Authors: Portia MacIntosh
‘What do they like?’ Shell asks.
‘Aside from doing lines and pretending to shoot each other? I have no idea,’ I laugh.
Shell wanders over to the tourist display and grabs a leaflet before handing it to me.
‘This will be perfect,’ she says, smiling widely. ‘And it will give you and that lush gentleman some time alone together. To talk,’ she adds quickly.
As I look over the leaflet for Blazer, an indoor laser tag centre, I know that it will be perfect for the boys.
‘Oh, they will love this,’ I squeak. ‘Thank you so much.’
‘You’re welcome,’ Shell replies. ‘I’ll pack you up to some cupcakes to go. I always find sugar much more enjoyable when eaten.’
Looking over at Josh, who is pretending to give Max an adrenalin injection to the heart, I think she might be right.
After taking the boys to McDonald’s for hamburgers, the cornerstone of any nutritious breakfast, we arrive at Blazer. Josh and Max charge through the doors, closely followed by Leo and me.
Blazer is almost pitch black, even here in the lobby. There isn’t a single light that isn’t a bright neon colour, in fact the transition from the beautiful sunshine to these trippy lights is taking a little getting used to. That combined with the screams of joy from those already taking part, seem like the perfect conditions for creating one hell of a headache.
‘Four is it?’ the young lad behind the desk says.
‘Very good,’ I cackle. ‘Just two, please.’
The young lad gives me a look and I realise he wasn’t joking.
‘It’s not just for kids, you know,’ he insists.
‘Ah but I’m sure it’s just for those wearing flat shoes.’
I twist my foot slightly to show the persistent Blazer employee just how unfit for service I am.
‘You can hire shoes,’ super-helpful employee informs me. ‘We get lots of people coming here from the beach, I’m sure we’ll have your size.’
‘Hire shoes?’ I squeak. The idea of handing over money for the privilege of flat, ugly shoes that have been worn by thousands of other people doesn’t exactly have me reaching for my purse – but before I can say anything, Leo intervenes.
‘Come on, Mia. It looks like fun. Together we’ll crush these little twerps.’ Leo ruffles Josh’s hair before giving his head a playful push.
I think for a moment.
‘It will be good cardio,’ Leo teases.
‘Go on then,’ I give in, and before I have the chance to change my mind I am being strapped into armour with brightly coloured flashing lights all over it, and being handed my gun. It’s a big old thing, and not only is it flashing equally as brightly as I am, but there’s a beam of light coming out of it which I shine on my cousin’s chest like a sniper taking aim on a target.
‘You’ll be sorry, turd,’ I warn him. I’m actually quite excited now, even in my rental shoes.
Leo and I go through one door while the boys are ushered in through another. The aim of the game, I’m told, is to try and tag the other team with your laser, while avoiding their beams. It sounds simple enough but as we are thrown into the dark maze with only the glow of the neon light and our armour to see where we’re going, I realise we’re going to have to play it clever.
‘This way,’ Leo says, ready to charge his way through the maze.
‘Wait,’ I whisper. ‘We need to be tactical if we want to outsmart them.’
‘They’re kids,’ Leo reasons. ‘They’ll be hiding. When was the last time you played hide and seek? I bet they play it all the time.’
‘Yes, but they also think they’re Jules and Vincent from Pulp Fiction, and they’d come at us guns blazing.’
Leo laughs and I’m not sure whether it’s because I’m trying to be tactical or because of what I’m suggesting, but he looks so gorgeous when he smiles.
‘OK,’ he laughs. ‘So we hide?’
‘Exactly. Let them come to us. Then we waste them.’
***
‘Can I get you a coffee from the machine?’ Leo asks me.
‘I’d rather eat something from one of the clinical waste bins,’ I snap, regretting it instantly. ‘Sorry. I’ve never been a big fan of hospitals.’
Leo takes me by the hands and looks into my eyes.
‘Mia, it wasn’t your fault.’
‘The others won’t see it that way,’ I sigh.
‘Kids hurt themselves all the time.’
‘Kids hurt themselves, men hurt their backs, trousers get sent out in the wrong length… it doesn’t matter, it’s always my fault as far as that lot are concerned.’
‘Come on, Mia. All four of us were playing, any of us could have slipped and hurt our ankle. Anyway, at least we won,’ he laughs.
I smile, but only for a moment, until I see the nurse heading in our direction.
