Same But Different (Completed)

Chapter Twenty Three

Yuri's heart was racing as she tried to calm herself. The air in the closet was thick with tension, the faint noise of the party outside muffled by the closed door. Jason's words hung in the air, practically vibrating with the weight of their implications. "We need to have a plan," he said, his voice low and serious.

Yuri rolled her eyes, leaning back against the door with an exasperated sigh. She could practically hear the gears turning in Jason's head. "This is ridiculous," she thought. The whole night felt like a circus, and now it had taken a turn for the worse. "Jason, you're not going to let this go, are you?" she asked, the frustration clear in her voice.

"You said you'd choose a girl and you didn't," she continued, crossing her arms defiantly. "Don't look at me as if I'm jeopardizing your plans."

Jason's gaze remained fixed on the door of the closet, his expression unreadable. Yuri could practically hear his mind whirring, scanning through every possible participant at the party. She could feel the weight of his expectations pressing on her chest. She hadn't signed up for any of this, and yet here she was, trapped in a game she never intended to play.

After a long moment, Jason spoke again, his voice quiet but determined. "Fine. I choose Whitney."

The words hit Yuri like a slap to the face. She felt her stomach drop. Of course, he would pick Whitney. Whitney, with her flirtatious smirk, the girl who had always been a little too close to Sasha for comfort. Yuri's chest tightened, and a sharp pang of jealousy shot through her. "Not Whitney. Anybody but Whitney," she protested, her voice tinged with panic.

Jason turned to her, a slow smile spreading across his face. "You see, when you deny it like that, it makes me want to choose Whitney even more. It's almost like there's something going on," he whispered, his words teasing, but there was a glint of something darker in his eyes.

Yuri wanted to punch him. Everything about this situation felt wrong, like she was caught in some twisted game she couldn't escape. She fought to hold herself together as the seconds ticked down. The atmosphere in the room had shifted, becoming charged with unspoken tension, and she could almost feel the eyes of the other participants on her, waiting for her next move.

Time was running out. Jason and Yuri exchanged one last glance as they braced themselves for the inevitable. Jordan's voice cut through the heavy silence, yelling, "Time's up!" The sound of it sent a jolt of adrenaline through Yuri's body. Both she and Jason rushed outside, their breath coming in ragged gasps as they tried to act like everything was normal. But inside, Yuri's mind was spinning, trying to make sense of the mess she had just walked into.

As they rejoined the group, Yuri's eyes flicked nervously to Whitney, who was sitting confidently on the couch, a sly smile curling at the corners of her lips. She reached up to tie her hair back with a headband, revealing the smooth, pale skin of her neck. The gesture felt deliberate, like she was flaunting herself for an audience. Yuri couldn't help the wave of unease that washed over her.

The circle of players resumed their seats, and once again, the bottle was spun. Yuri couldn't focus on anything else but the fact that the night was spiraling further out of her control. She just wanted it to be over. But then, the bottle came to a stop, landing directly on Whitney. Yuri felt a cold knot settle in her stomach as the blonde girl leaned forward with an air of anticipation.

With a mischievous glint in her eye, Whitney reached for the small container that held all the names. She opened it slowly, as if savoring the moment, before pulling out a piece of paper and holding it up triumphantly. "Jason," she announced, her voice dripping with satisfaction.

Yuri's gaze shot to Jason, who was sitting frozen, clearly surprised by Whitney's pick. But instead of standing up to join her in the game, he spoke up, his voice unexpectedly firm. "I want Yuri to go on behalf of me."