⋯ SATURDAY, AUGUST 10 ⋯
12:34am
STAYING under the same roof had always been a challenge. Living in a single house with my twin brother and six friends was no easy feat.
It was a typical night with my closest companions, and as was our tradition, we gathered around on the carpet for a lively game of Truth or Dare. Clyde, Brianna, Eddie, Ashley, Shawn, Phoebe, Andrew, and I had formed an inseparable bond over the past three years, except for Eddie, who I had known all my life...literally.
The bottle spun, and fate decided it would be facing my brother, Eddie, while the lower part pointed at me.
"Truth or dare?" he asked.
"Dare."
"This is going to be interesting," he thought for a moment. "I dare you to steal a phone from the first person you see on the streets and save any of the contacts."
"I-"
"That's not all. After that, we all get to send a text to the person."
My eyes widened. "You're ridiculous. Can I have another dare?"
"Sure. I dare you to do the dare."
"It's midnight. Who would be roaming the streets? There could be a serial killer waiting for a redhead to kill. Ashley, tell your boyfriend that this is a bad idea."
She smirked, standing up. "Vida and I will be back real quick. I'm going to follow her to get a disguise, and you guys better get your phones ready to record."
"Why do we all have to take a video?" Shawn whined."Because we all remember what happened last time," she glared at Andrew, pulling me to her room.
There was this time we pulled an epic prank on our school's prankster, and we had told Andrew to record everything. We had our moment of victory until someone broke the news that they hadn't hit the record button. Ah, the good old days.
Our shared house was spacious but still a bungalow. Having just graduated from high school, we were eager to get a place of our own. To our parents, it was about "learning to be independent," but to us, it was an escape from them.
Upon entering her room, she had already picked out the perfect disguise for me."Of all the masks in the world, you chose Spiderman! Spiderman!!" I exclaimed, examining the old material. It looked like it hadn't been used in months.
"Stop whining. Spidey is cool."
"Pfft, right. Using a superhero's mask to commit a crime is totally cool," I replied, putting on the mask. Looking at myself in the mirror, I felt disgusted. I was dressed in a black nightgown and a Spiderman mask.
"Can I get something like Thanos or something?" I asked, tugging at the sticky fabric on my face.
"Thanos doesn't wear a mask, genius," she replied, dragging me out of the room to where the others were laughing at me.
"Do I really have to steal in my nightgown?"
"Well...it's black," Bri reasoned, causing me to glare at her.
I put on my black slippers and stepped out onto the streets. Was I really doing this? I looked around. Nobody was there, so I had to go a little further. My friends trailed behind, but they were all scattered, acting as if they didn't know each other. I wondered who I should steal from. Then an old woman passed by, phone in hand.
Perfect.
I looked back to see three of my seven friends pointing at the woman. I mentally cringed at the thought of stealing from an old woman.
I counted to three before running, snatching the phone in the process. I ran as far as my legs could take me, which wasn't very far from my house. When I got home, I decided to enter through the back door since I had the keys in the pocket of my gown. Placing my hands on my knees, I panted, and that's when all the thoughts came rushing in.
Oh my God! What did I do? I just stole a phone. I looked at the iPhone in my hand and sighed. Poor grandma. Thank God she didn't see my face. I didn't even see hers. But coming to think of it, I'd make an awesome thief.
I quickly scrolled through her contacts. I was already on 'M' when I found a contact I could save.
My grandson, Katie.
Who saves their grandson's number as 'My grandson'? And who the hell names their son 'Katie'?I ran to the living room where my phone was lying and saved the number as 'Her grandson, Katie.' Might as well show the old woman some respect.
"Quick! The phone!" Clyde came in through the back door.
"Why?"
"The woman was speechless and frozen in her spot, so Phoebe and Andrew walked up to her casually and started questioning her. The three of us convinced her that we'd find her phone. I pretended to chase you, which is why I came in through the back door. Now, the phone."
I handed him the phone, and he ran off through the back door again. I stared at my phone, then thought about the worst-case scenario. What if the woman saw me, and then I ended up marrying her grandson? I quickly painted a mental picture.
"Is there anyone in this gathering who does not support the coming together of Miss Lewis and Mr. 'Son'? Speak now or forever hold your peace."
"I object, you thief! You stole my phone. If it weren't for those lovely teenagers who helped me, I wouldn't be here for this wretched wedding. You can't marry my grandson."
The front door opened, and laughter ensued.
Eddie laughed even more, "Best dare ever. And it's not over yet."
"And I got it on video," Brianna grinned, waving her phone in my face.
After the laughter died down, we all sat down in a circle on the carpet. The seating arrangement went from me to Clyde, then Brianna, Eddie, Ashley, Shawn, Phoebe, Andrew, and back to me.
"So..." Andrew nudged me with his elbow. "Show us who you got."
I glared at him and then passed my phone to Clyde. He saw it and passed it on, and it went around until it came back to me.
"Her grandson, huh?" Eddie laughed, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.
"Just shut up already," I said, opening my messages. My phone was passed around, and each of them sent a text to Katie. When they were done, I snatched my phone back and started reading all the messages.
Message 1
So...you won't guess what happened today. I got my boyfriend pregnant! I can't wait to be a mother! I'm so excited yet scared. Please tell me what to do :-(
Message 2
370HSS∇
Turn it upside down. That's what you get for not telling me what to do. Now I'm a mother. I'm not ready!!
Message 3
I have the hottest brother in the world. Too bad we're related. I could set you up with him. Then you guys will boink and then boom- there are mini you's running about. And our children can get married. Even better, right? All my ships sail ya know?
Message 4
So I may or may not have put dynamite in your bathroom. :)
Message 5
Pizza comes in square boxes because food needs its breathing space, just like I'll need it when I see you. Oh- and if you must know, today I stole something.
I paused my reading at that message because I knew exactly who sent it. "One, can you ever keep a secret? And two, you made me sound desperate!"
Shawn liked sharing his thoughts with anyone and everyone which is why he couldn't keep a secret. He grinned at me. "One, yes, I keep secrets all the time. It's the people I tell them to who can't. And two, that was a statement so I don't have to answer."
"Idiot," I muttered and continued reading the rest of the messages.
Message 6
Hey babe! I was preparing for our date tomorrow and guess who I ran into at the mall? Your ex! Anyways, looking forward to our date.
Message 7
So I have night classes and I ticked the wrong answer to my work. I'm a mess right now and I really need an Eraser. I don't care if it's the only one you can get. In fact, that would be perfect and it'd just make me happier.
That wasn't so bad, I thought. Until I read the last part:
Anyways, I have to go now. My elephant is stuck in the fridge and my alligators are having a birthday party.
I dropped my phone, my eye twitching. It was something I did when I was frustrated. "You guys have five seconds. Five," I counted holding up a hand with five fingers.
"On a more serious note, you have a very hot brother—"
I let one finger down, "Four!"
"But you can't lie, those were good Ed Sheeran references right there, so don't be mad. See what I did —"
"Three. Two. One."
I was going to kill them.