Laser Tag Love

Welcome back, gentle reader. Just a short offering this time, intended to be lighter and more whimsical then my normal stuff. I tried to get to the juicy bits faster, but with me being me, there's still some build-up, so don't expect hot-n-heavy on page one.

I was too impatient for an editor, so all mistakes here are mine and as always, I appreciate any feedback, whether positive, negative, or indifferent. Thanks for reading and have a good one!

#

When the door to the dorm room careened open and rebounded from the wall with a

whomp

, jerking her attention from her textbook, Mia wasn't sure whether she should have been more annoyed or startled.

The former feeling quickly took hold as a ball of energy wearing her little sister's skin barreled into the room, talking a mile a minute. "Hey, Grumpy. You gonna sit there and read that all night?"

"Since I need to have this read by Monday, yes, that's the plan."

"No, you're not." Her sister flopped on the lower of the two beds, four feet away. Her feet swung back and forth. "You need to come out with us and relax. Unwind some, before you pop."

Mia took a deep breath. "Maya--"

"Oh, should I have put it in fancy lawyer-speak?" Her sister grinned and cleared her throat. "Should it please the court, the defendant will now demonstrate a capacity for merriment and ability to unclench her sphincter."

"Cute." Mia turned a page and just as quickly turned it back, grumbling that Maya's untimely interruption meant she'd lost her place. She side-eyed her sister, who caught her glance and smiled even more.

Mia sighed and closed the book.

I'm going to kill Mom and Dad for this.

Maya raised an eyebrow. "I know that look. You're having one of those 'I-wish-Maya-wasn't-up-my-ass-all-the-time' moments."

"No, I just ..."

"You're a crap liar, Sis." Maya shifted her weight. "Look, I know none of this is ideal but I didn't ask for it either."

"I know you didn't."

Mia

did

know that. After two years in the dorms, with all the accompanying clashes of personality with roommates, she had been anxious to move into her own apartment. Mia knew she was something of a homebody and she'd always valued her peace and quiet.

Her parents had insisted on her living on campus for at least two years--to "be near her studies and away from distractions," as they had put it. They only agreed with great reluctance for Mia to move out after those two years. She'd been arming herself with the threat to drop out of school altogether to force their hand but fortunately, it had not come to that--mostly because Mia knew it was a hollow threat. Still, assured by her mom and dad's concession, she'd been looking forward to being alone.

That had changed the moment her little sister had announced she would be coming to the same school.

In less time than it took to boil an egg, Mia had been informed that the deal was off, that she would need to stay with Maya in the dorm for a year, to introduce her to campus life. As her mother had put it, "She needs you Mia, and you need to grow up and be responsible." Her mother's harsh words stung Mia's ears, making her blood boil. Arguments sprang to the tip of her tongue. She was ready to torpedo everything.

Instead, she caved.

In retrospect, Mia wasn't sure why she ever thought anything other than her capitulation would have happened. Even though her parents were Japanese immigrants and not Chinese, their mother was the living embodiment of the concept of a "tiger mom." She ruled the house with an iron hand and had been merciless during both girls' upbringings. Conditioned to be compliant, Mia and Maya had never openly defied their parents, even into adulthood.

And that's the problem: everything I've done has been because of what they wanted. I guess it's a good thing I

wanted

to be a lawyer, and Maya a doctor, since if we hadn't, those are the paths Mom would have put us on anyway.

Mia sighed, glanced at Maya, and rubbed her eyes.

She's been through it too. I shouldn't be mad at her. But just for once, I want to do something that's just for me.

She closed her book and faced Maya, who fluttered her eyelashes. Mia scowled. "Don't do that."

Maya laced her fingers and rested her chin on them. "Why not? I'm adorable when I do ... and when I'm adorable, I usually get what I want."

"What is it you want?"

"For you to come out with us. Get out and live a little." Maya furrowed her brow. "And don't give me that crap about reading that case file. I already know you read it, and know it forward and backward. Like you would let any of your studies slip or get less than an 'A' in anything."

Mia pursed her lips, unsure how Maya knew she'd already read the study, twice. "I--"

"

And

," Maya interrupted, emphasizing her words, "you need to stop thinking about

him

."

"Maya ..."

"He wasn't worthy of you, Sis." Maya scowled. "What kind of asshole name is 'Miles,' anyway?"

