Manhunt

The Games We Play

The stakes were high that humid June night. Boys against girls.

Rather than holding up the start of the game by going back home for sneakers, I kicked off my flip flops and bolted for a hiding spot while my older brother and his friends counted.

"One... two... three..."

I knew I'd end up regretting playing barefooted, but I enjoyed it at that moment. The grass was pleasantly cool beneath my toes.

Crouched in the shrubs beside the Meyers' house, I waited long enough for the crickets to start chirping again while I caught my breath.

"Ready or not, here we come!"

The distinctive screech of my best friend told me someone was already chasing her.

I couldn't see if she made it to home base from my leafy cover, so I slowly stood and flattened myself against the vinyl siding. Trying not to rustle the branches, I inched along the wall. Once at the corner, I peeked around to look across the cul-de-sac.

There she was in jail, otherwise known as the Devitos' porch. Nobody from the boys' team was in sight. If I sprinted fast I could probably break her out.

Just as I made up my mind to go for it, the bushes next to me imploded. I never even had a chance to run as two arms locked around my waist. I twisted and tried to pry them away, hoping to break free, but the arms only got tighter.

"I got you!" crowed my brother's friend Drew.

The instant I realized who it was, I froze. I'd had the biggest crush on Drew since I was twelve and this was the closest physically I'd ever been to him in the past three years.

We were both breathing hard, my back against his front.

"Done fighting?" he asked.

I couldn't form words so I only nodded.

"Promise not to run?" His arms slackened.

I nodded again.

"Say it," he demanded.

I crossed my fingers. "I promise not to run."

Drew dropped his arms and I took my chance. I ran towards the woods, hoping to lose him in the trees.

A solid eight inches taller than me, he was hot on my heels in no time.

I threw myself down into the grass, legs burning and completely winded. "Okay I give up!"

Drew dove on top of me, caging me with his arms and legs in a plank. "Why should I believe you now when you lied before?" He looked in my eyes.

"I didn't lie exactly. I crossed my fingers." I spread my arms out and my fingers wide. "Nothing crossed now. See?"

He looked down at my legs.

I spread those wide too. "Ask me anything and I'll have to tell the truth now."

Drew dropped to his knees, bringing our bodies even closer. "Do you like me?"

I bit my lip and nodded. He smiled.

And when our lips met, I knew that I was definitely the winner of Manhunt that night.