A/N: It's the weekends and it's time for paintball!!! This is my first time writing an action sequence that involves weapons and strategizing... So, please let me know what do you think about it... And if you have any tips, please let me know so that I can improve 🙏🙏🙏😁😁😁

***

Shots rang out all around her but all she could hear was the loud thumping of her heart against her chest. It was a war zone out there and in war, only the toughest survive. She turned to take a peek at her foes, her hand clutching her weapon tightly. Determination kindled in her eyes as adrenaline fuelled her need for revenge and for victory. They were tied 3 to 3 and there were only 5 more minutes left before the battle ended. More shots rang out.

"Out!"

Ayesha turned around to see Di, another one of her team mates being escort out of the battlefield. 2 to 3. Their chances of victory had just decreased. She saw Abhay leaning against a crate, very out of breath.

Ayesha had an advantage as she grew up with the boys and knew how they played. Luckily, Vishal wasn't around to add to their 'strategy' or she wouldn't have lasted this long. The boys' strategy would be: first find a target, then surround that person, leaving them with no chance to escape and finally, put them out of their misery. It was down to Abhay and her so it wasn't hard to guess who they were targeting next.

She looked to her right and found Kabir and Fakhir approaching.
On her left, was Sunny. She could try to take one of them down but that meant that her other side would be exposed. She looked over at Abhay again. This time he was looking at her. She had a gut feeling about the boys strategy. Sunny would sneak up on her on her left while Fakhir and Kabir would surround Abhay and take him out. Even if Abhay manages to take one of them out, the other wound take him out. As for Ayesha, it was just a matter of how accurate and how fast they could pull the trigger. She signalled the strategy to Abhay and he nodded. They just had to be fast enough. She heard the boys closing in. Three shots rang out.

"Out!"

She turned around to see Kabir being escorted out.

2 to 2. If they continued their strategy, Abhay and Ayesha could easily win this game. She guessed Fakhir must be where Abhay was and Sunny was probably near enough to shoot her.

"Play!"

She heard running from the left which meant Sunny was going for the kill. In a frenzy, she ran towards Abhay. She spotted Fakhir, who suddenly raised his head at the sound of Ayesha's shoes slapping the sand packed floor. She shot at him.

"Out!"

In the midst of the commotion, Abhay had managed to take down Fakhir. A bright orange splatter appeared on his back. However, the game wasn't quite over as the 'champion' was still in the court.

According to her brother, Sunny had been the undisputed champion in paintball since the first time they played, except that one time that Arjun managed to 'accidentally' shoot him on the shoulder.

"Play!"

Ayesha had a feeling Sunny was going for Abhay to eliminate the unpredictable factor in the game. She clutched the air gun closer to her chest and steadied her breathing. Come on Sunny, where are you?

She heard a ruffling sound on her right as Abhay tried to move himself in a more strategic place. Two shot rang out, forcing Abhay back to his place. Ayesha now had an idea where Sunny was. But knowing him, he would already be on the move.

She was suddenly grateful for all the PlayStation and computer games they played when they were kids. It allowed her to predict the boys' movements throughout the game.

Ayesha ran to the nearest obstacle, avoiding Sunny's shots. She also heard Abhay firing at Sunny in an attempt to take him out.

"3 minutes!" The marshal called out.

Ayesha spotted Abhay from the corner of her eyes. He was signalling something to her.

Is he mad? Ayesha thought to herself. If they were in the wrong positions, Sunny would take both of them out.

1... 2... 3...

Ayesha ran as fast as she could, charging towards Sunny. When she spotted Sunny, she begun firing at him. Blotches of paint splattering the surface of wooden box where he hid. Even with his face hidden behind the mask, Ayesha could tell Sunny panicked for minute before he begun running in the opposite direction. Suddenly, everyone became interested in the showdown and plastered themselves at the paint-stained panel.

"Bhaag, Sunny, bhaag (Run, Sunny, run)!" Kabir called out from beyond the field.

"Go Ayesha!" Di called out. "Go Abhay!"

Sunny turned around to access the situation. He realized Abhay was nearer and quicker than Ayesha which meant that Abhay would most probably get to him first. However, instead of running in a straight line like Ayesha was, he ran in a random zigzag pattern which meant that Ayesha would be an easier target to shoot at. Sunny made up his mind. He aimed at Abhay and shot at his direction. Abhay's step fumbled as he tried to stopped and thanks to Newton's Laws of Motion, he ended up falling on his butt. Sunny shot at him some more as Abhay scrambled for cover.

"2 minutes!"

Sunny had a smug expression on his face as he switched his target from Abhay to Ayesha.

Ayesha yelped as she jumped out of the way to the nearest obstacle to shield herself from Sunny's paint bullets. Abhay tried shooting at Sunny but Sunny was faster. He shot back, and a paint bullet landed just a few centimetres away from Abhay's face. Paint splattered over his goggles, obstructing part of his vision. He used the sleeves of the protection jacket to wipe off the paint but it only made it worse. Abhay knew he was sitting ducks if he couldn't see.

