I was currently sitting on a black leather sofa, staring at the TV as a bunch of guys tackled each other and ran back and forth across a field. "This is lame," I complained.
Michael glanced over at me. "You can leave, you know."
I glared. "You told me I couldn't leave the house. And what's the point of this anyway?"
"You can leave the room," he corrected.
"Everyone else left."
"And?"
I threw my hands up into the air, exasperated. "And I'm bored!"
"I can tell," he responded, his smirk growing. I crossed my arms, frustrated. The TV turned off. "Fine. I have great methods for distracting girls." He grinned wider.
I didn't know how to take that. Before I could ask, Lia came in. "Trust me, he does," she told me, smiling coyly. "Briggs got held up with the case. He and Sterling won't be back until tomorrow. I guess it's time you meet our other house residents April."
There are more?
Lia smiled. "Follow me."
***
It turns out Michael wasn't the only boy here. I didn't know whether or not I was surprised, but at this point, I didn't know if I cared.
"So why is she here again?" Dean was asking Lia.
Lia rolled her eyes. "Because, Dean. Just because."
"That's not an answer."
"She's a profiler!"
"We don't need anymore profilers. Two is plenty." That's okay Dean, I will leave as soon as this mess is sorted out.
Michael peeked his head into the kitchen. "And she's good with statistics." Dean glared at him. "I'm just saying," Michael shrugged, walking toward the cupboard and pulling out a bag of popcorn. "What?" He asked, noting my frown. "This is getting good."
His grin, Dean's obvious dislike of me, and Lia's I'm-superior-than-thou attitude had me wanting to run out of the house and not look back. Or maybe hit someone...
"Ok, look Dean, I'm sorry I'm here, I don't want to be here, I don't know why I'm here, but I'm here. So maybe instead of getting rid of me you could help me figure out how to go home."
"Aww, come on April, we know you like it here," Lia pouted, twirling a piece of hair around her finger. I glared again. At this rate, my eyes were going to get stuck in a permanent glare.
Sloane peeked her head into the kitchen. "If it makes you feel better, I like you. 30% less than Lia, 36% less than Michael, 43% less than Dean, 62% less than Cassie and Hayden, and 70% less than Judd, but I like you." She smiled, a dimple appearing on one side of her face.
It took a lot of self-control not to face palm or roll my eyes, but apparently it accounted for nothing. "Actually Sloane," Michael spoke up from his spot at the counter, "I don't think April likes-"
"Thank you for that Sloane," I interrupted, cutting him off. He gave me a grin and flicked a piece of popcorn off the counter. I watched as it hit Dean in the back of the head, but Dean didn't react.
Lesson number one: Ignore Michael. Got it Dean. Thanks.
"Not gonna retaliate Dean?" I asked sweetly, watching him closely. The only tell I saw was his fingers curling inward.
"Dean doesn't get mad," Lia informed me, drawing my attention off of Dean. "If Dean was mad, you'd know. Trust me."
Duly noted.
"You know what, guys, I think it's time for a little entertainment," Lia looked around at each of us in turn. "Any suggestions?"
"How about no?" suggested Dean.
"When did that become an option?" Sloane asked. "I'm not familiar with any teenage games that are called 'no'." I looked at Michael and I knew he could see the question I had in my mind. Is she serious?
I guess Cassie was right. With these people, your questions could get answered before you even opened your mouth to ask.
"Sloane, why don't you go find Hayden," Lia suggested. "And find Cassie while you're at it." After Sloane had left, Lia muttered, "that girl is too naïve for her own good. Now, what should we play?" There was a long silence before she sighed. "Okay, I'll meet everyone in the living room. Fifteen minutes." With that declaration, she stood up and sauntered out the door.
I looked over at Michael. "How bad is this gonna get?"
Michael looked at Dean, who was following Lia out of the kitchen. "Pretty bad. If I were you, I would opt out of this one."
Uh-oh. He's underestimated me. That's his fault.
"No, I'm playing," I decided, smiling. His facial expression didn't change, and I assumed he'd expected that response.
"Suit yourself," he shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, crumpling the bag of popcorn and throwing it into the trash can across the room. I watched the bag hit off the wall and go in. "I guess I'll see you in fourteen minutes."
"Thirteen, actually."
He stood up, walking out the door. "See you in thirteen then."
***
Twelve minutes later, I was sitting on an arm of the couch next to Sloane, Cassie and the boy I assumed was Hayden occupying the rest of the couch. Dean sat in front of the fireplace, and Michael and Lia had yet to make an appearance.
I looked at Sloane. "How crazy is this going to get?"
"According to my calculations, not very crazy," Sloane decided, smiling.
"Actually, this is going to be mild. We don't believe in doing anything we can get in trouble for." Lia walked into the room. I looked at her and raised my eyebrow.
"Somehow, I find that hard to believe."
"Actually," Michael added, right on her heels, "we do play pretty cliche teenage games."
I noticed the slightly swollen state of both his and Lia's lips before I processed what he'd said. "You mean games like spin the bottle?" I mentally gagged.
Lia laughed. "Something a bit more...mature." She smiled and glanced at Michael.
"Now, I present to you, truth or dare. Any objections?"
Dean went to raise his hand, but Cassie cut in. "I object. Last time we played this you forced me to kiss Dean." I could tell this was a subject the two had discussed before.
"Oh please," Lia responded, "You had the choice to say no." Cassie raised an eyebrow. "Technically," Lia added.
"Technically means she could have in theory, but she couldn't have in reality," Sloane whispered to me.
