Every night, when I closed my eyes, his image would be branded to the backs of my eyelids. That same smile, so gorgeous yet so deadly. Those deep blue eyes, like the treacherous oceans you find, the ones which sometimes have those desolate lighthous...
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The TV flashed as the screen changed from the score screen to the rules of Twenty-one dares.
1. A maximum of three numbers can be said by each person. 2. Do it in order; whoever begins will say their number(s) and from there, the game will continue in an anti-clockwise direction. 3. You are not allowed to tell the other players how many numbers you will say and which numbers they are. Remember, you are competing to win. 4. Whoever lands on twenty one will spin the wheel. 5. You will begin once the music stops and restarts.
The music swelled as it reached the finale. We took a collected, deep breath, feeling the tension. Though I didn't want to, I still felt the competition, even inside me. It was natural instinct, and I hated it.
The music came to an end and the room was silent, for a mere moment.
"I'll start," Corina decided.
The music suddenly restarted, the tense, uplifting game show notes making the floors of the orange room vibrate.
"One, two, three," Corina said quickly.
"Four," Simon said in a panic.
"Five, six, seven," Grace stated rapidly.
"Eight, nine," I said grimly.
"Ten, eleven, twelve," Xander said without hesitation.
"Thirteen," Corina said.
"Fourteen, fifteen."
"Sixteen, seventeen."
"Eighteen, nineteen ... twenty," I said with a deep breath.
"Twenty one," Xander finished.
The game show music swelled as a dramatic drumbeat ascended, becoming louder and louder until — silence.
The TV flashed again. A caricature animation of Xander appeared on it, dancing around happily. Bright, flashing writing wrote, 'Spin the wheel, Xander!', and to their unpleasant surprise, an audio saying the same words played on repeat in a shrill, baby voice.
Xander stood up, casting a grim look at all of us. He had barely any relief in his eyes — he was worried for whoever had to go through the orange door.
I looked around anxiously. Grace looked at the wheel fearfully and Corina's gaze was hard, but her shoulders were stiff in dread. Simon was staring at Xander with sadness, hoping that Xander wouldn't blame himself for who was picked.
Reaching the wheel, Xander gripped the edge. The audio telling him to spin the wheel stopped when Xander touched it, and with a strong arm, he spun it powerfully. The rainbow colours whirled into one circular spectrum, mesmerising us in its deceiving beauty.
After what seemed like an eternity, the wheel started to slow. The pointer flicked rapidly as the wheel slowly but rapidly came to a stop.
Finally, it halted.
We all let out our breaths; all except one.
The pointer had stopped on Simon.
***
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Xander felt his heart sink, and a sliver of panic glazed his eyes.
"I'll spin it again — " he began.
"No, I'd rather it be me," Simon decided, cutting him off. They shared a look, before Xander smiled wryly.
"How heroic," he said amusedly — but there was a glint of fear in his eye that he couldn't cover up with his dry humour, no matter how hard he tried.
Grace looked at Lorelei in a panic. "What will Lazarus do to him?" she asked desperately, her eyes wide in terror. Lorelei looked at Grace, and sympathy shone in her eyes, mixed with the same fear for Simon that was reflected in everyone else's.
"I don't know, Grace. I... I have no clue," Lorelei said helplessly. She hated this, she hated all of this. She wished she had an answer but the truth was she had no idea what was going to happen. All she knew was that it was nothing she was prepared for.
Simon looked at all of them fleetingly, his fists clenched, trying not to show the dread he felt on his face.
"Simon," Lorelei began, "you have to do the truth or dare well. It doesn't matter what it is, don't think about us, just think about yourself. Or you'll be punished. Got it?"
Simon nodded, mute for the first time.
"You've got this, Simon," Corina encouraged. He gave her a stiff smile, appreciating her kindness but not believing her words. Wiping his sweaty palms on his trousers, he began turn away —
Simon was suddenly engulfed by an oasis of blonde.
"Be careful, Simon, okay?" Grace said, her voice muffled as she buried her face in his shoulder, hugging him tightly. Simon's face cracked into a smile and his eyes softened as his arms wrapped around her.
"You know me, I'm the clever one here. I won't do stupid shit," he replied, winking, looking at Grace. Her eyes were filled with tears as she let go, and Simon made his way to the orange door at the back of the room.
"Simon?" Xander called as Simon reached for the handle.
"Yeah?" Simon answered, somehow unable to look at him.
"Don't fucking die on me, alright?"
Simon smiled, forcing himself to look at his friends one more time, as if memorising their features — just in case.
"I'll try my best," Simon replied. Then, he opened the door and advanced into the unknown.
A/N
VOTE VOTE VOTE!
Did you like this chapter? Leave a comment to let me know! What do you think will happen to Simon? Are you relieved or stressed? Did you want it to land on someone else, and if so, who?
