◽A CHILD'S GAME?◽
◽MARIAN'S POV◽
I stared out of the bedroom window, hoping for some sign of life outside, but the neighborhood looked as dead as I felt inside. No kids playing, no dogs barking, not even a rogue squirrel darting through the trees. Just silence. Creepy silence.
I’d already binged every show and read every book I could get my hands on. Talking to the walls wasn’t much fun either, and the only person willing to engage in conversation with me was Martini. Everyone else acted like I was invisible, treating me like the prisoner I technically was.
Was I that dangerous to talk to? Would a simple hello turn their lives upside down? Apparently, yes.
My mind kept drifting back to thoughts of my parents. Their faces haunted me, the pain of losing them still fresh, like a wound that refused to heal. I couldn’t shake the unfairness of it all. Why did they have to die? Who was responsible? And why was I stuck here, waiting for answers that might never come?
I wanted to ask Marco about the search for my sister, to know if they were any closer to finding her or uncovering the truth. But after my last outburst, I wasn’t sure approaching him again was the best idea. I’d spoken out of turn, crossed too many lines, and now, I felt like I was overstaying my welcome.
I sighed, missing the days when life was simple. When my biggest worry was figuring out where to meet up with my friends.
I missed Farian, always gossiping about her latest fling or her gay friends’ drama. I missed Angel, who had a habit of proposing to random hot guys on the street. And I missed Lauren, whose chatter about her boyfriend never seemed to end. Even Addy, who constantly nagged us to keep it down while she rewatched Star Wars for the hundredth time.
But all of that felt like a distant dream now.
“What’s on your mind?” Martini’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. He was sitting across from me, his usual calm expression giving nothing away. At least he tried to make conversation, unlike the others, who acted like I had the plague.
“My friends,” I replied. “I miss them.” My voice came out softer than I intended, a little crack in my carefully constructed armor.
Martini nodded, sympathy in his eyes. “I know it’s hard. But things are complicated right now. We’re doing our best.”
His words were supposed to be comforting, but they only made the silence around us feel heavier. I hadn’t really paid much attention to Martini before, but now that I thought about it, he was the only one who showed me any kindness in this place.
And i hadn’t noticed how good-looking he was either. His muscular arm, the subtle kindness in his eyes, his laid-back charm.
it was hard to miss now.
My thoughts took a sudden turn. Flirting with Martini might be a fun way to pass the time,
then again, I was pretty sure my flirting skills were on par with a drunk toddler’s. I'd probably just embarrass myself. Best not to go down that road.
Martini must’ve noticed my change in mood because his face lit up with an idea. “I can help you kill some of that boredom,” he said, looking oddly excited.
I raised an eyebrow. What was he going to suggest? Hide-and-seek? A game of cards? I wasn’t expecting much, especially considering they hadn’t even let me have internet access. TikTok could’ve saved me, but no, I was stuck in this digital desert.
Before I could ask, he continued, “Marco has cousins around your age. They visit sometimes. I could invite them over.”
I blinked. Cousins? As in, people I didn’t know? The thought of meeting new people made my stomach twist, but maybe it was better than staring at these four walls. Maybe.
“They’re good people,” Martini added with a smile. “You’ll like them."
Martini’s smile was reassuring, but my social anxiety kicked in. New people weren’t exactly my strong suit. I’d always stuck to a small group of close friends, and the thought of mingling with strangers gave me mild heart palpitations.
But before I could respond, Martini was already moving to set it up. His enthusiasm made me wonder if he actually wanted this as much as I needed the distraction.
"Don't worry, you'll like them," he said with a confidence I definitely didn’t share.
◽◽◽◽
A few hours later, when 'cousins' finally arrived, I realized that by cousins Martini had meant boys. And not just any boys—boys who looked like they’d stepped off the cover of a mafia-themed calendar.
There were four of them, and they all had that effortlessly cool, bad-boy vibe. The kind you could never find at school without wincing at the cringe factor. These guys, though—they made it look natural. Like they were born with it.
I stared at them like a total weirdo, completely mesmerized. Why didn’t people like this exist in my life before? My friends would’ve lost their minds over these guys.
Martini finally broke the silence, introducing each of them. “This is Lorenzo,” he said, pointing to the one with messy blonde curls and an easy grin. “And that’s Nat, Blade, and Jay.”
I tried to say something or at least coherent, but my mouth was apparently stuck in mute mode. I managed a small smile instead.
“She’s cute,” Lorenzo said, breaking the ice as his eyes roamed over me. It wasn’t uncomfortable, though. There was a casual, almost friendly warmth to it, as if I were already accepted into their group. Or maybe it was just the whole mafia thingy.
They all had this intensity in their gazes, a kind of sharpness that came from being constantly on guard. But just as I noticed that, Lorenzo playfully smacked Nat, who’d been busy texting on his phone. Nat sneered and shoved his phone into his pocket, rolling his eyes.
