If you haven't already, please go check out the media I attached to Chapter 19: it's a beautiful drawing by _AddictWithAPen__, please appreciate how cute it is and how much I love it. Thanks!!

We were tying until I ended up with a spare on my previous roll. Tyler knew all the techniques I did and even more. I knew that I probably couldn't beat him. I didn't want to anyway, there was nothing for me to prove. 

Leigh and the boys were sat on the benches behind us, spectating. They all ate the burgers that Tyler had bought, Leigh was sharing fries with the guy in the yellow sweater. She seemed happy where she was so I carried on playing. 

Between bowls, Tyler would try and talk to me but I cut him off, uninterested. We were drawing again after he missed two pins which didn't really please me but at least I knew I had a slight chance of winning. Everyone behind us probably thought we were strangers and believe me, it would be way too awkward of a situation if we corrected them. 

I was five points behind again because I was focusing less on the game and more on the fact that dad brought Tyler here during the time he was still married to my mother, during the time that we were still a family. If he brought him here that must meed he took him other places too, maybe places he hadn't even taken me. Maybe all those times he was busy, or at least he told us he was, he was taking Tyler to all those places. I tried hard not to think about it, otherwise, it would distract me.  

There was no point anyway, I bowled my last ball and there was no way the score would beat Tyler's if he knocked down all or even one of his pins on his next turn. I took a deep breath and leaned against the bench, waiting for Tyler to bowl, waiting for the words 'strike' to flash on the scoreboard, waiting to lose. He glanced back at me as he prepared to bowl, his friends started chanting his name as he ran up to the lane. 

Leigh patted me on the back 'It was a good try, Ev,' she told me sympathetically, even if Tyler hadn't released the bowling ball yet. 

I watched him but noticed there was something wrong with his footing and as he released, his friends watched in anticipation as the ball rolled down the alley. But nothing happened, their chanting stopped; the ball rolled to the edge and didn't hit a single pin. His friends cursed and started to laugh, slapping his back and constantly saying 'Good job' or 'Good try'.

'What's happening?' Leigh asked, confused. 

'I lost,' Tyler told her 'Evelyn won.' 

Leigh turned back to me with a wide grin, immediately wrapping her arms around my shoulders, hugging me so tight I didn't even notice that she was lifting me up in the process. The boys came to congratulate me. one of them handing me a string of tickets you get when you win a game. 

'Are you going to pick out a prize?' Leigh asked me. 

'Do you want to help me pick one out?' I answered instead. 

'Curt asked if I wanted to verse him in one of those arcade games,' she told me. 

'Oh,' I say 'Ohhh....' I repeated, realising she meant the guy in the yellow college sweater and giving her a suggestive look. 

Leigh giggled and started to walk off with the two 'I'll be at the Road Rage racing game if you need me,' she pointed at one of the arcade games with steering wheels. I nod and start walking the opposite direction. Tyler starts to walk behind me before he catches up and walks beside me instead. 

'I'll help you pick out a prize,' he said but I knew it was only an excuse to get to talk to me alone. I didn't bother trying to stop him, I didn't have the energy. 'Congratulations, by the way,' he told me as we stopped at the prize booth. There were two glass cabinets with novelty items and knick-knacks. 

'Don't bother,' I cut him off 'I know you let me win. You lost on purpose.' 

He chuckled nervously 'Well...I didn't want to defeat you in front of your friend.'

'You lost in front of yours, though.'

'It's fine,' he dismissed 'You're my little sister after all.'

'I'm really not,' I correct him. 

'Alright, half-sister. But that doesn't mean I don't care about you.' 

I don't respond, crossing my arms and inspecting all the prizes instead. My eyes were fixed on the stuffed black cat toy that I doubt I had enough tickets for. I sigh, crouching down to the bottom shelf and open my mouth to speak again, still looking through the glass shelves 'What did you want to speak to me about anyway?'

He inhaled and exhaled a bit too loudly 'I just wanted to know I you still...you know...' I looked up at him and saw he was rubbing one of his palms on his wrists.

'I don't,' I tell him 'I haven't the past week.'

'Thats good,' he replies and I hate the fact that he thinks he's actually helping. 

'Ash told me not to so I haven't,' I add unnecessarily, but I feel like I just had to mention that,

'Oh, him. Are you still seeing him?'

'What's that meant to mean?' He doesn't respond 'I told you before he's just a friend.' 

'I know but-' He doubts me 'He is kind of old for you considering you're still in high school.'

'He's 21! And, like I said, we aren't going out!' I tell him, half yelling it. I sigh and add 'Look, I know that you're trying to do this whole 'overprotective brother' routine but honestly, I don't need it at the moment. Especially since we officially met each other last year and I didn't even know I had a brother until then so please-' I clap my hands together and gesture them at him '-let's not make this more awkward than it already is.' 

'I'm sorry,' he says, leaning against the counter and looking down through the glass at the box of neon coloured bouncy balls 'I know you still kind of blame me for your dad not being with you guys anymore...' 

'That isn't what I meant, Tyler, I stood up and leaned on the counter beside him 'What Dad did wasn't your fault.'

