She was a beautiful girl. She wore crimson red lipstick with a fancy black ball dress. Her neck decorated with a necklace of expensive pearls, and her manicured hands wore diamond rings. The kind that could be worth a whole year's worth of work. Even then, I would not be able to afford such fancy jewels. I tore my eyes away from the slender woman and directed them towards the others sitting beside me. We were 10 people in total, most of them were just as fancy as the woman was. They all lived in the Upper West side and owned fancy homes, with luxurious living rooms such as the one I was currently in. I felt underdressed and intimidated by those around me, breathing anxiously due to the uncomfortable silence. I knew there was something off about the red lipped girl- Christina, my ex best friend. We hadn't talked since the third grade, and here I was standing before her once again. The ten pairs of eyes wandered around the room, expectantly looking at Christina every once in a while. She looked at the expensive watch around her wrist multiple times, as if waiting for the right moment to finally speak up. After all, she had been the one who invited us to this party, but this gathering was anything but a party. Then, out of the sudden we heard a ding dong in the distance. And finally my old friend lifted up her defined face flashing us her pearly whites in a smile. "Hello old friends. Sorry for the wait. Yours truly, simple needed to wait for the perfect moment. You've been all gathered here today for a special game." She smirked and made a sudden pause before speaking once again. "But this game isn't your usual game. It's a scavenger hunt." A guy with bright green eyes and a powder white complexion speaks: "Wait, I thought this was a party. Why would we want to waste our time playing your wicked, childish game when we could be spending our senior year at actual parties? This is just ridiculous mate." His thick Australian accent was noticeable and made him seem even more attractive and appealing than he actually was. "Let her speak, amigo" A violet haired girl said. "Thank you Alejandra. My dear Luke, as I was saying this isn't a normal game. Whoever wins will receive ten thousand dollars." Christina made a gesture with her hands pointing at every single one of us as she spoke. Wait... Did she actually say what I think she said? TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS? A handsome tall boy stood up the maroon scarf around his neck slightly brushing against his khakis. "Did you just say ten bloody thousand? No offense love, but how exactly are we supposed to believe that what you're saying is true? How do you-" A brunette with striking blue eyes cut in. "Christina, you're saying that if we play this game of yours we can compete to win ten grand?" She nods with a knowing smile. As if she knew we would react this way. "I'm in!" "Me too!" "Me three". They were giddy with excitement, I mean ten thousand dollars is a big deal. But I wasn't very excited, instead I was suspicious. This game must be incredibly twisted if we are going to win this amount of money. I stood up and everyone shifted their eyes towards me. "W-what exactly do we have to do in this game?" I managed to let out. My throat seemed to dry up as everyone had their gaze on me, I was never the center of attention. "I'm with blondie. What are you going to make us do? You look gorgeous by the way, love" The British boy said. His compliment making my cheeks turn scarlet red. And I finally found some courage to confidently speak once again. "I'm Vee, not blondie" He winks at me, and opens his mouth to respond. But before he had the opportunity to, Christina, who had been silent for a while, cut in with an irritated manner. "We're wasting time. Now, the game was specifically designed to challenge your adrenaline levels. Every single one of you will be paired with a person of my choice. You will all receive a tablet from behind me. They will provide you with instructions. The two challenges must be completed by midnight, so you have exactly 30 minutes per challenge. Now, if you cheat or don't complete your challenge in time you will be disqualified. The tablets will make you travel all around the mansion so hopefully you're prepared." She looked up and tapped her chin in a thinking manner. "Oh yes, before we start is there anyone who wishes to drop out? Remember if you accept to play, you're responsible for staying alive, you can't quit once we start." A small girl who I couldn't recognize said, "if we don't wish to play can we just leave?" Christina let out a feminine chuckle. "That's right" With this she stood up and walked out the front door, three other people walking behind her. We were now six. The British boy, the Aussie, the blue-eyed, the Raven-haired girl, Alejandra and I. "And then there were six." Christina said as she took two steps forward. "I had a strong feeling you guys would be the ones brave enough to play. Now for your pairings, Jonah you are with Venus. You're team red." My heart stopped once I heard my name. Who exactly was Jonah? The British boy took a few steps until finally stood in front of me. He lifted my hand to his lips and kissed my knuckles. Causing sparks against my pale skin."I guess you're stuck with me princess" I blushed furiously at the nickname. "Luke you're with Alejandra, you guys are team blue" Alejandra and Aussie boy high fived each other. "And Stephanie you're with Mason. Team yellow." The blue eyed known as Mason and the raven haired named Stephanie shot glances at each other. Stephanie rolled her eyes at Mason and walked towards him. "Now that we are all ready, you're welcome to take the tablet with your team color from the glass table and begin!" Christina spoke clapping her hands together.
