Accident Prone

The score was tight with neither team allowing for mistakes.

Max knew that Liz is capable of catching up quickly, but he was not aware that she is this quick. Liz impressed him by exceeding his expectations (again).

"Are you sure this is your first time?", Hunter asked Liz suspiciously.

"Focus on your game.", Max reminded Hunter with a smirk.

Liz met Max's gaze and she gave him a signal that she is up to something.

"I didn't know that Hunter's focus is so good.", Liz told Max with an honest expression only a child can bring out (and Liz). "I'm not an expert, but based on what you told me, Hunter's form is perfect. I've never seen anyone have such elegant moves. His consistent amazing scores are a confirmation that he is very skilled."

Hunter smiled smugly.

Max decided to play along. "It is undeniable that Hunter is awesome in sports."

Hunter's smile stretched into a grin.

"What are you all gleeful?", Mia asked Hunter.

She heard the conversation, but she does not understand Hunter's elation. It's just a compliment. And why no one praised her? Her form and focus are great also! And her score is matching Hunter's!

Hunter missed a hint of jealousy in Mia's question.

He looked at her and spoke excitedly: "Did you hear that? I've just got praised by Liz and Max. That is worth something!"

Mia frowned. "I told you that you are great as well, doesn't that count?"

"Of course, it does. But this is from the competitor."

Mia rolled her eyes and stood in front of the lane. She took the aim and released the ball… and it knocked down nine pins, leaving one behind. Mia pressed her lips into a line, obviously disappointed with the outcome.

Mia got another ball and on her second try, she missed the lone pin at the end of the lane by a fraction.

In the booth behind, Bri stifled a laugh.

Quentin looked at Bri questionably and she gestured to him to focus on the game. "It begins…"

Hunter approached Mia who frowned while looking at the lonely standing pin.

"Don't worry about it, there is still plenty to go.", Hunter said while embracing Mia from behind.

"Can you comfort each other for the disappointing performance a few steps to the side?", Max provoked Mia and Hunter with a straight face while reminding them that it's his turn and they are in the way.

Max knocked down all ten out of then pins, and then it was Hunter's turn.

"Amazing! Another strike!", Liz exclaimed and clapped when Hunter knocked down all ten pins with one ball.

"I got them all as well.", Max reminded Liz with a half-grumpy face.

Liz confirmed that she knows. "Everyone can knock them all, but Hunter does it with elegance. I didn't know that a man can have such smooth moves. He does something with his toes just before he releases the ball… Let me try…"

Liz got the ball and threw it, getting all ten pins down (aka strike).

"Did you see that?", Liz asked Max with glee.

Max nodded. "Yes. Your toes moved and your form improved."

Liz grinned and turned to Hunter. "Thank you. I am honored to learn from an expert by watching."

Hunter bobbed his head and he flinched when Mia slapped his back.

"Do you know who our competitors are?", Mia grumbled while getting her ball. It's her turn next.

A few seconds later, Mia looked in disbelief at the two pins which were left standing, one on each edge. And just as expected, due to her frustration, she didn't get any down, giving her a score of eight for that turn.

With every passing turn, Liz praised Hunter, increasing Mia's irritation.

Mia loves Hunter, but she is extremely competitive, and she can't believe that Liz is praising Hunter instead of her (aka her bestie) and her concentration dropped as her anger swelled, and it showed in the scores. And low scores only made her more frustrated. It is a vicious cycle Mia was unable to get out from.

Hunter was not sure what to make out of Mia's unusual behavior and then his gaze fell on Liz and Max who watched from the side with matching smug expressions. The scene reminded him of the lunch which he organized for the purpose of setting up Max in front of Rina in order to expose that he is lying about having a girlfriend, and how it backfired completely. Hunter's face fell when he realized that Max and Liz are playing more than one game with him and Mia.

By now, Mia suspected that Liz is praising Hunter with a hidden agenda, why else would Max be cool about Liz complimenting another man so openly?

Mia's mind exploded: Liz is praising Hunter with a goal to get Mia upset!

However, Mia's and Hunter's realizations came too late. Their joint score lagged too much behind Liz's and Max's, and it led the Mia-Hunter team to the inevitable loss.

