Life in the Shadows

19.

Warning: Song contains sensitive topics, listen at your own risk.

Please read the A/N at the end. x

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"So, everyone knows how to play laser tag, right?" Chase asks the group as we huddle up, sharing some strategy and techniques with each other.

A chorus of 'yes' and 'yeah' goes around the circle.

"Okay, now for smart playing," he begins. "Don't let yourself be seen, and don't fuck up,"

"Why is he taking this so seriously?" I whisper to Macy, who is paying no attention to what Chase is saying.

"He's crazily competitive. I think he has minor OCD,"

"He does," Liam laughs.

"Are you even listening?" Chase demands.

"No, we're talking shit about you," Macy snickers.

"Seriously, guys? I wanna win," he whines.

"It's just for fun,"

"It's more fun when you win."

"Let's play, just for fun,"

"If we lose, I'm gonna be pissed,"

"Chill the fuck out, Chase," Macy snaps. "Seriously,"

"Here they go again," Tyler groans.

"What do you mean?" I ask, confused by everyone's annoyance.

"They're step-siblings. They fight all the damn time,"

"They're step-siblings?"

"Yeah. Macy's mom and Chase's dad got married when they were both, like, five. They fight like this all the time, and they rarely stop once they start,"

I nod awkwardly.

Macy and Chase continue going back and forth with verbal insults, and Liam has had enough when he snaps on them.

"If you two wanna fight, go somewhere else! This is fucking ridiculous. You're annoying the piss out of everyone, and you're gonna scare Maggie off before we even get to know her. Cut it out!"

I haven't known him for long, but Liam doesn't seem like the kind of guy to lose his cool easily, so he must have been fed up with them before we had met earlier today.

By the looks of it, no one expected Liam to get so mad about it, judging their appalled gazes towards him.

"I agree, bro," Tyler steps in. "You two need to work out whatever problem you have, and quit fighting,"

"Sorry," they both spoke shyly, hanging their heads in embarrassment.

After getting our gear for the laser tag, we split up and start playing.

"Let's win this," Macy laughs from beside me.

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"We got our asses kicked," I sigh disappointingly.

"Maybe if we talked strategy before-" Chase begins, but Liam cuts him off.

"Shut up," he rolls his eyes.

So, after getting our asses completely handed to us by a group smaller than ours, we decided to head over to the arcade and games.

After playing Wheel Of Fortune with Macy for almost an hour, we've accumulated enough tickets for both of us to get our own stuffed animals.