Page 148 of Collided

A hint of smile delicately touches his mouth, and his eyes lose the heat from before as they drop to my lips. “I’ve never met anyone with such a beautiful laugh.”

My breath hitches just as his fingers grip me a little tighter around my wrist.

He clears his throat and breaks the thread of tension between us.

“I’m going to teach you, so watch fucking closely.” Heath lifts my hand that’s holding the ball. He brings my right arm out, then swings it forward, and I release the ball. We both stare as all the pins hit the floor.

STRIKE!

“Oh my God. Did you see that?” I look back at him and find him staring at me rather than the pins.

“I did,” he murmurs.

“I managed to land a strike. A strike!”

“Now you can easily take me down.”

“You’re better than me.”

“Hey guys, are you done?” Marie is beside us.

I give her a nod. “Yeah.”

“Let the games begin, then.” Marie grabs both of our hands and takes us to Sebastian who has already set up the game with our names—well not exactly with our names. I’m sure it was Marie who got them down because they just reflect her.

Butterflyvenom (Marie)

Stormash (Sebastian)

Prettygirl (me)

Fuck (Heath)

“Why do I have a stupid name? Blondie,” Heath asks.

“It’s your favorite word,” Marie replies.

Sebastian and I hold our smiles as Heath glares at her and she looks at him like there’s nothing wrong.

“You could’ve used my gaming username,black shadow,” Heath argues with a scowl.

Marie shrugs. “I don’t like that username.”

“Too bad it’s not yours.”

“I wouldn’t want it anyway. Mine is cool.”

“Butterfly venom is cool?”

“The best.”

“It’s the most uncreative fucking name ever.”

“I like it, and I don’t care if you don’t.”

“Get my name changed.”

She shakes her head with a goofy grin and instead picks up the ball. Before Heath can stomp over to the counter she’s already rolled the ball, and it knocks down eight pins making my jaw hit the floor.

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