Nicole’s voice had me whipping my head back around. She’d gotten the drop on me. I had my laser in both hands, finger on the trigger, but hers was already aimed straight at me.
“Careful, Nicole. You’re starting to look comfortable with a weapon in your hand. Today a laser, tomorrow an AK-47.”
The laser bounced in her hand, but she righted it.
“You’re doing it again,” she accused.
“Doing what?” I asked innocently, although I knew exactly what she was talking about.
“Trying to get in my head and mess with me. Stop it.”
My lips curled. “Now, why would I do something like that?”
The end of the laser moved slightly to the left. “I don’t knowwhyyou mess with me.”
Because it’s fun.“No, I mean why would I stop?” I smiled wide, knowing the black light on my teeth was a beacon. Then again, I already had a bead drawn on me.
“Because I could shoot you.” She readjusted her grip.
“I’m not sure you have it in you to pull that trigger,” I taunted. If I pushed her far enough, she’d let go and squeeze. Whatever fear or restriction held her back would be overcome, and maybe she’d see that laser tag and other such fun things weren’t gateways to self-armament or whatever crazed path she thought they led to.
She moved her hands on the laser, and for the first time I noticed the awkward and unnatural way she held it. Like she’d never even had a toy gun in her hands before.
“Let me guess. Your mom didn’t let you play with toy weapons? No NERF guns or Super Soakers growing up?”
A bead of sweat rolled down her temple. “How’d you know?”
The tight knot that was the Applegate ladies wouldn’t be unwound in one game of laser tag or even a whole day at a family fun center, no matter how many rounds of putt-putt golf, how many laps around the go-kart track, or how many balls hit in the batting cages.
But the unyielding tangle of loopscouldloosen.
I lifted my laser gun and aimed it at Nicole. “Time’s up, sweetheart. You have three seconds to shoot me, or I’m going to pull this here trigger.”
Her eyes widened, and she sucked in a breath.
“One…two…”
Come on, Nicole. You can do it.
“Three.” I waited half a second longer.
Nicole’s eyes squeezed shut, and the lights on my vest flashed.
There wasn’t a bang because these weren’t real guns, but I felt something hard slam into my chest anyway. But instead of being painful, the opposite was true. The moment had knocked my breath away and left me with a feeling of lightness. I hoped Nicole felt it too.
Her eyes opened, and a breathy laugh slipped past her lips.
“How do you feel?” I asked, then winced at the eagerness I heard in my tone.
“I feel…I feel…” Her smile glowed. Literally. “I feel empowered. And like I want to shoot something else.”
I chuckled. “There are some targets over there, G.I. Jane.” I took a couple of steps backward. “Just know that was the only free shot I’m going to let you have. I’m coming for you now, Nicole.”
Maybe in more ways than one.
11
Nicole