Here I was, with the tablet in my left hand and Jonah- who had asked me to call him Jay, holding tightly onto my right. My heart was beating so fast, as if it wanted to leave my chest as I waited for the tablet to finish loading. "Yo, fam' you guys better hurry up we are going to win!" Said Alejandra and Mason as they ran past us in the long hallway. Jay scoffed. I almost began to hyperventilate when I saw what the tablet read. "Down the east wing stairs you go, to find the X marking the next clue that determines your fate down low". "Love, calm down. Relax. Christina wouldn't do anything reckless enough to put our life on the line. We don't want Ale and Maze to win now, do we?" He took the tablet from my hand and pulled me to the east wing of the mansion. Once we finally got to the glass stairs that led to a dim room, I squeezed Jay's hand. "Jonah, I'm scared. I don't want to die. Christina keeps her pet spiders down there". I said remembering how once I almost died of a heart attack in first grade when she introduced me to Lily, Rose, Sunflower and Violet, her huge pet tarantulas. "I won't let anything happen to you" he responded. Once again he took my hand and guided me down the stairs. It was so dark and silent. All you could hear was my heavy breathing and Jonah's brown dress shoes against the glass. And suddenly he stopped his tracks. "What's wrong?" I asked. "Vee, am I hallucinating or is that step glowing?" I looked down. The step was most certainly glowing. Emitting a bright red light. I let go of Jonah's hand and headed down. Cursive writing appeared on the step. "Venus' Dare: Into the dark room you go, by yourself you shall be, don't be scared no no no, count one, two, three. Three minutes with the spiders dear Vee, give them your love. But don't let them bit you since you might throw up." I put my hand on my heart as my throat seemed to be closing in, fear suffocating me. Jonah's slender fingers took my small hand into his and pulled me to him. He whispered sweet-nothings in my ear in attempt to calm me down. After a few minutes, my breathing finally became even again and I found the courage to speak again. "Well, we aren't giving up now. We need to win. Competition is serious." I walked down the steps with Jay behind me. We walked for another five minutes until we came across a door. The door was pitch black, like the midnight sky. I put my hand on the knob. The cold metal sending chills down my spine. Worsening the adrenaline going through my bloodstream. "C'mon princess you can do it" I let out a heavy breath and turn the knob slightly. the door slams itself open, making a small indent on the velvet colored walls.The room was dim, my breathing was uneven. There they were, four hairy, mud-brown arachnids. Their eight red eyes taunting me, they were crawling everywhere. One on the wall, another on top of the table which was the single piece of furniture in the room and the remaining two on the ceiling. Beep, beep. I hesitantly take a step forward and make my way to the table. Right next to the disgusting, and horrifying spider was a neon green phone. Beep, beep. A message appears on the screen. "Oh yeah, almost forgot. Lay on the floor until the timer beeps again. Jonah, cannot stay in with you" A voice that I recognized as Christina read. It looks like Jonah was finally understanding my phobia as he stood outside the door looking at the tarantula making its way towards him. A screeching siren makes the room shake. You have ten seconds left. Panic made its way through my body. I wasn't ready. "Vee? Listen this is what we're going to do, I'm going to wrap my scarf around your wrist and hold on to the other end. If you feel like your life is in danger, pull and I'll come inside." He says swiftly before wrapping the soft cotton maroon scarf around my wrist and exiting the room, closing the door behind him. I need to do this. I can't lose. Not now. Five, four- I lay on the ground, putting my hands on my sides and close my eyes. Three minutes starting now. My breath hitched. I can do this. The silence makes me uncomfortable as the time goes by. And I feel soft stick like things poke my leg. The creature making its way up my leg. Two minutes. The spiders continues to crawl on top of the fabric of my leggings. Something pulls my hair. Wait, why am I doing this again? Another spider crawls from my blonde locks onto my forehead making my body turn tense. My breathing slows itself down in fear. My lungs refusing to take air inside them. I could feel the arachnids' warm legs against my stomach and temples. Thirty seconds. I can do this. The spider on the top of my head makes