Mia sighed again. Thoughts of the tall, brooding man who had, until recently, been her lover lanced through her mind. He was hot, had a brilliant future ahead as a trial lawyer ... and was moody beyond belief. He'd broken up with her over a text, stating that he was leaving the state and moving across the country to attend school on the East Coast. Miles hadn't been in any of their mutual classes and a quick visit to his vacated apartment seemed to confirm that story, and she had not heard from him since ... and that hurt.

Of course it hurt. I mean, I don't know if we were destined to be together but he understood me. He got me, accepted me for who I am. I thought I got him too. I guess not.

Then, aware that her sister still stared at her, Mia said, "There's nothing wrong with that name, Maya."

"Probably not, but in this case, it was attached to a jerk who hurt my sister. I know him leaving like that stung."

"It did."

"You need to let him go."

"I know."

Maya slapped her hands on her knees. "Well, let us help. It's Friday night. You don't need to sit here and mope all weekend. We're gonna go out and have some fun and you need to come too."

"Maya, you keep saying, 'we,' and--" She pursed her lips. "And you better not mean who I think you mean."

The door thrust open again and a gangly young man with squinty eyes and a shaggy haircut barged into their room. He hitched up his pants as he swaggered in. "Yo, Babe! Hey, Mia! You chicks ready to go yet?"

Mia glared at Maya, who appeared unconcerned. She smiled at the new arrival. "Be ready in a few, Larry."

He pulled out his phone and scanned it. "Shit, I've already been in the ten-minute parking for five minutes. I better go pull around the block again. Last thing I need is another ticket." His face brightened. "Hey, Mia, you're a lawyer, you think you could help me out with all those? I'll pay you ... I mean, as soon as I get paid on Wednesday. What I mean is, I have to pay back my friend Armando first. You remember that guitar I got? You see--"

"Larry, Larry." Mia's nostrils flared. "I'm a law student, not a lawyer. I haven't passed the bar yet."

He stared at her, clearly not comprehending.

Her fingernails dug into her palms and her eyes flicked to the heavy lamp on her desk.

Second-degree murder is twenty-five to life. It might be worth it.

From between clenched teeth, she said, "That means I can't represent you in court."

"Bummer. Shit, seven minutes. I gotta go move the car." He hurried out, leaving the door open.

Mia wheeled toward her sister. "I thought you were going to break up with him."

"I only told you that to shut you up about it." Maya leveled her gaze at Mia. "There's nothing wrong with Larry, Sis."

"He's a child."

"He's exuberant."

"What the hell could you possibly see in him?"

"He's a lot of fun." Maya giggled. "And there's one place he's definitely

not

a child."

"So what? He's been a moron since high school and it doesn't look like anything has changed. I heard he failed World Arts and Culture, which is taught at like a tenth-grade level. Mom would have a conniption if she saw you dating that idiot. I'm surprised he can even remember how to get to this room!"

Maya's cheeks flared pink. "At least--" She clamped her mouth shut and looked away.

Mia already knew what her sister was about to say: that at least Larry had stuck around while Miles had abandoned her.

The worst part is, she's right. I mean, at least she's happy with her situation. Look how happy I am. And I don't want to fight with her.

She steadied her breath and fought to calm herself. "Maya, I'm sorry. I don't want us arguing. It's just that everything is getting to me."

Her sister's smile returned, ever-forgiving. "I know, Sis. You're stressed. I still love you."

"So, what grand adventure do you have planned for the evening that is supposed to tempt me?"

"We're going downtown to play Laser Tag."

Mia snorted. "Laser Tag? What are we, twelve?"

"It's a lot of fun. You can run around and shoot people. Every time you get hit, you lose points, and every time you hit someone, you gain points. They post the scores on a monitor outside the arena. It's completely competitive. You'll love it. We can pay one fee and play all night." She held up a finger. "My treat."

"With what money? You're broke."

"Okay, Larry's treat."

In spite of herself, Mia felt temptation worming into her thoughts. Just about anything sounded better than brooding over Miles, even if it meant spending time in Larry's company. And she and Maya hadn't done much together recently.

Maya smirked. "And once you're in and shooting, you can imagine every person you see is Miles."

For the first time in a week, Mia laughed from her belly, and it felt good. "Well, when you put it that way ..."

#

As soon as the car stopped moving, Mia tossed open the door and jumped out. She slammed the door and screeched, "What the

hell

is the matter with you?"

