Falling

[Ailith Rayner]

Well this was new. The last time Ailith had gone bowling was at a party when she was five. "The Alley" had just opened and Jude was eager to 'try his hand' to quote. The place was buzzing. On the whole there was not a lot to do in Cardsdale, so the excitement was audiable even above the music which was, because Ailith checked, a definately bearable volume for Jude and yes the lights were OK too. They shoved past the cowd of people (composed of mostly Orchid Hill students) to get to their designated alley and changed their shoes. The DJ was on a big platform at the side of the room (hall, thing) but occasionally he came down to sing "Happy Birthday" and give stuff away. He was that cool.
"Excited?" Ailith called over to Jude, as they both fought to get the unbroken bowling shoes onto their feet.

[Jude Dorrian]

Cardsdale really was back, wasn't it?
Well, back was a bit of a stretched term, really... It was, after all, just a village. Granted, it had grown to be a rather large village, but still, the Orchid Hill students very nearly outnumbered it. Then again, Orchid Hill happened to be a very large school. Jude reckoned it was close to being under-staffed, there were so students turning up. The thing about Professor Hoodham was that he never turned them away.
Ever.
Well, he supposed every plan had its downsides too.
But now, there was a bowling alley.
Here, right in the middle of Cardsdale!
And sure, Jude had done... well... sort of a lot of things in his life. He'd seen a lot, and really couldn't remember half of it. But he knew one thing for certain: he'd never, ever been bowling.
Well, here was his big chance; his little treat to Ailith.
When she called over to him over the music, Jude felt himself laugh aloud.
"You've no idea!"
Fixing his left shoe, Jude jumped to his feet and moved forward towards the balls, then stopped, suddenly feeling stupid.
He was missing something.
"What's that thing?" he asked her, pointing to a strange computer-like stand between their two benches.

[Ailith Rayner]

Ailith looked up from her stubborn shoe to see what Jude was pointing to. Ailith smiled firstly at Jude's stance, he stood like he was 7 and pointing to a big imposing keyboard upon which were lots of buttons which were not to be touched and then at the fact he hadn't spotted the big T.V. above him where it told him exactly what to do.
"Look up, you plank!" She laughed, stood up, having wrestled the shoe over her ankle and gently nudged Jude over a bit, hooking her hand round his forearm. "You just do what it says." It took Ailith and Jude a while to find all the buttons (well the last time Ailith went bowling she had simply tottered around looking for a ball that would fit her fingers) but finally they were all set up and ready to go. Jude was first as Ailith doubted his excitement would hold until her turn.
"Alright then cowboy, go for the strike." Ailith smiled and sat on the edge of the bench close to the lane.

[Jude Dorrian]

The... the what?
Jude smiled as confidently as he could; but now it came to the actual bowl... well... em... it wouldn't be good. He glanced around him; at either side; and Orchid Hill students were picking up balls and tossing them down the aisles, one after the other. Jude pressed his lips together, narrowing his eyes as he watched the guys in the aisle next cheer and scream as they knocked down the pins.
Jude moved towards the balls, reaching out his hand to hover over a large, green one. There were three finger holes. He raised his eyebrows. They were far too small for his fingers. Gingerly, Jude prodded one of the holes, only to confirm that his fingertip would barely fit inside one of them. His gaze passed to another, smoky blue ball, which he discovered his fingers fit snugly into.
He sighed with relief, picked up the ball, and his whole arm dropped forward with the dead weight of it.
"Oh," he said blankly, looking over at Ailith. "Bit heavy, isn't it?"
Looking back down the bowling lane, Jude caught sight of his target.
Ten large, white pins glistened at him tauntingly. The ball slipped slightly in his grip, dropping a couple more inches. Jude hoisted it up again, securing it with his other palm.
The pins sat still, waiting for him. It was all up to him, really. And it wasn't hard. Just... er... throw it down the lanes. Just try and knock over as many as you can.
Jude inhaled deeply, took a step forward, swinging his arm back as he did so. The ball flew easily from his fingertips; too easily. Jude watched dumbly as the airborne ball flew halfway down the aisle before landing with an ominous crunch on the lane. Perhaps it might've gone alright from there, if the ball had only rolled in a straight line.
Much to Jude's dismay, it did not. The ball rolled off to the right, and away down the drain.
He stood stock still; a little in horror at his own lack of talent at the sport; a little in embarrassment at the look that would no doubt be on Ailith's face.
He couldn't be this bad. It was his first time. That was all. He'd be alright. So, forcing himself not to look at Ailith, Jude turned, picked up another ball, threw it...
... and got exactly the same result.