"Yes!", Max and Liz exclaimed in unison when the final score flashed on the screen above the lane they played on.

Liz leaped on Max and he caught her into his embrace.

"You are amazing, you know that?", Max murmured while his smile reflected in his eyes.

"I could do it only because of your flawless guidance.", Liz responded.

Max gladly took the compliment and added: "We are a great team."

Liz agreed. "We are the best."

They were about to kiss, when Mia's grumpy voice broke through their lovey-dovey celebratory mood: "Rematch!"

Liz leaned into Max's embrace and looked at Mia provocatively. "You are kidding, right?"

"We deserve a rematch.", Mia persisted.

Liz refused. "By now, you figured out what we did. No matter how good a strategy is, it works the first time. Only a fool would try the same thing twice on the same victim."

"Victim!?", Mia fumed.

Liz nodded in confirmation. "And if we dare to try the same trick for the second time, and you fall for it again, then that makes you a fool. And my bestie is not a fool."

Hunter pulled Mia on the side. "Let's eat something. They will not give us a second game."

"This is your fault!", Mia hissed at Hunter.

Hunter shook his head in disapproval. He will gladly pamper Mia and indulge her, but this is the time for a dose of reality: "You are the one who allowed their provocation to get to you."

"It was not their provocation. It's how you got caught in it!", Mia admitted. "How can you light up when they praise you? Didn't you see that they are doing it on purpose, without sincerity?"

Hunter exhaled forcibly. Why is she making their loss as his fault? Sure, they praised him, and he liked it very much, but he is not the one who got drowned in jealousy when his competitive spirit took over to the point of messing up the game.

"You can't blame me, Mia. The scores speak for themselves. Let's not argue about this. I've fallen prey to Max's schemes more than once, and this is the second time I got to see that Liz is just as bad as he is."

Mia grumbled something while they walked to the booth. She eyed the snacks before telling Hunter: "Let's take a few minutes to fill up on food and then the two of us will play. I want to see who is better, on talent only, without any schemes."

"OK." Hunter is always up for a challenge.

Max and Liz didn't pay attention to Mia and Hunter. More than their win, they were high on their flawless cooperation. And without thinking about where they are, they plunged onto each other, lips first.

"I didn't think that you will fall for Liz's trap so easily.", Bri teased Mia.

Mia shook her head dejectedly. "I was focused on the game and didn't see it coming."

Bri stifled a laugh. "I thought that you know Liz by now. For you it's about winning, for her it's about accomplishing impossible. Liz knows that winning in sports against you is impossible. It was expected that she will try to derail you without breaking the rules."

Mia exhaled. "Yeah. Liz does not break the rules. That is why I didn't keep my guard up. Well, I will know for the next time."

"That is what I tell myself whenever Max has me playing his game, and yet I always fall into his trap like it's the first time.", Hunter added dejectedly.

"We are heading back first.", Max's voice came from the side. "Thanks for organizing this, Hunter."

"Don't mention it.", Hunter waved carelessly.

"You know how to get in, right? The passcode didn't change.", Liz told Bri.

Brianna confirmed and watched Liz and Max walk out in hurried steps, while holding hands, obviously impatient to have their privacy.

Not long later, Mia and Hunter started their own game of bowling and they confirmed that it will be skills only, without schemes.

In the booth…

"I heard that you are staying with Liz and Max.", Quentin told Bri.

Brianna confirmed. "Yes."

"You are welcome to stay at my place."

Quentin's offer made Brianna look at him and hold her breath.

Quentin arched his eyebrow questionably. "Did I say anything improper? You saw M and Liz. By staying in the same apartment with them, you will either listen to them through the night or you will be in the way. And I bet that it's the first one."

Brianna was back to being speechless. Her brain was working a thousand thoughts a second, but her body was non-responsive.

Quentin tilted his head while observing obviously stunned Brianna.

"Don't tell me that you are afraid I will do something to you that you will not approve. Or not like.", he said half-mockingly.

Brianna snapped out of her daze. "Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what? Offering you a place to stay where you will not listen to the noise from the other side of the wall? You can say 'no' and I will not mention it again…"

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