The Game

"And Let the Game begin."

             Things are different at Marymount High. To move up the social ladder Marymount students participate in what is known around school as "The Game". "The Game" is the ultimate power struggle, players battle one another via flirtatious wit, trying get the other player to admit affection for them while they themselves remain unattached. A victory launches a student higher up the popularity scale, while a defeat can turn a student into a nobody with nothing but a broken heart.

                                                           The Rules:

1. The first player to confess romantic feelings of any kind towards their fellow player, loses.

2. All is fair in love and war.

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Chapter One

"Can I sit here?"

Four little words, and already Darcy knew the game had started. Maybe it was the way his blue green eyes bore into her when he asked her. Or maybe it was the mischievous way he smiled, daring her to play. That was the thing about Darcy, she was known throughout her school for being a complete sweetheart, but in no way did that mean that she didn't know how to play, and naturally competitive as she was, there was no way that she would pass up a challenge. Her mind was made up, she would play, and she would win. The poor boy would never see it coming.

Darcy's deep brown eyes flicked to the newly empty seat beside her, the girl who had previously sat there had transferred out of the class halfway through the semester due to the course's difficulty. She then returned her gaze to her new found "partner", pulled her plump lips into a smirk of her own, and merely replied, "Go for it."

The stranger smiled, satisfied by his accepted invitation and quickly took his seat. Darcy couldn't help but feel that she had seen him before, but couldn't place where. She shook off the feeling instantly though however due to the fact that class was starting, and she was a straight A student. In no time,their teacher began to drone on and on about the wonders of Psychology with Darcy jotting down copious notes.

"Do you have a pencil I can borrow?"

Darcy turned to find her new found partner merely inches away from her face. Her heart began to beating rapidly, but she ignored it.  The game had only just begun. His eyes bore into hers, just as they had with the first question; waiting for her to respond, and daring her to look away. She held his gaze and replied, "My mother told me never to talk to strangers. She says that they're dangerous." A smile played across her partners lips, "I'll give you my name,if you give me yours." "You first," she smiled back at him. "James." He replied holding out his hand to her. "Darcy," she replied placing her hand in his for a hand shake. Darcy then expected him to let go of her hand, but he surprised her by holding on to it. She then broke their prolonged eye contact to stare down at their intertwined hands hoping that he would get the point. Instead he just sat there smiling at her, with the same smirk that she was beginning to become fairly familiar with. "I really should go back to taking notes," Darcy stated remembering that not only were they in a public place, but in a classroom. On that note, he slowly let go of her hand, as she internally yelled at her heart for pounding so fast, and Darcy went back to taking notes. Out of the corner of her eye she could still see him gazing at her.

"I still need that pencil," he whispered. At that, Darcy turned her head towards him slowly, causing the long, dark brown, tendrils of her hair to swish down her back." Why don't you just use the yellow pencil I saw you slip into your pocket before walking over here?" she asked smiling at him triumphantly. A wide smile spread across his lips, he knew that he had been caught. He laughed, and joined her in talking notes until the bell rang.  As they both began packing up their things, Darcy dared a glance back over at James to see him already looking at her.

"See you tomorrow," she offered sweetly. "I can't wait," he replied, not passing up the opportunity to check her out on his way towards the exit.

From the instant blush that colored Darcy's cheeks, she could tell that this game was going to be a lot harder than she first thought.

"Me neither," she whispered lowly to herself, before gracefully exiting the room.