CHAPTER SIXTEEN

 

After another long and successful party yesterday, I’m dying to take the day off. I’m used to my schedule being clear the day after an event to relax, but that’s not the case with the Donovans since their schedule is pretty much back to back.

Today I have to go paintballing. The one and only time I’ve gone, I ended up with bruises the size of a tennis ball all over my body.

Alison comes barging into my room wearing cargo shorts and a green tank top. I want to roll my eyes when I see her green-painted nails and bright green eyeshadow but I don’t. I should’ve known she’d find something to match the occasion—she always does.

Her hair is in two French braids… well, what hair she could fit into a plait. In fact, I think all of us are wearing them in two French braids. But on Alison, it makes her look like a naughty school girl.

“Come on, come on. Put this on. Look at the back!” She turns around, showing me the back of the tank top I had printed for everyone.

The girls have ‘Clit, Clit, Splat’ written in pink camo and the boys have ‘Balls of Steel’ written in blue camo.

As cute as our outfits are, it doesn’t make me feel any better about getting hit with huge paintballs. I don’t think Alison knows what she’s gotten herself into either.

I grab the tank top and pull it over my head. “I’m so glad we don’t have any parties to attend for another week.”

“Why?” she asks. Her eyes scrunch up, the excitement leaving her expression.

“Because, we’re―”

“Hey, the bus is here,” Drake says, also barging into my room.

I roll my eyes, giving him a dry look. “Come on in.”

He ignores me, a slow smirk spreading across his perfectly plumped lips. “Well look at you. Damn!”

Alison grins. “She looks hot, right?”

His eyes heat as he takes in my bare legs. Yes, Alison also bought me a pair of cargo shorts, only mine seem to be a little shorter than hers. I think she did that on purpose. “Oh she looks hot, all right.”

“The bus is here,” I yell, deflecting their compliments. But the look Drake is giving me has my body heating in places that just aren’t appropriate right now.

As we make our way downstairs, I feel his eyes on me. It’s the same look he gave me last night when he saw me wearing only a bikini and a sarong, his smouldering gaze burning into me. I was so lost in the intensity I nearly went head first into the pool. Luckily Aaron was standing directly in front of me, ogling some female wearing a barely there bikini, and saved my fall.

He didn’t go out of his way to save me, of course. He was just there, and it gave me a pause to steady myself. The same can’t be said for Aaron, who ended up in the water.

In all fairness, he did need cooling down based on the drool on his chin.

When we make our way outside, everyone is surrounding Aaron’s car. I start giggling to myself before we even see our artwork.

Last night, after everyone had left and the Donovans had long gone to bed, Drake and I carried out our prank.

Which included a lot of Post-it notes.

“Who did this?” Aaron shouts, glaring at each of us accusingly.

A look is shared between everyone before their eyes come to Drake and me. Alison steps aside so she’s standing with the group, making sure to give us the same sceptical eye.

Little traitor.

“What?” I gulp, hoping my face isn’t as red as it feels with everyone’s eyes on me.

Aaron turns our way and glares. “You? Again?”

“What?”

Then he steps through the crowd and a burst of laughter falls past my lips when all the bright-coloured Post-it notes come into view. But what has my laughter bubbling free is the new addition. The front windshield and front bonnet have been completely redone. Covering the front is a giant willy made of pink Post-its with yellow ones surrounding it, helping the giant penis stand out.

Who the hell did that?

I want to slap myself for even asking the question. I know exactly who did it, and wisely, she isn’t here to wave us off.

“You did this! I know you did. You’re the only one who hates me.” Someone scoffs, then covers it up with a cough. “If this is to get my attention, you’ve got it. I’ve already told you I want you back.”

It’s my turn to scoff.

“Aaron, you really are big-headed. I don’t want you back now or ever. And I didn’t do that to your car,” I tell him, pointing to the giant penis. That way I can’t be caught in a lie, because I really didn’t do it. Although I wish I did. It’s pretty genius.

“I know you want me, Pagan. This just proves it.”

How did he get that from his car being vandalised?

“No, Aaron, I really don’t,” I snap, then turn to the group. “Does everyone have everything?” They all nod. “Okay, let’s get into the minibus.”

 

*** *** ***

 

What I thought would be a couple haystacks and a few wooden blocks turned out to be a huge forest sectioned off into war zones. And I’m saying that lightly since the group that just exited look like they’ve been in Iraq for the past year. This is nothing like the one I went to.

“I’m not sure about this,” I mutter under my breath to Alison.

She grins, her excitement overshadowing my alarm. “Did you bring the box of supplies?”

Scowling, I grumble a “yes” under my breath and walk over to the waiting group. “Guys, listen up,” I shout, gaining their attention. “Pam and Adam have bought you a surprise. Inside the changing rooms there is a box. They’ve had some bibs custom-made. The rest of the clothing should be hung up waiting. The girls’ changing rooms are to the left, and boys are to the right. We meet back out here as soon as we’re ready, and the instructor will go through rules and safely regulations. Does anyone have any questions?”

