Yin and Yang.

Shit. Karma and I were complete opposites when it came to the whole love thing. And I meant every word I said. My heart was only meant to pump blood through my body and keep me alive. Plain and simple

I won't lie...what she described sounded good, but was it worth the risk of feeling that gut-wrenching pain? Nah. I was good with that. I've remained safe and happy doing what I've always done and I had no reason to change.

But what was up with her questions today? As for the reason I was being nice to her, I meant what I said about that, too. I could tell she was freaking out about something ever since I saw her shoving those brochures in the drawer of her nightstand.

This whole college thing explained it. I was just trying to be nice. I've basically known her my whole life. She might be my sister's best friend, but I still cared about her. And Harper. I wasn't a total fucking asshole.

Well you kinda lied about that night, I reminded myself.

Yeah, I did. The night we watched that damn movie in the living room rattled the hell out of me. I was so engrossed with the damn flick that I didn't notice she had fallen asleep until I felt her head on my shoulder.

I forgot about the movie after that. I just sat there, hands gripping my knees as my breathing got shorter and faster. Then when she kind of nuzzled my arm, a cold panic hit my chest in a death grip. The way we were sitting and the way she was pressed against me was something that couples did.

And we weren't a fucking couple. We didn't even like each other like that.

Regardless, I was frozen because I was so goddamn uncomfortable. I kept telling myself to get up, but I couldn't seem to move my body. Then I fell asleep. On her.

It was almost dawn when I woke up. Somehow we ended up in an even more compromising and dangerous position than we were in when we started the movie. I was laying back against the armrest and she had her head on my chest with my arm wrapped around her.

Like a fucking couple.

Thankfully I didn't have a problem leaving that time. Luck was on my side and I carefully slipped out from underneath her without waking her. I stared at her for a few seconds, still unsure what to make of what happened. I noticed she looked uncomfortable and that's when I got the pillow and put it under her head. Then I covered her with a blanket.

Then I fucking bolted out of there and went looking for a random hook-up stat. That led me to making out with that blonde in the pool, followed by the inconvenient cannonball cock-blocking session by Lanie and her friends.

"It's just up ahead I think."

Karma's voice pulled me from my thoughts as we approached the admissions building of USF.

"Here we are. You ready?"

She stared out of the window but made no move to leave. Anxiousness and dread poured off her in waves. She did not want to go in there. I felt for her when she told me the trouble she's been having with her mom. Even though my parents were pretty chill, they still tried to steer me in the right direction with my life. But nothing like what's going on with Karma.

"You wanna leave?" I asked after another minute.

Her eyes remained glued on the building. "If I don't go in there..."

"I know. But do you want to leave, Karma? Yes or no?"

"Yes," she whispered, and when she finally turned towards me, tears were streaming down her cheeks. "Please get me out of here, Nathan."

I didn't hesitate. I threw the Tahoe in reverse and left the campus in a hurry. With no clue where I was going, I made a left on the main street.

Karma cried softly in the seat next to me and I cursed under my breath. I had no fucking idea what to do when a girl cried. Wasn't really my area of expertise. So I just kept driving for a little bit.

When I saw her wiping her eyes from the corner of my mine, I reached in the center console and handed her a napkin.

"Thanks." She took another one before exhaling a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry I lost it like that."

I shrugged one shoulder. "Nothing to apologize for. Nobody should ever make you do anything you don't want to do." I made a right on a random street. "Speaking of...do you want to go back to the hotel?"

She seemed to debate that for a moment before shaking her head. "Honestly, no. Not yet. I'd like to do anything other than that right now. I just want something to take my mind off of this."

My eyes shifted to the left and I grinned before flicking the blinker. "Your wish. My command."

Karma's eyes lit up when I turned into the parking lot. "Bowling? We're going bowling?"

After finding a random spot, I parked the car and turned off the ignition. "Yep. You wanted a distraction from the bullshit and I am going to deliver." I cast her a wry smile. "Call me your genie for the day."

"Does that mean I get two more wishes?"

"Of course. What kind of genie would I be if you only got one?"

She laughed and I welcomed it. Laughter was way better than tears. "Not a good one, that's for sure."

We got out of the car and started walking towards the entrance. When we stepped up to the cashier to order our shoes and pay for three games, she pulled out her wallet.

"Put that away. It's on me."

She frowned, pausing when she went to open it. "Are you sure?"

"This was my idea, Karma. Yes, I'm sure."

Once we got our shoes and we found the right size bowling balls, we walked over to our designated lane. I set up the game and entered my name and Karma's into the computer.

