Page 100 of Role Play
“I guess?” Taio answers, confused.
“Then remove it from Sora’s body before I remove it from yours,” he says through gritted teeth.
Taio cackles in glee at Forrest’s discomfort. Instead of removing his hand, he holds me tighter, and I swear Forrest is about to lunge, until our guests of the hour circle around us.
A tall man with a meticulously trimmed beard approaches, flanked by three equally athletic-looking men. His smile doesn’t reach his eyes, which flick dismissively over our group before settling on me with sudden interest. “Hawk, Ty, the Aussie, and…what’s this?Fresh meat?”
“Randy,” Forrest acknowledges stiffly.
“Who’s the pretty lady?” Randy asks, his gaze stalling on me a beat too long.
“Sora Cho,” I introduce myself before Forrest can answer. “Nice to meet you.”
Randy’s grin widens. “Charmed. So are you the ringer or just eye candy for the game?”
“We’ll see,” I reply mock-sweetly.
“Randy, back the fuck off, all right? It’s Sora’s first time here, she’s not a regular, so I expect you neanderthals to find some manners before the game.”
Trevor, a lanky guy with intense eyes, lets out a derisive snort. “Touchy, touchy. Clearly she belongs to Hawk.”
“She doesn’t belong to anybody, you misogynistic prick,” Taio growls out. “Quit your clucking. Let’s lay the terms.”
“Same terms as always,” counters a shorter, stocky guy who I assume is Brody.
“Or, how about we make this interesting?” Randy suggests, his eyes gleaming with challenge. “Losers buy drinks for the entire winning team at McGinty’s. Plus, a public admission of our superior skill, recorded for posterity.And, losers have to stay out of this arena for an entire year.”
“A year?” Saylor balks. “The only other arena nearby is in Jersey and it looks like something you’d find on Blippi.”
“Done,” Forrest agrees without hesitation, extending his hand.
“Hawk!” Saylor gripes. “Did you not hear me sayJersey?”
Randy shakes it, then winks at me. “See you on the battlefield, Sora. Try not to get too much paint on that pretty face.”
As the Slaughterhouse Four strut away, I turn to Forrest. “That was intense.”
He shrugs. “As far as encounters with Slaughterhouse goes, that was pretty tame.”
I gulp. “So, what’s our strategy?”
“Have you ever shot a paintball or airsoft gun before?”
I shake my head.
“Have you ever beenshotbya paintball or airsoft gun before?”
“No…does it hurt?”
Forrest winces. “It stings a little in close proximity.”
I inhale, then blow out a deep breath. “It’s fine. I can take it. I survived laser hair removal, so this should be a cinch. I’m ready for battle against those creeps.”
“Easy there, Braveheart,” Forrest says, smiling. “You have no experience and I’m not going to risk you getting hurt. The strategy is simple. You stay behind me at all times.”
I roll my eyes. “Is that the ‘touch her and die’ skit? I follow you around like a scared puppy and try not to trip?”
“No,” Forrest says, adjusting his protective vest, “the ‘touch her and die’ skit is the overprotective hero who loses his mind if anyone threatens his woman.”
