Travis walked into class, late, as usual. He prepared the pile of excuses he was to use for this time. Why did it always had to history? Mr. James heard every excuse in the book. The moment Travis opened the door Mr. James motioned him to get inside without breaking his slow history class. Good! He would save them the next time he was late.

His heart skipped a beat when he caught sight of her. Travis grinned and mouthed, 'Good morning'. Then melted when she smiled and mouthed, 'Good morning', back to him. As he shuffled to his place he saw Max tipping his cap in an impressed salute. Shameless begging and constant pursuing did get him somewhere after all. Even if it fell in the 'Just Friends', criteria.

Eyes went from him, to her, then to him again. Some were surprised and curious while others were skeptical but still curious. A hushed stir of whispers had Mr. James turn around from the board and just like that they were quiet. There was a new vibe in class now. The tension that used to be sensed around the two them disappeared.

Ryesen smiled as she tore a piece of paper from her notebook. The ruffling in her chest didn't stop. Her smile widened when she found more than one helping hand to assist in delivering her note. The rush of being caught passing a note to a guy during class had a bubble of giggles form in her chest. She never did that before. Not even in Tír na nÓg.

Travis was busy sketching when he received a folded paper. With the amount of faces grinning at him he couldn't tell who it was from. What all those goofballs smiling about? He frowned in confusion and unfolded the paper he received. It was written in the most elegant calligraphy he has ever seen that wasn't done by an App or software.

His eyes ran through the words:

Does the offer still stands?

And then signed:

R.

Travis was more confused than ever. He frowned deeply scratching his head. Looked up to meet all the goofy faces. Then read the words again. What offer? And who's R? He looked up again scratching his head. R? R? R? His eyebrows shot up and his eyes widened when his brain finally resurfaced above its current exquisite stupidity and decided to actually work.

R! You idiot! Ryesen. Who else will it be?

Half the people in his class were hiding their laughs when his head jerked up in her direction. He got his first note from her. She sent me a note!

He tore an A4 paper from the sketch book he was using instead of sending hers back with an answer. He wasn't going to write on that! That one will be kept safe in his wallet. For eternity. As a souvenir. With a thick edge pen he wrote his answer in big letters. He motioned for the guy who sat behind to turn her attention to him before lifting it up for her to see. Actually, everyone saw it. Except for Mr. James.

Ryesen felt a soft pat on her shoulder. When she twisted in her seat to check, the boy behind her whispered, "Look the other side. You have a message".

She did. And so her fellow students. Zoe was watching too and with a big grin on her face. Travis held up a paper with the words 'OF COURSE!' written thickly that her two guards might be able see it from home. She nearly broke in a giggle seeing the wide grin on his face. Why did her face feels warmer all of a sudden?

"What's all the fuss about?", Mr. James was knocking on the board behind him to get everyone's attention. "Travis?", there was no doubt in his slow voice on who was creating all the fuss.

Travis frowned feeling a little offended that he was Mr. James first suspect, "O' come on Mr. J why you always assume that it was me? I didn't even make a peep. Here I was minding my own business and you just deemed it was me? Not cool, man. Not cool". Mr. James being right on his suspicion wasn't the major point here. There was no way he was getting himself into detention again. He has a girl to take out. Good thing he put the billboard paper he was holding down before the teacher turned around.

Mr. James pulled a pen out of his chest pocket and pressed the top until it clicked while his other hand grabbed a card, "Then, to whom should I make this two days detention slit for?". He looked at faces in front of him.

Everyone now was exceptionally silent and looking away. Mr. James clicked his pen again and placed it back in his pocket, "Didn't think so", he mumbled and went back to teaching.

Travis checked his watch like twenty times waiting for the bell. Sitting still was nearly impossible. Shaking his leg, drumming his fingers on the table, rolling his thumbs over one another, giving a half-heart consideration on what Mr. James was saying, all that didn't make history go any faster. His gaze was fixed in a three points of focus. His watch, Mr. James and Ryesen. The chuckles, giggles and whispers about his current situation didn't bother him at all. He has more important things to concentrate on.

"Hey", Travis said standing by her desk once the bell rang. He wasn't sure if his heart decided that it would be better to burst out of his chest or simply preferred to just roll out of his mouth.

Ryesen was startled for a second. "Oh, hi", she smiled,

He smiled too, "So how are you today?". Play cool! He told himself multiple times.

Ryesen busied herself with gathering her stuff for next class instead of measuring how warm her face was getting, "I'm good. How are you?".

Great! Splendid! Over the moon!, "I'm fine", he answered casually. "Here, let me take those for you", he picked her stuff and started to move to their next class. He cut in before she could protest "Um... so... Listen... What do you think about bowling?".

The over flowing hallway had her walking closer to him. "Bowling?", the confusion was clear in her voice. "Isn't that the one with white things you hit with a ball?", she asked.

Quite a definition,"Um... yeah", Travis said as he stuffed his free hand in his pocket.

She remembered watching a few videos about it during one of her visits. The weather was unkind at that time so they didn't go out much. Instead she spent three days roaming the internet. The videos she saw about bowling were mostly about people slipping or breaking something. Somehow that was supposed to be funny.

