Josh sighed as he dragged his luggage through the lobby, it was already crowded. Very crowded. This was the all state bowling tournament and it were going to be two very important weeks for every person there.

Josh’s father had dropped him off early and now here he was amongst the competition. His father hadn’t wanted to drop him off at all at first but had eventually grumpily agreed. He had told Josh he would take him but he had a lot of work to do and so he would drop him off early.

“I don’t want to waste too much time on taking you to this bowling crap.” Josh’s father had said angrily and since Josh was the one who’d made the request he would have to adapt to his father’s schedule. The remark that he should just be glad he was taking him at all, was not lost on Josh but he’d accepted the ride without a word.

He looked around the lobby once, wondering why everyone was so early, before deciding he needed to go to the bathroom. He dragged his luggage to the side, leaving it there as he went in search of a bathroom.

Josh pushed the door to the men’s room open, relieved to find it empty, he was sick of the crowds already. He turned to the toilets then stopped dead in his tracks.

Did he hear… sniffles?

He followed the sound quietly, poking his head around the last stall he saw him. A guy sitting huddled in the corner, his head on his knees, his shoulders shaking with occasional sobs. Josh stepped in front of him, his shadow fell over the boy and he looked up slowly. Liquid blue eyes met his own and Josh immediately felt sorry for him.

“Hey,” he greeted him softly, bending to a crouch in front of him.

“You okay?”

The boy shrugged.

“What’s wrong?” Josh further inquired sincerely.

“Nothing,” the boy answered, his voice cracked and he grimaced.

“What’s your name?” Josh asked instead, the boy obviously didn’t want to tell him what was wrong, or not yet anyway.

The boy scraped his throat then quietly said, “Justin.”

“I’m Josh.”

They fell silent. Josh took the time to study the other boy as he’d ducked his head slightly. The first word that came to Josh’s mind to describe Justin was beautiful. Tight curly hair adorned his head, the eyes he’d seen were baby blue and his skin looked silky smooth. He was wearing a pair of baggy jeans and a light blue t-shirt. Josh unconsciously licked his lips. He could barely keep himself from touching him, feeling his skin against his hand and the curls between his fingers.

“So…” Josh began, scraping his throat, forcing himself to say something before he’d actually do the things that were flashing through his mind.

“You’re in the bowling tournament?” Justin sniffled then looked up.

“I think everyone in this hotel is.”

Josh smiled, “I guess you’re right.” Justin smiled too.

“Come on,” Josh said, stretching his hand towards him. Justin wiped his eyes then took the offered hand, allowing Josh to pull him up. Justin then followed Josh out of the bathroom. Once they were back in the lobby Josh turned towards Justin, he was about to ask if he wanted to walk with him to sign in when a voice called out just as he opened his mouth to speak.

“Justin!”

Justin looked quickly to the right, obviously recognizing the voice.

He turned to Josh apologetically. “I gotta go.”

And before Josh could agree and say they’d meet up later Justin was gone. Josh thought that was weird but maybe he’d see him later.

He decided to retrieve his luggage and then he would sign in so he could avoid the crowd in the lobby that was growing by the second as more and more kids arrived to compete in Maryland’s most important bowling tournament.

“There you are,” Justin nodded but his answer wasn’t acknowledged.

“I already signed us in. We have room 1125, I hope it’s a damn nice room, I certainly paid enough for us to be here.” Randall Timberlake rambled as he spotted his son.

Justin nodded his head to the whole ramble, knowing his father didn’t really want an answer from him. Justin instead dragged their luggage behind him, following his father to the elevator that would take them up to their room. Justin just prayed it would be a room to his father’s satisfactory or he would be hearing about the damn room for the rest of the year. He sighed heavily, hoping these two weeks would be over soon.

Josh pulled his suitcase behind him as he stepped off the elevator, in search of room number 837. It was at the end of the hallway but Josh didn’t mind. He opened the door with his key card and it swung open easily. What he hadn’t expected however was to find someone already in the room. A guy stood next to the second bed from the door. Josh could see he was tall although he was bend over his suitcase at the moment, unpacking his things.

“Hey,” Josh greeted friendly as he came further into the room, letting the door fall shut behind him. The guy turned sideways, eyeing him up and down, there was no friendliness in the way he looked at him.

“Hello.” He said formally.

Josh frowned but stepped up to him, his earlier approximation correct, this guy was tall, taller than him even. He had light brown hair that was styled into perfection, combed to the side with a neat parting. His clothes were nearly just as perfect, pressed khaki pants with a white polo shirt and his dark brown eyes looked at Josh with suspicion.

“I’m Josh,” he introduced himself as he stretched out his hand.

The guy looked at it wearily but accepted his hand, “Eric.”

“Well okay then.” Josh let out a nervous laugh. This Eric dude was not friendly and he realized Eric was not here to socialize.

“I gotta get back to unpacking, I have a game tomorrow.”

“Oh sure, don’t let me stop you.” Josh told him, although he had a feeling Eric wouldn’t let himself be stopped by anyone.

