"She cheated on me. He cheated on you. What do you say? Want to settle the score?"
***
Kate Wilson, a hot-headed Dragon striker, and Rosie Connelly, an uncredited behind the scenes Sea Lion captain; witness Kate's...
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The problem with setting rules before a competition was not knowing the variables before the game started.
A hoard of loud preteens dashed into the arena and stole all the bumper cars before we passed through the gate. A wad of gum made a horrible squelching sound under my shoe. Gross. Rosie leaned away from me and acted like I was infectious. At least she had an excuse to be repulsed this time. I didn't even want to be near me.
Eduardo took advantage of the disgusting distraction and secured a red bumper car for him and Dorothy. Only one bumper car remained available. So much for his promise I wouldn't have to share with Rosie. He rebuffed all attempts at eye contact, focusing on helping his date inside the bumper without an ounce of guilt.
Rosie and I made our way into the arena and shared suspicious glances as we stood on either side of the blue bumper car.
Her fingertips flexed against the side of her bare legs. The image reminded me of one of those old cowboy movies where they bided their time before they whipped out a pistol and shot their opponent in the face. That's what it felt like: staring down the barrel of a gun.
One attendant worked on getting everyone belted up. He first tended to the rowdy kids and didn't pay attention to the two teenagers having a silent standoff.
Her intent became clearer by the second. She wouldn't abandon the bumper car, even if that meant sharing with me. Her determination told me one thing: she planned on being the one in control of the wheel. Did she expect me to sit beside her like a kid while she drove me around?
"I guess we're stuck with each other," she said, inching forward.
"Guess so."
"Backing out?"
"Not a chance," I said.
We surged toward the bumper car at the same time.
She jumped in first, tossing one leg after the other, and landed in the seat with a small thud. Her victorious clapping distracted me. My knee's cut banged against the point of entry. I cursed and leaned against the bumper car. The only problem was, I'd overestimated its height and tumbled backward into the seat where her shoulder broke my fall.
She took advantage of my slanted state and squished me into the opposite corner so my legs had no choice but to hang out the side door. She leaned forward, removing my only sense of stability, forcing me to grab the steering wheel for dear-life. The angle took a lot of upper body strength, something I didn't have much of. She settled back into her chair with a satisfied sigh, not expecting me to let go of the wheel and let my head fall on her lap.
"Comfy?" she asked.
"I've had better cushions," I said.
"Oh? Let me make it more comfortable for you, then."
She used her elbows to keep me trapped, positioning one behind my head and one on my chest.
