelching noise could be heard then some cackling. Sighing he set the ball down and chose another. Swinging his arm back the ball went straight down the center of the alley towards the first pin and swerved at the last second into the gutter. Tossing his head back he sighed again "They don't like me...never have..."

"It would be fun" he said nodding, "And I do continue sending in applications just haven't gotten bitten yet."

Sophie tilted her head to the side as she eyed her brother thoughtfully. "I don’t believe you. You don’t look half bad so you must have had some girlfriends over the years?" she asked. Orlando looked good so she doubted very much regardless of what he stated that he scared girls’s away.

O.o

She didn’t even think of it that way. Impressions were everything and bad ones could lead to bad rumours so she understood why her brother didn’t bowl with other guys. Sticking her tongue out at him she grabbed a new ball. "I hope you’re right."

When Orlando yelped in pain Sophie almost dropped her ball in fright. Were the ball’s evil? Eyeing her own ball suspiciously she watched how Orlando with more expertise swung his ball down the court. It looked good for hitting a few pins before it landed it swerved and landed in the gutter. Not feeling as bad since her brother had made a lousy first attempt too, Sophie tried again.
This time the ball knocked over a few pins. "Yey!" she exclaimed happily. "I knew I could aim even if i never really made it onto the my house team at Hogwarts."

Chuckling he looked over at his little sister. "Girls yes, girlfriends, no not really." Trying out another head ball he held it trying to find the balance if it would work or not. "Guess I just haven't really settled down enough to get serious, most girls want a guy that'll stick around awhile." He had been in England for over a year now, he'd have thought that would be enough. Maybe it was him not liking commitment though. Who knows...

Grinning as she said she hoped he was right, he shrugged noncommittedly. "Well done!" he exclaimed in return when she got a few pins down. "Awww, that's too bad, the house team's always fun to play on." What else didn't he know about her? "Only played in my last year though, so I guess I can't really say anything about that." He wasn't sticking his fingers in this one til he was ready to bowl, no more trapped fingers if he could help it!

Heading back to the pins that were sitting there waiting for him to knock them down, he stepped up. Sticking his fingers into the holes he swung his arm back and swung it forward letting go. Rolling...rolling...rolling...HEY it might hit the...PINS! WHERE...."GAH!" everyone of the pins moved to the other side away from the ball and remained standing. "Is there a rule of the shopkeeper not playing?" he muttered. Why couldn't he hit any pins?

Why was her big brother separating girls and girlfriends? Did he mean girls as in friends and girls he dated? Giving him a blank look Sophie said. "Now you’ve lost me. You’ve dated but it hasn’t been anything serious?" Orlando was being a little too cryptic. Trying to understand she furrowed her brows as she tried to connect the dots. "So you are scared of long-term relationships and commitments?" Would that mean that he was soon packing up his things and leaving London for greener grass someplace else? Sophie hoped not.

Taking another ball, a turquoise one this time Sophie stuck her fingers in it and marched up to the court. Swinging her arm back and then forward she let it go. The ball rolled…and rolled until it made contact with the pins but to Sophie’s dismay and frustration it just made the pins wiggle a little before they stood steady again. "I made a good shot. Pins should be nice." Sticking her tongue out at the pins she turned and marched back to her brother. "Yes I like quidditch. Riding a broom is always fun and against others is even more fun." Sophie admitted.

Standing to the side she looked on as her big brother made his next attempt to strike down all the pins but his ball met the same fate as hers had done. "Is this bowling lane cursed?" Sophie wondered. Was that why they couldn't hit any pins?

Tilting his head a little he nodded "I've dated a few people, but usually they leave before it gets too serious. I don't know if it's me not being able to commit or it's just we fall apart." Shrugging he pulled a face "I don't know, I mean it would be nice to find someone but I just haven't found 'the one' you know?" Yeah every one of them seemed to have something about them that just irked him to the point of not wanting to be around the girl!

Watching as Sophie took her ball again and swung. It looked like it would hit them! Beaming at her as it rolled down the alley, he watched as the pins wobbled and stood still.

....

What in merlin's name? He was positive neither had gotten a pin down yet! Smirking he nodded "Definitely! Taking on the other players is even more fun as beater. What position did you play?"

Eyeing the pins at the end, "That or the bowling alley."

"I'm in no sense an expert bro but it seems like you need to keep dating if you want to find 'the one' you will spend the rest of your life with." Sophie said with a shrug. Orlando had more dating experience then she had since he was older but they both looked for the same thing; true love.

Eyeing the balls Sophie chose a neon green one from the stack and marched up to the court. Sticking her tongue out at the pins on the other end she swung her arm back and then forth as she released the ball. "Take that you nasty pins!" she exclaimed with heat as she let out a long breath. The ball rolled and rolled and finally managed to hit a few pins down but not all of them.

Pausing to wipe away some sweats beads from her forehead Sophie turned to her brother. "I never played on my house team but I like playing chaser."

Grinning he nodded but shrugged "That's about right, just need to find the right person and keep trying. Just need to find someone who has interest in dating me." Sticking out his tongue he winked at her "How about you? Have you found someone special yet?"

Punching the air when she finally got a few pins down. "Well done!" he said beaming. Hah, exactly! She'd tricked them, and got some down. Meh, his turn. Maybe...pink? Pulling a face he picked up a pink ball and swung his arm back letting go as the ball started giggling and rolled towards the pins in crazy circles. Knocking the front pin down and landing in the gutter. "One..." How in Merlin's name had he managed to hit that pin and no others???

Nodding as she said she never played on the house team. "There are good players there it's sometimes hard to get on the team."