Chapter 17
Cassandra
I awoke suddenly by a pile of scruffy clothes landing on top of me. "Wakey wakey, rise and shine! Get up, Cass. We're going paint balling! We need some stress relief from all this wedding planning. Lets go and have some fun." My eyes were still dazed from just waking up "Five more minutes..." I tried to drift off back to sleep but the cover was torn away from me and I felt the disappointing cold air cover me from head to toe. I kicked my legs and had a mini tantrum "Baby! It's so cold." Aaron giggled "Go and have a shower while I pack us a lunch and spare clothes, it's a forty-five minute drive so you can snooze in the car."
I dragged myself out of bed and stumbled into the bathroom. My eyes still hadn't adjusted to the sudden awakening. I tied my hair back and stepped into the shower. I wish Aaron was in here with me, we get up to so much trouble. Ah well, we'll definitely have some fun later. Although if he shoots me with a paint ball gun I wont go easy on him tonight. He'll be sore tomorrow morning!
I finished my shower and stood out into the freezing cold air. I went into the bedroom and put on the scruffiest clothes I could find. As I made my way downstairs, I caught a glimpse of Aaron in the kitchen finishing up our lunches. "Morning babe, what made you come up with this idea?" Aaron turned around and smiled "I wanted to cover you in a different kind of fluid today." My eyes widened "Aaron! It’s too early for you to be sassing me like this." Aaron burst out laughing "I knew that would wind you up! But yeah, we could use the stress relief. When we get there, if you shoot me you won't hear the end of it."
A devilish smile came across my face "Oh no babe, I would do no such thing! We're a team after all." He pulled his face and threw a breakfast bar at me "Yeah yeah, eat your breakfast and lets get a move on."
We threw all of our things in the back of the car and scrambled in. Aaron got in the drivers side "Have a nap if you want babe." Without hesitation I closed my eyes and before I knew it we were there. "Boo!" I shook awake and pulled a grumpy face at him. That adorable smile is impossible to stay mad at though.
We made our way into the main area and got kitted out in: coveralls, a face mask, armored gloves, and a paint ball gun. The referee took us to the first course and gave us a brief introduction "Hello everyone! First things first, you here a long drawn out whistle you stop immediately. Three sharp whistles indicates the game has started and three sharp whistles indicates the game has stopped. Firing when the game isn't in play will result in a one game ban. When you are tagged by paint ball it has to pop and leave paint. If it bounces off you, you're safe. Play fair guys and have fun. Is everyone ready?"
The crowd erupted "YEAH!"
"Okay, we'll split you off into teams and then we'll mix them up again half way through." He counted us out, Aaron and I ended up on the same team. I think we're both secretly hoping that changes later today. "Team one down that end, team two down that end. The first course we're on is a team death match, all you have to do is eliminate the other team." We all made our way down to the respective ends of the course "Thumbs up if you're ready!" Everyone raise their hands into the air, shortly after that there was three sharp whistles.
Aaron grabbed me by the hand and we ran forward to the first line of barricades. This is so exciting! "Babe, shoot them!" I looked at Aaron "Who? I can't see anyone!" Paint balls immediately started hitting the barricade we were hiding behind. "Cass, I'm gonna run over there to that barrier, you see it? When I'm running I want you to peek out and shoot at them. Ready? Three, two, one. Go!" Aaron bolted out and made a run for it. I peaked my gun out and started firing at whatever was moving. This is so exhilarating!
Aaron made it and waved at me to run over to him. He made a hand signal and counted down with his fingers. When he closed his fist I made a break for it! I could hear the paint balls whizzing past me and bouncing off the barricades near me. I made it! I screamed and couldn't stand still "Baby we did it!" Aaron laughed and scouted out the area ahead of us "We still need to shoot them! Can you see anyone?" I peaked out to see if anyone was hiding. I could see faint movements behind the barricades ahead of us, we must have been on the front line.
One by one our team was tagged until it was just me and Aaron left behind one barricade. I looked over at Aaron "We're the last two left! I can see the enemies moving around to the side to get us." Aaron looked over at me "It's the same on my side, what do we do?" I turned to face Aaron dramatically. I put on my best war voice "Lets go out fighting, partner. On the count of three, we run out guns blazing. Take as many down as you can!" Aaron burst out laughing "I love it, you ready?" I giggled back at Aaron "Baby, I was born ready. Three, two, one. Go!
I ran out of the left side and Aaron ran out of the right side. We both put out our best war face on and started firing at everything that moved. Aaron immediately got tagged in his right leg and fell to the ground. I turned around a looked at him. He dramatically put his hand out and acted like he was dying "Go on without me!" I took his hand "I will avenge you!" I turned around and started running at the barricades firing. "You'll never take me alive!" One of my random shots actually tagged someone in the arm, he shouted "Out!" and put his arms in the air.
I jumped in the air on the spot "Oh my god I got some one!" I turned around excitedly to face Aaron "Did you see?" As the words left my mouth I was pelted from behind by what felt like hundreds of paint balls. I let out a loud scream "I'm out! I'm out!" Aaron couldn't contain his laughter, he was rolling around on the floor. I ran over to him and started hitting him softly "It's not funny!" Three sharp whistles filled the air signaling the end of the game.