Josh admitted that he’d come here to win of course, he was competitive when it came to bowling but it didn’t get to a point where it became intolerable to others. He enjoyed to win like everybody else but winning wasn’t the most important thing to him, enjoying himself was also very important. He was not here solely to win. He also wanted to have a good time in the process, it seemed like not everyone was. This boy was here for one purpose and one purpose alone and that was to win.

“Welcome everyone, welcome.”

The speaker who was the leader of the organizing committee of this bowling tournament had climbed the stage where everyone was assembled to listen to the opening speech.

Justin sat at a table with his father and a few other contestants and their parents. Justin saw then that there were guys who’d come alone and guys who’d brought a parent like he had, or maybe the parent had just invited himself as had his father. Justin had learned there were one hundred and twenty young men who were going to compete over the next two weeks and they all had one goal and that was to win that trophy, standing on a table beside the speaker. There was some money involved as well and of course a reputation at stake.

The man on stage, who was tall and balding spoke about the schedule of the next two weeks, when the quarter finals, semi finals and eventually the final games would take place. He spoke about how much he was looking forward to these upcoming two weeks and how exciting it would be. Justin was only half listening he was looking around the room, eyeing the people around him. He tuned back in when it seemed the man was rounding up his speech.

“But for tonight let’s not think of bowling or competing, let’s have a little bit of fun first! In the back we have set up a bar and a food stand. There is going to be music and we’ll kick this off to a good start. Enjoy these few weeks and enjoy the night, thank you.”

An applause followed as the man made his way down and the room filled with chatting. Justin looked around him once more as people around him started mingling and making their way to the back to get drinks and food. As the lights dimmed a little and the music came on, Justin was ready to participate and allow himself to enjoy this evening before he’d have to get to work tomorrow. But his father had other ideas.

“Come on Justin.”

“Wh... where are we going?” he questioned, hoping against hope they weren’t leaving.

“We’re going to our room. These people may think they can allow themselves a party but we know better, come on. You need to be fit and ready to go tomorrow.”

“But dad, can’t we stay just a little while?”

Randy looked down at his son as if he’d suggested the most incredulous thing and Justin knew it wouldn’t happen.

“What did I tell you before we left?” he questioned almost angrily, bending down to face his son. Justin knew his father was angry, he was just covering it.

“I had to be ready to win or there was no point in us going.” Justin mumbled the exact phrase his father had said as they’d gotten in the car. Justin had nodded then, he was ready, only then had his father started the car. But he was ready to win, he was just also ready to have a little bit of fun along the way. His father didn’t see it that way.

“There are sacrifices you have to make Justin and I’m sorry but you can’t kick back and relax when you have a game tomorrow. You need to be fit and ready.” Randy told his son. Justin knew although his father said he was sorry, he really didn’t mean it. He wasn’t sorry as long as he won. Justin sighed and gave in.

“Alright, dad.”

“Good boy, let’s go.” Randy praised with a gentle slap of his cheek before he lead the way out of the party room. Justin looked back once but followed his father up to their room.

Randy had studied the game schedule they’d gotten in the lobby all the way up to their room and as they got inside he was apparently ready to make an announcement and share the information he’d learned with his son.

“All the games will be held in the bowling alley down the street. You have a game at ten a.m. tomorrow and one at one p.m. and the last one at four p.m. so you better get some rest. I’m going to take a shower. I want you in bed when I get back.”

Justin nodded a little surprised but still answered, “Yes sir.”

Randy got a few things together then went into the bathroom. As the door clicked shut Justin took this opportunity to check out the game schedule himself. He thumbed through the pages and quickly glanced at the games of the upcoming few days but didn’t look at it too thoroughly. One day at a time, he always told himself and tomorrow three games would be awaiting him.

He sighed as he put the schedule back on the table where his father had left it and went to find his pajamas. He quickly changed and got into bed. He picked up the remote as he pulled the covers up to his chin. He was ready as his father had instructed. He didn’t want to go to sleep though. He wasn’t tired yet. He wished he could have stayed downstairs for a little while to talk to some of the other guys there. He wouldn’t have stayed long, only a few hours but his father demanded he went upstairs with him so he could go to bed early. It was only nine! It wasn’t fair.

He flipped through the channels listlessly, not really caring about what was on, he just wanted to post pone having to go to sleep. He’d muted the sound and just watched for a while till he heard the water stop, indicating his father was ready in the shower and would be stepping into the room shortly. Justin quickly turned the TV off, placed the remote on the bedside table between the two beds and slouched under the covers, closing his eyes.

Not much later, his father indeed stepped into the room, wearing his pajamas as well but unlike Justin he didn’t get beneath the covers. He lay down on top of the comforter and picked up the remote. He turned the TV on and turned down the volume a little bit so he could hear but wouldn’t disturb his son. It wasn’t disturbing Justin however, he was actually watching too. His father didn’t notice and so he continued to watch, happy he didn’t have to actually go to sleep yet. That was until Randy momentarily looked in his son’s direction and caught Justin’s eyes watching the TV.

“Goodnight Justin!” he said harshly.

Justin looked up guiltily, mumbling, “Goodnight” before he turned around and pulled the covers over his head so he could block out the sounds and go to sleep as his father wanted.

He closed his eyes sadly, wishing his father hadn’t come along.

He could actually be having some fun instead.