“We don’t,” I spit out more quickly than I intended. A flash of hurt interrupted the anger dominating Luke’s face, and my heart sank. Was it physically impossible for me not to hurt this guy?
“How about I go instead?” Luke said through gritted teeth. He grabbed his beer from the bar, chugged it down, and said goodbye to his friends and Shayla. When he brushed past me be growled, “You really know how to pick the winners.”
I fought tears the whole way home. I had to explain myself. I picked up my phone a dozen times to text Luke. To tall him how Antonio and I were not a thing. How we would probably never be a thing being as Antonio was married. But every time I chickened out and set my phone back on the passenger seat.
I’d tell him everything at dinner tomorrow.
That is, if he showed up.
4
Writing practice tickets and learning park rules could not beat out the niggling deep down in my gut the next day. Why did I care so much what Luke thought? I knew the truth, and that was all that mattered. Wasn’t it? Plus it wasn’t like we were going to back together or anything.
“I just hope my face doesn’t swell up too badly,” Shayla said as we finished up lunch. At least she wasn’t mad at me from last night. “My mother will never let me live it down if I can’t handle a simple hit of pepper spray.”
Her mother sounded like an ass.
At lunch, Greg had reminded us that we’d have a pepper spray drill that afternoon. As a firefighter, I’d never had to deal with pepper spray, but I’d heard horror stories about how it made some people physically sick. “It probably won’t be so bad. Just get through the course and get to the hose, and it’s all over,” I patted her on the back. She flashed me a grateful smile.
Brock walked toward the test area with his shoulders back, eager to offer himself up as the first volunteer.
“All right, Brock, the minute Kyle sprays your face, time will begin,” Greg explained. “You will first run across the plaza and get through the mob of park visitors without trampling anyone.” He motioned to where Ben and Antonio stood acting as park visitors. “Then you will run across the beach down to the boat ramp, pick up the radio and call out for help, before we’ll offer you the hose.”
It sounded simple enough. We all nodded.
“Are you ready?” Greg asked.
Brock nodded once.
Kyle sprayed a quick burst of the toxic vapor directly at Brock’s face. At first it seemed as though Brock was completely unfazed, but as he began running across the plaza he nearly tripped over his own feet rubbing furiously at his eyes. A moan of pain escaped his lips.
“Don’t rub your eyes, that’ll make it worse,” Greg called out. “Keep going, you need to call for help. The assailant is getting away.”
But no amount of coaxing got Brock back on track. He huddled on the ground in the fetal position clawing at his face, spewing expletives, and begging for water.
Shayla stared at him with her massive eyes.
At this point, even I was ready to give him my water bottle.
Finally, Kyle yanked Brock from the ground and shoved a water bottle in his hands. Brock dumped the contents on his face and reached for another.
“Who wants to go next?” Greg asked in his cheery voice as if there wasn’t a man still clawing at his eyes in pain behind him.
Shayla looked like she was going to vomit.
“I’ll go,” I said.
“Ready?” Kyle asked, his voice pulling me back to the task.
I took a deep breath and nodded.
The spray hit my closed eyes like a burst of cool steam. At first, it wasn’t so bad, but the minute I opened my eyes to see where I needed to run, a burning sensation convinced me my corneas were being ripped out. I fought the urge to rub my eyes and blinked furiously.
“Go, Rylie.” Shayla’s voice reminded me of all the people watching.
I took a step and then two and then began running. I was across the plaza in a matter of seconds and into the crowd.
“Excuse me,” I said as I gently pushed past Ben and Antonio. The beach was more difficult to maneuver as tears rolled down my face. My boots and heavy pants made it nearly impossible to run through the sand.
Once on the boat ramp, I searched frantically for the radio. I could only see shapes, and even those were blurry. The burning sensation was getting worse. I needed the water. Where was that damn radio?
Finally, I found it by the fishing regulation sign.
“Ranger Fourteen, Ranger One,” I called out.
“Go ahead,” Greg replied.
“A man about five foot eight with dark brown hair has taken my pepper spray and used it against me. He’s headed in the direction of the plaza.”
“Copy, I’ll head that way,” Greg replied.
“Ranger Fourteen clear,” I said and put the radio down.
“Here you go.” Carmen stood next to me with the hose spewing wonderful cold water. How had I not seen her there just moments before? “Let it run over your face and into your eyes. It’ll make it feel better.”
The cool water was like a slushy on a hot summer day. It slowed the burning on my cheeks and in my eyes. After a solid five minutes of cold water, the pain subsided to that of a severe sunburn.
Shayla was next and, though the pepper spray seemed to give her more problems than it had me, she made it through the course and was soon dousing her face with the hose.
“Great job, you two,” Greg said in his cheery voice. “Rylie, you beat the record time.” He clapped me on the back.
How had I beaten the record time? It took me forever to find the radio.
“And Brock, we’ll give you the opportunity to take the test again, or
