The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden

protesting it.
     
    Luke takes another mouthful of tequila and wipes his lips with his arm as he passes the bottle to Kayden. “Usually we set up an obstacle course, like running and jumping and shit.” He gestures his hand at the net above us. “But we got a prebuilt one right here.”
     
    “So what? You just race?” I ask as Kayden hands Seth the bottle, moving his arm around my back. “And what does the winner get?”
     
    Seth tips his head back and takes a long, loud gulp. “Damn that’s good.”
     
    “The satisfaction of winning.” Kayden exchanges a look with Luke.
     
    Luke stares up at the top. “I say first one to the top and back is the winner.”
     
    “I say that this time the winner owes the other one a favor.” Kayden steps around me and steers me to the side by the shoulders. “Like letting the other one borrow their truck whenever they want.”
     
    “That’s fine,” Luke retorts. “Just as long as when I win, I get to ride that motorcycle, that hasn’t left your garage, when we go home for Thanksgiving.”
     
    “That’s my brother’s,” Kayden states with a noticeable rise in the pitch of his voice.
     
    “You drove it once before,” Luke protests.
     
    “And I got in deep shit for doing so.” His breathing is ragged and tension swirls in the air.
     
    He lets out a breath as Luke takes another drink with a challenge in his eyes. I’ve heard the term “too much testosterone,” but never witnessed it until now.
     
    “Fine, you got a deal.” Kayden jerks the bottle from Luke’s hand and throws his head back, pouring in a mouth full of tequila. “But I’m not letting you win.”
     
    “Yeah, we’ll see.” Luke steals the bottle back and wraps his lips around the top, knocking back a shot.
     
    “You know what?” Seth shuffles toward the exit, staring at his phone. “I think I’m going to go find the person I was talking to.”
     
    “No way.” Kayden steps toward him. “You got to stay down here and call the winner.”
     
    Seth waves his hand at him, brushing him off. “Nah, Callie can do it.”
     
    Kayden shakes his head. “Callie’s in the challenge, remember?”
     
    I cringe, wondering what I’ve gotten myself into.  “Maybe I should just stay here.”
     
    Kayden lowers his face toward mine and strands of his brown hair tickle my forehead. “I thought you were going to prove to us you weren’t little?”
     
    I glance up at the nets and ropes with doubt. “How am I supposed to do that? I see no possible way of me winning anything against you two.”
     
    He positions his fist in front of his chest with a wicked glint in his emerald eyes. “With your awesome kick boxing skills.”
     
    Luke snorts a laugh as he spills some tequila onto the ground. “What?”
     
    Kayden lowers his fist, biting on his lip, with a look in his eyes that’s very overpowering. “What do you say? Can you handle it?”
     
    I nod, even though I don’t think I can. “Alright, so I just try to beat you guys to the top?”
     
    Kayden rubs his jawline. “Absolutely.”
     
    I follow them to the bottom step as they line up with their hands out to the side of them and their feet positioned to run. I feel short and small standing between them.
     
    Seth stands near the curtains, checking the clock on his screen.  “Do you want me to just say go?”
     
    Kayden nods, without taking his eyes off the tunnel in front of us. “Yep, whenever. We’re ready to go.”
     
    Seth glances at his clock again and then sighs. “On your mark, get set, go!”
     
    I skitter to the side as Luke shoves Kayden and then runs down the tunnel. Kayden recovers and dodges back onto the steps, sprinting down and disappearing into the darkness. I glance at Seth and he gestures for me to get my butt moving.
     
    I walk quickly, ducking my head, and listening to the sounds of their footsteps that are already above me. Huddling over, I exit out of the tunnel and onto a wooden stairway. I step up, getting a little uneasy at how dark it is, but when I approach the next level the glow from the rides flow inside.
     
    I hear the sound of Kayden’s voice as he shouts something and I pick up my pace toward a bridge. It has netted sides and a rope for a railing. There are boards that pave the way to the other side and the floor sways underneath my feet as I step onto it. It’s gone quiet and my adrenaline soars.
     
    “Okay, why did I agree to this?” I mutter to myself. Then answer my own