Mineira1986 wrote: ↑3 years ago
That was... something.
Really interesting seeing Ariel in control of the situation, kind of different from the previous games. Very nice how she played with her captives, that left me wondering, when Jenna once told Aiden that a friend had tied up and made her spend the night cuffed for a sleepover... could it have been Ariel? Hehe
And the last twist... what happened with Daphne? I cannot wait for the next part!
Thanks a lot for commenting! I'm not sure about that sleepover, but as Jenna and Ariel have been longtime friends, she could certainly be involved. That was a little detail I had forgotten about, thanks for reminding me as that could become canon.
-----------------------------------------------------
38. Talking about talking
“So, you fancy releasing Daphne?” Aiden charged a bewildered Maya. “Why? It’s been six hours. Nothing terrible.”
“For you, perhaps! Haven’t you seen how stressed she was? Many have been messaging me, and she cried during lunch. Alone, all weekend with no phone, internet, other persons, or anything fun is a dreadful penalty.”
“Yeah, she begged me too,” Jenna said, still with her hands bound behind her back. “A welcome break for you is an uncool nightmare for her.”
“It isn’t like we’ve spoken much today,” Aiden mumbled.
“Daphne has tried, but you ignored her,” Ariel said, reminding Aiden of a rapid conversation between their first two classes. “Afterwards, she got too nervous and agitated. She hoped others could shift your mind.”
Maya leaned down on Ariel’s bed. “How does keeping her prisoner benefit you? On the contrary, releasing her could provide a new ally: She’s popular and influential.”
“Signups and voting for the game board and youth council are coming up, so making yourself unpopular now would not be helpful,” Jenna added.
“Girls, please, have you watched too many political intrigue documentaries? This ain’t ancient Rome or Washington. It’s high school.”
Maya and Ariel looked at each other and giggled. “Oh, sweet summer child,” Maya said, patting Aiden on his back. “You ain’t ambitious, but many are, and every decision, protectors, kidnappers, helpers for dares, leaks, and positions all included are little games in themselves. Open your eyes and see: It’s a snake pit.”
Aiden thought for a moment and nodded. This was not a hill to die on, and the girls were right: It was a win-win as this revenge was not as sweet as he had hoped. He gasped. “So, eh, Maya, let’s go? Should I enter you as my protector, just in case?”
Maya placed her bag on the ground, removed her school supplies, and put in a few ropes in case the confrontation went well. “Yeah, excellent idea. Getting snatched up would ruin everything, and Ariel, mind if I sleep here? I got Tamara as a back-up if this plan failed.”
Ariel approved, and after the paperwork, Maya was formally Aiden’s protector. He put on his shoes and jacket. “Ariel, can your parents drive us? Or can we borrow bikes?”
Ariel laughed. “Oh, yeah, forgot. We’re only two blocks away. Walking will work. Or are you too lazy?”
Aiden gave her an offended glance before he and Maya set off during sunset. He had been clueless about his whereabouts, but the offices and warehouses revealed they were on the edge of the residential district. Arkalay housed only a few businesses that all had been in town for ages or related to the tourist- or adult industry.
“So, what’s all the fuss?” Maya asked as soon as Ariel and Jenna were unable to overhear them. “Ariel in that dress, Jenna’s leotard in a corner, her rope marks, and her bound hands can’t be no coincidence.”
Aiden paced forward to avoid matching eyes with Maya. “Oh, nothing. The usual stuff.”
“And you being clueless about your location?”
“You’re nosy. Why?” Aiden said, grabbing his phone to urge Ariel to change in case their plan succeeded.
Maya stepped forward and turned to face Aiden. “Maybe I’m your friend? Last week was the first time you talked with Daphne.” She swung around and walked further, letting Aiden haste to catch up. Her mood had gone from urgent, to curious, to bitter.
“Serious, why are you mad? I owed Ariel a tie-up from last week, and she plotted a kidnap.”
Maya laughed like a devil. “Oh, boy, you’re such a bad liar. It could be true, but no reason to make a hassle. Come on, the truth, and of course, it will stay confidential.” A silence fell as they passed one specialized hardware store. “Please?”
“Ariel and Jenna will skin me alive, but here’s the full story,” Aiden sighed, hating to betray the two girls, and reported the entire Tuesday evening: Daphne’s squad almost finding him, taking Ariel, revealing himself, and her cooperation.
With each sentence, Maya’s pupils enlarged, her smile broadened, and her posture relaxed. “I owe you an apology Aiden as there was no reason to inform me. Strangely, it makes sense,” she said, repeating the history in her head. “Actually, a brilliant move. You discovered Daphne’s plan, embarrassed her, and stole a valuable ally.”
Aiden grinned from ear to ear as they entered the jail. “As I said, I don’t play that game. That’s a coincidence.”
“You believe you don’t play,” Maya purred as the game board member in charge blocked their way toward the cells.
“Can I help you?” the senior said as Aiden wondered why he was still wearing sunglasses. “The jail is momentarily used for a dare.” Maya quickly explained the situation, and the senior directed them to a cell and unlocked the heavy metal door. He left them in the pitch-black room and closed the door.
Aiden exchanged a quick gaze with Maya and sighed. “Daphne, you there? We’re freeing you.”
A groan from the other side of the room followed. “Really?” Daphne’s disbelieving voice said. “Turn on the lights, I was sleeping already.”
