I stood outside the dorm building leaning against my bike. Olivia was running late as usual and I was getting funny looks from the students on her campus. I tapped my hands against the body of my Royal Enfield to the tune playing in my head and I waited.
"We haven't seen you around campus, are you new?" I turned to face a group of girls and my heart sank. It's always the same, they push their breasts out, twirl their hair and speak with a sickeningly sweet voice that I can't stand.
"No." I told them with maximum disinterest.
"I like your bike, do you want to take me for a ride?" The main girl asked with flirty eyes.
"No." I muttered again, looking back towards the dorm doors and secretly praying Liv was there.
"Go away vultures." The girls gave Lola a filthy look but soon retreated back to wherever they came from. I narrowed my eyes at Lola.
"I want my hoodie back." I told her. Her lips twitched into the slightest smile but for the most part she kept her face completely straight.
"I don't know what you're talking about Liam. I don't have your hoodie." She blinked at me innocently.
"You fucking do. My dorm was trashed. Clothes scattered everywhere, possessions taken and some fucker put their smelly ass in my bed. Like a bunch of fucking animals." She burst out laughing, not even the slightest bit sorry.
"I'll see you later Liam" she laughed to herself as she walked off.
"I want my hoodie back!" I called after her but she just saluted me, with one finger.
Finally Olivia started walking towards me and all of my irritability melted away. Her outfit was simple, black leggings with a long line top, sneakers and a denim jacket but somehow she made it look extraordinary.
"I've been waiting for you for half an hour." I told her and she had the audacity to roll her eyes at me. I wanted to grab her and kiss that sarcasm right off her face.
"Sorry" she muttered, not sounding at all sorry.
It didn't take us long before we were hitting up the paint ball range and slipping into white coveralls. They offered us five small hand grenades made from a soft, pop-able plastic. Olivia was staring at one of the grenades with complete intensity as of figuring out how it worked. I smiled to myself at her sweetness, she can study it all she wants she's not going to win.
Her forehead wrinkled up and there was a little pink tongue popping out of her mouth thanks to her extreme concentration. I just looked at this girl, she was beautifully perfect in every way and in that moment of her pure innocence, when she was studying a grenade that she planned to use against me I became overwhelmed with love.
She was everything to me, even if she was plotting my death via paint. I wanted her to live with me, to marry me, to carry my children. She had no idea how captivating she looked right now and I wanted her in every way possible.
"You want to make this interesting?" I raised my eyebrows at her suggestively and she smiled back at me, finally dropping her grenade into her bucket. "If you're more painted than me at the end then I want you to do something for me."
Throwing wasn't on of her natural talents. I had this game so far in the bag it was almost unfair. It was an easy bet.
"And I don't get to know what that is before I commit to this bet?" I shook my head, not able to shake the ever growing grin on my lips.
"Fine. But if I win then I want you to show me your sketch pad."
Shit, that's invasive.
Her response was instant, she didn't even need to think what she wanted me to uphold. I didn't expect her to even remember about it. This sketch pad had obviously been plaguing her mind for a while.
"Wow, okay." I mumbled. I nearly regretted making the bet but then I remembered how bad her aim was. She wouldn't win anyway and even if she did I guess I could show her my drawings. It would be a little embarrassing but not that big of a deal.
"Ten seconds starts now" the game handler called out and a loud beeping filled the course from small speakers.
Never take your eyes off a wild beast, especially when you're the prey.
She ran, trying desperately to get away from me. I lingered back, watching her every move. I saw her small figure retreat inside a barricade so I followed her, making sure to keep out of sight.
She crouched down on the floor, holding one of her grenades. Her eyes remained glued to the window, watching the path for any signs of me.
"What are you waiting for?" I asked from behind. Her whole body jumped and she was far too slow reacting to my presence before I threw one of my grenades at her. Purple powder paint splattered against her leg and her face flipped to anger in an instant. Laughter ruptured from my belly and I moved my legs quick enough to get away from her.
My plan was simple, run away and hide but I didn't like how exposed I felt so I headed back to her, wanting to watch her from afar but in a rapid moment she turned the corner, armed and dangerous.
"I'm sorry." I pleaded. She raised her eyebrows at me and I bit back a smile at her ultra serious face. "I didn't mean to throw it at you, it slipped." Her hand raised higher, taking aim and slowly I backed up, keeping my eyes on her. "Listen... think about this" I tried to bargain "you don't really want to throw that. It was an accident before, I swear! Can't we be friends again?"
Her hand wobbled in the air and she was getting closer to me, knowing full well she wouldn't be able to achieve the shot from further away. I thought about running but she was too close now. Her hand tilted back and I watched the grenade fly through the air, too fast for me to react.
As if in slow motion it the centre of my chest, breaking in half as a green powder exploded everywhere. Marking my clean, white coverall.
"I like to think we are more than friends." She told me smugly. I reached for a grenade but when I peered back up at her she was gone.
"Olivia Charles, your tiny steps can't run from me." I chased her all the way around the maze successfully hitting her back with a yellow bomb. I could hear her laughter from anywhere, she made for an easy target.
I moved myself quietly to a different part of the maze, one where I could keep a safe eye on her from afar. Never taking my eyes off her as she reached through her bucket for the next weapon. She got up and I could see she was intentionally trying to be quiet about it. Her light steps moved around the maze soundlessly but I kept my eyes on the target at all times.
From behind I attacked her, engulfing her completely in blues and pinks. She screamed each time and then attempted to get me back. I laughed at her attempts they were not even close. This bet was mine for sure, she just need to agree.
Please agree.
Once the fog of colourful paint had lifted she was no longer in my sight. My heart started racing and I became paranoid of every little sound. This game is actually extremely accurate to how I felt constantly back at home. Imagine walking through a maze, not knowing your way around, you're the target and anyone could approach you from every unsuspecting area. I was on edged, filled with apprehension.
"Liam" I heard her voice shout from afar. My heart darted in the direction it came but I couldn't see her. I walked closer to where I believe it came from. "Over here" she shouted again and frantically my eyes scanned every visible area of the maze. I had no idea where she was, I just knew she was close and I was ready. "Liam" her voice spoke one more time.
I looked up, hearing the direction perfectly. Behind my Perspex goggles red powder fell from the sky like rain. It fell like slow motion except there wasn't anything I could do about it. I felt it trickle in areas of my face, I felt it land and spread all over my cover all but I could see nothing, except red.
I imagined her face though. I imagined how wide her smile must be right now and how deep the cheek dimples were. I could clearly see in my mind the way her eyes sparkled with her smile. I knew the face she would be wearing behind all of this paint right now was my favorite sight in the whole world and I was missing it.
I rubbed the paint from my goggles and as I blinked in the radiant sight of her she burst out laughing, holding nothing back.
Fuck the paint. I wanted her lips.
My feet found the stairs and I started climbing but Olivia ran down the other side, avoiding me because I was armed. I chased her knowing she wasn't going to kiss me anytime soon I threw my remaining grenade at her but she got me back, winning the game.
"So the sketch pad?" She asked with a enormous smile.
Shit.