"A few friends are planning on going bowling tomorrow if you like to come", He forced the words to come out as calm as he wasn't at that moment. He wanted to shout and laugh and talk all at the same time. He had butterflies in his stomach, his palms are getting sweaty  and he couldn't stop feeling his heart beating against his rib cage. 

Going out bowling was something she would never have thought of doing. The approval was on the tip of her tongue but stopped when she thought of telling Ovia and Jarle. The strict 'NO' is ringing in her ear already.

The hesitation that took her two seconds to answer had him adding quickly, "You can invite whoever you want". He could see that she was thinking about it, that was when he implored, "Come on. It'll be fun".

She thought of who she could invite. Well, Ovia and Jarle are out of the question. Zoe, definitely. "Oh, I can invite Zoe".

He nodded, "Anyone you want", he said again. Giving her the space to bring anyone who would make her feel comfortable.

There was a moment of silence, that made Ryesen lift her head and look at him. She realized that he was still waiting for a straight answer when his eyebrows shot up a little behind his sandy blonde hair and his baby blue eyes held a hopeful gaze. How could she say no to that face? , "Count me in", she nodded. Her heart did a little swing when his face beamed.

"Great!", he exclaimed but in sensible way. Woo-hoo! He cheered silently.

"Just to let you know, I've never went bowling before", she warned. More of those videos that ended up with breaking something were playing in her head.

Travis crooned, "Don't worry, it's easy. I'll teach you". They reached their next class and Travis placed her books on the desk she usually sat on. "It'll be fun", he promised with a twinkle in his eyes. He looked behind him as the teacher walked in then back to her, "How about we talk more about it during lunch break?", he asked hoping she wouldn't turn him down.

She nodded cheerfully, "Sure". Ryesen was well aware that by her agreeing to 'talk more about it during lunch break' that it meant they would be sitting on the same table. She didn't mind. She didn't mind at all. Especially when she saw his face light up the way it did. 

Zoe dropped on her usual seat at the cafeteria and set her orange lunch box on the table. "I see you patched things up with Travis", Zoe cooed in a half snickering half teasing singsong voice.

Ryesen giggled, "Yeah. Oh, by the way, would you like, by any chance to go bowling with us. A few people are going tomorrow", she asked.

Zoe's first response was the usual silent panic. Going out with a bunch of kids she didn't know was out of her comfort zone. In a matter of fact, she never went out with anyone before. Not with a group of girls, boys or even both. She pushed down the panic for a moment and took a deep breath. Didn't her grandmother constantly tell her, to do things out of her comfort zone? "I'm not sure. I have to ask my parents' permission first".

Ryesen nodded in understanding. As much as she wanted Zoe to come she didn't push it. She knew by now that sometimes Zoe felt uneasy around strangers, "No problem".

"Hey...", Travis crooned with a grin as he stopped by their table.

"Hey", both girls said.

"How are you Zoe?", he asked as he pulled out the chair next to Ryesen.

Zoe felt a bit shy, "I'm good. You?". Even though that she didn't talk much to others but Travis might be one of the few guys she was comfortable around.

"Good, too", he was looking at Ryesen like she was the reason for his current status.

"Did you have lunch already?", Zoe asked when she saw that he came empty handed.

Travis peeled his eyes of Ryesen's face and looked at Zoe again, "Nah, not hungry", he couldn't eat even if he wanted to. Not with all those butterflies in his stomach. He forced himself to snap out of his day-dream and focus, "So, did Ryesen tell you about bowling tomorrow?".

Zoe nodded, "Yeah... I'll have to get back to you on that".

He smiled, "No worries. And if you need a ride, I'm offering".

Ryesen was touched by how considerate he was. Even Zoe was smiling now. That flounce in her chest wasn't going to quiet down anytime soon.

"So, Ryesen. Since you're new here, do you know where Ben's bowling alley at?", Travis asked. Stop saying 'So', a lot! He silently chided his brain for lacking more words.

She thought for a moment if she saw anything with that name before, "Um... I'm afraid I don't".

"It's right on the corner from the bakery shop", Travis wondered if she has ever been there and what places did she visit. Specially now when she shook her head.

Zoe chimed in, in an attempt to bring them closer, "What if Travis picked you up?".

Ryesen looked at her friend who gave her a cheeky smile. That almost made her smile too, seeing what her plan was. She turned to Travis, "Will that be okay?".

Travis's heart did a multiple sorts of waves. He swallowed the nervous lump that formed in his throat, "I don't mind".

She could barely keep a smile from forming in her face, "That's great. Should I send you the location?", she simply asked as she reached for her phone. That warmth was back in her cheeks.

Play it cool, man. Play it cool. He advised himself and pulled out his phone, "Yeah, sure". And just like that, they exchanged numbers. He gave Zoe his number too.

And to think that he would leave after his mission on inviting the girls was over. Not a chance! Travis shamelessly spent the whole lunch break at their table. Talking, listening, and laughing. He promised himself that if he sensed that they were bothered by him imposing, that he would excuse himself and leave. But they didn't seem to mind. And Ryesen was looking at him with those gorgeous eyes and musically laughing at his stories. His melted insides and weak knees will have to deal with it, because he won't be leaving even if he wanted to.