Face (표정) ✓

Chapter 5

[Encore]

When it comes to persuasion, I'm not that bad. However, I have to admit that getting seven inmates to play Secrets with me was harder than I thought. Most of them are stubborn or just dislike me, probably out of prejudice. Still, I don't care. I want to do what I want.

Anyway, since I don't want anyone to find out I put up a little gathering for this game despite the pandemic, I decide that we'll reunite in the most secluded room in the flat: my bedroom. It's a perfect place for hiding, especially secrets, but also beer and snacks of every kind.

Not everyone would be quick to go and check what's happening inside; that's why I like playing behind closed doors. Still, I'll make sure that no-one does anything that would make us get caught.

May the Project Face begin.

***

"So, what is this game?" asks Kasey with a suspicious tone. He, like the others, doesn't think it's going further than any ordinary Truth or Dare game. They're all in for a big surprise...

Amy, who is the only one who's sitting on a chair, retorts, "It's clearly one of his pathetic attempts to try and get us to tell him our secrets. I kind of suspected it was all a sc-"

I cut her off. "Shh. Now, what's done is done. You're here, so you can't back off from the game anymore. Do you understand?"

She nods, carefully avoiding my gaze, then turns to Wendy. "What do you think he'll ask first? Age? Measures? Blood type? Our credit cards' number?"

Okay, she's crossing the line. Why the heck would I ask them for credit card numbers and other sensitive data? I'm not a stalker or a thief. I just want to know people better.

Before Wendy can reply to her, I intervene, "Okay, let's start. There's a lot to do. I'll explain the rules first."

"Cool. Do we need secret codes?" asks Lee, earning a pointed glare from his girlfriend.

"No, no secret codes. But you'll all need to trust me. This is the first rule, and is the most important," I point out, much to the other inmates' annoyance, except for Lily and Wendy. The two of them are the most friendly people I've met so far since I moved to the USA.

Well, about the others... It looks like Lee wants to know me better, but doesn't make the first move because he fears Anna, his "love", might retaliate. Kasey is too suspicious and, while still trying to be friendly to me, he tends to follow in Ashley's steps instead of forming his own opinion. And, then, there is Amy, who's straight hostile towards me.

Not that I really care much about these details. This game is the perfect chance for me to find out their secrets.

I clear my throat. "Okay, as I said, the first and most important rule is that you have to trust me. If you don't, there might be consequences. Second rule, you can't back out of the game. Once you're in, there's no turning back."

"I knew that was just one of your stupid plans!" Amy retorts, but I ignore her. I can't believe she's so childish. Does she have nothing else to do apart from misjuding me? Still, she goes on. "Don't you think that, because you're forcing us to spill our secrets, you're going to come out clean!"

Her threat means nothing to me. Although I myself, like the others, have secrets, I try to maintain my composure and my dignity and not let anyone use them against me. Something Amy is willing to do, if needed. She can try, but this doesn't mean she'll succeed.

I restart talking. "Number three, if you need to go to the toilet, it's the door next to this one. Please tell me if you need to go. Remember that you can't leave the game until it's over."

Ashley raises her hand. "I need to go now," she warns.

I nod. "Oh yeah, make yourself at home. Let me take you there, anyway." I stand up, but she stops me.

"Don't worry, I can handle it on my own." That said, she stands up and leaves to the bathroom. I sit down again and ask the other inmates if they need to go as well. They all shake their heads.

"Good, we can go on. There's one last rule, but I'll say it when Ashley is back. It's not fair not to let her know," I explain. Kasey nods as a sign of agreement. Lily looks around the room and raises her hand.

She asks, "How long can be a round of this game? And how do we know when it's over?"

Before I can tell her to wait before asking more questions, Ashley returns from the bathroom. She closes the door behind her, scans the room and then goes back to her seat between Kasey and Lily.

"Oh, good, Ashley is back." She snorts as soon as I say that, but I just shrug and continue, "The last rule, the one that raised questions, is this. Each of us will ask a different question to each of the other players, and they're all supposed to answer. You have to be honest. You can't keep quiet or lie, or else the round won't continue until you tell the truth."

"So, it's a sort of torture?" Lee snickers, causing Anna to elbow him. "Interesting." The more he talks, the more she shows her annoyance at him. I clear my throat, uncomfortable at the idea of another argument.

"No, it's not a torture." I reassure him, to which he sighs in relief. "By the way, the game is over when everyone has asked questions to everyone, and everyone has answered honestly to each question."

"Aren't there any, like, tricks?" Wendy asks, a glint of uneasiness in her glance. It's clear that she doesn't want to compromise her already difficult situation with Amy, but this is necessary. They, like the rest of us, have to face it, whether they like it or not.

"Tricks?" I stifle a laugh, while still trying to take her seriously. "No way! This game is supposed to be all about honesty, so no. Don't worry."

"Oh, well." Wendy seems relieved by her words, but it's clear that her glance is betraying her. She's still scared. Who wouldn't be scared of revealing their biggest secrets, only to be judged by people who don't know you or, worse, hold a grudge on you? Oh, well, that doesn't apply to me.

"Any questions?" I scan the room, trying to decipher the other inmates' puzzling looks. No answer.

Or, at least, until Lee raises his hand. "I have to pee." He immediately leaves the room, closing the door behind him.

The girls wrinkle their noses out of disgust for his lack of finesse. On the other hand, Kasey and I can barely contain laughter.

"Gross!" comments Ashley.

"I'm not surprised that Lee is friends with you two," adds Anna. "You're both disgusting."

Kasey ignores them, while I eye them. "Well, you don't know me well enough to say for sure that I'm disgusting," I point out. Although Anna has a point, I don't like the way she demeans men.

As Lee is finally back, he tries sitting back next to Anna, but she pushes him away. So, he finds a place next to me. Good for him. I'm so done with the toxicity.

"Good. Since Lee is back with us, does anyone need the toilet now?" No-one answers, so I assume it's no. "Well, then the game can start. Welcome to the Project Face."