CHAPTER 42

RAIN OF TERROR: CHAPTER 42

"Oh! I am. But it's just you baby girl. I just can't get mad at you."

How many times had Mark rendered her speechless, he didn't mind it at all. Mark was surprised by his behavior too, but it seemed like he couldn't help it.

"But why? Like how?" Seemed like Rachel was curious now. The fact that he had such strong feelings for her was overwhelming.

"You should ask yourself, 'cause I am not aware myself. You are the thief, not me. But who am I to blame you for stealing my poor heart."

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"So you don't want to play bowling?"

"I don't. You'll just win." Alice replied sulkily. Oliver chuckled.

"So you want to play a game whereby you'll be able to beat me easily?" He was only interested in what she wanted, he might not show it to her but deep down, her happiness was all he wanted and for that, her wishes would be his command.

"Yes!" Her face brightened up, she beamed happily in anticipation of what he was going to say next. She was subconsciously waiting for him to agree to search for a game she would beat him in.

Oliver looked at her, he stared at her beautiful eyes that had a little shine in them. She was blinking her eyes so cutely and he had felt like kissing her pouted lips right there. He just didn't want to ruin the moment and cause her to feel awkward.

"Okay, come on let's go then." He took her hands again and as they walked away from the bowling alley, Alice and Oliver noticed a crowd gathered around a group of people playing Simon Says. They could hear the "Simon" shouting commands and the "followers" laughing and cheering. As they got closer, one of the followers spotted them and called out, "Hey, you two! Wanna join in?" Oliver looked at Alice, but she quickly shook her head and mouthed, "No way!" Oliver understood her hesitation - Simon says could get pretty intense and dirty, and Alice was always self-conscious about looking silly or embarrassing herself.

"Ah, come on!" the follower called out, "Don't be such a party pooper!" Oliver knew he had to tread carefully - he didn't want to pressure Alice into doing something she didn't want to do, but he also didn't want to be a spoilsport and reject the invitation outright. "Well, how about we just watch for a bit?" he suggested, hoping that would be a good compromise.

Alice nodded hesitantly, and they approached the circle of players.

"Okay, Simon says, 'stick your tongue out and wiggle it!'" the Simon announced. The crowd erupted in laughter as several of the players tried their best to wiggle their tongues. Alice cringed, feeling even more uncomfortable about joining in.

Simon continued to shout out commands, and Oliver could see that some of them were getting increasingly risque and inappropriate. He turned to Alice and whispered, "I think we should probably head out of here. This isn't exactly our scene." Alice nodded gratefully, relieved that he had read her mind.

They turned and started to walk away, but Simon called out after them.

"Wait, don't leave! We need a new Simon!" the player insisted. Oliver and Alice exchanged a look, unsure of what to do. The players were all looking at them expectantly, and it was clear they wanted them to stay. Oliver took a deep breath and addressed the group.

"Listen, I appreciate the offer, but this isn't our thing. We're just going to head out now," he said firmly but politely. Alice felt a wave of relief as the players seemed to accept their decision and turned their attention back to the game. As they walked away, she couldn't help but feel grateful for Oliver's understanding and support.

"You know…the game is one you could beat me in." Oliver teased. Alice immediately glared at him.

"No way!" She replied sternly which made Oliver burst into laughter.

"It would have been fun though. If perhaps the "Simon" had asked us to do something that'd be relatively easy for you to do and I find it difficult to carry out. You could have just won." He continued to tease her with a smirk on his face.

"Oh so what if it was vice versa? Didn't you see the shit they were doing? How would any of that be easy for me to do." Alice shuddered at the thought.

"Hehe!" Oliver chuckled. Suddenly he saw a bright smile on Alice's face and imagined a light bulb on her head as she quickly ran to stop him from walking any further.

"Hey, have you ever played laser tag before?" Alice asked, turning to Oliver with a hopeful smile. She had always been a little envious of the kids who had gotten to play laser tag when she was younger, and now that she was grown up, she was eager to try it for herself.

"Oh yeah, laser tag is great!" Oliver replied with a grin, clearly pleased to share his experience with Alice. "It's such a blast - you get to run around and shoot people, and it's like a real-life video game. The only thing is, it can be pretty exhausting, especially if you're not used to it. But trust me, it's so worth it!" he said, his enthusiasm rivalling Alice's own.

"I've never played before, but it sounds like so much fun!" Alice gushed, imagining herself running around the arena and shooting at targets. "Let's go play!" she exclaimed, eager to experience the thrill of laser tag for the first time.

"You've never played before? No way!" Oliver exclaimed, his eyes wide with disbelief. "We've gotta fix that right away!" he added, his competitive spirit taking over.

Alice and Oliver hurried over to the laser tag arena, their excitement growing with each step. Once inside, they were greeted by a friendly employee who explained the rules of the game. After suiting up in their protective gear, they were given their laser guns and led to the starting point.

"Ready?" Oliver asked, looking over at Alice with a grin.

"Ready!" she replied, her heart pounding with anticipation. And then, with a shout of "Go!" they were off, racing around the arena and shooting at each other with glee.

The game was a blur of movement and sound, with Alice and Oliver running, dodging, and shooting at each other with abandon. The adrenaline rush was intoxicating, and it was all Alice could do to focus on the game. Her competitive spirit was in full force, and she was determined to win.

As the game went on, the two of them were neck and neck, evenly matched in skill and determination. But then, with a final shot, Alice managed to tag Oliver, and the game was over.

"I win!" she exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear.

"You got lucky!" Oliver replied with a mock-indignant expression, but his eyes were shining with delight. "Best two out of three?" he asked, clearly eager to keep the game going.

"You're on!" Alice said, her competitive spirit as fierce as ever. The two of them lined up once again, ready to face off in the next round.

The second game was just as fast-paced and intense as the first, with both players giving it their all. They were evenly matched once again, but in the end, it was Alice who emerged victorious.

"You're good!" Oliver exclaimed, giving her a high-five Alice beamed at the praise, feeling a sense of accomplishment and pride. But she could tell that Oliver was determined to win the next game, and she was determined to keep her winning streak alive.

The third game was a blur of movement and sound, and it was clear that both players were giving it their all. But just when it seemed that it could go either way, there was a sudden malfunction in the laser gun that Alice was using, causing it to go haywire and shoot in all directions.

"Oh no!" she exclaimed, quickly putting down the gun. But it was too late - the game was over, and the scoreboard had already registered a win for Oliver. He looked at Alice, a mixture of triumph and sympathy on his face.

"It's okay, it's just a game," he said with a smile. But Alice could tell he was secretly pleased with his victory. She couldn't help but laugh, realizing that the malfunction had been a bit of a blessing in disguise - she was starting to feel exhausted from the intensity of the game.

"Next time, I'll make sure my laser gun is in top shape!" she said with a grin. "I'll be sure to bring my A-game next time as well!" Oliver replied, the friendly competition still evident in his voice. They both knew that they would continue to battle it out, but for now, they were content to take a break and enjoy each other's company.

"That was a lot of fun," Alice said, feeling more relaxed now that the intensity of the game had subsided.

"It sure was," Oliver agreed. "And we'll have to do it again soon. But for now, how about we get something to eat?"It was a tempting offer, and Alice's stomach rumbled in agreement. The two of them headed to the food court.

They chatted and laughed as they perused the various food options, eventually settling on a pair of hot dogs and some fries.

"This is exactly what I needed," Alice said with a contented sigh as she took a bite of her hot dog.

"It's the perfect way to refuel after all that running around," Oliver agreed, his hot dog already half-eaten.