The Game

My eyes slowly open. It takes a minute for them to adjust to the bright light of the room. As I wake up I realize two things. One, I'm not in my classroom. Two, my hands are tied behind my back. I blink. My hands are tied. "Help!" I struggle to get my hands free, clashing, and thrashing around. As I do this, I realize my feet are also tied together. "Hello? Someone help me!" I shout. Just then, a tall woman walks in. She's got brown hair, big wire-framed glasses, and a long flowy skirt. Her appearance says warm, inviting, important. "Who are you?" I snarl still struggling with the rope. I don't mean to come off as rude but I'm not exactly in the best mood at the moment.

"Stop right now." she snaps. Talk about rude, I think. "There's no use fighting it. Now, if you'll cut it out, I'll explain what's happening and why you're here." I stop. I just want to know what's happening and get the heck out of here.

"Go on..."

"When my guards untie you, they're going to walk you down the hall to a room. Inside, there are two people who would do anything to see you live." That's not so bad, I think. I look at myself in the very, very clean glass. I study what I see. Same long, dirty blonde hair, same blue eyes. Braces, my oversized hoodie, leggings, converse. New day, the same combination. The lady's next sentence sends chills straight down my spine. "And one person who wants to kill you." I blink. One person who wants to kill me. "You need to figure out who before time runs out.

My eyes widen. "W-what if I don't make it out in time?"

"You die," she says bluntly, expressionless.

I blink. One time, two times. I can't process what she said. The color drains from my face. You die. Her words keep replaying in my head.

"Well, we best be going." She snaps her fingers and two tall, buff guys walk in wearing suits and earpieces looking very important. They cut the ropes that hold my feet to the chair and stand me up. They walk me out the door and down the hall. We stop at a big door and the woman looks at me. "Ready?" She asks.

"Not particularly, but I guess I don't really have a choice." The guards cut the ropes on my wrists and shove me in the room. As I'm stumbling to the table I look down and there's a cut on my forearm from the knife. I look up to see three people as I was told there would be. James, my boy best friend since the sixth grade. My best friend Emma, whom I've known since kindergarten. And finally, my crush Bailey, who I've liked since I've known I liked girls too. About two years. They're all sitting at a big table. The room reminds me of an interrogation room. The lady's words ring in the back of my mind. Two would do anything for you to live, one wants you dead. I look at all three of them. I don't know who I can trust. Anyone of them could be the one who wants to kill me. I see a timer on the wall. Two hours. Only two hours? I don't even know what to say.

"Emma!" James says overly excited. I raise an eyebrow.

"I'm genuinely confused as to why we're all in here," says Bella.

"Me either. I think it's a game." I say. Bailey shyly looks at me. I blush and look away. James clears his throat.

"Maybe it's an escape room." James questions. I realize I'm the only one who actually knows what we're doing here.

"Y'all don't know?" They all shake their heads. "Oh."

"Do you?" Bailey asks. Yeah you know I just have to figure out which one of you wants to kill me. I shake my head no because I'm not sure who I can trust. James has never screwed me over. Bella, however, there was that time in eighth grade with Andrew. I remember it like it was yesterday.

Andrew. I had liked Andrew forever. Everyone knew. Andrew was 5'11 with brown eyes and long brown curly hair. He was popular but he was loyal. He was a year older than us and he played football and did winter track. He asked me out and we went on a few dates. He asked me if I would be his girlfriend, you know how it goes. Of course, I said yes. Bella got jealous and started texting him behind my back. He eventually left me for her. They dated for about two or three months and she left him. She and I have since made up. I forgave her. He was just a dumb boy after all. I came out as bisexual a year later. That's when I developed my crush on Bailey. I know she likes girls too, she's dated a few so it's not like I'm crushing on someone I have no chance with.

Anyway, I don't think it's Bella. She's since gained my trust back and I know her very well. I haven't actually talked to Bailey but I don't think I've done anything bad enough for her to want to kill me. That just leaves James. James and I have been chill with each other since we met. We've never had any problems. I don't think he wants to kill me. Of course, I could be wrong. I could be wrong about any of them. Until I figure out who it is I'm not trusting anyone.

James is the first to stand up. He's about 6'2, brown hair, green eyes. He's attractive for sure, I'm just not attracted to him. He walks to the side of the room where the timer is. "One hour and fifty-two minutes," he states.

Bailey is next to stand up. She's breathtakingly beautiful. Blonde hair, hazel eyes. A cute little button nose. She's about 5'1. On this particular day, she's wearing a yellow sundress and white sandals.

Finally, Bella stands up. She's also very beautiful. She's about 5'6 with short curly jet back hair and chocolate brown eyes. Dark brown skin. She wears these big framed glasses and she usually keeps her hair tucked back or she puts it up but she got box braids last week. We're all kind of standing around. I sit in a chair and begin to think.

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One hour left. No one shows any signs of anything. No one has said much which is understandable considering the circumstances. Bailey wanders into the corner, sitting down. A few minutes later, James follows her.

James sits down next to Bailey and whispers something in her ear which makes her giggle. Bella looks at me with a questioning look and I shrug. All of a sudden I hear James say something that changes everything.

"I'd kill to be with you..." The way he says it combined with the reason we're in here - even if they don't know why - sends a chill down my spine.

"James..." I almost-whisper. He looks up. "What did you say?"

"Nothing important." he waves his hand. I look at the time. Forty-five minutes.

I drag Bella aside. "I lied. I know why we're in here." Bella raises an eyebrow motioning for me to continue. "I was told I'd enter a room with two people who would do anything to save my life and one person who wants to kill me. I'm pretty sure that person is James." Bella's eyes widen. "I know it sounds crazy but I woke up in a big empty room with my hands and feet tied and then a woman came in to explain everything. Then her guards brought me to this room."

When I'm done explaining everything, Bella is just standing there shocked.

"...and I love her!" I turn around to see a flustered Bailey kicking James who's lying on the ground.

"Bailey!" I shout. She stops and turns to look at me. "What in the world are you doing?"

"Well... James said he wanted to kill you. But I couldn't let that happen."

"Why?" I asked confused.

"Uh, well, you see-" She says, stuttering. She starts getting flustered. All of a sudden she's knocked off her feet. James is on top of her pinning her to the ground.

In a flash Bella is across the room, beating James over and over again. Bailey stands up, rushing over to me.

"Look... I know how you feel about me." I groan covering my face. "No, no don't do that. If you'd let me finish I was going to say I feel the same way." I blink not believing what I'm hearing.

We're about to kiss when I hear a door opening and then I'm being shaken awake.

"Emma, helloooooo, Emma!"

I groan. "Whatttttt?"

"Wake up, math is almost over."

"What?"

"You were asleep. Math is almost over."

Wait, what? You mean to tell me that was a dream!? I look down at my arm. There's a big gash. It's fresh. The guard. . .