Esther

11 - Whale sharks are definitely the most important thing in this chapter

Josh

I have never played laser tag. Ever. In my entire life. So naturally I was going to destroy them both. The three of us catch the train into the city, Esther leaning on Alex as she talks animatedly about whale sharks. Or something. I don't know I was watching Alex. The sun makes his hair glow a golden colour in the light, so different from it's usual almost black.

"Josh? What about you?"

I snap out of my trance and stare at her.

"...what?"

She giggles and wriggles her eyebrows at me. I roll me eyes.

"I was talking about whale sharks. What do you think?"

There you go. It was whale sharks after all. I shrug. To be honest I'd never really thought about whale sharks in that much detail.

"They're very...whaley. And sharky."

Alex snorts a laugh out, his face turning red as he tries not to laugh too hard. Esther slaps him on the shoulder, and suddenly we're all laughing. I try not to make it too obvious that I'm looking at Alex, but the wink Esther sends me tells me that I didn't do a very good job.

The train pulls into the city station, a high-domed building with stained glass windows that shower patterns across the tiled floor. Esther is still trying to educate us on whale sharks (did you know they weren't considered their own species until the mid-19th century?) as we wander through the city.

"How long have we got before laser tag?"

Esther checks her phone.

"About an hour. Do you guys wanna grab lunch from somewhere?"

"Sure. You decide. As long as you shut up about whale sharks."

She pouts and sticks her tongue out at me, before pulling up a map on her phone. We wander through a park, where pigeons stare at us with beady yellow eyes. Alex tries desperately to hide behind me as we walk through a particularly large group of the bird.

"Mate, what are you doing?"

"I just...don't like pigeons." He mumbles, eyeing the birds warily. I laugh, and they take off, scattering in alarm.

"You? The fearless Alex McBrave man? Scared of pigeons?"

Alex rolls his eyes and slaps me on the arm. I laugh and stagger into him, pushing him off the sidewalk so he tumbles onto the grass.

"Oh, you-" He runs at me, and I sprint away from him, running in circles as he tries in vain to catch up to me.

"Oi! Get back here!"

I forget to look where I'm going and almost knock Esther off her feet. She stares disapprovingly at me.

"Ok, one, neither of you know where we are going, and two, save the flirting for when I'm not around yeah?"

We shut up quite quickly after that.

Lunch is a little more subdued. Every time Alex catches me staring, a flush runs up my neck and spreads across my face. Esther winks at me from over her pizza, and I kick her under the table. She giggles and I shush her, feeling myself die inside a little. Alex stares suspiciously at us. I flick a pizza crust at Esther.

We nearly get lost on the way to the laser tag place because Esther and Alex are bickering over the directions. Three minutes, a shouting match, a captured pigeon, and an incident with a fountain later, I am given the map, while Esther of Alex grumble about being wet. Don't ask. I'm still not fully sure what happened.

"Ok...we're here!" I announce, a grin on my face as I turn to the others. "Who's ready to get absolutely thrashed?"

Alex snorts.

"Pur-lease. You really think you can take me down? Game. On."

We choose our vests and step into the arena.

'Welcome 'kitchen sponge'.' An automated voice greets me. I grin at the name. Alex's vest lights up beside me, his white t-shirt glows in the blacklight.

'Welcome 'Xander'.'

"That's it? Nothing fancy?" I ask, disbelief lacing my question. He grins, his teeth flashing almost as bright as his shirt.

"Would you prefer amazing and awesome chemistry partner?"

"I wouldn't complain."

"Too bad. See you on the other side, partner."

And he disappears into the depths of the maze. I shake my head and take off in the opposite direction. I pass a few people a don't know, the room is big enough for a few groups at a time. I have no idea how I'm going to find Alex or Esther.

'5, 4, 3, 2, 1, game on!'

I grin and lift up my laser gun thing. Whatever you call it. Lights flash in the corner of my vision. Game on indeed.

And unbelievably, Alex won. I check, double check, and triple check the scores on my wrist monitor. Alex won. And the second round. And the third round. This just will not fly. The new round begins, and I start running.

The screen on my wrist displays kill after kill under my name, and I rise rapidly to the top. Alex is right behind me. I check the clock. 2 minutes in our last round.

And then I see him.

His glowing shirt gives him away, along with his stupidly wide grin. I start to sneak up behind, my gaze locked on his back. I shoot someone across the room and turn back to Alex. And he's gone.

I stop in my tracks and check the monitor. I'm still in first, one minute to go. Then someone grabs me and pushes me against the wall.

"You really though you could take my title, huh?"

The light from our vests mingle on his face, his eyes shadowed slightly. He flashes a smile.

"Good luck with that one."

I think he's about to shoot me, take my title, but he does something even more unexpected.

He kisses me.

It should be nothing, really it should. But it seems so real. Excuses run around in my mind, but he's not drunk, not this time. And he's kissing me.

Alexander Price is kissing me.

Just as the reality sets in, he steps back. He considers me for a moment, before he raises his gun.

"See you in hell, Kitchen Sponge."

And he pulls the trigger, before disappearing into the maze of the laser tag course.

'5, 4, 3, 2, 1, game over!'

The voice chimes. I stare at the leader board. Alex won. Again. But somehow, I'm not as annoyed about it as I was before.

I make my way over to the door.

I have something I need to do.