"Abhay, on your right!' Ayesha called out. Abhay pointed the gun and randomly shot to his right. Sunny jerked back in shock, trying to avoid Abhay's stray shots. He then suddenly realized Abhay's predicament. Instead of firing back, he ran to the nearest cover, inching closer to Abhay. He only turned back occasionally to make sure Ayesha wasn't threatening his position.

"1 minute!"

Ayesha was at a lost. Time was running out and Abhay was as good as gone. She also knew that Sunny could easily take Abhay out and he wouldn't hesitate to do so. She had an idea but it meant that she would have to leave Abhay to fend for himself.

Ok, she thought to herself. Let's do this! For the greater good.

To the spectators, however, it looked like Ayesha was running away from Sunny.

"What the heck is Ayesha doing?" Tara asked.

"I think I have an idea," Arjun said.

Sunny realized that Ayesha had suddenly gone quiet and to him, that wasn't a good sign. He looked around trying to find Ayesha.

Suddenly, a bullet flew by him and splat opened at the crate directly behind him, narrowly missing his face.

Abhay!

Sunny shot back at Abhay but Abhay dodged it. It was then that Sunny realized that despite the paint stained goggles, Abhay was back in the game. He was in so much trouble right now. He just prayed that time would run out before anyone of them managed to take him out.

Abhay fired another round of shot but
Sunny hid behind a pillar, avoiding them. Where in the world was Ayesha?

"Ayesha!" Sunny roared, clearly annoyed.

Ayesha bit down on her tongue to avoid replying. She couldn't give up her position, not now at least.

Abhay closed into Sunny and fired a few shots to lure him out. However, Sunny was smarter than that. He stayed put. There was only 15 seconds left on the clock.

Sunny fired a few shots at Abhay just to keep him away. He looked around but still couldn't find Ayesha.

10... 9... 8... 7... 6... 5... 4... 3...

Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of someone running by him.

Ayesha!

2...

He fired a few shots at her but missed.

1...

Sunny tried again.

Bang! Splat!

"Time's up!"

Everyone gasped simultaneously as the buzzer went off. As the remaining three were escorted out, the spectators begun crowding around them.

"Excuse me," the marshal called out, pointing at Ayesha who had just taken off her mask. "You're out."

Sunny smirked.

"And you too," the marshal said as he pointed at Sunny.

Suddenly, a loud suddenly cry erupted.

"Hum jeet gaye (We won)!" Sonia cried out.

Sunny just slumped in a corner, disappointed and clearly exhausted.

"Jeet gaye, jeet gaye (We won, we won)" Sonia sang, taunting the other team. "Thanks to Abhay, hum jeet gaye (we won)!"

Di and Tara didn't hesitate and joined in to taunt the others.

"Tum ho kaun (Who are you), Abhay Deldar," Sunny choked out. "First bowling and now this? Is there anything you can't do?"

"Studies?" Abhay said, sheepishly.

"Arre rubbish," Kabir spoke up. "If you didn't take up dancing, you'd be an engineer."

Abhay blushed furiously.

"I don't care who you are," Ayesha huffed. "But from now onwards, you're my new favourite partner."

Sunny didn't know why but suddenly it hurt him to hear Ayesha say that.

"Me too," Sonia said.

"What about me?" Fakhir whined.

"Tu chup kar (You shut up)," Sameer said as he lightly hit Fakhir on the head, which earned a glare from Sonia.

"Thank you," Abhay said with a boyish grin.

"You know what?" Arjun said. "We should split Ayesha and Abhay up."

"No!" Ayesha protested. "If you want Abhay, you'll have to give up either Kabir or Sunny."

"We'll give you Arjun," Kabir offered.

"No," Di retorted. "We can trade Ayesha for Arjun but we'll only give Abhay up if Kabir or Sunny joins us."

"I'm not going anywhere without Abhay," Ayesha replied. "He's my winning charm."

"I think we should start drawing lots to determine team members," Sunny suggested.

"You're just jealous because you lost," Tara remarked.

"Twice," Sonia added.

Sunny couldn't deny it though. Abhay had defeated him twice in games that he would usually win.

"If we're done fighting," Sunny spoke up. "I need to visit my parents."

"Oh haan (Oh yes)," Kabir remembered. "Tara you're coming too, right?"

"Of course," she replied. "I'd do anything for your mom's curry!"

Sunny laughed.

"We better get going," Sunny said as he waved to Sameer, Abhay, Di, Sonia and Fakhir. "We'll see you soon. Bye."

"Bye," the five of them answered in unison.

***

A/N: So, how was the chapter??? And is that jealousy I smell burning in the background??? 😂😂😂

We get to meet Sunny's parents in the next chapter and I'm already so excited to introduce you to them!!!

P.s., I forgot to add, I hit the 25k word mark on NaNoWriMo which means I'm halfway done with this book!!! Thank you for all your support and keep supporting!!!