I need to win this game.
So I stay undefeated, and that’s it. It has nothing to do with the dangling carrot in front of me that is winning this bet.
A bet that makes Monty have to do anything I say for the rest of the day. Anything I tell him to do, he'll have to do. He wants to order a beer later tonight? Oh, I'm sorry but you're gonna have a tequila shot instead. Where is the lime? You don't need one.
Or maybe take it from between my lips.
No, Evie. Bad!
With another ball in hand, I lift my arm up and throw. The red rubber ball sails across the room and nails Harper in her ass.
“Ow! Evie! I thought we had an alliance!” She yells at me in disbelief.
“Sorry babes, I have a bet to win. You were in the way of that,” blowing her a kiss, I set my sights on my next target.
Shiloh becomes bored of the game and asks Harper to bring him to get a snack, which she happily obliges.
Josie, Xavier, Monty and myself are the remaining opponents. Everyone is doing great dodging the balls. We spend the next couple minutes dodging, and bouncing ball attacks on ourselves. Everyone is working hard to get the other out.
Josie yelps as a ball hits her shoulder. Followed by Xavier throwing his hands up in victory. It's short lived as Monty winds up and launches his ball across the way, nailing Xavier right in the stomach.
Laughter bursts out of Monty at the harumph that leaves Xavier's body, and I find myself laughing too. Xavier bounces out of the arena defeated, until Harper pulls his head down and plants a kiss on his lips which he returns greedily.
The arena becomes quiet and Monty and I stand across from each other. I take quick count of the balls around me. Planning my next steps before I take them.
“It's just you and me now Monty boy, do you want to admit your defeat?” I ask, knees bent ready to sprint in any direction.
A sinister grin spreads across Monty's face, his blond curls loose and messy along his forehead giving him that boyish charm that he leans into so often. Butterflies build in my stomach of the anticipation of it all, but especially the way he's looking in my direction.
There isn't just a challenge in his eye, but there’s a hint of desire there too. Enough for me to notice and make me want to squirm.
“Never, but I'll take your forfeit anytime little minx,” he taunts, and in the next second he tosses a ball across the way at me.
I was ready though, and used the ball in my hands to deflect it before returning fire. Monty jumps to the side just missing my shot before we both dive for another ball.
I'm up first, and I shoot before I give it a second thought.
Everything turns into slow motion as I watch Monty grab his ball and look up, right before my ball hits him square in the face.
His head flies back from the impact of the hit before he falls backward landing on his ass.
“Oh shit!” I screech before I race across the area and land on my knees beside him. “Oh Monty. I am so sorry! Fuck. Your nose is bleeding!” Reaching forward and going to touch his face but I freeze just before my fingers connect with his skin.
My head shoots up and I look at Josie who is already on her way with napkins. Thank fuck.
In the next minute Josie joins us, bringing the napkins to his nose and then we help him sit up. The staff has joined us with an ice pack in hand, although I’m not sure what it is we do with that.
Laughter bursts from my lips as I take in everything before me. The ridiculousness of what just transpired, a friendly match of dodgeball that turned so serious.
“Fuck,” I snort, “I'm sorry I shouldn't be laughing.” I choke out. When I make eye contact with everyone else, Xavier has his hand over his mouth, brows furrowed. Josie is tending to Monty’s nose, she has his head tilted back. Her lips are in a thin line, and guilt begins to swim in my gut. My eyes widen and whip to Harper's for support because I fucked up.
Harper's fingers are covering her lips, eyes just as wide. I need to apologize, I didn't mean to make him bleed. Sometimes I just get so fucking competitive. I needed to win.
A grunted noise sounds from behind me and if they could, I swear my eyes would pop out of their sockets. Great, she’s crying. “Oh god, Josie I swear this was an accident. I just got way too into it and–” As my eyes take in Josie, I realize the noise she made wasn’t hiding in a sob, but she’s in fact trying to hold in her own laugh.
Just then the laughing breaks free, throwing her head back at the force of the laughter. Slowly, everyone joins her. Monty’s eyes bounce between all of us, mouth agape.
“I'm bleeding and you're laughing?!” He exclaims, arms thrown open in disbelief. Which just causes Xavier to laugh louder.