[Ailith Rayner]

When Jude chucked the ball down the lane Ailith winced ready for the mighty thump when the ball hit the gleaming wood. Doof! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand into the drain. Oops. Ailith bit her lip trying not to smile. Jude didn't look up at all as he choose his next victim. He hurled it again and bang, rolling thunder, kadoof! Hmm...
Ailith stood and walked over to Jude who was still staring down the lane as Ailith's pins were set up.
"Just a tip," She said, picking up a ball that suited her, "When your throwing it, try going down with it. Lunge."
Ailith demonstrated and threw the ball. It came down relatively gently and stayed straight for about 2 and a half metres when kadoof! "Awh buggerit!" Ailith dropped her jaw in mok outrage. She looked up at Jude who had raised an eyebrow grinning.
"Y'all sure that worked out right for ya?"
"Well I never said I was good!" Ailith laughed and pushed him out of the way to pick up a ball. "But that's the theory."
She lined it up carefully with the small arrows along the lane and glareded at the first pin. She test ran her throw twice before letting go with vigour.
"OK here we go," The ball rolled with speed down the centre of the lane and Ailith stood up gently as if her own movements could nudge the ball off course, "yes yes yes, no no no no no." It began to roll to the left. But it was nearly at the end. It was a race at which ran out first. Length of lane or breadth of lane. Ailith's fists clenched.
"Nearly there. Nearly there." she urged the ball forwards, "YES! Ha ha!" Her ball had clipped the furthest pin to the left and it fell to the right knocking over five others and wobbling two. "See," She put her hands on her hips and grinning at Jude, thoroughly proud, "it does work. We just need to develop some form of decent skill."

[Jude Dorrian]

Jude could only feel slightly better as Ailith's ball rolled off into the gutter; but when she knocked down some of the pins, he realized dully that she was bound to better at this than him.
"See, it does work," Ailith turned to him, glowing with pride. "We just need to develop some sort of decent skill."
Jude nodded, taking a deep breath, and turning back towards the balls. He lifted one, and, doing his best to copy Ailith...
"... try going down with it..."
He nodded to himself, counting, getting ready to lunge...
3... 2... 1...
Jude flew forwards; down, down, and the ball flew out of his hands...
... again, straight back down the gutter.
How was this fair?!

[Ailith Rayner]

Ailith frowned and the ball left his hand and duely thunked into the gutter again. "What are you doing? Are you lining it up with the arrows?"Ailith lent down and checked the levelling of the floor. Nope, straight as Jack Trove. What's going on?
"No? What? No, I'm just copying you..." Jude frowned "And apparently not doing a very good job of it."
"No you're doing OK, just... line the ball up with the arrows is all. I'm sure that's it..." Ailith turned, picked up Jude's ball that had come through the conveyor belt and handed it to him. "Go again."

[Jude Dorrian]

He smiled gratefully at her as he took the ball from her.
" 'ppreciate it, Ailith," he said softly, slipping his fingers into the holes. Turning back towards the pins, Jude took a deep breath, and screwing up his eyes in concentration, he swung his arm backwards slowly, lining it up with the middle arrows.
Then, he let go.
The ball rolled out of his grip gently, too gently, he realized, as he watched it roll down. It was perfectly in line, this time... but his throw had been so gentle, it inevitably rolled off to the side, hitting down one pin on its way.
But it was still one pin.
Jude glanced back at Ailith. "Better?"

[Ailith Rayner]

"Better?"
Ailith grinned and nodded, "Not bad... bit more power next time though."
She selected a ball, turned to face the pins and waited for the machine to go away. She breathed out and smiled at Jude, "Cross your fingers."
She bent low and lined up the ball. A few practice throws and bang she released the ball with great force. ABout two seconds later the ball reached the end of the lane deadly straight and crashed into the first pin, carrying on through to cause a wave of destruction amongst the pins.
"Strike! Woo! Yeah!" Ailith jumped and punched the air delightedly. "Right." She turned to Jude beaming, "Your turn."

