After we got a cab, and made our way to the bowling alley, we decided that after we were done bowling we would go out for pizza. After we paid for the cab, we went into the alley and everyone called their parents to tell them we would be later than we thought. We paid for our games, and found bowling balls to use. The girls went first, since three of the four weren't good bowlers. Katie had been bowling since she was five, just like me, so she was the only good one.

Lexy went first, then Katie, then Jen, Taylor, Gabe, and me last. Lexy's first try was a gutter ball, which got a round of teasing applause from the rest of us. She turned around and stuck her tongue out at the rest of us.

"Want some help?" Katie asked her. "Your footwork is all wrong."

"Sure, what am I doing wrong?"

"Um, how can I put this nicely? Everything," Katie replied and we all started to laugh. While Katie gave Lexy a quick bowling lesson, I went to go get some pop for everyone. I looked around as I walked back, and thought I saw someone familiar, but just then, I heard an excited scream from Lexy, and turned to look at her.

"I did it!! I hit a pin!!" she said happily.

"Um, Lexy, I'm gonna have to check on this, but I think you have to knock it down for it to count," Gabe told her.

"Shut up Gabe!" Lexy told him, and sat down. "At least I'm getting there."

Katie took her turn, and got a 7-10 split. She had never been able to get the spare, so I was smiling when she turned around to get her ball for her next turn. She saw me smiling, and looked at me smugly. She turned around, and walked up to take her next turn.

As the ball went down the lane, she turned to me and said, "Watch, and learn, little cousin." I watched the ball hit a pin, and then it spun around, and hit the other one, knocking it down too.

"Since when can you do that??" I asked her totally surprised.

"I joined the bowling team at school, and learned there. Like it??" she asked me.

"Oh, sit down, just wait for MY turn," I replied. Everyone else took their turns, but no one was as good as Katie or I. When it was my turn, I picked up my ball, and walked up to take my stance. I threw the ball, and watched it roll down the lane.

"Strike!!" I yelled as the ball hit the pins, and they all fell down.

"Oh, shut up," Katie said teasingly. "I'll get one next time."

"Wanna bet?" I asked her. Katie could never back down from a bet, much less a dare. "Go ahead, I DARE you!!"

"Five bucks," was her response.

"Fine," I said, and we shook on it. "Lexy," I said, and turned to her. "Your turn." She took her turn, and got one pin down. Katie walked up to take her turn, and I watched expectantly.

"I can feel your eyes watching me Jack," she said.

"Oh, what's wrong? Can't have people watch you bowl?" I teased her.

"I got a better idea for our bet," she replied. "Loser buys pizza for everyone," she said.

"Hope you brought a lot of money," I told her. "I'm starved, and Gabe can eat a lot!!"

"Hey!" Gabe said, as Katie walked over to me, and we shook hands again on the new bet. She took her turn, and as I expected, she didn't get the strike. She turned around, and I had a huge smile on my face.

"The pizza is gonna taste so good today!!" I said smugly. I looked over at Lexy, and she was smiling too. So was everyone else at the thought of free pizza. We finished our game, and even though there were more girls on their team, Gabe and I still won. As we celebrated, someone came up and tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around and saw a very familiar face.

"Hey Jack," she said. "Good job."