Larry chuckled and put his car in Park. "Chill out, Mia, we made it in one piece. No harm, no foul."

Maya squealed in delight and kissed him. "That was great!"

A thousand violent curses--in English and Japanese--ripped through her mind. Mia closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose.

Sonofabitch drives I-10 like he's on the Daytona Speedway. We would have been dead if that semi hadn't slammed on its brakes. He damn near wrecks us not once, but twice, and that's her reaction? Going to kill her!

Maya and Larry piled out, laughing to themselves. The former tapped Mia's arm. "Hey, we're here now, so relax. Save that aggression for the matches."

Mia bit her lip. "Fine. Larry, I hope you're on the other team."

A dumb grin was the only answer she got.

After being compacted in the rear seat of Larry's two-door coupe, Mia was happy to stretch her legs. She changed into a loose top, black yoga pants, and tennis shoes. She'd tied her silky black hair back in a ponytail. A casual look but she still caught appreciative glances thrown her way. The fading daylight in the western sky and light breeze gave the evening a pleasant feel.

Maya and Larry walked alongside her, laughing and shoving each other in a playful manner.

Blinking and dazzling lights adorned the front of the laser tag facility, bathing the boardwalk in a scintillating glow. An enormous monitor over the entrance showed what appeared to be recorded clips of a match in progress. Mia watched the contestants, clad in their helmets and chest pieces, duck and dart through the darkened maze, snapping off shots at each other. Light flared on their gear flared when someone was hit.

Larry paid the entry fee for all three of them, opting for the all-evening pass, which meant they could play until the place shut down for the night. Larry didn't balk at the price. He dug a handful of crumpled bills from his pocket one by one. Mia felt a twinge of guilt but said nothing.

They got fitted for their equipment, which included a chest harness with front and rear sensors, a connected helmet, and a belt holster with a light gun. The attendant looked up from his rack of gear and glanced at Mia. "Small, I think." He handed it to her and moved on.

She thrust her arms through the loops and attached the buckles. The front harness bit into her chest and she scowled.

Maya donned her own harness. "You okay, Sis?"

"Yeah, wondering if I should ask for a medium."

"Is it too tight?"

Larry chortled. "Yeah, her tits are too big."

Maya cuffed him in the head. "Shut up, you. Mia, seriously, get a bigger one."

"No, then it'll be too loose around the waist." Mia shifted her stance, wincing as the straps and buckles pinched her skin. She wrinkled her nose.

Against the stereotype, their mother had been well-stacked for a petite Asian woman. The titty fairy had overlooked Maya, much to her dismay, but Mia had gotten a double dose. All things considered, her breasts were average sized but on her slender, narrow-shouldered frame, they looked so much bigger. It made shopping for shirts and blouses a nightmare.

These breasts are ridiculous. Maya might be jealous but all too often, it sucks. Thanks again, Mom.

Once geared up, they clustered with a few other people and received what Mia assumed passed for the safety briefing, followed by them signing a waiver exempting the company from injury caused to the player. After that, they lined up and shuffled forward one at a time. When Mia reached the head of the line, a bored-looking teenage girl cracking gum indicated a port. "Stick your gun in here." When she did, the girl said, "Handle?"

Mia blinked. "What?"

Maya tapped her arm and pointed at the leaderboard, listing players on their teams. "Your name for the screen up there."

"Oh, uh ..." She scanned the list, noting the unimaginative names like "Killer," "ShootGuy," and "Karma." She thought for a moment and said, "LadyLaw."

If the girl was impressed, she didn't show it. She keyed in the name and "LadyLaw" joined the list. The girl popped her gum. "Next."

Maya jammed her gun in the port. "Yandere!"

Mia raised her eyebrow. "Really? It fits."

"Bite me."

She smiled. Maya loved anime and the yandere character--a sweet innocent girl who lost her mind when in love and turned into an obsessed weirdo--didn't really fit Maya, despite Mia's comment.

Larry added his gun. "C00lDude. Make sure you spell it right, with two zeros and ..."

Mia rolled her eyes and strode into the holding area. She watched the team scoreboards out of boredom more than anything. Points went up and down as players were hit. It looked like the scores had a baseline of a thousand, and made leaps in ten-point increments. She looked at her sister, who was almost hopping up and down in excitement. "Ten points a hit, and minus ten if you get hit?"

