Hailey's POV:
I've seen many unusual things this past half a year, but this took the icing on the cake. I tug Josh's shirt, and he bent his knees to my level, "Does this look weird to you too?"
Josh revert his eyes towards the trio then tilt his mouth to my ear, "Definitely." His lips tickled, but I held the giggles in. Now doesn't seem like the right time to laugh.
"Oh, now this is a surprise," Madison said. "You-" she pointed to Ricardo. "I don't remember you being a member of this club. I mean, I was considering it." She looks at Josh who's eyes drift elsewhere.
"I'm not," he said.
"Then, why are you here?"
Ricardo didn't respond to Madison's question.
"No!" Josh suddenly burst out. He stomps towards the trio, grabs Crystal's arm, and tugged her toward the fireplace.
"What?" Crystal screams.
Josh points a stern finger at her, "No!"
"I'm not doing anything!"
"You know what you're doing!"
"No. No, I really don't."
He threw his forefinger across the room towards Ricardo, "Him!"
"Him? I'm not doing him."
"Not that!"
"I ran into him when I saw Tani! I was on my way to the store, and she abducted me."
Josh's eyes squinted, "Really?"
"Yeah." Crystal threw her hands in the air, silently telling Josh that he is unbelievable.
I'm completely lost in the conversation.
"Tani-" Madison suddenly said. "You're the one who dragged Crystal here?"
"Yeah," Taniyah replied.
"What about Italian boy over there?"
"Insurance. If I come here alone, I lose, right?" Taniyah seems to be interested in the scavenger hunt.
I look down towards the ground. Why didn't she pick me as a partner? I know I'm stupid and not helpful, but I still wanted to be in the same group as them. If she picked me, we could've run into Crystal together, and the three of us would've had a fun time together.
I glared at Ricardo. This is his fault! He took my rightful position.
Ricardo's eyes caught mine and his brows crunch. He looks away but then looks back.
Yes, that's right. I'm upset with you, roommate. I was starting to see him as a friend, but not anymore. He had been demoted.
Madison smiles, "Well, it's a good thing that you ran into Crystal because you needed someone to be a part of M.I.N.D to participate. We can't just allow anyone in."
Taniyah looks at Ricardo, "You may leave now." It's translated to: I don't need you.
"Oh, where is the fun in that?" Madison said. "For you, Ricardo Winston, M.I.N.D is willing to make an exception. Will you stay and participate?"
I swore I saw Ricardo look in our direction before he responded: "Sure."
Madison looks towards us, "Josh. Let go of your cousin. She needs to be with her teammates."
"She can be in this group, with Hailey and me," Josh responds.
That would be magnificent. Now, if Josh includes Taniyah, we can all be together. I guess Ricardo can come along too. The five of us would have so much fun together!
"Denied."
Aw, man.
"Now, let Crystal go, or your team is eliminated."
I pouted and tugged on Josh's shirt. I may not be on the same team as Crystal and Taniyah, but I still want to play the game. Plus, my ten thousand. Wait. I look at Taniyah. She is here for ten thousand too! Enemy.
Josh grunts, "Fine." He turned towards Crystal and gave her a stern look.
Crystal scoffs, "Stop making that face, or it'll get stuck that way." She heads towards Taniyah and Ricardo.
"Great," Madison said. "First things first. Names."
Oh! We get to choose our group names. I wonder what we can call ourselves. Maybe the double trouble.
"Our founders find names to be a hassle so: Group 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. There you go."
Silently, Josh pats my back.
So much disappointment in a single day.
"As you know, this is the 25th anniversary of M.I.N.D. So, after a quarter of a century of our wonderful institution. We decided to do something special." Madison sets down the glass and heads towards the wall. Her hand smoothes across its surface, and she pushes down a single wooden area—the bookshelf swirl.
My mouth gap opened.
I look at Josh with an open mouth.
He chuckles while I point at the bookshelf.
