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“That sounds like you came up with it when you were still in diapers.”
I blink at Olive’s snarky comment. “Always such wonderful words of wisdom pouring out of your mouth.” I sarcastically spit, opening the box as Espie breathes a little laugh that gives me a surge of something good. My brain feels light from it and I want to figure out how to keep doing that, so I can feel the way I do right now, always.
“It’s like chutes and ladders, but with guns and roses.”
“Guns androses?” Olive isn’t impressed, nothing new there, so I ignore her as I set the game up. “Why isn’t the name just called Guns and roses?”
“Wow,” I look up. “For someone who knows so much about movies, I thought you would know the iconic band that all fifteen-year-olds wore plastered on their shirts about ten years back. Even though they probably had no idea what the hell then were even wearing.”
“Hm.” She doesn’t say anything more, and I consider that a win as I lay out the board game and continue to explain it until everyone looks confused.
“It’s elementary, I swear. We just need to play it once through.”
“Is there enough space to play it in here?” Barth asks, looking around the room.
I nod with a thoughtful frown. “Yeah, yeah. It’s perfect.”
“Alright.” He shrugs and I hand Espie a loaded nerf gun. I give one to the rest of the group and then roll the die.
“This isn’t like chutes and ladders at all.” Espie whispers, and I glance at her from the side of my eyes.
“Well, I guess you’ll just have to— TEN SECONDS!” I yell and everyone jumps up, the girls squeal as I count down, cocking my nerf gun in their direction while covering my eyes with my other hand. When I get to one, I set a minute timer, and begin my search for them, which shouldn’t be too hard— wouldn’t be too hard if they’d stop moving every time I turn my head away. I know they’re close by, I just have to focus.
After climbing to the top of the theater, I decide I’m much too tall, and I think it’s giving me away. So, I crouch down, carrying the small nerf gun in my mouth as I crawl through the aisle. At the fourth row from the top, I spot Espie– curled up beside the seats, turned away from me, gun pointed in the opposite direction. I crawl to her quickly and quietly, and she turns around, panic filling her eyes as she cocks her gun, but it’s too late, I already have my nerf gun pulled out, and I shoot her just before the timer goes out.
Her mouth drops in shock, and she shoots me for good measure.
“Doesn’t count.” I whisper, leaning up, and her smile drops slightly as she looks at my lips.
“Is that a technicality, or because you’re a sore loser.”
“Baby, I’m a sore winner too.” I lean in even closer. “Ha. Ha. I won and you lost.” I jest with a grin, and she fights one back, but I reach out and trace it with my finger, causing those tingles to react under my skin like a bottle of champagne. That sensation is constant, spreading the longer I touch her. She reaches up for my hand, seemingly about to say something, when someone shoots a nerf dart at the back of my head.
I whip around, holding the back of my head. Barth and Olive are standing at the end of the aisle, nerf guns pointed at us, smug looks on their faces that tell me they don’t know just how close Espie and I were to… hell, I don’t know what. I could have fucked her right here if she let me, ended our little agreement without her even noticing and satisfying my mouth-watering craving for her.
It’s a little fucked, even for me, but that’s never stopped me before.
“Alright, alright.” I raise my arms. “The alarm went off. Espie’s rolling this round. If she gets shot first, she’ll be out. If she shoots one of you, you’re in the gunman role. Make sense?”
“Yes. It made sense the last five times you told us the rules.” Olive grumbles, stomping down the steps like I ruined her fun. Barth glances between us once before following her and I turn to carry on where we left off, but Espie is already on her feet, walking down the other staircase on the far side of the theater.
For the rest of the night, we play my game. It’s very nostalgic— which usually isn’t a good thing, but this game is all good memories. It was always an escape from reality or adults telling my brothers and I what to do. We used to play it with all the lights out, all throughout the castle. Usually we had to limit it to a couple floors or else it was just way too hard to find people. But it was a good game, something I remember fondly.
My stomach hurts by the time everyone is in bed with a movie I forget the name of playing on the screen. I laughed so much I think I somehow gained another row of abs. I can still hear Espie’s laughter as her and Olive whisper to each other.
She’s the bed across from me, her head only a few feet from mine. As much as we did today, and how early it started, I’m not really that tired. In fact, I feel more awake than I normally do. And I wonder why.
“Hey, Adrik.” Espie over at me and Olive watches, waiting for something.
“Yes, Esperanza?” I smirk and she rolls her eyes.
“You haven’t smoked all day.” I cock my head at remembering this thought, brows tense with concentration as I try to recall when I last smoked, or even when I last wanted to.
“Oh shit.”
“Why’s that?” Olive asks, like I should know the reason.
“I don’t know. But, I bet you’re gonna tell me.”