The referee gathered us up "Team two excellent start, team one that was shocking! Can we get a round of applause for the battle blonde over there." He pointed over at me and I sunk my face into Aaron's chest. My face turned bright red. I was loving this. "Next time when you hit someone don't jump about in the middle of a field where everyone can shoot you!" We all burst out laughing, I shouted out at the other team "Next time I'm taking two of you with me!" The teams were both starting to get into it and we all playfully teased the opposing team.
The referee interrupted us "Alright alright, break it up. Save it for the match! Go and have your lunch and we'll get started with the second half."
Aaron and I walked over to the car and grabbed our lunch. We sat on the grass to save the car from all the paint and mud. Aaron took a bite out of his sandwich "I think this is a well deserved break after our war efforts." I ripped a chunk out of my apple “It’s a lot more fun than I expected. I’m getting well into it. I’m gonna ask the ref to make sure we’re on opposite teams so I can shoot you in the butt.” Aaron smirked “Bring it on, girl!”
We finished our lunch and kitted ourselves out again. I did some stretches to warm myself up for the upcoming war. The referee made his way over “Okay guys, we’re going to switch the teams up.” I positioned myself away from Aaron to make sure I didn’t get caught in his team. The referee gestured over to us “We’ll do this half against this half.” Yes! I am going to stalk Aaron down and make him my bitch!
The referee got the ball rolling “Alright, lets make our way to the second course. A bit different this time, guys. We’re going to be playing capture the flag. Each team gets a flag, the opposing team has to steal the other teams flag and bring it back to their flag. Any questions?” Every one stayed silent and the air started to get tense. It was game time!
The course had a barricaded base for each team and in the center was a neutral wooden fort that any body could own. Obviously the team that owned it had the advantage. I didn’t care about winning, I just wanted to make sure I got Aaron. I know how he thinks, he’s going to go straight for our flag. That’s when I’ll strike!
Three whistles sounded the start of the game, most of my team shot off to the sides and a few aimed for the wooden fortress in the middle. There was only me and two guys who stayed to defend the flag. We could hear people shouting in the distance and we could hear people firing. It was only a matter of time before a few began to trickle into our base.
Suddenly, a guy came sprinting out of the bushes from the side. He was heading straight for our flag. The two guys I was defending with sprayed him into oblivion. A few seconds later my teammates were pelted from behind. The other guy must have been a distraction.
Before I could even process what was happening, I started to hear screaming coming from the other side of the course. It was hard to tell, but it sounded like “We’ve got the flag!” over and over again. All I have to do is hold these guys off and we’ll win!
I didn’t fire at the lone runner, so I should be safe wedged under this bush. Moments later I saw someone scrambling their way to the flag. It wasn’t Aaron, I could tell by the way he was moving. Without hesitation I lit him up, covering him in paint. He stood up and put his hands in the air. I got another one! Two tags I can’t believe it. A few seconds passed and then it happened.
“I knew you’d be hiding in here!” I froze on the spot. That voice was way too familiar. Aaron slapped me on the butt “Found you!” I waited for the inevitable paint shot but he didn’t fire. I could hear him giggling under his mask “Give me a five second head start and try not to shoot me in the butt!” Before I could take in what he just said, he bolted out of the bushes intercepting our flag carrier. Aaron put two paint balls into the flag carriers chest and the flag fell to the ground. This was it, this was my moment of glory. Aaron ran straight to our flag and I jumped out of the bushes to get the enemy teams flag. As I picked it up I fired two shots at Aaron. One missed him by miles and the other tagged him perfectly on his right butt cheek. He fell to the ground and pretended to scream in pain “My ass! The agony! You shot me!”
Paint balls started to fly at me from behind a tree, I ran and dived behind a tipped over barrel. I could hear the paint balls smashing into the metal barrel, making a loud echo right in my ear. I could still hear fighting going on over at the wooden fortress, so I knew others could be around. It was a risk I was willing to take. I stood up and ran as fast as I could to a tree for better cover. I was spraying at the guy behind the tree and one of my shots managed to tag him on the shoulder.
I did it! All I have to do is take the flag to our flag and we win. I set off as fast as I could, Aaron was crawling about next to the flag screaming in ‘pain’. When I reached the flag, I started to walk dramatically. I looked over at Aaron who proceeded to move onto his knees, he screamed out “Please, have mercy!” I could hardly contain my laughter, it was so funny the way he said it. Without hesitation I looked him in the eyes “See you in hell, Aaron Maxfield!” Immediately after I fired a finishing shot into his chest and he flopped lifelessly to the ground. Then I ran over to our flag and wrapped the enemy teams flag around it.
The three whistles sounded and the game ended. We did it! Our team won! The referee comes running over “Team one are the victors. Battle blondie and her chap put on a hell of a show and fought till the end. It was full of drama! I hope you all had fun guys, take of your gear and hand it in where you found it. See you next time!”
Aaron takes his mask off and I do the same “What do you think you’re doing? You shot me in cold blood! Murderer!” I jumped into his arms and we both burst out laughing “I think I got a little too into character!” He put me down and we made our way to the car. “That was so fun, we have to do that again.” Aaron smirked “I knew you would love it. We needed a break from all the wedding stuff.” We stuffed ourselves into the car and headed home. What a bizarre day!