'Yeah but I'm the result of it, aren't I?' 

'No. Yes, but that isn't important.' I clasp my hands together and fridget with my thumbs. 'I don't hate you, Tyler. I actually think you're a cool guy. I'm ready to accept you into my life but not as my brother. Not yet, anyway.' 

'How about as a friend?' He suggests, taking my hand in his. I flinch when I feel his finger stroke a scar beneath my sleeve. He looks at me and my small fingers wrap around his slightly bigger hand. 

'Alright then,' I nod and he smiles. I don't know why we're still holding hands. I look down at the bouncy balls he's looking at. 'You ever hear from dad?' I ask hesitantly. 

He pouts his bottom lip out and shakes his head 'Not recently.' He replies and adds 'Actually, not since I graduated high school.'

'So you guys don't talk anymore?'  

 'We never really did talk before either,' he admits. 

'But didn't he take you places?' 

'No,' he shook his head again 'He only ever took me here.' 

There was a pause and I started untangling my hand and using it to lean instead, 'Did he ever talk about me, I mean before we actually met?' 

He smiled and nodded 'Loads of times. When I was a kid, he'd tell me I had a cute little sister and she was perfect in every single way. Back then, I didn't know why I never got to see her. Obviously, he didn't tell you about me, did he?' 

'Obviously.' I chuckle. 'But last year when Mom told me I had an older brother I was picturing you to be this huge bully-looking guy. You know, like in those TV shows.'

'Am I, then?' He laughed. 

'No, the first time I saw you, you looked exactly like a Disney prince and I remember asking myself how the hell we were meant to be related.'

'Why's that?' His brow was raised in confusion. 

'Look at me, Tyler. I'm not exactly 'perfect in every single way' am I?'

'Don't be so hard on yourself, Ev,' He says, I don't mind that he's using a nickname. Or at least, I don't mind as much as I would have a month ago. I roll my eyes at his attempt to heighten my self-esteem but end up smiling anyway. Tyler raises his arms up like he's asking permission to hug me and I roll my eyes again and just hug him as a response. 

'Easy with those hands, frat boy,' I joke even if his hands are well above my waist and in fact, I don't even feel them on me. they might just be stupidly held out behind me in the air. 

'I won a bunch of tickets!' I hear Leigh's voice and immediately let go. I see her strutting towards us with the rest of Tyler's friends behind her, holding rows of dark red tickets. Hopefully, none of them saw anything. 

Leigh ended up getting a costume gem encrusted key chain that she hung on the strap of her purse. The boys dropped us off at the bus stop and didn't leave until we both got on the bus that would take us home. When we got on, Leigh turned back to me, her eyes glinting with joy. 'I got Curt's number!' She squealed and I congratulated her on her small victory. 'What about you?' she suddenly asked me. 

'What about me?' I repeated, a bit puzzled.

'You know, that cute guy that you versed in bowling? He was reallyyyy hot. Did you manage to get his number?' 

'Well, actually-' 

'No let me guess, he gave you his number without you having to ask him!' She suggested, excitedly 'I mean, I was watching him the entire match and he did not take his eyes off you!' 

'God, Leigh,' I laughed with a hand over my head 'God, you're making this so weird...' 

'Why? What's wrong?' 

'Tyler's my brother,' I tell her. I realised I didn't add 'half' in front of the 'brother' but I honestly didn't care about that anymore. 

'WHAT???!' She exclaimed, dumbfounded, completely mind blown 'He's your brother?' She looked at me hard, her eyes squinted 'I honestly cannot picture the resemblance. I can't see it. I had no idea.'   

'Well, we have different mothers, that's probably why.' I quickly add.

'Oh,' she was unphased, though, like it was normal for her to hear something like that. Or maybe she just accepts this very easily. Knowing Leigh, I'd probably say the latter. There was a pause until she finally spoke again 'Wait a minute...Evelyn, you have a brother in college and you didn't tell me about it? Oh my god, I could have met Curt wayyy earlier then!' I could tell she was joking. We both giggled. 'Seriously, Ev, your bro has some pretty hot friends. You think he'll let us go to his frat parties?' 

I chuckle, shaking my head 'Whatever, Leigh.' The bus made a halt and I looked outside 'This is our stop, let's get off.' We both got off and started walking down the street. 

'I had a lot of fun today, Ev,' Leigh said as we walked. 

'Me too,' I admit, my hands in my pockets. 

'Can we do this more often?' she asks.

'Sure,' I reply. 'That arcade isn't too far from town so we can definitely go there again.'

'Not just the arcade,' she corrects me 'I want to spend time with you more often.'

'Sure,' I say again. I wish I could say more, but there's not much that came to my head. I don't want to make it sound like I didn't care. 'I had a lot of fun today, Leigh,' I say instead, even if she already said that. 

Leigh smiles 'Me too.' 

(A/N To be honest I was going to publish this much later, when I finished writing the chapter after this. But I couldn't help it because how else was I gonna tell you guys I added art to Chapter 19? It truly is one of the best surprises I've ever received and _AddictWithAPen__ if you're reading this then please know how much I love it. Thank you all for reading!!)