Expect the Unexpected

Chapter 10: Compete, Argue, and Compromise

After she was finished counting down, she seek for the other players. "Where are you?!" shouted Alex.

I sat down on my hiding place, not bothering to answer her question. I saw James and Sarah hiding behind the bush all the way up here. Katie went with Mom and hid behind a tree near James and Sarah. While the rest of the group went somewhere in which I don't have a clue. Speaking of which, where's Oliver?

"Hey," asked Oliver, tapping my shoulder. "Do you mind if I hide here with you?" 

I turned my back around and faced him. My whole face turned dark red - from the surprise - I sensed my face tingling. "You startled me!" I shouted out loud. "Oops..."

Oliver laughed out until he could laugh no more. "You should've seen your face! It was either like an 'aaahh' or maybe more of an 'eeeekk'. Other than that, it was so hilarious!" he said, pointing to my face while rolling on the floor laughing.

I rolled my eyes at him. I could say that he may be a little childish sometimes. "You'll pay for this," I said coldly. Seriously, is this the time for scaring people? Did he really need to scare me in the middle of this intense Hide-and-Seek Tag game?

"So, do you mind?" he asked, flicking off the tears on his eyes and getting back on the topic.

"No, unless if you do make my family lose." I said.

"There is no winner or loser in the game of Hide-and-Seek Tag." he said in a proving tone.

"Alright, but you better not make me 'it'." I said, proving him that he was right. 

"I'll try not to." he said grinning. I smiled back. Oliver made a frown a few seconds later, "Uh, Amanda."

"Yes?" I asked him, tilting my head sideways. 

"I hope you're not mad at me right now." he said, sighing.

"What? Why would I be mad?" I scoffed. Why would I be mad, since we've made a pact that he won't let me be 'it'? 

"Because your 'it' now..."

"No, I'm not." I said. "How could that be? You've just made a promise with me."

"But Alex just tagged you."

I palm-slapped my forehead hard; of course, how could I not felt that? My senses must be on a downside. Or it could be that Oliver was just here to hide and get me into being 'it', so much for the promise.

"I'm not it though," I chuckled deviously.

"What do you mean?" he questioned. "You're it now." 

I shook my head abruptly. "I'm not it, because you're it now." I said, poking his shoulder.

"OH, I see where you're going with." he winked.

"Whatever," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Now, shoo. Go hide while I silently countdown to one from ten." he said.

"Alright, but I'm warning you Steve. Go and seek someone else besides me." I cautiously said.

"I'm not Steve, I'm Oliver. Haven't I told you that my name's Oliver, not Steve? I've told you millions of times." he said.

"You've only said that once." I said matter-of-factly. "But now, you've mentioned it twice." 

"Alright," he said, putting his hands through his hair. "You don't need to push it." 

"I'm just saying," I said, walking away from him. "Now count, before anyone notice that something suspicious is going on."

"What's going on here?" asked James, while standing up from the bushes with Sarah. Great, now is the great time for someone to show up from hiding behind the bushes.