As we both laughed, the door creaked open, and Logan stepped into the living room. His usual confidence was gone, replaced by nervousness. He glanced at me first, then shifted his gaze to Mal, who was sitting on the couch with a small grin.
“Uh… hey, Mal,” Logan said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I, uh, didn’t mean for you to… um, see that.”
Mal raised an eyebrow at him, a teasing smile still playing on her lips. “Yeah, I noticed.”
Logan shifted uncomfortably, his eyes darting between us. “Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t want you to… walk in on us.”
Mal nodded slowly, her expression softening. “It’s okay, Logan. I just wasn’t expecting it, that’s all.”
He let out a relieved sigh, his shoulders relaxing a little. “Thanks for understanding. I know this whole thing is… complicated.”
I looked between the two of them, still feeling the tension in the air. “Yeah, it’s not exactly the easiest situation to explain.”
Mal chuckled lightly. “I can imagine.”
Logan finally took a seat next to me, his hand brushing mine as he gave me a quick look of reassurance. “I just didn’t want things to be weird between us, Mal.”
She shrugged casually. “It’s fine, really. I’m not going to tell anyone. Just… maybe try to keep it down next time?”
Logan and I both nodded in agreement, and for the first time since Mal walked in, the room felt a little lighter.
To ease the tension, I took a deep breath, trying to shake off the awkwardness of the moment. “Hey, you know what? Let’s do something to take our minds off of all this,” I said, sitting up straighter.
Mal raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. “Like what?”
I glanced at Logan, who was still sitting beside me, his hand still resting lightly on mine. “I don’t know, something fun. We could play a game or something. Get our minds off… everything.”
Mal grinned. “Now you’re speaking my language.”
I called out toward the kitchen, “Liam! Get in here! We’re playing a game!”
A moment later, Liam appeared in the doorway, his eyebrows raised in curiosity. “What’s going on?” he asked, clearly still wondering about the tension he’d sensed earlier.
“Nothing, just a little… family bonding time,” I replied with a grin, trying to act casual.
Liam smirked but didn’t press the issue. “Alright, I’m in.” He plopped down beside Mal, who had already grabbed a deck of cards from the coffee table.
Logan leaned back, letting out a quiet laugh. “Alright, let’s see if we can keep things normal for once.”
As we all settled in, the atmosphere lightened. Mal shuffled the deck of cards with a practiced hand, while Liam leaned forward, eager to join in. Logan stretched his legs out, his foot lightly brushing mine under the table, a silent reassurance that things were, for the moment, okay.
“Alright,” Mal said, looking up from the deck, “I found this weird card game while I was out. It’s called Demonic Whispers-don’t ask me why it’s called that, but it looks fun.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Demonic? That doesn’t sound ominous at all.”
Mal grinned mischievously. “I didn’t pick it for the name, but I promise it’s not as bad as it sounds. It’s just a weird card game with some… uh, quirky rules.”
Logan chuckled. “Quirky rules, huh? This should be interesting.”
Liam leaned back, crossing his arms, clearly unconvinced. “If it’s weird, I’m blaming you, Mal.”
“Fine, fine,” she said, fanning the cards out on the table. “Let’s just see if you’re brave enough to play.”
We all took our turns picking a card from the deck, each one with a strange, cryptic symbol and a challenge written on it. As we went around the circle, the game became more bizarre by the second. Some cards made us act out absurd scenarios, others forced us to reveal embarrassing secrets, but the most unsettling were the cards with symbols that seemed to shift when you weren’t looking directly at them.
The air grew heavy with laughter and playful banter as we navigated the strange challenges. But the more we played, the more I felt something… off. The room seemed to grow darker, the air thicker, and every time I glanced at the cards, I swore I could see the edges moving, shifting into something darker.
I glanced at Logan, who seemed just as unsettled as I felt, his usual confident demeanor faltering for just a second before he masked it with a grin. Mal, however, seemed to be enjoying it a little too much, her eyes gleaming with a mischievous spark.
I picked up a card, feeling an inexplicable chill run down my spine as I read the instructions. “Share a truth you’ve never told anyone,” it said. I swallowed hard, glancing around at the group, unsure of what to say.
Liam’s eyes flickered toward the card in my hand. “That’s a tough one,” he said, a hint of amusement in his voice, though there was something else there now-an edge I hadn’t noticed before.
I didn’t know if I should laugh or be terrified. The atmosphere in the room had changed so subtly, but I could feel it. Something about the game felt… too real.
The air in the room grew heavier, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. I looked around at everyone, their expressions a little too serious, their eyes a little too intense. I glanced at Logan, who was watching me closely, his usual confident smile replaced with a slight frown.
Liam leaned forward, his gaze fixed on the card in my hand. “Well, Audrey, are you going to answer?” he asked, his voice low.
I swallowed hard, trying to push down the unease that was creeping up on me. I looked at the card again. The words were simple, but the weight of them felt like they were pressing on me.
“Share a truth you’ve never told anyone.”
I hesitated. What was I supposed to say? There were a lot of things I kept to myself, but nothing that felt like it should be shared in this weird, tense moment.
Logan’s hand brushed mine again, his touch grounding me, but even that wasn’t enough to ease the discomfort I felt. I could feel his eyes on me, and it made the whole thing feel even more personal.
Mal, sensing the awkwardness, leaned forward and gave a small smile. “It’s just a game, Audrey. You don’t have to tell anything you’re not ready to.”
I nodded, grateful for her understanding. But still, the game felt different now. It didn’t feel like just a card game anymore. I looked at the card one more time, my mind racing. Finally, I exhaled and said the first thing that came to mind.
“I’ve always been scared that I’m not good enough for Logan,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
The room went silent.
Logan’s eyes widened, and I could see a flash of surprise on his face. Liam didn’t say anything, but I could feel his gaze still on me. Even Mal seemed caught off guard by the answer.
I felt my cheeks flush, embarrassed by the sudden vulnerability. I had never really said it out loud before. It felt too personal, too exposed.
Logan squeezed my hand gently, his voice low but sincere. “Audrey, that’s not true. You’re more than enough for me.”
I managed a small smile, feeling a little lighter, but the tension from the game still hung in the air. I didn’t know why, but the game had taken a turn. Something felt off.
The room was quiet, the weight of my words hanging in the air, when I noticed something strange. My hand, still holding the card, began to tremble slightly. It was subtle at first, but then the card seemed to shift in my fingers. I blinked, thinking it was just my imagination, but when I looked at the card again, something was different.
The words that had once been printed on it- “Share a truth you’ve never told anyone”-were now completely gone. In their place, new words were slowly forming, as if written by an invisible hand.
I am coming for you!!