‘Josh will be fine,’ she assures us. ‘It’s a nasty sprain, but he’ll be better in no time. Ideally he needs to rest for a few days, but he mentioned that he’s on holiday and that his cousin is getting married so we’ll give him a pair of crutches. We’re going to pop a support on his ankle, then I’ll come back and go through the self-care techniques with you, OK?’
‘OK, sure. Thank you so much,’ I tell her. I exhale deeply – it feels like I’ve been holding my breath ever since I saw Josh hit the floor. It was no one’s fault really, we were all running around, chasing each other and ducking behind the obstacles for cover – he just lost his footing and went down the wrong way on his ankle. Like Leo said, it could have happened to any of us. Maybe Leo is right, maybe people will understand that this one wasn’t down to me.
***
I’m not saying it was the right thing to do, but I didn’t call Auntie June and Uncle Steve from the hospital. At first it didn’t occur to me, I just wanted to make sure Josh was OK. Then, when I found out that he was going to be fine, I decided it might be best to explain it to them in person. After all, dragging them out to the hospital would make things seem much worse than they were, it’s much better to return him safe and almost sound, and then explain what happened.
As the four of us creep in through the front door, Josh on Leo’s shoulders because Max wanted a turn on his crutches, we realise everyone is in the dining room having dinner.
‘It will be fine,’ Leo assures me with a smile before we head in.
‘Oh God,’ Dan’s auntie squeaks immediately, spying her son hopping in on crutches.
‘Mum, I’m fine,’ he insists and she looks visibly relieved. ‘They’re Josh’s.’
As Leo follows us in with Josh on his shoulders everyone drops their cutlery and starts asking questions. June and Steve rush over to see their son.
‘What happened?’ my auntie asks her son.
‘I fell,’ he tells her proudly. ‘I had to go to hospital and everything, it was
so
cool.’
‘It’s just a sprain,’ I interject. ‘The nurse says a couple of weeks and he’ll be back to normal.’
‘
Just
a sprain,’ my auntie echoes angrily. ‘And you took the word of a nurse? He needs to see a doctor.’
‘You know nurses are trained, right? They don’t just dish out uniforms to anyone who asks for one,’ I reply.
‘How did you fall?’ my uncle asks Josh, carefully lifting him down from Leo’s shoulders and sitting him at the table.
‘Mia and Leo took us to play laser tag, it was
so
cool,’ Josh chirps. Despite being hurt, he’s had the time of his life.
‘Seriously, Mia?’ Belle chimes in. ‘You thought laser tag was appropriate?’
‘It wasn’t Mia’s idea,’ Leo says. ‘A local recommended it.’
‘There’s a tramp who sits outside the amusement arcade who told me to kiss him on the whatsit, it doesn’t mean I did it,’ Dan’s mum tells the room.
I let out a brief snort of laughter – I can’t help it.
‘This isn’t funny, Mia,’ my own mum warns me.
‘That was a little,’ Mike helpfully adds, but no one listens to him.
‘I trust you with my child after you let me down once,’ my auntie starts, ‘and you let me down a second time. This time damaging his body instead of his mind.’
I sigh as I realise I don’t have a single ounce of energy left to defend myself with. Ever since I arrived, all I have done is defend myself for the stupidest reasons, and I’m tired of it.
‘It was a silly accident,’ Leo insists in my defence.
‘Don’t blame yourself, Leo, you’re a good man,’ Dan’s mum insists.
‘But I was there too,’ he insists, ‘so that means we’re equally to blame.’
‘This is just what Mia does,’ my auntie assures him. ‘She breaks things.’
‘Wow,’ Leo laughs to himself. ‘How can you blame Mia and not me? We were both there, she didn’t kick him or push him.
I
was the one chasing him at the time, so blame me, go on. Give Mia the night off.’
The entire room seems a little taken aback by Leo’s angry rant, and for a moment no one knows what to say.
‘Unbelievable,’ he mutters to himself, storming out and slamming the door behind him.
‘I’m really sorry,’ Leo’s mum insists to the room, her face red with embarrassment – or maybe it’s anger. ‘I don’t know what’s gotten into him at the moment.’
As Maria apologises on her son’s behalf, I could swear she shoots me a dirty look. Clearly unwanted at the dinner table, I decide to go after Leo and thank him for standing up for me.
I eventually find Leo sitting on the beach behind the house.