its way towards my nose making me want to scream, but I can't throw a fit. Not now. One of its legs steps on the last of my right eye's lashes. I take hold of the maroon scarf and yank as hard as I can, I can't anymore. The door slams itself open. Showing frantic Jonah, whose dirty blonde, almost brown hair is messy. As if he had run his hands through it many times. Right before he steps in the room, the siren screeched again. Challenge complete. I stand up as fast as I could, throwing the evil creatures off me and run to Jonah. He embraced me congratulating me, telling me how great I did. Our tablet beeps. We both let go of each other and look at it. "Congratulations Venus. You made it through my little poisonous darlings. Just in time! I'm glad to say you guys are in the lead. Surprising huh?" Christina spoke. "Now for the the second challenge-" Christina's voice disappears and a piece of cursive writing like the one from the glowing step replaces it. "Outside in the garden, a little surprise awaits. Hurry up no time to waste, Jonah's turn it is" I chuckle at Christina's choice of words. She tried so hard to make it rhyme. All of the sudden, a sense of realization hits me, I just survived having a tarantula on my face. I became really giddy, proud of myself. "C'mom vamonos, everybody let's go." I couldn't help but sing. "Come on let's get to it, I know that we can do it! Where are we going?" I look at Jonah waiting for an answer my happy face turns into a frown when I see his eyes glued to the ground as we make our way through the hallway. I pull the sleeve of his black jean jacket. He stops walking, but doesn't not make eye contact with me. I place my fingertips in his defined jawline. They make their way towards his chin, making him bring his head up and look at me, I move that same hand and put it on his cheek. His cold skin warming at my touch. His green eyes search my face and I speak. "What is it?" He takes a deep breath. "You could've died in there. Those bloody spiders were poisonous! What would have I done? The beautiful girl I fancy getting harmed only a few steps away from me? I just- I don't know" His previous hard expression softens as he sees my hazel eyes examining his face. I just met him and I haven't felt a stronger pull towards anyone before. I lean in and so does he and before our lips touch a voice is heard through the hallway. "Come on Mason! Stop being an butt and do it!" It was Stephanie. Our eyes meet again and we both blush. He tucks a strand of hair that had fallen on my face behind my ear. Making my face turn redder than a scarlet ibis. The time is currently half past midnight. You have half an hour before your last challenge starts. "Gosh darn it Mason now we are behind!" Jay and I let out a laugh. We continue to walk through the hallway forgetting what just happened a few seconds ago.
After a lot of walking, Jonah complaining for me to walk faster and me slapping his shoulder each time, we made it to the garden. Jonah was the total opposite of me, he was calm and collected, his forest green eyes scanning the area, looking for a clue. He didn't seem a bit scared, he was prepared. His bravery mesmerized me. Beep, beep. We check the tablet for the third time. It read, "Walk exactly ten steps forward and fifteen to the left." Jonah's expression did not change. "One, two, three-" Jonah counted and I followed. I was admiring his determination, stealing a few glances at his face. His eyes that I loved so much looked grey under the moonlight. "Here we are. Now what?" He questioned. And just that second, a big metal box appeared out of the ground. It was grey, much like Jonah's eyes. I take a few steps forward and peel off the aqua sticky note stuck to the mysterious box. "Dear Jonah, it's your moment now. In the box you need to go, lock the door of course. A span of five minutes you shall stay, not that long may I say." His breath hitched. A scared look made its way to his face, he now looked like a scared puppy. I held his hand and kissed his cheek. "You can do it Jay" I gave him a reassuring smile that he couldn't help but give back. "Okay" And with that said he opened the door of the box, and tried to fit inside. He put one leg in and then the next pushing his toned body inside. Once he finished he let out a heavy breath. "You won't leave me, right?" He said in distress. I shook my head no. "Of course not" Jonah closed the door and the tick tock of the timer started. "Vee the walls. T-they are closing in" His breathing becoming more and more uneven with anxiety. "Just focus on my voice, okay?" And then I did the first thing that came to mind, I sang.
