Lucas shuffled towards the golf ball as after his third attempt at making the shot. He was beginning to build up rage after he missed shot after shot. Mini golf, even though it's intended to be light-hearted and fun, can really bring out the worst.
He lightly tapped the ball for the fourth time and finally made it in. As he looked up, a strange teenage boy walked over to him from a previous hole. To Lucas' dismay, the boy started to talk.
"You suck at this game," said the boy.
"Oh yeah, that's the best way to greet someone for the first time," Lucas replied, sarcastically.
"Do you mind," the boy continued. "Getting out the way?"
Lucas got even more pissed. "Can you at least not be an ass about it?"
"Well, I'm trying to play here. You're taking forever."
"You could've just started already. I was nearly done."
"After you took around 10 minutes to make this shot."
Lucas was ready to drop this conversation and continue, so he just walked away and ignored the boy. As Lucas walked toward the next hole, he could still feel the heat of frustration rising in his chest. The boy’s smug tone echoed in his mind, making it harder for him to shake off the irritation. He reached the next hole and grabbed his putter.
The mini-golf course wasn’t exactly a place for high stakes, but for some reason, Lucas had found himself more competitive than usual. The small green felt like a battleground, each missed shot a blow to his ego. He lined up his putter and took a shot, but the ball went astray and went off the course.
"Seriously?" Lucas muttered under his breath, gritting his teeth.
Behind him, he heard the boy’s voice again. "Man, you’re not even trying. That was worse than your last one."
Lucas whipped around, his face flushing with heat. "Are you really still talking to me? Can you just fuck off?"
The boy gave a small shrug, as if Lucas's frustration was amusing him. "I’m just here to help you. You know, like a teacher. Someone has to teach you how to play properly."
Lucas narrowed his eyes, his grip tightening on his putter. He could feel the anger rising again, but this time, something was different. He wasn’t sure if it was the arrogance or the fact that this was the second time he’d irritated him , but he wasn't about to let it slide.
"You think you're some kind of expert?" Lucas asked, his voice cold.
"Obviously," the boy said, smirking. "But, hey, maybe you’ll learn a thing or two from watching me."
Without waiting for a response, the boy took his shot, easily sinking it in one go. He turned to Lucas with a grin that had the bitchiest and most punch-able look.
Lucas stood there, taking in the boy’s cocky demeanor. For a moment, he considered fighting. But his voice told him that if he did, it would only make things worse. Plus, he'd likely be cooked by his mom.
"No," Lucas muttered under his breath, stepping forward and setting up his next shot. "I'm not gonna rage quit over some kid."
He held his breath , focused, and then sent the ball flying, his eyes locked on the hole. This time, the shot was clean, smooth, and the ball rolled right in.
Lucas smiled to himself, but when he looked up, the boy’s expression had shifted. The bitchy grin had been replaced by a look of genuine surprise.
"Okay, okay," the boy said, eyes widening a bit. "I didn’t think you had it in you. You actually did something."
"Yeah, well," Lucas replied, a bit at easy now, "maybe I just needed a little motivation."
The boy nodded, trying to keep his composure. "Not bad. But you’ll still never beat me."
"We’ll see about that."
Lucas and the boy continued on, both of them focused on their shots. The animosity of the two died down a bit. It was like the competitive tension had shifted into something more casual, like a challenge between two rivals who had just started to respect each other’s game.
The next hole had an incline, with a loop that was meant to test precision. Lucas watched the boy set up his shot. He was calm, calculating, but with a hint of nervousness.
He took his shot. The ball spun around the loop and almost went into the hole, but at the last second, it bounced out and rolled to the side.
"Fuck, come on!" the boy yelled.
Lucas smirked. "Tough luck," he said.
The boy shot him a glare. "Don’t get too comfortable. It’s just one hole."
But now Lucas wasn’t so sure. There was something about this kid that intrigued him, something beyond the insults and the challenge. He wasn’t used to this kind of competition, where every shot felt like it mattered. It wasn’t about winning, not entirely. It was about proving something — to himself, and maybe even to the boy.
Lucas set up his own shot, taking his time. The hole was kind of shitty, but it was also an opportunity to show he could do more than just listen to the bitching. He tapped the ball just right. It zipped around the loop with a smoothness that surprised even him, and as it neared the hole, it dropped in cleanly.
"Well, look at that," Lucas said, trying to keep himself composed as to not show his satisfaction. After all, he was supposed to be nonchalant.
The boy raised an eyebrow. "Okay, you might actually be getting better. But you’ll still never beat me."
As they walked to the next hole, the mood between them had shifted, almost imperceptibly. The rivalry wasn’t gone, but there was a new layer to it — a kind of respect. The boy wasn’t as obnoxious now, and Lucas found himself admiring the boy’s skill, even if he wasn’t going to admit it out loud.
They reached a hole with a waterfall feature, the water gurgling lightly as it cascaded over a small rocky ledge. It was a tricky one, and Lucas could see that the boy was eyeing it carefully.
"Alright, I’ll show you how it’s done," the boy said, a hint of his former ego creeping back.
But Lucas didn’t mind. He wasn’t bothered by the shit talking anymore. Instead, he wanted to see what he could actually do.
The boy took his shot, and this time, he got it right. The ball bounced off the rocks and dropped into the hole. He didn’t gloat, though. Instead, he just gave a satisfied nod. Lucas was just happy the boy didn't start getting in his face.
"Not bad," Lucas admitted, getting ready. His shot was solid, but the ball got caught in the stream, drifting away from the hole.
"Guess you’re not as good as you think," the boy remarked.
Lucas didn’t let it phase him. He calmly walked up, retrieved the ball, and lined it up for a second attempt. This time, he was careful, and with one smooth motion, he tapped it perfectly into the hole.
The boy tilted his head, as if surprised. "How are you ass and good at the same time?"
Lucas shrugged, trying to play it cool, but inside, he felt a thrill he hadn’t expected. It wasn’t about winning anymore. It was about the game itself, about the challenge, and the way it pushed him to focus, to learn. Lucas shrugged. At least, he thought, he was golfing with someone else instead of alone.
"Whoever misses that last whole is a bitch" Lucas said, glancing at the final hole ahead of them. It was the hardest one, with a narrow gap leading to a small ramp. If you didn’t hit it just right, you’d miss the hole entirely.
The boy tightened his expression. "Bet."
They both took their places, the atmosphere between them charged with a sense of competition that was different now. Lucas had gone from being irritated by the boy to actually enjoying the challenge. It was a strange, but he couldn’t deny it — he was having fun. Lucas, the dumbass, was being normal for once.
He took his shot first, focusing on the small gap and the ramp beyond. The ball rolled with precision, gliding smoothly through the gap and climbing the ramp. It teetered on the edge of the hole… and then dropped in.
Lucas gloated over his victory, feeling the rush of triumph. It wasn’t perfect, but it was good enough.
The boy stepped up next, his brow furrowed in concentration. He took a deep breath, swung, and the ball flew through the gap — but at the last second, it bounced off the edge of the ramp and fell back down.
"Ha! Looks like I win, bioootch!" Lucas yelled.
The boy wasn't angry. He just gave an impressed look.
"Okay, I’ll give you that," he said. "You’ve got skills."
Lucas returned the tranquility. "Maybe you should come back sometime. I wouldn’t mind a rematch."
"Yeah, and this time you'll get bitched."
As they walked off the course together, Lucas realized that maybe mini-golf didn't have to be a rage game after all. Maybe he had a new friend now.
