The First Game (2)

The players formed a circle while sitting on the ground while the others just sit back on their chair to watch them play. "So what is the game all about?" Lloki, in his seat, asked with a hint of boredom in his tone with his chin above his palm and elbow resting on the arm of the chair.

"How is it played?" Klair, the girl with thin-framed glasses but thick lenses and hair up in a messy bun.

"It's called-" Ria paused for a moment and continued, "Murder Mystery." she answered, changing the name of the game. "It's where the Murderer winks to kill, the Police and the Judge must catch the real murderer."

Lloki returned to using his phone, thinking that the game is probably boring to watch. "What do you mean real murderer?" Keila, the most athletic girl of the class, asked. She is the volleyball captain of their team.

Ria smiled, she put few changes in the game and added two more roles. Conspirator and Beggar. "Liste—

What she was about to say got interrupted as she noticed a figure standing by the door. "Sir Spade? How long have you been there?" Ria asked while shooting a glance at Agatha, who is looking down and holding her smile back.

Lloki, who's absorbed in his phone, looked over at his brother and nodded as greeting. They don't need any long words to speak with each other, they understand each other well. Between his two brothers, he's much more closer to his older brother, Spade Sanchez. They like the same type of music, movies and more.

Other than Spade, there were also other teachers that came in. Ericson, their adviser is busy computing grades at the back of the room. Volante, are watching dance clips for the practice of the Dance Troupe, Movers. Zhel and Rie, are just chatting about random topics. And March, the teacher behind Spade, went in and sat in the middle of Keila and Klair, she clinged to Klair's arm while resting her head at Keila's shoulder. She is the jolly and clingy type of teacher that is fun to be with that is why she is close to them.

Spade laughed slightly, "I was already here when you formed a circle. I just didn't want to interrupt your meeting talk."

"But we're not having a meeting."

"With all of you circling up, you looked like you were gathering for a council meeting." he stated, jokingly. Ria has not really been close enough to Spade unlike her friends so she doesn't know how to keep the flow of the talk with him. "It was a joke. I know you are going to play. You get that, don't you?" he said.

Trying to break the awkward silence, Lloki sighed and put down his phone and turned to Ria, "Maybe you should continue what you were about to say so we can get this over with."

"Why are you so grumpy today? You're not usually like that." Arneau asked. Lloki didn't respond and just continued typing.

"Just let him be. He probably got another fight with the egg bastard." Justine said.

"You mean Eggy? Egerton came back?"

"No, it's the other way around, he left."

Arneau's eyes furrowed, "Shouldn't he be happy that he left then?" he asked, confused.

Justine sighed, "Let's just not stick our nose into their business. We don't anything about it."

Agatha couldn't hold back anymore, so she tried to take a peek at Spade but she caught him also looking at her way. He smiled at her, causing her heart to beat even faster. She felt her cheeks burning so she immediately looked away from him to hide her reddened face. She couldn't focus on listening to Ria and became even more nervous as she felt Spade's legs on her back, because he sat at the chair behind her.

Spade noticed something wrong with Agatha so he bent down just above her shoulder, "Calm down and enjoy the game." he whispered in her ear. She was startled by the sudden whisper, felt his breath causing a short tingling in the middle of her ear and neck.

She turned around as a reaction to the whisper, and her face reddened again as their face was just one inch away from each other.

They stared at each other for a little while and went back to their position like a flash after hearing a deliberate cough from Ria.

"Listen, I'll start explaining the roles and rules of the game." Ria stated and looked at the others who are watching in their seat, "Are you guys sure that you don't want to join?" she said to Lloki, CC and Arneau.

The others who are not watching, are in their own worlds. Lloki's not sure if he's gonna watch but he's still working on his novel update. Rica and Elay are sleeping on the ground, using their bags as pillows. Cc is not in the mood to play so she and Arneau are just going to watch. While the remaining boys who didn't join the circle, Sebastian, Jayson and Ronjay are busy playing with Monopoly deal, since their playing cards was confiscated by the strict teacher, Zhel.

"Fine." Ria murmured.

She turned to the players and explained the game.

ROLES:

The Murderer, the villain of the game, if the player got this role he should wink without somebody else noticing to kill players. All he or she has to do is kill. This role became easier with the Conspirator added in the game.

The Conspirator, the villain's helper, he or she pretends to be the Murderer by also winking at the players. The most easiest role in the game, all he or she has to do is to confuse the Police and Judge. If the Judge gives this player a guilty judgment, the Murderer will win.

The Doctor, the reviver of the dead, helps the killed players by winking at them. The player who have this role should be careful, if they are seen by the murderer winking at the dead players, he or she might be killed. No doctors lessen the chances of winning.

The Victim, the target of the Murderer, for the player who have this role, the best way to not be killed is to act like they are not the victim. Unlike the others, this role does not do much except for waiting to be killed.

The Police, the hero of the game, this role is difficult because the Judge also relies on them. The player with this role arrests the player who winks. But they have ro be careful because it may not be the real Murderer.

The Beggar, they just... beg. Players who got this role should just pray not to be killed by the Murderer and Conspirator, and just sleep in the entire game with their eyes open.

Don't need to explain this too long, they are unimportant and they just made the Victim's role special.

The Judge, he or she decides if the arrested/accused is guilty or not. The result of the game depends on them. If the Judge are wrong, he or she along with the Police will die and it will be GAME OVER.

RULES:

Don't talk and just stare at each other.

The players are not allowed to look up or down. Only look at the players' eyes.

To avoid finding out who the Judge is, the Judge will give verdict by using paper. The players shall close their eyes and the Judge takes the paper up for the police to see the Judgment.