"Your little brother never tells you but he loves you so
You said your mother only smiled on her TV show
You're only happy when your sorry head is filled with dope
I hope you make it to the day you're 28 years old
You're dripping like a saturated sunrise
You're spilling like an overflowing sink
You're ripped at every edge but you're a masterpiece
And now you're tearing through the pages and the ink
Everything is blue
His pills, his hands, his jeans
And now I'm covered in the colors
Pulled apart at the seams
And it's blue
And makes me blue
And it's blue
And makes me blue
Everything is grey
Everything was grey
His hair, his smoke, his dreams
And now he's so devoid of color
He don't know what it means
Doesn't know what it means
And he's blue
And makes me blue
And he's blue
And makes me blue
You were red and you liked me 'cause I was blue
You touched me and suddenly I was a lilac sky
And then you decided purple just wasn't for you"
I sang my heart out, it not only seemed to calm Jonah down it calmed me down too. I kept going until the song finished and coincidently the siren screeched once again. Challenge two complete. I slowly opened the door to the box and as expected there was Jonah. He had his buried in between his knees and his arm hugging his body. I tapped his shoulder, "Jonah?" He glanced at me, his eyes drowning in mine. He made his way out and hugged me. "Thank you" He smiled and I returned it. Beep, beep. We checked the tablet again. "Yay! You made it through the second challenge! Make your way to the west wing of the tenth floor, yes, the floor under construction. There you'll find your last clue." Christina's voice said.
We reached the tenth floor, anxiety could be smelled in the air. I was so tired, impatient for all this to end. We followed the dashed line path to the incomplete side of the building. The cold air of the autumn breeze made me shiver. We opened the white door, there it was, a big hole all the way at the end of the room. I walked a few steps forward and I could see the thick piece of wood connecting the hole at the end of the room to another hole, just about the same size, about 20 feet away. I expected something harder to be honest. All we have to do is walk the plank. Wait... Are those bottles of glue? It has to be. Fifteen bottles of glue going right through the middle of the wooden sheet. Beep, beep. "Last challenge: Walk the plank. One of you blindfolded. Don't move the bottles as they might cause something bad to happen. Make it to the other side and then race to the bonfire in the backyard." Jonah read. "Okay then... Well we can't stop now. Who's going to be blindfolded?" Jonah looked at me. "Do you trust me?" I let out a scoff and handed him the blindfold I had picked up from the floor. He carefully placed it on top of my eyes. Regardless of the adrenaline I was feeling due to the fear, I knew I could do this. "Okay love. This is what we are going to do. You're going to let me guide you and we will slowly walk. Alright?" I nodded. His hands snaked to my hips, slightly pushing them forward. I trusted him, we could do this. I wasn't a single bit scared until we were a few feet into mid air. The creaking of the wood as we walked made me go nuts. But I continued going. Everything went well until my nose started to itch. Like seriously nose, why now?! I stopped to scratch my nose and I felt something hard against my feet. The bottle of glue. I had moved it. A small screech left my lips as I could felt part of the wood beneath me fall over sixty down, falling onto the concrete. Oh no... If it wasn't for Jonah pulling me back, I would've collapsed. "Bring your right foot up and pace it on the other side of the wood" I did just like he did. I slid my right foot forward until it reached the other side. We both moved quickly and effectively, reaching the other side. I let out a sigh in relief. I was so proud. I yanked off my blindfold, jumped and wrapped my legs around Jonah's waist. And then I did the most unexpected thing... I kissed him. But when I came to realization of what I had done I pulled away. I placed myself back on the floor and blushed- something I seemed to keep doing. Jonah simply smirked and threw me on his back. Giving me a piggy-back ride. We raced down the stairs, yelling like maniacs in excitement.
We made it past the big doors that led to the backyard. There she was. Christina, and about 150 other people. They all cheered as we walked on the marble path, clapping for us. This caused us both to smile like idiots. God, we were happy. Jay put me down and helped me up the steps. Christina wore a huge grin on her face. She bought the microphone up to her lips and said, "congratulations my darlings, you've made it. Just so you know, you guys had the most complicated challenges and did it in the shortest amount of time!" I looked at Jonah to find him already looking at me with a warm smile. "We did it princess"