The introductions were brief, and before I could even process it, Martini was announcing a scavenger hunt to help break the ice.
If I thought things couldn’t get weirder, I was wrong. The scavenger hunt was part mafia game, part treasure hunt—with a dark twist. Instead of finding random objects, we were supposed to locate hidden 'attack plans' and 'kill' the opposing team.
I wasn’t exactly sure what that meant, but considering this house’s track record of insanity, I wasn’t ruling out actual danger. I asked, half-joking, “So, are we using real weapons or what?”
Martini chuckled. “We used to. Bulletproof vests, the works. But this time, we’re just playing with tasers.”
Tasers? Just playing? In the same sentence.
My stomach dropped. There was no way I’d survive this game. I wasn’t exactly the athletic type, and the thought of getting tased wasn't anywhere on my to-do list. But the stakes were high. They’d casually mentioned that the prize for winning included the latest iPhone. It was enough to make me seriously reconsider my strategy.
....
When Martini fired a starter pistol into the air, everything became chaos. We scattered like maniacs, and despite my initial hesitation, I was determined to at least try to win. I knew this house better than anyone, having explored every nook and cranny out of sheer boredom. My first instinct led me straight to the weapon room. That’s where Martini kept everything important.
Sure enough, I found a clue taped to the underside of a table.
My teammates, Lorenzo and Nat, cheered me on as I handed over the next task: find the opposing team and take them out with the tasers. I was supposed to deliver the final blow, but here’s the thing
I had no idea how to use a taser.
Nat gave me a quick tutorial, but his words went in one ear and out the other as panic set in. Before I could protest, Jay came charging toward me. I did the only thing I could think of—ran in the opposite direction.
He chased me through the house and into the greenhouse, where I frantically hid behind a door, hoping to get the upper hand. Jay opened the door in one swift move, and in my panic, I pressed the taser button. He collapsed, twitching.
For a moment, I stood there in shock. Did I just tase him? My heart pounded as I cautiously stepped over his body, only for him to grab my leg, causing me to yelp. I kicked at him, more out of reflex than actual intention, and bolted out of the greenhouse.
Later in the game, it was down to Lorenzo and me. We needed one final clue to win, but before we could make our way to the finish line, something hit me, and everything went black.
Being tased felt like my body was hijacked by a lightning bolt. Every muscle seized, my brain screamed for control, but nothing responded. I was aware of everything but could do nothing about it. It was like my body shut down, leaving me trapped in my own skin.
When I woke up, it was to Lorenzo shaking me and Martini telling him to stop. Slowly, I became aware of my surroundings again. I was lying on the living room floor, surrounded by the boys—and Marco.
Marco, with his ever-present scowl, looked like he wanted to strangle someone. “Are you fucking stupid?” he barked
I groaned and rolled my eyes. Was this how you were supposed to talk to someone who had just came back from death?
Marco didn’t wait for a response. He stormed off towards the stairs, muttering something about everyone leaving.
The boys groaned in unison, but I smiled at Lorenzo, eager to know if we had won. His face was a bit swollen, which worried me. “What happened to your face?” I asked, reaching out instinctively.
He grinned. “I won,” he said proudly.
“At the cost of your sharp jawline? That sucks,” I blurted, instantly regretting my words. The boys burst out laughing, and I felt my cheeks go hot.
Lorenzo handed me the box with my new iPhone, and I nearly jumped with excitement. TikTok, here I come.
◽◽◽◽
The rest of the day passed in a blur. I sat at the dining table, trying to remember my password to set up my phone, when suddenly, it was snatched out of my hands.
“What the—?” I started.
Marco stood over me, raising an eyebrow. “I don’t think someone who’s a flight risk should have a phone.”
I bit my tongue, resisting the urge to argue. “I earned that phone,” I pouted, attempting my best puppy-dog eyes. “I won’t contact anyone, I swear.”
He scrolled through the phone before finally dropping it back on the table. “How could you be dumb enough to agree to that game?” he asked, sounding genuinely bewildered.
“It was better than sitting here, bored out of my mind,” I replied. “Besides, I experienced being tased. Isn’t that fun?”
Marco’s expression didn’t soften in the slightest. “You make the dumbest decisions,” he concluded flatly, turning to walk away.
“Can I please have my phone back now?” I asked and he just dropped it on the table
I was left confused as to why he’d taken it just to give it back
Without another word, he disappeared up the stairs. I pouted, staring at my phone, but then it hit me
We just had a normal conversation, and I didn’t pee my pants from fear. Maybe Marco wasn’t so angry at me anymore.
Smiling to myself, I realized that, for the first time in a while, I didn’t feel like I was walking on eggshells around him.
ns 15.158.61.20da2