If the player with the Murderer role got winked at, they don't die.

Just have fun and think that you will really die to make the game more intense.

The players that are circled up had nothing to say and seemed very interested in the game. Some of them are excited to play and the others that are watching increased as they hear the game.

Spade and March looks amused while Zhel and Rie also silently watch. Lloki who just decided not to watch, glanced as the players start to draw roles from the rolled papers scattered on the floor.

10 PLAYERS:

Keila

Klair

Agatha

Ria

Jocephine

Mitch

Jayjay

Justine

Luis

Carl

"Since we're only 10, There will be one Murderer, Victim, Judge. Two Doctors, Conspirators, Beggars." Ria stated.

Carl, one of the math geniuses and also, with a thin body build, raised his hand. "What about the Police?"

Ria smiled, "One Police."

All of them turned to Ria. With only one Police, it will be hard.

Ria looked at the teachers to start the game. The two busy teachers at the back shot a quick glance while the four teachers states;

"Let the game begin!"

The players immediately opened their papers and read their given roles secretly. They had different reactions upon seeing what's inside.

Klair remained indifferent about it and wore her blank face. Keila seemed to be getting tired because of the shoulder pain she's feeling but she just let it be. Justine just kept pouting his fish lips causing CC to grimace. Carl is dancing in his seat and Jocephine joined him in his dance and hummed.

Agatha is still silent, still looking nervous, probably because Spade is behind her, smiling.

Ria's expression is just serious, observing the other's reactions. Mitch frowned and sighed after seeing her role.

Jayjay and Luis glanced at each other and smiled.

"I'm dead."

They all turned their heads to Justine who just died immediately. 'That fast?' everyone thought. The Murderer smiled inside.

Mitch gave out a small laugh to mock Justine. But just after that he stated;

"I'm alive again."

The players quickly glanced at each other, trying to catch who winks, to find out their roles. But the wink was just too fast.

Carl winked at Keila, and she died, "I'm dead"

Ria looked at her but even after she died, she kept winking her eyes at them and smiled. 'She's the other doctor!' she thought after she immediately understood Keila's signal and winked at her in secret.

"I'm alive now."

Jocephine smiled while observing them to not make it obvious about being the police. She is a great dancer, good in academics but is sometimes too slow (mentally).

She looked over at Mitch who seems to be frustrated but Jocephine starts to doubt it. "Maybe she is just acting?"

She glanced at Agatha who couldn't keep her focus because her crush is behind her.

She turned to Justine, who pretends to be sad sarcastically, and it is impossible because he already died in just a minute the game started.

Keila is crossed out from the list since she died. She seemed to think that Ria is too observant so she may also be the murderer.

Jayjay and Luis kept smiling, seeing the other's reactions. Carl was still on his spot, dancing his hand out. As she was observing them, Carl winked at her and Jocephine immediately pointed him. "You are under arrest!"

Ria turned to her, 'Fool! Maybe he is just a conspirator!' Klair caught her reaction and nodded in secret.

They all closed their eyes except the Police, Jocephine. Klair takes the NOT GUILTY sign up which confused Jocephine. "Why is it not guilty?" she asked.

Klair, not allowed to speak, just shook her head and glared at her to sit down.

Jocephine just let it go and nodded, 'Maybe he really isn't the Murderer.' she thought dejectedly.

After that, a lot players died and they immediately got revived by the two doctors.

Ria looked around, 'Mitch might be pretending to be upset, Agatha doesn't seem to be participating in the game anymore because she's too focused on Sir Spade. Carl may be a conspirator and also Luis or Jayjay. But Jayjay might be the murderer because he doesn't pretend at all. If he wants to smile, he'll smile. Klair is probably the Judge.'

"Shit." Keila muttered. Ria looked at her confused, "I'm dead."

Ria looked perplexed, 'Dead again! A lot players have died but I can't still see a wink murder! Except for Carl, Jayjay, Luis, is there any suspicious ones?'

She was about to revive Keila when her face seemed to move on its own, wanting to look at the players again. 'No, I have to revive Keila first.'

"I'm dead." "I'm dead."

Justine and Luis said at the same.

Ria and the others turned in shock. '2 at the same time?' Not only that, that means Luis is also a beggar.

She was about to turn to Keila to revive her when she caught a glimpse of the one in front of her. "Fuck! The Murderer is—"

"I'm dead." Ria looked down as there is no more doctors. They'll surely lose.

Lloki who forgot about his novel update found himself watching the entire game. He looked over his brother and they both smiled, amused by the game.

Ria put her hands together. 'Jocephine please!'

Jocephine caught Jayjay winking and arrested him. 'He's the only one who is an expert in winking, a total playboy surely is the Murderer.' she thought. Jayjay just shrugged and smiled.

"You're under arrest!"

Ria, who's not allowed to give signal, looked away. Klair couldn't read Ria's expression and got tired by the long game, "Guilty." She said, didn't even bother putting up the sign.

"GAME OVER." Ria, and the watchers stated.

"Who was the real Murderer?" The players asked. A little while, a hand was raised in the air and they looked to see who it was.

They all got surprised and laughed at how stupid they were to not notice.

It was Agatha.

They all chatted loudly about the game, "It was so hard to know who the Murderer was. Don't blame me!" Jocephine said with a laugh.

The teachers looked at each other quick and then watched again.

"Let's play again!"

CC and the others joined in. They were about to draw roles again when Lloki smirked and turned off his phone. "Let me also play in this round."

After that, they played again. Again. Again. Again. Again. But when they graduated junior high school, they went their separate ways. But little did they know that,

After 10 years, a reunion will be held in where...

They will play it again.