[Jude Dorrian]

So. A strike. A real strike.
Jude nodded slowly, feeling a strange rush of adrenaline as he watched the conveyer belt roll the smoky blue ball into line with the others. His hand reached out; his palm carefully brushing over each smooth ball until his fingers met the blue one. Easily, this time, he lifted the ball up, and looked down the lane.
"Wish me luck, Ailith."
She grinned at him, biting her bottom lip as she did so; her face alight with nervous apprehension. It was strange, how the adrenaline was suddenly beginning to get to him- to her, too, he suppose. She was even crossing her fingers for him.
"Then here we go."
His arm swung the ball forward; and it shot down the lane with an incredible speed. At the bottom it swerved ever so slightly to the left and smashed into the pins, knocking three down.
Jude glanced behind him; and her fingers were still crossed. Something told him he wasn't going to get this without her.
"How do you line them up now, then?"

[Ailith Rayner]

Ailith calmed herself slightly but bounced to Jude's side. "OK." Ailith squinted at the pins in concentration and then along the lane. "Try... try standing here..." She tugged Jude to where she was standing to the left of the lane and moved round to stand on his right, "and then throw the ball with half a notch less power but aim for... see the second row of arrows?" She went up on tiptoe so her eyeline was at the same level as Jude's and pointed with her still crossed fingers about halfway up the lane.
Jude nodded, well of course he would he can see better than her.
"Aim for those and that should bring the ball so that it clips pin3 and hits pin 6 then they should all go down. Ailith bounced back and crossed the fingers on her other hand barely able to keep still but managing for the sake of not putting Jude off. Please work, please work, please work...

[Jude Dorrian]

There was a new adrenaline pumping now that had nothing to do with the thrill of knocking down pins kicked in, as Ailith brushed against his side, muttering instructions. He listened carefully, nodding as he took it in, and as Ailith moved back again, she brushed past him again, probably accidentally, but it sent an unexpected tingle across his bare skin.
Heart pounding, he lifted the ball up as it rolled towards him along the conveyer belt. Moving forward, Jude lined up his ball, his eyes fixed on the second row of arrows. The blood swirled through his brain; and as he swung back his arm, for a second, the world around him and Ailith seemed to elapse into nothingness.
He couldn't even hear the music anymore.
Then, he let go, and the ball sailed forward...
... and knocked down every single one.
Jude stood, stock still, total shock coursing through him as he stared at the fallen pins. Then, as he turned back towards Ailith's glowing smile, the shock blurred into joy.
"I did it."
His grin matched hers.
"I did it."
Jumping forward, laughing and cheering, Jude pulled Ailith to her feet swinging her around.
"I got a strike, for god's sake, Ailith! Me! I got one- I did it," his shout faded to a croak, and, on impulse, he bent down and kissed her lips. "God, I love you so much."

[Ailith Rayner]

Ailith couldn't speak for laughing. Jude was ecstatic and so was she. He pulled her from the bench where she had been perched on the very edge and spun her celebrating. He kissed her and Ailith's heart sang.
"God, I love you so much."
Ailith's beam froze on her face. What did he just say? But I heard it right... he said he loved me. It's the adrenaline... surely... no look at his face. Ailith's mouth calmed to a gentle smile as she stared into his eyes looking for a sign of whether he meant it. It was the adrenaline, he's only just realised what he said now... did he mean it though...
"Y'all might wanna say something, I'm dying a bit here." Said Jude pleadingly.
Ailith's smile widened. He meant it.
"It's a spare." Ailith blurted, still staring at Jude's blue-grey eyes.
He laughed weakly, "Really?"
"You missed some first time." Ailith rose up on her tiptoes, touched her nose to his and said softly, "I love you too." And she kissed him.

[Jude Dorrian]