‘Leo De Luca, you’re my hero,’ I laugh as I approach him.
Leo smiles.
‘I shouldn’t have snapped like that, but you’re right, they’ve got it in for you.’
‘Mia Valentina.’ I curtsey proudly in front of him. ‘Public enemy number one.’
‘Why are they like that with you, seriously?’
‘I have no idea. When I was little, it was like I didn’t exist – and since moving away, it’s like I’m not a part of the family any more. Ah well.’
I lie down on the sand next to Leo and look up at the beautiful sky. It’s only just starting to get dark, but the stars are out already. Leo lies back next to me.
‘I suppose your only close friends are in LA now?’
‘Yeah,’ I lie. I mean, I have lots of friends, but I wouldn’t say I had close friends. In all of the big movies I have written, the leading lady has always has a best friend that she can count on. They always come in different shapes and sizes, but everyone has someone. That’s not realistic though, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s that the only person you should rely on is yourself.
‘Thank you for sticking up for me,’ I say, changing the subject.
‘No problem,’ Leo replies. ‘I thought maybe you were being oversensitive or exaggerating but something isn’t right with that lot.’
‘At least I’ve got you,’ I tell him, edging closer and resting my head on his chest. Neither of us says a thing, we just gaze up at the stars.
Last night was fairly uneventful. I think people still hold me responsible for Josh’s ankle, but after Leo’s rant people are keeping pretty quiet on the subject. Leo is now public enemy number two by association. Even though everyone is treating him relatively well, he is being excluded from group activities. So am I, so we’re spending pretty much every minute together, keeping each other entertained. No, not like that! I’m still on my sex ban, remember. I don’t want to be blamed for anything else so I’ll see it through, get the wedding over with and then go home – and life can go back to normal. Belle is my only sister, so it’s not like I’ll be invited to any more weddings, and when she inevitably starts popping out babies I can’t imagine I’ll be invited to the christenings, lest I drown a baby or sleep with the vicar.
It’s been really nice getting to know Leo, actually. It’s weird, we’ve developed this strong alliance or, dare I say it, friendship. It’s been a long time since I’ve established any kind of relationship with a member of the opposite sex, and I have to admit, I’m enjoying having Leo on my side.
Yes, it’s been nice being excluded from wedding-based activities for a few hours, but today is the day of the stag and hen parties, so I’ll be dragged back in kicking and screaming.
Leo got up early to go and work out on the beach. Working out is something I have been neglecting slightly since I got here. I’ve never been that great at making my own exercise – I couldn’t prance around on the beach like you see all the beautiful people in LA doing – I need a proper gym with machines that tell me how well I’m doing. I don’t exercise because I enjoy exercising, I exercise because I enjoy not being fat. With the female members of my family all being on the plump side – more so as they get older – it seems inevitable that my terrible genes will see me suffer a similar fate. Going to the gym, watching the dials on the machines telling me how long I have been working out, how far I’ve run, how many calories I have burned… that’s what I need. I need the numbers, the maths that shows me that my hard work will pay off. That’s all losing weight is – it’s a numbers game.
Alone in Leo’s bed, I stretch out as fully as possible, occupying the entire bed in the shape of a starfish. It’s strange, but sharing a bed with Leo at one end and me at the other is oddly restricting. If I roll over too far to the right, I find myself face to face with his feet, and knowing that I’m prone to wiggling in the night I keep my back to him, terrified I might kick him in the face or something. I don’t get to relax for long before Belle bursts through the door.
‘Good morning,’ she says cheerily, placing a cup of coffee down next to me. ‘I brought you this.’
I rub my eyes to make sure I’m not dreaming.
‘You… you managed to work the coffee machine?’ I ask, because it seems more polite to be surprised about her getting the machine working than the truth, the fact that she is being nice to me.
‘Oh no, no chance,’ she laughs. ‘It’s instant.’
I am not usually a fan of instant coffee, but I am a fan of my sister treating me like a human being so I will drink every last drop.
‘Thank you,’ I tell her, sitting up and taking the mug in my hands.
‘So…’ I start, racking my brains for something to say. ‘How are you?’
‘I’m good. You?’
‘Not bad,’ I reply, sipping my coffee. It isn’t nice at all, and she’s loaded it with sugar, but I said I’d drink it so I will.
Belle nods towards Leo’s pillow at the bottom of the bed.