Paranoia

The Game

⚠️TW⚠️: This chapter has mentions of self harm, slight graphic speech, and alcohol and other substance abuse.

"Alright, your turn!" Said the kid in the light blue shirt with chapped lips and bright blonde hair, I'd forgotten his name at the time, but I was afraid to ask.

"Mine?!" I suddenly burst out, surprised it'd been my turn already. The increasing nods in the room lead me to believe so. "Okay, uhhhhhh. Oh!" I turned to whisper to the girl Siri next to me, Clarissa was her name. Her lips pursed in a thin line and her hands folded in her lap. Her blue shirt was tight on her body, and her arms were thin, unbelievably thin. "Who's the cutest guy in this room?" I whispered to her.

"Jake, definitly Jake." She giggled, like a little prep girl, I hated it so much.

"Alright, flip the coin." My crush reaches for the coin in the center, and flipped it. His green and blue eyes, both separate colours completely, were shining in the dim light of the lamp in the corner. His lips curled up in a smile and hands rough, like he's been working on a farm for a living.

"Heads!" He bellowed, breaking my stare.

"Oh, uhhh." I got nervous, my eyes started darting around the room. My hair fell in my eyes, and I liked to the floor like it'd give me emotional support. "I asked her who I thought the cutest guy in the room was."

My arms stared to shake a bit, and my eyes continued to dart around, before landing in my crush's face. I hadn't learned his name yet, my friends wouldn't tell me. They'd encouraged me to ask him for it myself, to engage in a conversation.

"Matt, we all know the answer should've been you!" My crush joked, speaking to me. But the joke wasn't convincing, he liked like he meant it. I looked up at him, noticing myself in the mirror behind him. Shit, I was blushing now. I looked down, covering my face like I was cold.

"You alright?" He asked me, genuine concern in his voice.

"Yeah, just a bit cold." I muttered. My hands fell from my face, and he looked over to his friend.

"John, turn the AC off, it is getting a bit cold in here." He old him, and his friend did as asked and then the AC off, and slunk back down on the floor in our small circle.

My phone buzzed, and I looked down at it. "Shit, guys I gotta go, my mom wants me home."

"Aww man." My crush said, looking my direction. "I'll walk you out."

I stood up, looking at him. "No, it's alright. I can walk home myself."

"Are you sure?" He asked, concern and unease in his eyes.

"Yeah, I'll be alright." I murmured back, hoping he'd not listen and walk me home anyways.

"If you insist, Princess." I looked at Clarissa in pure rage. That nickname was never supposed to get past her lips. But I guess he could have overheard Clarissa calling me that.

I turn, walking towards the door of Clarissa's bedroom. I get to the door, slowly walking down the hallway towards the stairs as I think about him. His amazing laugh, his amazing smile, the way the name "princess" rolls off his tongue like it was my real name and he was fascinated by the name. His lips looked so soft and kissable. He was just amazing. I don't know what he thought of me, but he seemed to have a decent opinion. As I'm walking down the stairs and get to the door, I step outside, realising it was cold and I'd forgotten my jacket in Clarissa's bedroom. I slowly turn around to see him, face to face with me. I guess he decided to walk back out with me and take my home instead of stand there.

"Hey, I noticed your jacket was missing, I thought I'd bring it back to you, Princess." He said to me, so casual with a smirk on his face while he said my nickname.