We learned the group of teens were part of a high school baseball team taking part in a team-building activity. The two coaches were sitting in the cafe area, sipping coffee. I was surprised they didn’t take part. Being almost thirty, I was feeling giddy like a kid in anticipation of getting out and shooting something.
“All right everyone,” Taylor, the guy running the arena, said. “We’re going to split into equal teams. Sienna, you’ll be with these guys, and Parker, you will be with the other team.
My mouth dropped open. “We’re not on the same team?” I asked Sienna.
“Hell no! I want the chance to beat your ass, Parker.”
I laughed. “Good luck with that.” And I intended to prove her wrong. She was never the type of girl to want the boys to be gentle with her.
During the first match in the smaller field, Sienna had convinced everyone, even my team members, to shoot me. They all had a good laugh at my expense. And I was sure to have a ton of bruises from that attack.
“Just wait,” I called to her, perched high on one of the taller walls. She was laughing the hardest.
The rest of the matches were fair and everyone played hard for their team to win.
The final match was capture-the-flag in the woods. The guys on my team were pretty serious about winning this game in particular, and so was I. Since they knew Sienna and I were celebrating my upcoming wedding, they wanted me to be the one to get the flag.
The goal for this game was only to capture the flag from the other team, without needing to bring it back to our side as other versions of the game dictated. We left two guys guarding our flag, while the rest of them formed a circle around me and we moved forward through the trees.
Along the way, my teammates were being picked off one by one. There were a few close calls, one of the balls even zipped by my ear. There were two of us left by the time we found the flag.
Sienna’s team had left it unguarded. The yellow fabric flapped in the air as if it were daring us to come closer.
The guy I was with, Mike, looked around. “I think they sent everyone to the front line. They—”
A blast of blue paint exploded on his back.
He cried out and glanced over his shoulder. “Damn it!”
I turned in the direction of the shooter and aimed my gun and fired. I picked off the other teen, and he cursed. These kids were like sailors when they were separated from their coaches. Good thing Sienna had an even dirtier mouth, or I might have had to correct them.
Mike clapped me on the shoulder. “Good luck.” Then he held his gun high in the air in the surrender pose and trudged to the safe zone.
I ducked down behind a thick tree trunk and scanned the area. I hadn’t seen Sienna in the mix of guys who had taken out my entire team. I started to suspect she was sitting out there, waiting for me.
I glanced over at the flag; it was so close. I had to take the shot.
I did one more scan of the area then bolted for the flag. Just as I was reaching out for it, I heard movement behind me. My hand dropped to my side.
“Drop your weapon,” Sienna said.
I knew she wouldn’t shoot me from that close range, but she did have me. Now I had to outsmart her.
I dropped my gun to the ground and turned around slowly.
She had various paint splotches over her gear from the previous games and she looked like a war-painted princess.
“You got me,” I said. And as she lowered her weapon ever so slightly, I rushed her.
I grabbed her shoulders and pressed her against me. If I could get her to drop the gun, I’d be able to get the flag.
But her foot caught against a root and she cried out as we both went down.
“Oof!” her breath rushed out of her when I landed on top of her.
Her legs kicked out and her arms were pinned under me.
“You weigh a ton!” she said, laughing.