The type of paintball game they would be playing was 'woodsball', which meant they would be competing in a natural environment; woods. The perfect place to disappear.
Sarah and Nathan grinned at each other as they walked over to the starting point. Sarah was over the moon as they were on the same team, which potentially meant that she could spend more of the day with him.
'Ok, as soon as you leave this point you mustn't shoot for ten seconds, until you are into the forest. This is my own little rule. I'll sound a bell when you can begin to shoot and when the game has ended and you must return here. Everyone ready?', Jayne asked.
Everyone nodded back, with a few 'yes miss' answers murmured from the boys.
'Ok, on the count of three... One, two, three, go!' she shouted, finishing her little speech.
Nathan reached out and grabbed Sarah's hand as everyone sprinted into the woods, pulling her along behind him.
'Come on Sarah, hurry up you slow coach we need to get lost so people can't find us easily!' Nathan shouted over his shoulder, joking and winking at her before turning back round to guide them through the foliage.
'I can run much faster than this', Sarah joked back, 'I was just letting you do all the hard work!'
'Well thank you, my pleasure', Nathan replied.
To prove her point, Sarah started sprinting, letting go of Nathan's hand as she charged ahead of him. He ran faster to catch up, then slowed down, looking at her how sporty she was. He looked at the side plait in her hair, and how a few pieces had strayed loosed, floating in the breeze as she ran. He absorbed the image, capturing the moment in his mind. He smiled as she looked back at him.
'Hurry up Nath!'
'I'm coming!' Nathan caught up with her, once again taking her hand as they slowed down to rest and take at look at their surroundings. They were on a path which ran through dense foliage, with many good, but somewhat predictable, places to hide.
'Shall we hide behind one of those big bushes for a bit?' Sarah asked.
'Sounds like a plan to me', Nathan replied, as they pushed their way through the undergrowth to stay out of sight of enemies, 'We shouldn't stick around for too long though, we should move on soon.'
'Ok. You really know how to play this game don't you?'
'Yep. Commander Nathan Sykes here, at your service!' he saluted. This caused them both to dissolve into a fit of giggles.
'shhhh! We'll get spotted! Or heard...' Sarah whispered, making them laugh again.
'Sounded a little dirty Sarah', Nathan teased, looking her in the eye, through the meshing on the front of their helmets, raising his eyebrow with accusation.
'No dirtyness intended officer', she said through laughs, 'don't get too cocky now.'
'What?' Nathan asked, confused.
'Don't worry.' Sarah was spared further, awkward, explanation as just then Tom came crashing through the bushes, gun in hands, triumphant to have found them.
'Got you!' he shouted as he ran over, preparing his gun to shoot, but Nathan was quicker, sending a ball of paint to splat right over Toms heart. Tom looked down at his chest, at the splodge of red plaint, bewildered, shocked. He faked a long, painful death before collapsing onto the ground, motionless. Nathan and Sarah looked at each other before high-fiving and bursting into laughter, not caring how loud they were as they couldn't contain it any longer. Their sides ached from laughing too much before Tom got up and they could talk again.
