"So...?" I glared at Kevin.

He planned everything skillfully, and I thought I was good with plans. He deliberately called only Natasha and Jim so there'll be only eight people and can easily be divided into two teams.

If I can't choose Noah, then I'm definitely not choosing Jax. I have made that mistake in the past and I will not repeat it.

"I'm going to make my team," I exclaimed calmly, folding my arms around my chest.

"What?" They all gave me confused look. Now that I said that out loud, it sounded stupid.

"Jax and Noah can be the two teams and I'll make the third-" I smirked at confused Kevin. "-with Kevin."

"How is this even going to work?" Jax asked.

"Yeah." Darren backed him up. "I'll be odd teams also, we three and you two."

"Emily and Natasha don't even play, it'll be two people per team." I shrugged.

"Wouldn't it be easy if you choose one team?" Kevin glared in irritation.

Now he's getting annoyed that I ruined his plans.

I clicked my tongue. "Why Kevin?" I pouted. "Are you afraid to lose from them?" I retorted, jerking my head towards Noah and Jax.

He narrowed his eyes at me. "Fine." I gave him a sly grin.

Ha! Lexi 1, Kevin 0.

"Okay... So it's me, Jax." Jim said, looking around. "Noah, Darren and Kevin, Lexi." Everyone agreed, and I sighed in relief.

That was a close one.

I regained my posture and went towards Kevin. "Now that we're a team." I clenched his arm. "Let's decide our strategy." Digging my nails into his arm, I dragged him away from the others.

"Ouch!" Kevin yelped, shrugging my grip. "That hurts!" He winced, glaring at me.

"WTF is going in your head, Kevin!" I growled, flickering his forehead.

"F**k!" He rubbed his forehead. "You're so violent, you know that!" I crossed my arms and looked at him deadpan. "What?"

"What?!" I snapped. "Don't what me and try to act innocent!"

"Why are you getting so furious?" He asked smirking at me. "It was a simple choice to make." He leaned in and whispered. "Why was it hard for you to choose your boyfriend?"

My eyes grew enormous for a second, but I composed myself. "It isn't about choosing my boyfriend-"

"Then what is it?" He asked, getting serious again. "Tell me and I'll stop." He stepped closer to me, boring his eyes into mine. I stared at him, opening and closing my mouth like a fish, not knowing what to say.

He will not leave things until I tell him the truth, but I can't.

He leaned in front of me, so close that our noses almost touched. "If you won't tell me, then I'll find out about it myself." He whispered and backed away, going back to the group, leaving me gawking at him.

Shit! I have to divert his attention from this or else he'll do anything to get it out!

I groaned, rubbing my face, and went back to our spot.

"Rules are simple. The team that comes second will pay for the dinner after this game and the last-place team will be slaves for the weekend for the winners..." Kevin explained his own made-up rules. I rolled my eyes and plopped and the couch.

"I'll go first," Jim smirked at us, rubbing his hands in anticipation. He got up and took a ball and grinned back at us. "Are you ready to lose?"

Time will tell about that.

* * * * *

The clattering sound of pins echoed as I watched them fly back, but four of them still stood in their place. Jim groaned and took another ball.

So far Jax's team was on the third, and Kevin's and I were in second, leaving Noah and Darren in the first position.

Shocking?

Darren didn't know how to play but he was a fast learner, in the beginning, his ball kept going into the gutter but after a few plays, he got the hang of it. He didn't strike, but he was good and for Noah.

I was stunned.

He kept striking and sparring, leaving everyone gaping at him. I had no idea he was good, and this good? He was even better than Kevin.

CLANK!

The pin-hitting sound got me out of my thoughts as I watched Jim curse. There was still a pin left. I got up ready for my turn and looked at the score, I was in last place now. After Jim's turn, he got into the second position.

"You can do it, Lexi!" Kevin encouraged me, jumping furiously from his place.

Kevin and I have been friends for so long, and the one thing common between us was we both loathe losing. Kevin was overconfident at first, but after seeing Noah striking one after another, the fear was clear on his face.

I insert my fingers into a red ball picking it up, I checked the weight and stood in front of the lane.

In the background, I heard Emily cheering for me. "You can do it, Lexi!"

"Weren't you on my team?" I heard Darren's dumbfounded voice.

"Sisters before Misters."

Smirking, I took a long breath and held the ball in front of me. Stepping forward, I swung my hand back and with all the strength in me, I threw it. I watched as the ball slid down the lane, rolling towards the pins. The ball hit the first pin, and they all flew back, leaving the 7-10 split.

F**k!

I straightened myself and heaved a sigh. "It's all right you can bring it down!" Kevin exclaimed, I shoot him a look getting another ball.

Of course, I can't do it.

First, as I said before, I was not an expert, and second, both pins were in opposite directions and it wasn't easy to get them both down in one shot. I stood in the previous position again and eyed the two pins.

Can't my laser gaze shoot one of them down?

I scoffed at my thought and was ready to throw the ball when Noah's voice came from behind.

"Try hitting one pin from the opposite side in a curve movement with force." I turned my head towards Noah. Everyone watched him, confused. He ignored them and continued. "It will fly towards the other, hitting it too." He bored his eyes into mine and smiled. "If you're lucky."

I smiled at him gratefully and turned towards the pins.

"Dude, are you going to abandon me like Emily too?" Darren said in an astonished voice, making me giggle.

I focused on the pins again and did as Noah said. The ball got close to the gutter, and I thought it might fall into it but it curved away from it hitting the pin, and as Noah predicted the pin flew towards the other hitting it too.

My jaw dropped as I looked at it. "YES!" Kevin screamed from behind.

I turned back, grinning at my friends as Kevin came running towards me and hugged me tightly. "We are in second place at least!" He yelled.

Giggling, I hugged him back and my eyes darted towards Noah, who sat there with his radiant smile. Others applauded for me as I got back to my place. Now it was Noah's turn. This will be the last one and it will decide who the winner in the end is.

Noah picked a green ball and stood in front of the lane like an expert. As he took his position, the back of his shirt tightened around his torso and bicep. I bit my lip to stop from drooling and leaned back in my seat, observing him.

Does he realize how hot he is?!

At first, I thought it was a bad idea to come here today. But after seeing Noah play, I couldn't have been luckier.

He threw the ball, and it hit only four pins. My brows knitted in confusion. This was the first time he only hit a few of them. He got another ball, and I watched him curiously. Maybe he got distracted or something? I watched the ball roll over and my jaw dropped when it fell into the gutter.

WTF!

He played the entire game amazingly and threw strike after strike, and now it fell into the gutter!

He turned around and roamed his eyes around everyone as they stared at him with wide eyes in disbelief.

"What was that?!" Darren exclaimed, jolting up from his place, and gestured towards the six pins that were still standing peacefully in their places.

"My hand slipped." Noah shrugged, jamming his hand into his front pocket.

My eyes darted towards the final score and saw Noah in the last position, Jax and Jim in second, and me in the first.

He didn't do that on purpose, did he?

"We won!" Kevin bounced in his placed and pointed at others. "In your face suckers!" He did his victory dance while I still sat there processing what happened.

"Guess the dinner is on us," Jax said, looking at Jim, who looked happy that he didn't come last at least.

* * * * *

A/N
Hi peeps 👀
Lexi is really clever, right?
And Kevin.... Is not making it easy for her.
Above is the video of the 7-10 split, so you can imagine Lexi doing it. XD

Don't forget to vote and comment ❤