“What the…” I don’t finish as Chad parks the truck.
My lips are parted, and I’m staring at the scene in front of me. Chad’s at the door again, holding it open and waiting. “Come on.”
“Chad… I…” I don’t move, but he takes my arm, giving it a gentle pull. “I don’t know anything about this. I didn’t even know this was here.”
“Me either. One of the guys who works here stopped in for poboys last week.” Pride is in his voice as he leads me to the back of his pickup. “Put this on.”
He hands me a black sweatshirt, and I pull it over my head. I’m practically swimming in it, but it smells yummy, clean and fresh with a warm manly undertone. I think it’s just soap mixed with C
had, but if it were bottled in a store, I’d buy it.
“I have these masks.” He holds up what looks like a black ski mask. “They don’t fog up, but they also don’t cover your whole head. I can rent one for you if you’d rather—”
“These are good.” I have no idea.
I take the mask and follow him to the ticket booth, tying my hair back in a long braid as he pays for us. Then I follow him around to the supply shed, where we’re handed guns with big barrel things on the tops of them, and a canvas vest.
“I rented the vest for you.” He slips it over my shoulders, fastening it in the front like I’m a little kid. “It’ll add extra padding so it doesn’t hurt.”
My eyebrows shoot up. “Hurt?”
Chad chuckles. “Don’t be such a wuss. It just stings a little. Watch your step out there or you’ll slip.”
He picks up the gun like he’s been doing this all his life. When I think about it, he probably has been handling weapons for years.
I study the strange gun. “I think you’ve got the advantage on me.”
“We’re on the same team. Don’t worry. I’ll cover you. Just stay close to me.”
“I plan to stick to you like glue.”
He gives me that panty-melting grin again, and my breath skips. “Sounds like a good strategy. Remember, the pellets are heavy, so aim a little higher than you normally would to hit a target.”
I follow him to the field, and Chad stops to talk to a few guys. I’m surprised how many people are out here. It looks like ten men, the two of us, and one other woman a little older than me. She gives me the stink-eye, and I know who’s going to be aiming at me.
As we fall back to the starting line, he explains. “They play last man standing. No rounds, so it could go a while.”
I have no idea what that means. “I’ll probably be the first to go. Katniss Everdeen has me in her sights.”
Confusion lines his face, and I nod in the direction of the blonde. He gives me a wink and flicks my dark braid over my shoulder. “You’re Katniss. She’s more like… Glimmer.”
My jaw drops and I pull back. “You’ve read The Hunger Games?”
“Hasn’t everybody?”
“I guess. I didn’t expect you to—”
“Just leave her to me.”
“Not a chance.” I pull the mask down over my face. “I fight my own battles.”
“You don’t even know how to use the gun yet.”
“I’ll figure it out.”
“Remember what I said. Stay to the sides and keep yourself covered.”
The air horn sounds, and we all run up the sides. Chad is faster than me, and I have to dig in to stay at his side. Noises like whizzing rocks fly past me, but I manage to get to the first canvas bag without getting hit. Chad is pressed in front of me, and I’m right beside him, breathing hard and looking all around.