Stay at my back

"Three... Two... One! Begin!"

"Blaze!" I groaned in pain. "Stop dragging me around!" My wrist feels sore.

"Then match my steps."

"How do I do that? Do I read your mind? You should tell me if you're turning right or left!" I shouted at him.

"Do you like losing? Because I don't. Shout at me nonstop when we're done, not now." I did my best to follow him around while holding the basket just like what he said and he's the one who filled it. We finished at fifth place.

"Sir we got five balls!" Licia shouted.

"Licia you put that one ball after the bell. I won't be counting that. Go join the eliminated." Licia and Sasha are now out of the game. Sir Zach ordered to untie our ropes. Finally, my wrist can breath. Look at that, the rope left a red mark on my wrist.

"You ready for the next? This game is... Later." What? Sir Zach was flooded with questions. "I said, later. I'll tell you later. Next game would consume most of your energy, so you might want to be full." He asked all of our eliminated classmates to come with him.

Siche walked towards us. "Hey! See you at the finals!" He raised his fist waiting for Blaze to bump it but he did not, so I did. Siche and I laughed.

"We can't even barely bury the hatchet. I think it's Sasha and Licia who we'll be joining sooner."

"I can't understand. One waits for the other but push him away when he's there. While the latter worries for her but shows her he didn't care." My face and Blaze' scrunched up. What is this guy's saying?

"What are you talking about?" I asked Siche.

"I said, you two should try hitting it off." Then he walked out. I was so confused but I resist to ask Blaze for his opinion.

Sir and the other students came back. They brought a huge container and a hose. What's that for? "Turn the water on!" They start filling the container.

"What now? He should've informed us beforehand that we need extra shirt." I hissed.

"He did not said the instructions yet. How can you be sure we're gonna get wet?" Blaze asked me.

"Then what game do you think we are playing with that huge amount of water? Speed drinking? I thought you always use your brain?"

"What are you yelling for? I'm just trying to ease your mind because you're worried."

"Well, you just made it messier." I rolled my eyes at him.

One girl handed us a paper. It looks like a paper but it's not really paper-like. She's also giving us two pieces of adhesive.

"What are we supposed to do with this?" I asked her.

"You're supposed to listen to Sir Zach." What an attitude that girl has.

"Do the other pairs get the same amount of materials?" Blaze asked while looking around.

The girl chuckled. "Of course, Blaze." She didn't left yet but she has nothing left to do.

"What? Is there still something?" I asked her even though I knew that she just want to be closer with Blaze. She glared at me then walk away. "She just snob me but she immediately changes in front of you."

He opened his mouth to say something but Sir Zach already started talking. ,"You got the papers? That's just an ordinary paper... at least it was yesterday." He laughed. "I soaked it with special formulas so it can resist water better. Why does it have to resist water? You know what it is! Wear the paper on any part of your body using the adhesive we gave. Lex you got tape there?" He asked Siche's partner.

"Yes sir!" He shouted.

"Great, keep it. We'll acknowledge your readiness, but once we saw you using that, you and Siche are automatically out. The adhesive we gave you are the only thing you'd use. 'Sir can we wear it in our trunks?' The answer is yes, but I won't really recommend it. Once your tag wears off, you go. 'Sir what if I accidentally tore it?' Then blame your misfortune because we're not angels who gives second chance. If your tag wears off, you're still on the game and you need to protect your partner's to survive. Now I'll give you time to prepare."

I tried to put my tag on my own. My hands are twisting in front of me and I barely managed to get it right. Blaze pulled the paper from my hand. "Careful it might break." I told him as he helped me on wearing it on my left biceps. "Is this a good part?" Referring to where I placed my tag.

"Don't worry, I'll be protecting you." He said while he put on the adhesive. I lose focus for a moment and just stared at him. He can make my heart feels two completely different things in just a split second. One second I feel like killing him and then he makes me flutter. His eyes trailed off to my wrist, he saw the red mark on it. I tried to pull my hands away but he tighten his hold. "Why didn't you told me earlier?"

"I'm telling you now, it hurts." He loosened his grip.

"Let's get you treated."

"Are you nuts? The game's about to start!"

"You'll play like that?"

"Earlier you didn't even hesitate to drag me around. I told you that it hurts and you just kept going." I rolled my eyes at him.

His expression softened. "Tell me if you can't tolerate the pain anymore."

"Players in the middle!" Sir Zach yelled. I saw Blaze hesitated for a moment. The next thing he did made me lose it. He swiftly moved his hands from my wrist into my hands. He squeezed it and led me into the middle.

"Simultaneously?" Lex asked.

"The first five couple out will be eliminated. Students in position!" Our other classmates suddenly surrounded us.

"What the?" I looked at Blaze and he hides his shock professionally.

"Stay at my back." He hid me at his back.

"That usually sounds safe unless the back is also open. They're everywhere!" I exclaimed.