The Handcuff Game

Chapter 4 - Questions Without Answers

I spent the rest of the day wondering. Wondering about what Alec meant and why he cared so much about what I thought. Was he just trying to bug me? Or did he really feel threatened by me? No, that couldn't be right. I was just overthinking things.

But still, why did our school exalt these two people? I mean, what was the point, and why was I the only one who questioned it? The guys loved Brin and the girls loved Alec. Why didn't I fit into that category? Why was I so different from the other girls? Surina and a few others could care less, but it seemed like I was the only person whom their actions truly disturbed.

"Reed? Can you come with me real quick?" Surina shook me out of my thoughts.

"Huh? Yeah, why?" I asked, acting like I had been listening to her the whole time as we were walking.

"My drama class. Sorry, we're short a few people, I really need you."

I sighed, "I'm not acting, am I?"

She laughed, "Well, not talking anyways. We're just practicing for a play some kid wrote."

"Cool, what's it called?"

"The Handcuff Game." She coughed, "Seems kind of lame, but as an actress, I must do my duty."

"Weird name." I coughed, "What am I doing?"

"You'll just be handcuffed to someone." She bit her lip nervously, then giggled when she saw my face. "Don't worry, we have the key."

"Uh, okay."

She continued, "You don't talk. I'm a police officer and I just lead two prisoners to a cell – simple really."

I rose a wary brow, "Who am I handcuffed to?"

Her shoulders raised and fell, "Someone Andy pulled from school."

"Alright, and this won't take up my whole free period, right?" I wasn't sure why I was even asking more questions. I was clearly going to help, no matter what she said. It's not like I had anything else to do.

"Nope, ten minutes tops."

***

To say the theatre was loud was an understatement. Shouting, jogging and anxious wails came from every corner of the bustling stage.

"Places! Get in your places people! I know this is practice, but really!"

"How do I say this? Should I put an emphasis on not?"

"Where do I go again?"

All the voices screaming gave me a headache. Why was I here again?

"Paul, I have our sub." Surina presented me as I awkwardly shuffled forward. A boy, who I could only assume was the writer, looked me up and down.

"You're slouching a bit." He said.

Really? Attacking my posture? That's low.

I straightened my spine and cleared my throat. "I'm Reed."

"Cool, Paul." He responded and then directed his attention to Surina, "Does she know what to do?" His tone was skeptical.

Damn, Paul. What did I do to you?

She nodded eagerly. "Of course! What kind of actress would I be if-."

"Ok, great. Get her in place." He waved her off and hurried to speak with some guy across the stage.

As we weaved our way through the crowd, I realized one small terrifying life lesson: getting in the way of an actor during rehearsal means getting your head ripped off. All I did was brush this girl's arm and she told me to move.

"Surina!" A male voice yelled.

We both spun around to reveal a tall, skinny boy with sandy hair. Standing next to him was...oh great, him. What was he doing here? He's not an actor.

"You got our girl?" He hugged Surina and reached out his hand to me. "Nice to meet you."

"This is Andy. He's my best actor buddy."

He smirked, "This girl can act. She's amazing, this school will never forget her."

Surina gave a sheepish smile and wrapped her hand around my arm. Before I knew it, she whipped out a pair of cuffs and locked them on mine and Alec's wrists before I could object.

And boy, did it suck when we both processed what had just happened.

"I'm cuffed to him?" I growled at Surina.

"I'm cuffed to her?" Alec fumed.

Neither of them seemed interest in our needs in the slightest. They both just pushed to the stage.

"Look, it's not for that long." Surina said flatly. It was odd, she never talked so forwardly. "You two babies need to suck it up. That's showbiz."

"I never wanted to be in showbiz!" I whined. "Uncuff me!"

Andy shook his head. "Don't worry, Surina will be leading you both on stage. You guys don't have to say anything. You'll be fine."

And with that, they both disappeared to the other side of the stage.

Oh, this was so not good.

I briefly glanced at the cuffs intertwining our hands before looking up at Alec who was looking away.

I sighed and began to walk before getting yanked back by the beast.

"Just stay here. That's where they wanted us." Alec grumbled, still not making eye contact.

So, I stood. We stood.

Well, this was awkward.

***

"Come on, you're up." Surina whispered, grabbing Alec and dragging us into the bright lights.

"Let's go!" Surina yelled...Was she wearing a sexy police outfit? How did that make sense? What kind of play was this?

I could see a slight smirk playing on Alec's lips from the corner of my eye. He scanned Surina's body, which only made her throw him against the wall harder.

I snickered as he glared at Surina. Sure, we shared the same hard shove, but I knew who it was intended for.

"Stay there." She commanded in a loud voice.

Before she closed the fake jail cell door, she winked at me and spun back around to play the rest of her part.

"I hate this." I mumbled.

"Most girls would consider this an honor." He broke a smile.

"Not me."

He rose an eyebrow and looked away again, grumbling, "Obviously."

After rehearsal ended, (which, by the way, took way longer than ten minutes), Surina let us out of the fake cell, grinning from ear to ear.

"Great job guys!"

Alec kept that idiotic smirk on his face while I just stared for a few moments before pointing to the cuffs. "Get me out of this."

Her smile faltered and she sighed. "Let me go get the key." As she began to walk away, her back turned so slightly, I almost missed it. "Good luck." She said softly.

Did I hear that right? Did she just say good luck? What did that mean?

Alec lifted our hands as she disappeared and peered at the shiny iron cuffs. "Andy said these were fake and didn't need a key."

I gave him a strange look and grabbed Andy's shoulder as he passed by.

"Hey, what do you need?" He asked with a smile.

I offered a nervous smile in return, but it felt forced. Hopefully he didn't notice that. "Hey, did you tell Alec these were fake?"

He nodded, "Yeah, they are. See?" He grabbed our linked hands and tugged, but the chain didn't break. His eyes widened slightly, "Uh..."

"Surina has the key, right?" I asked.

Andy's expression twisted into confusion, "Who's Surina?"