Begin Again - A.I

twenty two.

I study my cards. "But what if I don't have a three?" 

"Then, you lie."

"I lie about having a three?"

"And you put down another card that isn't a three, but say it's a three."

"That seems strange."

"Or you can put down more than one," 'Jax' speaks up. "Like, two threes."

"But I don't even have one three, now I'm putting down two threes?"

"You're trying to get rid of your cards," Calum explains. "You want to be the first one with none left."

"So I can say I have four threes, if I have none, and just put down four random cards?"

"I wouldn't," Michael adds. "Because if you say you have four threes, and you have none, then we'll know you're lying. Because we'll all have a three."

I just stare at him. "What."

"If someone calls your bullshit, you have to pick up all the cards from the pile," Calum says. "So play smart."

"So don't say I have four threes if I don't?"

"Would be clever."

"Okay, I'm fucking ready for this shit." I scull back my water and slam my glass down on the table top. "Woohoo!"

"Is that straight vodka?" Jax asks Calum.

Calum peers at the glass. "N-No I think it's just water."

"Bullshit," I say. "Let's go."

"Alright." Jax clears his throat and places two cards, face down, onto the table. "Two threes."

My chest sinks. I have no threes so I have no idea if he's lying or not. No one says anything and so it's my turn. I look at the cards that I have. I have no fours. Fuck.

I put down my eight and try and act cool. "One four .."

People hesitate, but they don't say anything. I breathe a sigh of relief.

"One five," Calum says.

"Two sixes," Michael follows.

"One seven," the girl beside Jax says.

"Four eights," Jax says, putting his four cards down. I look at him, confused. I know for sure he doesn't have four eights, because I put one down claiming it to be a four. I look around at everyone, they're not saying anything. 

"Bullshit," I croak.

"What?" Jax says.

"Bullshit."

"Yeah?"

"You don't have four eights."

"Let's see." Calum leans forward and turns over Jax' cards. He flips over one eight, two eights, three eights ...

"I told-"

The last card he flips over is a nine. I raise my eyebrow. 

"Fuck," Jax mumbles.

"Pile's all yours, mate." Calum hands it to him. "Good job, Ella. You're getting the game."

I grin. I was starting to like this game. I put down the two fives I have. "Two fives."

"One six."

"Two sevens."

"One eight."

"Bullshit. Jax has all the eights."