"Thank you Sloane," I responded. "I couldn't figure that out on my own." She smiled, totally oblivious to my sarcasm, before turning back to Lia, who was bickering with Cassie.
"I'm up for it," Michael interjected, silencing their argument. He looked at me. "But only if April is."
Everyone was silent as they looked at me. Dean leaned forward, mouthing 'please say no' while Lia put her hands on her hips and Michael looked at me expectantly.
"I'm up for it," I decided, causing Dean to facepalm and Michael to smirk, leaning back in his seat with his hands behind his head.
"Ok, we're playing," Lia announced. I raised my hand. She sighed. "Yes April?"
"I want to be first."
"Ok then," she said, smirking. "Truth or dare?"
"That's not what I meant," I replied.
"I know. Now truth. Or. Dare?" She asked me. I sighed and when I responded with truth I knew I would regret the decision. Her smile was enough to make me want to run out of the room. "How many people have you kissed?"
I never would have considered the question to be offensive, but being from her, it felt like it was. Like maybe I wasn't good enough because I'd never had a boyfriend. "None," I shrugged nonchalantly. Before anyone could say anything, I turned to Sloane. "Sloane. Truth or dare?"
The blond turned toward me, excited. "Truth! Wait. Maybe dare...I don't know. Surprise me!" She decided.
I looked at Lia, who just shrugged. "Ok...Why are you here?"
I could tell the question hit a nerve because Sloane's smile quickly faded. "I'm here because I can help people," she stated simply. I raised an eyebrow. "And," she continued, reading my queue, "my parents didn't want me." So that explained the complete absence of social skills. She turned toward Michael. "Michael, truth or dare?"
Michael smirked. "Dare. And make it a good one."
Sloane thought for a moment, resting her chin in her palm and looking absentmindedly at the TV. She then turned back to Michael. "Sing karaoke to Let It Go." She gave a little smirk, and she immediately gained my respect at the request.
"Karaoke?" Michael asked, surprised. She had caught him off guard. I wanted to give the girl a high five. "Why do I always get the PG dares?" He complained.
"I dared him to dance ballet last time we played," Cassie filled me in.
I laughed. "No, it wasn't funny," Michael responded, glaring at me.
"It totally was," Cassie said, laughing. "Now, where's the remote?" Lia handed her the remote, and Cassie set a karaoke version of Let It Go up on the TV. "Here's your starring moment Michael," she gestured at the floor.
Michael stood up and cleared his throat. "You will all be impressed by my incredible singing skills. Just wait and see," he informed us, pointing to each of us in turn. I held in a laugh.
The song started, and dang could he sing! I think I like him a little more now.
The song ended and we all applauded his performance while he took a bow and returned to his seat. "Okay..." he started. I looked away. Please don't pick me. "How about...Cassie." Phew.
Cassie turned toward Michael and I watched the little exchange between them. Clearly there were feelings involved, as much as they tried to hide it. At least Cassie was. "Truth or dare?"
"Truth," Cassie decided. She shifted on the couch as we all watched Michael come up with something that would make us forget his performance.
At the glint in his eyes, I worried for Cassie. "Okay. What did you think when Lia and I came downstairs?"
My mouth dropped open for a second. Sloane raised her hand. "Yes Sloane?" Michael asked her, barely taking his eyes off Cassie.
"You we're making out for approximately thirteen minutes," Sloane informed him. "It is to my knowledge that you have been flirting with Cassie."
Michael quirked an eyebrow. "Miss statistics is more observant than we give her credit for. Cassie? Any answer?" He watched her as we all looked at him. Lia was the only one who was looking down at the floor.
"Lia?" I asked, giving Cassie time to answer. "Not that I've known you for all that long, but why do you look guilty?" Everyone's gazes shifted to me and Lia.
"Why do I need to answer that?" Lia snapped. "You're the newbie here. What did you think when we came down the stairs?" I want to get out of this house.
"Like Sloane said, you guys were making out. It didn't go further, but you did it because you don't like all the attention Michael gives Cassie, which is why you feel guilty, even though you like his attention and want to get together again. And you," I whirled on Michael, "You are the one who has been flirting with Cassie. Not just flirting, but obviously something has happened between you too, even if she is deciding between you and Dean. You like Cassie yet you were making out with Lia because you feel sorry for yourself that Cassie hasn't chosen you yet, and to be honest, I don't think she will." Both Lia and Michael looked indifferent at this point, but I could tell they both felt slightly bad. Cassie's cheeks matched her hair, and Hayden, Sloane, and Dean all watched us with wide eyes. I made eye contact with Michael, and we both stared at each other for a minute.
"Hayden, truth or dare," I asked, tearing my eyes away from Michael.
"He picks truth," Sloane informed me. I looked between the two and noticed that Hayden's hand rested on Sloane's and he was tapping her palm.
"What are you here to do?" I asked him. He was watching my lips intently and began tapping on Sloane's palm.
"He wants to know what you mean by that," Sloane translated.
"What special ability do you have. I mean, everyone here is special, so why are you here? What can you do?" I clarified, curious as to why the FBI would want a deaf kid to work for them. Hayden smiled and tapped away on Sloane's palm.
"He can read people's lips," Sloane informed me. "And he has a photographic memory. He can remember the people he sees."
"Oooooh, ok, got it," I smiled at him and he smiled back. The opening of the front door pulled me away from Hayden's stare and an older man with perfect posture and a weary face came into the room. He made his way over to me.
"Hello April. My name's Judd."