Page 29 of The Second Kiss
“Jacob? Matt’s friend from Fort Lewis.” Kendra, my brother Matt’s girlfriend, comes to the window. She's home from college for a few days. “He is nice.” She turns to me. “Is there something going on I need to know about?”
“No,” I say, but my face blazes, giving me away. “Just…” I hesitate. I'm not sure what to say to her. Kendra is older than I am, but she was my friend before she was Matt’s girlfriend. We taught swimming lessons together a couple of summers ago. She and Matt got together the last time we had a co-ed paintball game.
“Enough said.” She laughs. “Who knows, paintball worked out for me. Intense situations bring out intense feelings. Today might be Jacob’s lucky day.”
I’m dying, my face flaming as my friends grin at me. “There isn’t… I don’t…”
Kendra puts her arm around me and gives my shoulder a squeeze. “Don’t worry, I won’t say anything to Matt.”
A heavy rap sounds at the door. “Girls, are you ready yet?” Matt calls.
“Just about,” Kendra answers.
“What are we waiting for, ladies? I'm all about intense situations and intense feelings.” Jasmine slides her camouflage hat down to her eyebrows and flashes a sultry look. “Let’s go meet our brothers in arms.”
The guys are putting the guns together and loading them with paintballs when we get to the yard. Jacob stops to introduce his friends. The soldiers he brought with him are Bryan, the one I met after the self-defense class, Carl, and Mark. Carl is huge, with dark hair, a quick smile and a booming laugh. I like him immediately. Mark is tall, with reddish hair, lanky, and quiet.
Matt is all business. “These are the rules. Jake and I are team captains. Bryan’s with Jake.” He wraps his arm around Kendra’s waist and shoots a warning look to the other guys. “Kendra iswith me. Each team will have two ladies, three guys, and one kid.” Tyler gives Matt a disgusted look. He and his friend Seth make up the “kid” category.
“You have ten minutes to come up with your combat plan. We’re playing Capture the Flag. Your team has to post the opposing team’s flag at your base, or kill every member of the opposing team to win. Any hit that leaves a mark is a kill. Oh, and no hitting below the belt.” He gives Taryn a meaningful look.
“I said I was sorry,” she replies. Taryn was part of our previous co-ed paintball war. Matt was the victim of her poor aim.
Matt surveys the group. “Any questions?”
Jasmine’s hand shoots up. “What is Capture the Flag?”
Tyler rolls his eyes. “And you didn’t wantmeto play.”
Matt shakes his head at both of them. “We can explain it during our strategy sessions. Don’t worry. You’ll get the gist of it, easy enough.”
Matthew and Jacob divide up the teams. Taryn and I end up on Jacob’s team with Tyler, but the teams aren't even.
"We're short one." I tell Matt.
"The guy I invited had to work last minute, so I found someone to take his place. He just texted that he's here." Matt takes a couple of strides back toward the house, meeting someone at the edge of the trees. "Dude. It's about time."
"Sorry."
But I've heard that word enough times to know he really isn't.
Brad's "Hey Jess" is casual, but I instinctively step back and clench my hands so tightly that my nails are digging into my palms.
"I forgot you two were the same age," Matt says. He wins top honors in the oblivious sibling of the year category. It's not like Brad ever came to my house when we were dating, beyond picking me up for school before Matt got up, but he had to haveheard at least one of my conversations with Mom about him. "Brad, you'll be with Jacob. He's an old family friend."
"We've met." Brad keeps his voice even, but there's a challenge in his eyes when he looks at Jacob. He turns to me with a huge grin. "Does that mean I'm on your team, Jess?"
Jacob is watching my reaction. Jaz and Taryn are too. One word from me and I know my two best friends would rip into Brad, but I can't make a scene in front of Jacob and his friends.
I match Brad's smile. "If you think you can keep up."
Brad nods back. "I'll do my best."
We collect our gear and move to our bases. Jacob stops in front of a wide stump. He pulls a piece of paper out of his pocket and unfolds it. I lean in next to him so I can see that it’s a map of the trees and a detailed strategy.
I laugh. “Have you been working on this all night?”
Brad moves next to me–too close. “Looks like someone's taking this thing a little too seriously.”