"Yeah, though someone can only hit you three times in a row, then they have to wait twenty seconds or hit someone else. You have five shots, which are the five lights on the top of your gun. Reload by shooting your holster. You only have to be close, it's pretty forgiving."

She noted here and there, scores jumped by two hundred points. "What does that mean? Did they hit someone twenty times or something?"

Maya shook her head. "No, there is an enemy base--a target on top of a pillar. It glows in their color. It's worth two hundred points. You can hit it once per match but you have to be close. We have one too, so it pays to defend it. Defending keeps their team score down, so we can win."

"Are we going to be on the same team?"

"Tonight's a free-for-all, so it's random ten-person teams each match. The lights on your helmet will turn red or blue, depending on your team." Maya pointed at the two curved entries at the opposite ends of the pavilion. Flashing crimson and azure lights decorated the arches. "You just go in the door that matches your team."

Mia nodded. Her eyes flicked to the top of each board. On the Red Team, the points leader, using the name, "WarPig," had amassed fourteen hundred points, which Mia assumed was pretty good, even if had gotten the two-hundred-point bonus.

That means he tagged a lot more people than have tagged him.

Her eyes drifted to the other team and she paused.

The leader of the Blue Team had a score of over two thousand points.

Huh. Bet this guy--

She read his name, "Phoenix."

--spends way too much time here.

She crossed her arms and waited.

Larry sidled up next to them and slid his arm around Maya's waist. "Babe, don't get mad if I'm on the other team and shoot you."

"I won't." Maya's voice carried the confidence that even if Larry had her in his sights, he'd botch it. "How about we make a deal? Person with the most high scores ..." She leaned toward him and whispered in his ear.

Mia supposed her sister had suggested something filthy, since Larry's eyes widened. "Oh, yeah! Deal!" She shook her head again.

The match ended and the teams tromped out, their helmet lights having all switched to white. She tried to pick out WarPig and Phoenix, to size up her competition. The former was easy, bragging loudly about his top score, to the sour looks of those around him. But no one on the Blue Team stood out. She did note a tall guy about her age, with spiky dark hair. Aside from his square jaw and broad shoulders, the man had a quiet, confident look about him. Her stomach fluttered.

Nice. Just my type.

The teams filed into the queue behind them. Based on how many players had been listed on each team's board, she figured about half of them would make it in with those already lined up. The scoreboard cleared, shifting the previous match to a side monitor, and flashing a recap of the past ten matches and the high scorers on each team. She saw Phoenix's name at the top of his team in every match.

Yeah, he

definitely

spends too much time here.

A harsh half-klaxon buzz filled the waiting area, followed by a robotic voice. "Prepare for match!" An azure aura flickered at the edge her field of vision, indicating her helmet lights had changed color. Mia glanced at her holster and saw the lights on it had also turned blue.

"All right!" Maya beamed, slapping Mia on the shoulder. The lights on her gear had also shifted to blue. "Sisters together!"

"Cool," Larry said, smirking. His gear had turned red. "I'll try not to be too rough on you."

"Shut up, Larry." Maya pointed at him. "We're going to kick your ass."

"No way, you chicks get too emotional, lose your cool too quick."

"You're full of it."

No, I'll show you." He looked at Mia and grinned. "Hey, Mia. What's the difference between a joke, and two cocks at once?"

She balled up her fists. "Larry, I swear to God--"

"You can't take a joke."

She snarled and swung at him but the laughing man danced out of her reach.

Maya grabbed her arm and glared at her boyfriend. "Ignore that idiot, Sis. Just concentrate on blasting him. I'll settle his ass later."

"Fine." Mia scanned the queue. WarPig was too far down the line to join the current game but a glance at the team board told her the mysterious Phoenix was on the Red team. She examined the line but again, no one stood out.

Process of elimination. I'll figure out who he is.

The blaring voice sounded again. "Contestants enter the arena."

Mia followed the rest of the Blue Team through the matching arch, which led to a tiny holding room. Four doors lined the opposite wall. A monitor over the door displayed the number "10."

Maya nudged her. "Those will open, and we'll be in the arena. Red Team will come in the other end. Use the barriers and halls for cover."

Mia nodded.

A kid of about fifteen standing beside her sneered. "New player? Fucking rookies. Every time I do this, I get strapped with all this dead weight. Just try to stay back and defend the base, all right? Do something useful."