"Come on," Madison said. She halts her first step. "Oh, that's right. To make the game a bit more fun. If you're caught talking to other group members, you're both disqualified." She looks at me and smirks. How mean.
Josh patted my back again.
When people scurried into the secret compartment, I was still pouting. Crystal looks at me and frowns slightly before she enters the room.
"Let's go," Josh said.
"I'm sad."
"I know."
"This is a cruel game."
He made circles in my back, "You have me."
I look up, "Yeah."
"Wow. The enthusiasm."
"Are you two going in?" Mason question. We're the only ones left.
"Sorry," I said, and we went inside. The door behind us closed.
"So," I said. "You and Madison aren't participating?"
He shook his head, "Those who help with the game don't participate."
"Oh," I responded. "Make sense." I'm glad Josh didn't participate in the past. We get to do it together. I wrapped my arms around his waist. Yay. "So, I assumed Madison won before?"
Mason shook his head, "No. We never won." He looks at me with a dulled face. "Never talk about this with her."
"Oh-" I look forward to it. That must have been a shock for her. Losing. "Who's the winner from the past years?"
"Look around you," Mason responds.
I look around the hallway to see pictures of different groups, "Woah. Cool." They all look like they had fun. Then again, they are the winners.
The lights turned off. I clung to Josh. If I'm going down. I'm not going down alone. Then, out of nowhere, flames burst in the room.
"Now. Now. Children. No need to be frightened," Madison said. "Welcome to M.I.N.D 25th anniversary!" Thunder burst into the room. How is that possible? This isn't a game. It feels like the start of a horror movie. Someone with a mask arrives and hands Madison a scroll.
I'm going to die tonight.
"For our new participants, I will explain the rules and regulations of our game. First, the name of this year's game." She opens the scroll. "This year's game is named: Waffles?"
Everyone mumbles words to each other. I look at Josh. Josh looked at me and shrugged.
"Waffle is a good breakfast and dessert," Madison read the paper. "So, I, A.L., the founder of M.I.N.D. shall name the 25th-anniversary game: Waffle." Madison nods.
The more I hear about the founder, the crazier she sounds.
I won't say it out loud since she is Josh's aunt.
"Unlike the past," Madison continues, "Waffles will be held during guardians visitation. Your guardians are allowed to participate."
Silence.
"What?" Someone randomly said.
"And-" Madison continued, her brows pinched together. "The winners will be granted access to M.I.N.D true roots."
"What's that?" I whisper to Josh.
He shrugged, "I don't know."
Madison tilted her head. She looked confused. "As you all know, M.I.N.D was established for the sole purpose of gathering the best of the best. After 25 years, I'm certain it became a shithole where rich kids gathered saying how they're intelligent enough to join."
More silence.
"But, in reality, everyone who stands in the room isn't a true member of M.I.N.D."
The atmosphere felt tenser than ever.
"What?" Ahmend question. "What do you mean we're not real members?"
"I'm fucking disappointed," Madison continued. Her hands trembled. "Of what the organization had become over the years. Of course, I could be wrong, but I know I'm not."
Madison swallowed heavily. She seems to be the most shocked of all. She bit her lower lip, "So, let's find out who's worthy of the title. If there are any left. Right here. Right now. All those in the room, congrats, you're slightly smarter than the average."
I can feel the sarcasm even through the words.
"But, you're obviously nothing compared to me."
The lights turned off.
I leap back when the tv switches on to show a person in a mask.
"Who are you?" Madison question.
I would've been afraid, but there's a part of me that believes it's another trick just like the one during initiation.
The person exhales, "I am an original member of M.I.N.D. You may refer to me as Auggie."
Madison scoffed, "You can't come in here and tell us what to do."
Auggie smiles, "Firstly, I'm not there." What a smartbutt. "Secondly, if you don't like it. You may leave."
"You can't tell me to leave."
"Then, you're expelled from M.I.N.D."
