The Girl with the Cranes

9: Games

The next day at lunch I went to sit with Journey, Ryan, and George again. George welcomed me with a smile and sat next to Ryan leaving me to sit across from them next to Journey.

"Ooohhh. I have an idea," George said. "Why don't we play a game."

"Yeah ok," Ryan responded immediately.

"What game..." I asked cautiously.

"Well," George says dramatically. "I was thinking either truth or dare, or two truths one lie."

"Why don't we play both," Journey says suddenly. We can add a third game to it, spin the bottle as well."

"Yes!" George shouts. Ryan nods in agreement. My stomach feels like it was just dropped from fifty feet up.

"I'll go first," Journey says. She takes the water bottle from her lunch and spins it on the table. It lands facing George. She smirks. "Two truths or T or D?"

"Truth or Dare!" He shouts.

"Well, which one do you want?"

"Truth." His answer seems to surprise both Journey and Ryan.

"Well then..." she thinks long and hard. "Do you love Ryan?"

"Yup!" He announces. Then he grabs the water bottle and spins it, this time it lands on Ryan.

"Well," Ryan says. "There's no truth in me playing two truths with you so I guess I'll pick T or D as well. So...dare I guess."

"I dare you..." he looks at me then whispers the rest in Ryan's ear. Ryan blushes bright red and Journey has a huge smirk on her face. I feel a little disappointed because I'm completely left out.

Ryan spins the bottle and it lands on Journey. "What'll it be girl?" He asks.

"Dare," she says without even thinking. Ryan starts to speak but is interrupted by George whispering in his ear.

"Fine. Journey, I dare you to kiss the person you like."

"What's the time limit on this one?" Journey asks.

"I don't really care," Ryan says. "Just get it done say... within the next few months. Especially because you need to like someone to kiss the person you like right?"

"Yeah yeah cool." She spins the bottle and it lands on me."

"I want to try this two truths thing," I say. It seems a lot less dangerous. "My family is Mexican," I start thinking hard. "I value my family the most, and this is the first friendship I've ever had."

"Easy," Journey says once again without a thought. "That last one is the lie."

"Nope," I say. "My family is Mexican. In Mexico, family bonds are very important, but to me, there is something more important."

"So you've never had a friend before? Never?" Journey's mouth is wide open in awe as she whispers, "that's actually incredible. Sad, but incredible." I shrug. Then say,

"I've got a question for you. Why do you make the cranes?"

"When I was first diagnosed with the cancer I was told I only had a small amount of time left to live. I wanted to leave something for my parents to remember me by. You see, they're too poor to pay for my surgeries that might save me. When I was reading, I came across the origami cranes. Legend has it that if you fold one thousand of them they will bring you good luck. I learned and folded the thousand. I put them in a jar and gave them to my mother telling her they were a present for her for once I had died. I didn't die though, after another year I assumed it must have been the cranes that kept me alive so I started folding again. I place them everywhere to bring people good luck, hope, and happiness. I gave on to you because I thought you looked lonely and I wanted to make you happy and perhaps become your friend, but in case you weren't the person I thought you were I didn't want you to know when I was." I lean over and pull her into a hug.

"Thank you."

9/22/18

Hey so guys huge thank you!!!! It's been less than a week and this story so far has 50 reads which is just wow!!! Oh also, if you like my new banners and cover set go check out Aurorawillows' graphic shop! Tysm for the love guys <3

Oh also, since I'm going to be doing a lot of editing I'm thinking of making the very last chapter of the book all of my authors notes so you all can re read them in a row and get a laugh out if it. What do you think? Lemme know in the comments!

667 words!!!