Maya obliged, turning bright fluorescent tubes on. The room was entirely white, including the floor, walls, ceiling, table, two chairs, and a bunk bed. Here, Daphne lay on the bottom and used the sheets to cover her eyes. Her orange prison suit lay on the floor. “You wanna leave? Then I’ll fetch your impounded belongings.”
“That would be marvelous,” Daphne said sarcastically, showing the top of her face over the sheets. Her hair was messed up, and without eye-line and lipstick, she looked ill to Aiden. “So, what changed your mind?” she inquired when Maya left. “Or better said, what’s behind it?”
Aiden smiled, taking on of the chairs. “Don’t be paranoid. I’m just trying to be nice. Keeping you here wasn’t as satisfactory as I had expected. Let’s end this war.”
“End it? Are you playing games? You started this, ripped my friends away, and humiliated me. Sorry, Aiden, I don’t trust your words.”
“Search for conspiracies and hidden strategies all you want but pick freedom,” Aiden said as calm as possible. “Also, everything began with those terrible speed dates. The day before, I began dating Jenna and hence detested playing that game. Sorry if I was an ass, but I meant no harm.”
Daphne looked at him and nodded, but then turned her head away. “I took that way too personal, and many others too. You were a dork. You deserved this, but we incited and escalated the tensions. I went too far during our date, and sorry, that kissing was unnecessary too.”
“Thanks, so you can live with peace? Forget everything?” Aiden answered as Maya got back in and handed her her clothes, and she dressed under the sheets.
“That would be perfect,” Daphne said, throwing the sheets away and showing black jeans and a gray hoodie. “So, shall I go home now?”
“Maybe we have to sign something first, and we’ve arranged no ride, so you gotta get home yourself,” Maya said. “Or if you’re daring, you follow us for a friendly make-good sleepover. Your pick.”
Daphne’s face could not her shock, hearing this offer, and she gaped at Aiden with a wide-open mouth.
“It’s trust, Daphne, but we won’t hurt you, and otherwise, you can contact the board. A trap would be foolish, and Dana and Caitlyn can attest I truly made peace and don’t lie about these things.”
“Welp, you got me,” Daphne laughed, collecting her things from the table. “I cannot play chicken now.”
“You serious?” Maya asked.
“Yeah, but let’s leave this dreadful place as soon as possible.”
The three did so after signing off and returned to the cold, abandoned Arkalay streets. As they walked the first steps, Maya got her backpack and took a black, silk scarf out. “You’re ballsy, but are you ready for the next step? I can’t tell you where we’re going.”
Daphne spun around. “You promised a friendly sleepover! Not getting tied up and tortured all night.”
“Come on, Daphne! I can’t remember a sleepover with you where I did not end up in ropes,” Maya smirked. “Do you don’t trust us, or are you afraid of losing control again?”
“You’re putting me on the spot! You’re pathetic, Maya, but whatever, you win another round,” Daphne shouted. She shivered as Maya blindfolded her with the scarf and started to bind her arms palm-to-palm behind her. To Aiden’s surprise, her elbows almost touched, and then Maya also tied a leash around her neck. “Stop that! Enough!”
Maya laughed, hugged the scared girl, and turned her half-a-dozen times round before taking the leash and pulling her forward. “No, no, you’re going with us, Daphne. The time to go home has passed.” They walked in silence and slow, as Daphne feared to trip on the pothole-ridden pavement. Maya and Aiden warned her every time but complied with the sluggish pace.
“Are we almost there?” Daphne asked after about fifteen minutes. “Or are you taking me all the way to Aiden’s place?” Her head bowed downward due to her tiredness, but she was not angry anymore.
“We would have been there if you could outrun a turtle,” Aiden said, walking behind her. It made her jump.
Then they arrived, and as Ariel’s parents watched in silence, Daphne was lead through the living. “Hup, up the stairs,” Maya grinned as Aiden exchanged an awkward nod with Ariel’s father. Nothing strange going on.
Jenna was tucked in on a mattress while hogtied and blindfolded by a black woolen hood with only an opening for her nose and mouth. Ariel sat cross-legged on her own bed dressed in a long white nightdress with embroidered purple and green butterflies and fiddled with her phone.
“We’ve arrived,” Maya said, sitting Daphne on a chair. “Aiden will leave the room, and I’ll help you change into pajamas, so we can go to sleep. No looking. We’ve more mystery guests.”
“We’re at Ariel’s, aren’t we? I recognize the smell,” Daphne blurted out as Aiden left and closed the door. “Not that it stinks, obviously, but it’s distinctive.”
“Clever,” Ariel laughed. “I assume your pajamas are in your bag?”
Aiden entered the bathroom and sat down on the closed toilet, giving Daphne her privacy. Ten minutes later, he was called back in, and Daphne lay next to Jenna on her back in short olive green pajamas. Her legs were already tied together, and Ariel loosely tied her hands in front of her. “She wanted no hogtie. I’ll bind her to our other unfortunate visitor,” she said.
Jenna stayed quiet as their upper legs and shoulders were forced together. Her hogtie was not tight but inescapable with mitts. The three lazed down on the bed to watch their creation as Maya retrieved her phone. “Three missed calls from the gameboard. They ask where I am and if I want to do a dare tonight. Sorry guys, gotta call back.”