When You Least Expect It

All night, I couldn't seem to keep my distance from Jade. I haven't felt this content in a long time. Maybe even, happy. Being away from home, the stress of having to see or deal with my ex, and just being in Jade's presence makes me feel alive again. I've tried to keep the feelings I have for her under wraps and suppressed but I'm bursting at the seams. I'm beginning to leak. I find myself touching her, needing to feel her soft warm skin against mine. The fact that she's allowing me to, I feel intoxicated.

She makes me feel alive, special, and important. She's here with me, my friends, and family at an event of something I enjoy but she also seems to be enjoying herself. I don't want this night to end. I don't want to return home knowing that my past can and will still affect us. Jade is fully capable of handling herself but I don't want her to have to. I don't want my actions to effect her life, more than they already have. I have an inkling that it may only get worse once we return.

I shake those thoughts away, wanting to be in the moment of here and now. We play games, ride the rides and simply enjoy ourselves. The laughter was continuous.

It was getting late, the cars were slimming out, food trucks were packing up and we knew it was time to leave. None of us wanted to go back to the hotel so we all agreed to head down to the pier that was open for another two hours. At this point, I'd do anything to keep the night going.

We come across a glow in the dark center that offers all kinds of games. Bowling, mini golf, and laser tag. Ten minutes later we're all geared up for a round of laser tag with a few other people. The employee explains the rules, then tells us the teams are chosen at random. He hits a button on the wall that causes our vests to flash the colors until we're each divided up into teams. Jade is blue and I'm red. She points her gun at me, "You're going down!"

My head goes straight to the gutter and I can't help the instant response I have to it. "For you? Gladly."

It takes her a second to comprehend my true meaning but I can see when it clicks, her eyes widen and a second after a wicked smile takes over her face. It makes my knees weak. I don't think there's any turning back now. It's out there.

Hollering around us breaks my attention then I'm being jostled by Vance, the movement breaks my eye contact with Jade. I glance over to him, his vest is light up red meaning we're teammates. Vance points to Jade, "Watch your back sweetheart."

"Oohh." Jade taunts, "Nothing sweet here." she winks at him and it makes me smile. Her fiery, sassy, playfulness is such a turn on. Vance laughs loudly and grips my shoulder, "God I love her."

The door to the dark arena opens, the man gestures for us to continue on into the neon lit room. Our vests flash as we enter but then they seem to power up and we're in the open. Besides the vests, neon objects and any poor soul wearing white it's incredibly dark. Everyone dispurses into the dark but Vance is still nearby. He smacks my arm, "Up top." and runs up the ramp towards the balcony. I follow behind him and we take cover in an alcove, we have a perfect look overtop the whole arena. It's been so long since I've played video games but those skills come flooding back. My brother and I shoot like we're rambo, hitting people's vests as they run like mice in a maze.