“So what’s the plan with Noah?” I asked Nate. “What do we do?”
“Uh…how about I shoot at you, and he saves you?”
“Sure.”
We both didn’t talk for several seconds.
“Wait,” I said, breaking the silence. “What happens if he doesn’t save me?”
“It’s my brother. Of course he’ll save you. He’s got the whole superhero complex going on.”
“So you’re sure he’ll save me?”
“Yes.” His voice was confident.
“Great.”
We were silent again, both leaning against the wall of the reception in the paintballing centre.
“But what if he doesn’t save you?” Nate suddenly asked.
“Nate!” I yelled, hitting the back of his head, and earning a glare from the receptionist.
“I’m sorry!” he said, his brown eyes watering. “I’m really, completely sure he will save you, okay?”
“Fine. Who else is coming?” Keri had called me up, saying she’d be a tiny bit late. Noah’d already told Nate he wouldn’t get here on time. So it was just me and Nate. Fun times.
“No one,” he said, frowning. “I thought you said you were going to find some people.”
I hit him on his chest, and he winced. “No! When and where did I say that?”
“You know, when we were in the cafeteria. And, uh, when you were next to me. Saying it.”
I glared at him. “I’m pretty sure I said that I would bring Keri, and you would find some other people. I don’t have that many friends on my phonebook I can call up and ask. A perk of being a social outcast is that your phonebook is totally uncluttered.”
“Oh, sorry. I sense there was a communicational break-down.”
“Shut up.”
“Sorry.”
There was a silence for a minute.
“So no one else is coming?” he asked. I rolled my eyes in exasperation. Was Nate really incapable of being silent for one second?
“No,” I said, through gritted teeth.
“Great.”
“I know.” Then I pushed him away, sighing. “Leave, now.”
“Why?” He was so damn inquisitorial.
“I have to get changed,” I snapped, annoyed, pointing at the changing room sign.
He pouted in an almost pleading way. “Sure I can’t watch?”
My smile was almost sympathetic as I slammed my fist into his chin. He buckled backwards, and yelled in pain as I walked into the changing room, my bag over my shoulder, a smirk on my lips.
***
By the time I was out, Keri and Noah were there. We were in the paintballing field thing, full of barrels and stuff to hide behind.
Noah was looking so adorably cute in his little knee and elbow pads, I actually stuttered and blushed when I saw him. And as you might have guessed by now, I’m the type of girl who would rather self-administrate an atomic wedgie that stutter or blush like an idiot. Then, when he smiled at me, I actually thought my heart would stop. I gazed into his green eyes for a couple moments, before managing to pull myself back to reality.
