Ain't No Mountain High Enough

"Under Pressure"

I hated how small the kitchen felt. We had a refrigerator and an oven crammed in with what little counter space we had. Cabinets that looked too large lined the walls above the cabinets, and the fluorescent lighting made my eyes hurt. Not to mention the ugly white tile that looked more like a bathroom floor, and the door that, when shut, could make the whole kitchen feel like it was going to cook you alive.

I sat in the back of the kitchen, staring at the cake Veronica and Valerie brought, and I could feel Arjun's intense stare burning a hole in my skull.

"Well?" he said, as if I was the one who wanted to have a conversation. I didn't want to have a conversation with anyone, as it were.

"Well what?" I said. Gosh, I tried to keep that pesky sarcasm out of my voice, but it was becoming like a bad habit.

Arjun rolled his eyes. "You're clearly not okay with this...situation."

I laughed, but it was entirely fake. "I'm not sure how anyone could be," I said. Ugh, I could just feel my internal volcano erupting. It was going to blow at any moment, and I was already getting worried about the consequences. I took off my glasses and rubbed the bridge of my nose. "Look, don't worry about me. In fact, I'm sick and tired of people worrying about me." I shook my head. "I'm just on my last rope today, Arjun."

Arjun studied me with that signature scrutinizing glare of his. You'd think I just insulted the guy's mother with the face he was giving me. "If you don't want to stick around for tonight, I don't care. I know it must be awkward with Mr. Marathon."

I paused, then shrugged. "It's not just that," I said after a moment. "It's just...everything."

"Yeah," Arjun said. He put his hands in the pockets of his jeans. "That's how it goes, I guess."

Like he'd understand. I put my glasses back on and started wheeling towards the door. It was starting to get real hot in there, but I was sure half of it was me half-losing my temper.

But, God help me, I should have stayed in that kitchen.

Keto had already started the others on a game, and I quickly realized it was Truth or Dare.

"Ah, you're back," Veronica said. She was sitting on the sofa's armrest and nursing a Capri Sun. "Want to play a little Truth or Dare?" She had an evil look in her eyes. "Or are you too chicken?"

How could I back off now? I wheeled over to the TV set and turned so I could see everyone. Arjun was just then coming out of the kitchen with a beer.

"I'll play," he said.

"Me too," I added. There was a feeling, deep in the pits of my heart, that told me this was going to end really badly. But did I listen? Heck, no!

It started off just fine. We threw around some awkward truths, like if we ever wet the bed, or got arrested. Dares consisted of doing stuff like prank calling family members and whatnot. I ended up being dared to chug an entire can of beer, and after that, I was really starting to regret agreeing to play. My heart was racing, and my stomach was starting to hurt.

Arjun, who was wise enough not to get himself too drunk, and Valerie, who never drank at all, were the only ones completely sane by this point. I'm not going to lie, I forgot most of what happened the rest of the game, but I wish I could forget the end of it.

"We need to do something juicier," Veronica said. She had been stumbling around the living room laughing like a maniac ever since she switched from Capri Suns to beer.

Arjun made her sit on the floor. "All right, well it's Randall's turn." He gave me a look. "Choose wisely, my friend."

I smiled faintly. Valerie was holding Stephen's hand, and I had been trying not to notice, but it was becoming all I could focus on. "I choose...truth."

Veronica got that evil look in her eyes again.

This was going to be bad.

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Thanks for reading! Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Give Queen's "Under Pressure" some love!

Peace ✌ ~ A.J.