Page 32 of If It's You

“I’m sure I’ll win that one too,” Christian said.

“Not so fast, city boy. This isn’t a game you win.” Maizie said.

“Who wants to play a game you can’t win?”

“We want to,” Jayce said. “Stay here. We’ll come get you in a minute.” They all stood from the table and headed out the door.

An outside game he couldn’t win?What kind of game is this?

Christian waited five minutes before Maizie came back holding a bandana in her hand.

“I have to blindfold you,” she said.

“No way. I don’t do blindfolds.”

“Then I guess you lose,” Maizie started to turn away.

Christian had been too cocky earlier, and it was coming back to bite him. “Fine.”

Maizie smirked and walked behind him, reaching up to tie the blindfold on. Her fingers grazed his cheeks with little flames of fire. She tugged tight on the blindfold.

“Ouch.” He winced.

“Oops.” She said but didn’t loosen the band. “Hey, everyone. Christian’s going to do the two-by-four game!” Maizie hollered. A collective chuckle came from the group, and there was a wave of movement around him.

“Wait, what’s going on?” Christian asked.

“You’ll see.” Maizie grabbed a hold of his arm and led him outside. He was immediately aware of what her hands on his arm did to him. How every point of contact reacted to her touch. And how she kept purposely running him into things. Doorways, walls, corner cabinets. By the time they made it outside, his entire left side was bruised.

She led him across the lawn, and the sound of people talking grew louder. This was not a good sign of things to come.

“Step onto this board,” Maizie said, a moment too late, right after Christian rammed into it with his shin.

“Dang it, Maizie.” He grunted. “I’m going to have bruises everywhere.”

“Don’t be such a wimp,” she said, and Jayce snickered.

She held his hand as he found the board and steadied himself. Her fingers were so small beneath his.

“Okay, Christian,” Jayce began. “Hugh and I are going to lift the board you are standing on and see how high you can get.”

“What?” Christian made a move to step off, but Maizie pushed against his chest. She was surprisingly strong for her size, and he faltered under the warmth of her palms.

“You can hold onto Maizie and Mitchell’s shoulders,” Jayce explained. Maizie guided his hand to her shoulder and Mitchell did the same. He had no idea how two people much smaller than him were supposed to save him if he fell.

“How do I win?” He half-joked. He didn’t like where this was headed and he thought he heard Mitchell say, “By not dying.”

“Ready?” Hugh asked.

Christian nodded. Jayce and Hugh lifted the board. Inch by inch, he felt himself climbing into the sky as Maizie and Mitchell disappeared beneath his fingertips. The board wobbled and he scrambled to hold onto one of them. He clenched Maizie’s shoulder but lost Mitchell’s. Maizie was getting lower. He needed to let go or risk falling right on top of her.

“You have to balance,” Jayce called.

“Trying.” He grunted. He let go of Maizie’s shoulder to straighten his body, but the board wobbled again beneath his weight, and his legs gave out. He fell off the board with a gulp and slammed into the ground that he was certain was ten feet below him. Laughter erupted around him. He ripped off his blindfold to find Jayce rolling on the grass, and Maizie was crouched down, along with Mitchell. He hadn’t risen any higher, Maizie and Mitchell had sunk lower and lower making him think he was towering over them.

“That was ridiculous,” he said, shoving a hand through his hair. “I totally thought I was ten feet in the air.”

“Welcome to the family, man.” Hugh slapped him on the back. “You passed initiation.”