Page 17 of Finding a Melody

“So what did you think?” Paxon asked as I pulled out of the busy parking lot.

“Well,” I said slowly. Soccer really was hard to understand for me. “You did a good job kicking the ball around.”

Paxon snorted, before breaking out in laughter, making me feel warm with embarrassment, but also with happiness. His laugh was always so carefree and easy.

“Thank you.”

I easily got Paxon going on about soccer, about different plays, the history of it, the different positions, training. And while he talked, I finally understood what Justin and Toby meant when they said it was fun watching me talk about music. Pure passion oozed out of Paxon. His eyes practically glowed with happiness. And he couldn’t remain still. The more he talked, the more he practically bounced in his seat, his hands waving all over the place. I swore, even the tan he got over the summer glowed brighter.

Even as we pulled into the parking lot, next to Mr. Stokes’s small SUV, Paxon was still full of energy to keep going.

“Oh no,” Toby said.

“What?” I asked.

“You set him off. What did you ask?”

“She didn’t do anything,” Paxon said, sounding indignant.

“What did she ask you?” Seth asked.

“About the time I nutmegged a player,” Paxon said.

That got a few laughs.

“People still talk about that,” Bryan said. “I think that player quit soccer.”

“Wait, what’s nutmegged?” Now I was confused. I didn’t remember asking about that and if I did, then I knew more about soccer than I thought.

“Kicking the ball between a player’s legs to get through them,” Seth said, chuckling.

“Oh. I did ask about that then.” Though I didn’t word it like that. I had just asked if it was possible to kick the ball between the legs of players. Shouldn’t a soccer player know better than to let the ball get past them that way?

The bowling alley was exactly what was expected, with the inside lit up with glow-in-the dark decorations, colorful flashing lights moving around. I almost thought I was stepping into a rave party instead of a bowling alley.

The team was already there, claiming nearly half of the bowling lanes. We paid for our shoes then joined them. I stayed back, near Bryan and Calvin as the others congratulated each other, tossed in some victory cheers, and began getting riled up for some friendly competition.

“This one,” George said, motioning toward the lane we were going to take over.

“Thanks,” I said and went over to check out the balls already set out. We cleared it up and then I had to help Calvin find a ball he could carry.

Once we started bowling, I eyed the little man. “Are you sure? We can put up bumpers.” His ball was currently rolling down the gutter, his face rosy red with embarrassment.

He shook his head furiously. “I can do it.”

“Okay.” I gave his dad a questioning look. George just shrugged with a big grin, finding the situation hilarious.

The rest of the night went like that as we bowled for a few games, until our arms were ready to fall apart. I ended up having fun, mainly bowling with Calvin, George, and Bryan. The others were goofing off with the rest of the soccer team and their coach. We probably would have stayed longer if we didn’t need to leave so early in the morning.

Chapter Six

If there was ever a situation where I would say Bryan Goodrow was out of his element, it was in a kitchen. Even now, I couldn’t look away from the noodle that was in his black hair. Neither could I figure out how it got there. Either way, it was there and he was none the wiser as he focused on chopping up vegetables for the soup he was making.

It was adorable and a different side to Bryan that I never saw before. I had zero intention of letting him know.

His glasses slipped down his face and he pushed them up before dumping the carrots into a pot. Then he moved on to the celery.

The smell in Seth’s kitchen was mouth-watering, so he was doing something right, even if I wasn’t sure what he was doing. I wasn’t much of a cook now that I didn’t have to worry about feeding Lindie, keeping to the simple things like jarred sauces, frozen foods, or ones that came in a box with directions on the back. Even what he was doing now was never anything I went out of my way to do for Lindie.