"I love you too."
Whatever Jude had been expecting... it hadn't been that.
So there they were; his voice and knees suddenly weak with horror; his heart, recycled as a football was getting kicked about by his brain; his brain which, apparently, was mad as hell that his heart had managed to overthrow it temporarily, aided by the onslaught of adrenaline, and had triggered Jude into blurting that out at her. That! That- of all the goddam things he could've yelled, it had to be that!
She was too goddam intoxicating for her own good.
And how stupid, how idiotic he'd felt as he'd felt her freeze, hanging from his neck with that suddenly still smile on her face. And, for the first time in his life, Jude hadn't been able to read what it said. Her smile... it had always been so open, so sweet, so honest; but this smile...
It was completely alien to him.
This smile could've been anything.
Condescending. Confused. Cruel. Mocking. Patronizing. Pitying. Sadistic. Sarcastic. Surprised.
That smile could've meant anything- anything- but that she was happy.
He hadn't trusted himself enough, not for one second, to believe that.
But... but she she was happy.
Ailith loved him.
Holy Mother of- for chrissake- what the- well, goddammit, she loved him!
He couldn't get his head around it! That was probably why he just gave up, and let himself be lost himself to it. He was struck down; completely numb, but also completely, irrevocably, wonderfully... well, shocked. A kind of madly happy daze was settling over him; one he couldn't figure out how to react to at all.
But Ailith, sweet Ailith; she solved that problem for him.
Suddenly, her soft lips were against his. She was kissing him, and just like that, he was kissing her. His eyes closed, immersed in the dream; but she was real… This was real. It had to be- he could feel it was real. He could feel his own arms around her, holding on so tight he'd probably lifted her off the ground!
But he didn't care.
Hah! She probably didn't care!
She’d forgive him for it because she loved him.
So this was it. This was love. This was that madness. This was that happiness.
His poor brain couldn't believe he'd fallen so far. Shaking its head tiredly, it turned away and began packing up its suitcases, ready to evacuate his skull.
But his heart- it was singing. Every fibre of him was screaming with joy. His brain was on its way out, and with it gone all that was left was the madness, the adrenaline, and the heart that was beating for her.
His heart couldn't seem to stop cheering for him.
Everyone was cheering for him.
Jude broke apart from Ailith, and found himself staring at a sea of blurred, happy faces, all of which were cheering them on. The DJ, elbowing his way through the dizzying crowd and laughing his head off at the same time, arrived before them and he thrust a microphone at Jude.
"Look at that!" the DJ was shouting. "Look at these two! Ladies and gentlemen, that is what I call getting into the spirit of things! What on earth did you say to her to get her to kiss you like that, kid?"
Jude was laughing, his arm around Ailith now, and he shook his head at the microphone, trying to reply, but his voice was lost to the wolf-whistling crowd instead.
"I told her I love her!"
"You what?! Speak up, kid!"
"I TOLD HER I LOVE HER!"
The cheers shot up louder still. All around there was... it was just noise. Clapping, shouting, stamping- it was all around him, this perfect reflection of what was inside of him, and Jude, happy Jude, felt himself blush.
Christ Almighty, that girlfriend of his could make him blush.
So he buried his head in her shoulder, and let the insanity all around them fade into white noise. He closed his eyes; inhaling her, and suddenly, there was just him, and Ailith.
She loved him, and he loved her.
That was all he was ever going to care about again.

[Ailith Rayner]

When Jude broke away from Ailith the room rushed back into her senses and immediately she buried her head into Jude's chest. It seemed like the whole hall had gathered round to cheer and 'awh' at them when in reality it was probably only the nearest four lanes and the rest of them craned their heads to take a peek. Ailith turned her head to the DJ's platform, which, to Ailith's deeper discomfiture, was DJ-less. Which only meant-
"Look at that! Look at these two!" Oh please don't... Ailith thought feverently as she turned her head to face the crowd and the laughing DJ. "Ladies and gentlemen, that is what I call getting into the spirit of things! What on earth did you say to her to get her to kiss you like that, kid?"
Jude laughed and his arm wound around Ailith's back and Ailith gripped Jude's other hand in reassurance. She lifted her head see if he would answer. Which, of course, he did.
"I told her I love her!" Jude shouted over the music. The DJ, it seemed, was determined to make Ailith blush and played deaf to make Jude shout louder into the mic. "I TOLD HER I LOVE HER."
Ailith watched the crowd as the exploded into cheers and even more 'awwh'-ing. Despite her embarrassment Ailith couldn't help but beam not even her fear of showing true, tender emotions in public could overcome the sheer happiness and ecstacy that inflated her chest and head. Jude's blush started so he buried his face into her shoulder, leaving Ailith open to questioning from the DJ.
"How long have you been together?"
"About half a year." Ailith replied.
"And this is the first time you both have said the three magic words?"
"That's right." Ailith felt a jolt in her heart which in turn triggered something behind her eyes and they began to fill. The crowd clapped and 'awwh'-ed again.
"Well shall we dedicate a song to them guys?" The DJ turned slightly to ask the crowd. Which heralded a unanimous "YES!"
"Well what's it to be?" He asked turning back to Jude and Ailith.
Ailith poked Jude with her nose and looked at him through blurry eyes, "What do you reckon?"