“Want to help me into my suit?” Bradley, Drake and Jesse’s friend from growing up, flirts.

“I wasn’t aware someone needed assistance in changing clothes.” I try to remain as polite and professional as possible, but the way Aaron is eyeing him, like he has some claim over me, riles me up. “I can get Butch, the bloke from reception, to assist you.”

I turn in that direction when he clears his throat, the guys laughing at his expense. “That won’t be necessary. I’ll manage.”

“Good to hear.”

Drake winks before heading in towards the boys’ changing rooms. I can’t wait to see how the bibs turned out. Usually we’d get one from here, but Pam and Adam wanted to surprise them with their own.

Pam and Adam weren’t keen on the names of the teams, but they ordered them anyway. They thought it was a shame our outfits weren’t going to be seen.

Bless Alison, she got all excited, telling them she was going to wear her T-shirt and bib when she got home too.

The look of horror on their faces was priceless.

Once we’re all dressed and ready, the heat outside has reached its peak. I’m sweating, but nothing could make me take this uniform off. I’ve seen the bruises you can get with them, so I dread to think what it would be like without adequate clothing.

The instructor goes through the rules, safety procedures, and which areas to stay in. With nine huge sections, other teams are out on the field. There’s also a ‘dead zone’ near the edge of the forest where you go when you’re eliminated.

“The girls’ base starts here. Boys, you’ll come with me and we’ll take you over to the boys’ base. The flag is hanging in a tree house in the centre of your marked field. As soon as that flag is down and taken back to base, the game is over and that team has won,” Garry says.

Everyone nods their understanding and the boys follow the other team leader, Imad, to their post.

“I’m so going to kill Jesse. I want him out first,” Amelia giggles.

She’s so much fun to be around and has a dirty mind like the rest of us. She’s also one of the sweetest people I know. 

“I’m hoping I’m hit first. I can see Jon and Toby ganging up on me,” Hallie tells us.

I’m with her on that. I have a feeling more than one person on the boys’ team is out to gun me down.

Literally.

“They just want in your pants,” Gabriella giggles, but I can see the hurt in her tone and wonder if she has a crush on either Jon or Toby.

My money’s on Toby. He’s always staring at her when she isn’t looking, and I’ve noticed them whispering to each other a time or two.

A horn whistles, letting us know the game has started, and we pile into the forest in pairs at full speed, making sure to keep low.

After a few minutes, I’m hitting the floor and looking around for my fellow teammates. Alison has disappeared and I can’t see anyone else. Footsteps rustle close by, which has me lifting my head from the pile of rusty leaves I’m lying on. I’m about to get hit in the face when, out of nowhere, a person wearing a pink army suit with ‘Ball Buster’ written on the back comes rolling out from the small hill nearby. They shoot whoever was about to hit me, aiming at their nuts. I cringe as one of the lads falls down to the floor in pain.

“You saved me,” I whisper, staring up at them in awe.

They lift their protective mask and I gasp.

Oh my Lord.

Save my soul.

“Ada? What on earth?”

“We don’t have time. Troops are closing in on us. We need to move,” she tells me sharply. I get a glimpse of the army paint smeared across her face before she pulls the mask back down.

I rush to my feet, not arguing with her. The woman just saved me from having a bruise the size of an orange on my face. I’m safer with her.

I think.

I’ve officially gone crazy.

If you had asked me a week ago if I felt safe with Ada, I would’ve looked on in horror and told you ‘no’ vehemently. Yet here I am, my life in her hands.

She rolls down an embankment, landing in a crouch with one knee to the floor, gesturing for me to follow.

I think about it for a second. Why the hell not? If she can do it….

My vision of flowing gracefully, like Ada, down the small bank is short-lived. Instead I land hard on a rock, get twigs and God knows what else stuck in my hair, and my cargo pants ride up my arse, giving me the most painful wedgie I’ve ever had.

I land with a thud, my head throbbing. My focus is shaky and I take a minute to get my bearings. When I do, Ada is gone.

Scared, I crouch low and find her to my left, army-crawling towards a large fallen tree trunk.

Now what is she doing?

Seconds after the thought comes to mind, her gun is blasting out balls of paint, aiming at someone in the crotch area. This time, the male roar is filled with sheer agony. I’m pretty sure it’s Toby, but it’s muffled behind his mask. He falls backwards, his body still, unmoving. I’m worried she may have killed him.

Then I see quick movement to my right and panic. Standing, I charge up another little embankment and dive into a pile of leaves, all the while shooting aimlessly at whoever was charging my way.

I hear a panicked male scream and roll out of the leaves, aiming anywhere and everywhere.

The screams register and I squeal with glee when I hear it’s Aaron. For good measure, I try to aim for his nuts. I miss and end up running out of paintballs.

When Ada comes army-crawling over to me, she holds her gun up like a professional sniper and shoots him clean in the nuts four times before she moves on. Probably because he collapses, his eyes rolling in the back of his head.

I follow willingly, wishing Drake or Alison was nearby so they could see me right now.

Hell, if only my family could see me right now.

