Page 129 of Losers, Part I
“Oooh, she’s coming for you, Lucas,” Vincent said, and Jason snickered. I glared down at the tiny woman in front of me, her gun strapped over her shoulder, her hip cocked.
“You’ll becomingfor me,” I said, and her eyes flashed. “Just not in the way you think.”
“All right, all right, let’s go!” Manson clapped his hands sharply to get us all focused. Jess and I gave each other one last biting glare before we walked across the old parking lot toward the building, and Manson explained our rules to her as we went. “If you get shot, you’re out. Text the group and wait back at the Bronco. The building’s layout is pretty simple. It’s a square with one long hall down the middle and two halls straight across, on both floors. Structural integrity is pretty good, but watch your step. Oh, and keep an eye out for squatters.”
Visibility was getting low, with barely enough daylight remaining that we wouldn’t need flashlights as long as we were near the windows. Vincent showed Jess how to turn on her flashlight just in case, which we all had attached to our scopes.
We were able to get in through the front door, squeezing into the dark hallway beyond. Rows of lockers and classrooms stretched ahead of us, leaves, dirt, and debris scattered across the floor and piled in the corners.
“All right, set your timers,” Manson said, pulling out his phone and the rest of us followed. “Five minutes to spread out and find yourself a good position to defend…or start hunting.” He grinned, only his teeth catching the light. “You didn’t refill your ammo, Lucas, do you want us to wait?”
“Nope.” I trudged on ahead, brushing Jess’s shoulder as I did. “Unlike you fucks, I can actually aim.”
Jess exhaled with a sharp sound behind me, her tone sarcastic as she said, “I bet you only need one paintball for each of us,right? You’re just that good?”
I kept walking. That little brat was going to regret trying to taunt me.
Who the hell did she think she was? After years of looking down her nose at us from the other side, Miss Martin suddenly wanted to play delinquent. She wanted to run around with us like she’d never laughed in our faces, like she’d been here all along.
Damn it, and I’d brought this on myself. I was the one who’d insisted she come along today, and for what? Because I’d hoped to see her chicken out. I’d wanted to see her bail on us because it would prove me right. But she hadn’t. She fucking hadn’t, in fact — she’d been brilliant. She’d smiled and laughed at Alex getting what he deserved, and she’d come along without even hesitating.
I took the stairs two at a time, boots crunching on old broken glass. Graffiti covered the walls in the stairwell, light pouring in the broken windows in narrow shafts. Maybe the others were quick to forget who Jess really was, but not me.
Fat fucking chance I’d forget. I had too many scars for that.
I didn’t understand the point of forgiveness. Where the hell did it get you? Right back where you started: naïve and vulnerable to the same shit happening again. This deal with Jess was supposed to be a game, but the others were getting far too cozy. Sleeping at her house, driving her around, working out with her?
No. Hell no. This is how we’d get fucked over, this was how Manson was going to end up with his heart broken all over again. This was how I…
Shit. This was how I was going to get myself in trouble. Getting these stupidsoftfeelings for her. Feelingproudof her. Feeling like I wanted to kiss her every damn time I saw her, or make her laugh, or see her smile.
God fucking damn it.
I slipped into a classroom and checked my timer. A little undera minute remained. I stood near the window and peered out at the courtyard below, spotting Vincent as he crept past a few rusted lunch tables. I lifted my gun, locking my aim on him. It was definitely shady of me to take aim before our time was up, but whatever. He shouldn’t have been out in the open.
My phone vibrated in my pocket as the timer ended, and my finger tightened on the trigger.
A sound from the hallway made me freeze, like the clatter of an aluminum can being kicked. I immediately shifted my aim to the doorway, crouching low behind a desk. I slowed my breathing and listened, my twitchy finger ready to fire. Come on…push open the door…
There was a creek, a soft step…then nothing. From down in the courtyard, I heard someone fire once, twice, then three times. But there was no cry of dismay to tell me anyone had been taken out, and I rolled my eyes as I slowly stood up.
I’d meant what I said about having better aim than all of them.
I nudged the door open wide as I crept back into the hall, sweeping my gaze from one end to the other. It could have only been a critter scrambling around, but I stayed low, peering carefully into the next classroom. Nothing, but I did catch a brief whiff of a familiar scent: strawberry and vanilla. That one little sniff made me salivate, and I continued on, my steps quickening.
Where the hell was she?
The better part of my brain told me I was acting like a child. Taking Jess out in this game wouldn’t prove shit, it wouldn’t stop what was happening. It wouldn’t stop the way the others looked at her, and it wouldn’t change the way I felt. Manson would say I needed an outlet, a way to release my frustration. Well, that was exactly what I was doing.
Venting some fucking frustration.
But Jess was cleverer than I’d thought. As I passed a row of lockers, I paused again, faced with an upcoming stairway oneither side. My eyes narrowed as I lowered my weapon. It was so eerily quiet I could have heard a needle drop.
Suddenly, with a popping spray of paintballs, Jess burst out of one of the lockers. They peppered my chest, hot pink paint splattering over my shoulder and across my right arm. I tensed so hard I almost lost my footing, stumbling back as I stared at her in disbelief.
“Woooo! Yes!” Jess bounced on her toes, pumping her hands as I stared with wide eyes. Her grin was huge as she continued her victory dance. “Ha! I told you I’d get you!”
My hands tightened on the gun. No way…no fucking way did she actually…