Madison scoffed, "You can't expel me from M.I.N.D."
Auggie leans back, "I just did. You're no longer M.I.N.D's president."
"You-"
"Is there a Joshua Greyson in this room?"
I look at Josh and then move my eyes toward the screen. Josh shook his head and stepped behind me.
"Josh. I can see you on the cameras around the room. Congratulations. You're president now."
"No, thank you, Auggie," Josh said.
"Oh? Then-" Auggies motion the chair from left to right. "Crystal Martinez. You're M.I.N.D president."
"No," Crystal replies.
"What if I say it comes with benefits?"
Crystal crosses her arms, "Such as?"
"Look at your phone," Auggies said.
Crystal pulled out her phone and tapped against it a few times. Ricardo and Taniyah leaned inward. She pushes the phone on her chest, "I accept the position." She places a hand on her chest and bows down.
"What?" Madison screams. "You can't do that!"
"I just did. Now, leave."
"You can't make me," Madison hisses. "I'm Madison fucking Everhart."
The wall turned, and a group of people in black outfits scrolled in. I stuck close to Josh, who held me.
They grab Madison by the arms. Madison smirks, "So, it's like this, huh." I'm scared. Before I can fathom what happened, the people that touched her were on the floor. She wiped her palms against each other. "Who's next?"
Auggie blew out a whistle, "I'm impressed."
"Please. Tell that to someone who cares."
"Little Maddie. I like you."
"Your admiration isn't needed."
"Alright. Alright. I can tell you're upset."
"I don't do upset."
"Golden spoon before you were born, I assume."
"What's wrong with that?"
"Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Well, except for the fact that you're not aware of those above you."
She chuckles, "Please, educate me."
"Your older brother-" Mason turned his head towards the screen. "I heard he's in your family's summer home in Seoul, Korea, right? With Uncle Finn?"
The screen flickered, and it showed a house. Inside the well-furnished house were a few people sitting around a dining table.
"How-"
The screen split in half, and Auggie grinned from his seat. "Your older brother seems to be doing better these days."
Josh's hand tightened against mine. His eyes were wholly fixed on the screen.
"I'm glad. Particularly, after what happened to him."
What happened to Madison's and Mason's older brother?
"Don't touch my brother," Madison's voice drops a few vocals. She looks like she's ready to kill.
Mason patted her shoulder when she took a step forward. "We understand. You have influence."
"Exactly! You inherited quite a brain, unlike your parents."
Madison's and Mason's eyes narrow.
"Don't look at me like that. I admire both of your parents' creativity, but you both must admit, Uncle Finn has been working his Finn off."
I can tell this conversation isn't going to go down well.
"I don't know who the fuck you are, Auggie." Madison extended Auggie's name in a threatening yet sarcastic manner. "But, talk about our parents like that again. I'll make sure you wish you were never born."
Amid the silence, Auggie burst out laughing. "Holy." He turned his head, "Did you all hear this? The Everhart's little girl is threatening me. This is the cutest shit I've seen all day. You all got to come to look at this. Her face is red."
This man is not afraid of death.
"Stop it." I heard another man's voice. "If she hears what you're doing right now-"
"She don't give a fuck."
"And you wonder why your wife left you."
The smile wiped off of Auggie's face, "There are children here."
Auggie must be sad about his wife leaving him. Poor weird guy.
"Crystal-"
Crystal stops scrolling through her phone, "Yeah?"
"Please read the message."
"What messa-" Her phone brightened. Crystal puckers her lips and her thumb motions, "Oh."
We all stared at her.
"Hmm," Crystal taps her flat, "But, what if our guardians don't want to do it? My mom would respond with over your dead body." She scoffs, "If they come."
What is she talking about?
"Crystal. Care to explain to the rest?" Ahmend asked.
"Oh. Yeah." Crystal smacked her lips and exhaled, "First mission. Trust test. Get a family member to trust you with their most precious item without request."