The tree house comes into view and I look around warily. Immediately, my head is shoved back down into the dirt and I groan in pain.

“Shit, my grandson has the flag,” Ada whispers before turning to me. “This is where I leave you and bid you farewell, my child. I can go no further in this war. You have to go by yourself.”

Panicked, I grab her arm, not wanting her to leave. “Don’t go. I need you.”

She strokes my mask as if she’s running a hand down my face. I close my eyes, tears pricking my eyes.

“You need to be brave. Here, take my gun and go get that fucker.” She starts crawling away but just as suddenly, she turns and comes back to me. My hope at surviving this is restored. “Don’t go for the nuts. I may not be ready for a great-grandchild just yet, but I do want them eventually.”

My mouth is agape as I watch her leave.

Great-grandchildren? Is that all she can think about when I’ve been shoved to a certain death? Bitter and angry, I turn to the scene in front of me with a new determination.

A battle roar erupts from my chest as I charge full speed towards Drake. He slowly turns from where he was hiding behind the tree, his eyes widening behind the mask. In slow motion, I watch as his finger presses down on the trigger.

I’m certain I’m about to be splatted, but when his gun makes no sound, I grin evilly behind my mask and shoot, my finger pressing down again and again until I’ve run out of paintballs.

He grunts as he falls to his knees, and as quickly as I can, I snatch the flag out his hand.

“Why?” he croaks, looking wounded.

“I’m the ‘Clit, Clit, Splat’ machine,” I tell him, then turn back to the girls’ base.

I run until I’m out of breath. When I reach the clearing where a little hutch is, I scream in triumph.

Everyone but Drake is in the ‘Dead Zone’. All the men but Jesse―who’s sitting on the bench with the rest of the girls―are curled up on the floor, blue ice packs pressed against their groins.

I grin, waving the flag above my head. “We won.”

The girls jump up, their excited screams echoing around the forest. The men groan but I ignore them as my best friend walks up to me. She searches my face, grinning ear to ear.

“Please tell me Ball Buster wasn’t Ada,” she whispers, then glances around to make sure no one heard her.

“I’ll never tell.” I wink, making her laugh, and we walk over the group. Each girl jumps on me, congratulating me.

“You rock,” Amelia says. “Jesse has to be my slave for a week now.”

“I would’ve been you’re slave anyway.” He winks.

That’s too cute.

“What I don’t get is why everyone but you didn’t get hit in the nuts.” Harmony grins, then eyes something behind me. “Or your brother.”

“Yeah, funny that,” Aaron whines, groaning in pain.

I laugh and shrug.

“I can’t believe you got me,” Drake rumbles from behind me and I turn, a spring to my step as I eye him.

I’m so high on adrenaline. I could totally do this again.

With Ada of course.

“Ah, is someone sore they lost to a girl?”

He narrows his eyes, then pulls me against him. Everyone’s gone on to talk about the men’s nuts to mind us any. “I’m pretty sure I saw a fucking ninja out in those woods. Jon was the first to go down. One minute he was on lookout, and the next, he was on the floor screaming in agony. I saw someone climb a fucking tree and swing over to the next, getting away.”

I laugh, wondering where the hell Ada learnt this shit from. And how she has the energy.

“No way.” I avert my gaze a little so he can’t see I’m hiding something. All I need is for them to disqualify us for having an extra member.

“And Bradley, I’m pretty fucking sure I shed a tear when the poor fucker got hit.”

I laugh harder, shaking my head. “You’re so dramatic.”

“No I’m not. Toby got so scared he played dead.” He shudders, looking over the men cowering in pain with pity.

We pull apart and a first aider walks over, heading to Aaron. “We need you to sign the incident book before you leave, sir.”

Aaron glares at the young man but takes the book from his hand.

“What happened?” I ask, trying to hide my smirk.

Alison answers, not bothering to hide hers. “Seems the hit to the nuts was pretty hard. He passed out and Steve, the first aider, had to go get him. When we heard his scream cut off, the instructors got a little worried, especially with so many casualties stumbling out of the woods.”

“This is the best day ever.” I grin, barely holding my scream of joy inside.

“Jesse, I love you like a brother, but I’m gonna give tonight a miss. I need to ice my balls,” Bradley says, groaning as he gets up.

Jesse helps Jon lift Aaron to his feet, letting him rest on their shoulders. “I think tonight we should just go home, order takeout, and crash and watch a movie.”

“I think I need to go to the hospital. I swear my balls are swelling,” Aaron hisses, limping.

“At least now they’ll resemble real balls,” Gabriella sings, giggling at the daggers Aaron sends her way.

“What do you say? Want to watch a movie with me, leave this lot to fend for themselves?” Drake whispers, and a shiver runs up my spine.

My gaze shifts his way and as seductively as I can muster—what with sweat and dirt caked on my face and in my hair—I lean up and whisper. “Are you trying to get me alone, Drake Donovan?”

“Please don’t call me that,” he groans, adjusting his pants. “But if you must know, yes.”

I wink, then lean up and run my lips across his ear, biting the lobe before pulling back. “Then yes, I’d love to watch a film with you.”