Page 18 of For Now

I steadied my aim at the chest of this zombie figure and pulled the trigger. A direct hit and the figure popped back down into its hidingplace.

“They have sensors in their chests that you aim for! Come on, we have to save the world!” hesaid.

We turned the corner and another two popped up just ahead of us on the right. We both fired and they went back down.Okay, Delilah, this is superfun!

We went on like this through the course, killing zombies and laughing hysterically. And who would have guessed that we’d make a pretty damn good zombie killing team? We killed all the zombies and hit the button to release the cure into the atmosphere before time ranout.

“Okay, this place is seriously awesome,” I said as we were walking back to thecar.

“So I was right then. You’ve got a little savage in you.” Hesmiled.

“Okay, okay. Yes, you were right. I thoroughly enjoyed that. Thank you,” I said. “You seem very pleased with yourself. Your smug smile gives you away, in case you didn’trealize.”

“Oh, no, I’m very aware, miss,” he said, smiling evenbigger.

* * *

We arrived backat my place after having lunch at a pizza place down the road to find Emma’s car parked in thedrive.

“Oh, right! Emma is coming over for dinner tonight, I totally forgot,” Isaid.

We made our way to the door and walked in. Emma was there with David, waiting with a sort of worried look on her face. I had given her a sparekey.

“Delilah! Where did you go? I was worried when your car was here but you weren’t. I tried texting you,” she said, rushing over to me as if to examine me, even though I was perfectlyfine.

“Oh, sorry, we were shooting zombies,” I said, motioning toSamuel.

“Hello again, Emma,” he said with a smallwave.

“Hi, no trouble at all. I’m glad to see her out and about. And with you no less.” Emmasmiled.

I shot her a look and rolled my eyes. “Yes, Emma, just making new friends youknow.”

“Right, yes, friends,” shesaid.

A silence fell over the room and I wanted to crawl undersomething.

“Well, then, that’s my cue. I better be going to pick up Mason,” Samuel said as he backed up to thedoor.

“So soon? You’re welcome back for dinner, the two of you. We are getting fancy tonight. Delilah is going to be cooking...something,” Emmasaid.

“I don’t want to impose,” Samuelsaid.

“No imposition at all!” shesaid.

“Okay then. I guess I will see you all later,” Samuel said. He gave me a nod and smile as he left and I returned the smile as the doorshut.

I whirled around. “Oh my god, what did you just do? What did you actually just do,Emma?”

“What? I just thought it would be nice for all of us to get to know each other,” she said, feigning innocence, but I knewbetter.

“Well, I’ve been knowing him, so I mean, that really has nothing to do with it,” I said. I laughed internally at my phrasing and scoffed Samuel forit.

“Well, I haven’t and I want to!” Emmasaid.

“Great, great. Oh, and I’m cooking, too, then? I wasn’t aware of this,” Isaid.

“Well, you’d probably figure it out. You’ve got like three hours so you’ll be fine.” She laughed, pleased withherself.

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