"I'm surprised we're here," she said from the bench she was sitting on. Her lips curved in a teasing smile. "I didn't expect the great Nathan Jenkins to be at a bowling alley."

"Surprised, huh? I guess I can see your point. But I'm not afraid to admit that I'm a fucking phenomenal bowler."

"You're going to have to teach me then."

That statement drew my eyes to hers. "What?"

She stood from the bench and walked over to me. "I've never been bowling before. This is my first time."

"Your first time? You're kidding me right?"

"Nope." She grabbed her ball and held it in front of her. "So what do you say, Jenkins?"

I rubbed my hands with anticipation. "I say it's time for your first bowling lesson, Karma." After I grabbed my ball. I walked up to the lane and stopped at the boundary line before looking over at Karma. "Watch me closely."

I quickly explained the rules to her before I took my shot. Telling her where her foot was supposed to go and how to aim the ball. I took a second and stared at the pins. It's just something I did each time I played. When I was ready, I drew my hand back then extended it forward, releasing the ball to shoot down the lane.

Strike.

The sound of Karma clapping had me turning towards her. "You got them all! You have to teach me how you did that."

"Come over here then and I'll show you." When she came over to me, I placed my hands on her shoulders. "Now stand...here. You're right handed like me so you're going to shoot with that hand the same way I did."

Without thinking I reached down with my right hand and placed it on her right thigh. I didn't even realize I did it until I felt the silky sundress she was wearing. And once I realized that, I also noticed that I was standing dangerously close behind her, too. My lips were way too close to her ear as I coached her.

Karma was so focused on learning to bowl that I didn't think she was even aware of it. That same panicked feeling from the other night returned and I took a quick step back. Thankfully she didn't seem to notice that either.

"When the pin setter is done, do exactly as I told you," I said from a few steps behind her.

She nodded but kept her eyes straight ahead. Once the pins were in place, Karma drew her arm back, made an attempt at the leg swing, and let go of the ball.

And it went straight into the gutter.

"What happened?" she whined, turning towards me with a frown. "You got ten and I didn't get one!"

I chuckled at her irritation. "This is your first time. It's to be expected." I waited for the ball return to spit hers out.

"But you made it look so easy."

"I've bowled for years, Karma. I have a lot more experience than you. Don't worry. You'll get it." Her ball reappeared and I grabbed it for her. "Here. Try again. This time focus on the pins."

Once again, Karma stepped up to the line. I shook my head as I watched her. She wasn't focusing.

"Wait." She looked at me over her shoulder. "Let me help you."

I walked up behind her again; but this time I was more aware of my body being close to hers and was able to concentrate on teaching her.

Of their own accord though, my hands went to her hips. I felt her tense under my palms, but ignored it and spoke softly over her shoulder.

"Breathe, Karma. Just concentrate on the pins...and breathe. Don't overthink it. Quiet your mind." Out of nowhere, a memory of Karma sculpting when we were younger popped in my head. "Remember how you used to sculpt? You made it look so easy. Tell me how you did it. How did you focus on it?"

"I...well when I would be sitting there molding the clay, I don't even think about it. Not once I get started."

"And in the beginning? What about when you were first learning?"

"It took time. And practice. I kept messing up at first." Deep breath in. Deep breath out. "Then I realized I was overthinking it. Obsessing whether or not I was doing it right. It became much easier once I freed my mind."

"So do that," I instructed her. "Free your mind, Karma. Don't overthink it. Take a breath."

I removed my hands from her body and took a few steps back. Then I waited. I waited until she was ready to give it a shot again. This time when she released the ball and it sped down the lane...

"I did it!" She ran towards me. "I got a strike!"

I grinned at her excitement. Once again, it was nice to see her like this and not crying in the passenger seat of my dad's rental car. I hated when girls cried.

"Nathan, I did it!"

She threw herself into my arms, causing me to take a step back when I caught her. Lost in the excitement of it all, I hugged her back.

"Thank you," she said into the hollow of my neck. "God, Nathan...thank you for today. For all of it."

I rubbed my hand up and down her back and was surprised by how nice it felt to do something like this for another person. It wasn't that I wasn't capable, it was just something I never really wanted to do for someone.

The intimacy of the embrace seeped into our reality, causing us both to let go and put space between us. Throats were cleared. Eyes were averted. Hair was awkwardly tucked behind an ear.

"You're welcome," I said finally, trying to break the tension. "You did a good job. Wanna keep playing?"

She instantly lit up again. "Yes! I want to keep playing. But first I need something from you."

I arched a brow. How much more awkward could this get? "What do you need?"

Her expression turned teasing—and fuck if it wasn't sexy as hell.

"It's time for my second wish..."