Page 62 of Just Another Meet Cute
NINA:You made me redo the questions the first time because they were wrong.
IAN:Not because they were wrong. Because you were being a smartass. Honestly, I liked your first answers.
NINA:If you liked them, then why did you make me redo them?!
IAN:Because I wanted to see what the real you was like.
IAN:And because I’m an ass.
“So how should we divide up the teams?” Ian suggested as we stood outside the laser tag entrance. His hand fidgeted with the strap of his vest to tighten it.
Before anyone said anything, I immediately scooted over to Ryan’s side. “I’ll be on Ryan’s team.”
Ian looked surprised and a tad disappointed, but he didn’t say anything. This was the first time we’d seen each other since he drove me home last Saturday night, but we’ve been texting every day this week. Pretty much all day, actually.
It was a mistake to respond to Ian’s text that day. And the day after that. Even though our texts were perfectly innocent (Linh read them and agreed that they were innocent and kind of boring), they were like a drug. And I couldn’t make myself stop replying. Every message, every joke, made me want another one.
Each time I would tell myself thatthiswas the last one. And then thenextone would be the last one. It was like the never-ending text message.
I was determined to set boundaries in person though, and it was imperative to stay away from him. Thankfully laser tag was the perfect way to do that.Running and hiding from each other was pretty much a requirement if you wanted to survive.
The rest of us separated into different teams—Linh was on my team with Ryan, while Ollie and Megan were with Ian. After Linh won rock, paper, scissors against Ollie (Go, rock!), we got to go in first. Our team had a minute to go inside before Ian’s team came in. Once everyone was inside, the lights would dim and our guns and vests would glow in our team colors.
Ryan took my hand and pulled me into the room. He let go when we were halfway through the first room. It was a giant maze with walls of varying heights. Lights glinted off the wall in the corner like it was a reflective mirror.
“Do you want to separate or find somewhere to ambush them?” he asked with his arms crossed like he was ready to do battle.
Linh immediately shook her head and backed away from us. “You guys can go ambush them if you want. I’m a loner. I’m going to go find myself a good hiding place as high as I can go. You know, the Katniss Everdeen strategy.”
My left eyebrow rose. “So, we’re going all Hunger Games now?”
“Minus the squirrel steak.” She turned her face slightly and flashed me a quick wink that I hoped Ryan didn’t notice. Obviously, her strategy had more to do with leaving us alone rather than actual laser tag tactics.
Before she could race away, I reached out to grab her sleeve. “Don’t forget, we are the shadows.”
Her loud sigh practically knocked me over. “And the smoke, we rise.”
With a grin, we turned to Ryan. His eyebrows scrunched together as he stared at both of us. “I feel like I’m missing something.”
“You didn’t give him the Sylvester memo?” Linh shook her head. “What do you guys even talk about on your dates? Or do you just make out the whole time?”
My cheeks burst with the heat and I waved her away. “Just get out of here before I shoot you myself.”
Laughing, Ryan kissed his three middle fingers and waved them in her direction as she backed away. “May the odds be ever in your favor. At least I know that movie reference.”
I patted his arm. “Don’t worry, you’ll learn.”
“As long as you’ll be the one to teach me.”
Before I could respond, the overhead lights flashed twice, signaling that the other team was about to enter in another minute or so. The game was about to start.
With a deep breath, Ryan took my hand. “Let’s get a bit farther in so they don’t run right into us.”
“Good idea.” I followed closely on his heels as we zoomed through the maze and found ourselves in a room full of barrels and random doors. Symbols and pictures were drawn all over the place in bright neon colors.
We barely crossed half the room when suddenly the lights went out and came back very dim. I could barely see Ryan’s face if it weren’t for the purple lights glowing on the lining of our vests and arm pads. The neon paint on the walls and barrels gleamed.
Everyone was inside the arena now. My stomach immediately dropped.
