Charades

Ocean Pearl,

California,

02:50 AM.

**Raven**

My eyes roamed as we climbed down the stairs watching quite a number of people seated in groups playing games and others chatting and drinking.

It's less noisy and looks like a lot of fun.

"Hey mates, come join in, come join in." A blonde guy hollered at us.

The last game on the board is charades, it happens we're three people short please do join us," he continued as we reached him.

"Oh my goodness, I can't believe I almost missed the board games." Owen said, scrunching his nose

"Let's go get our names in instead of holding hands." A familiar voice snorted behind me.

"Bianca? What's she doing here?" I mentally whined as Rowan quietly released my hand.

"I'll get our names in, you can wait here." Owen volunteered with a smile.

"So.... what is this "board games" about?" I asked Rowan, truly curious.

"..we meet again." Adrian cut Rowan short, shooting me a smile.

"Hi," I waved, enthusiastically?...(yes, I'm excited about the game).

"Come, let me show you." Adrian held my hand leading me to a corner on the floor.

My eyes wandered as we navigated our way out of the sea of people, my heart beating at almost the same frequency as the not-so-loud hip-hop beat playing in the background.

I think I'm a little too excited about the game.

"Here, look at the board over there." Adrian's voice sounded as he pointed up at a board with the inscription "game board".

"Oh, that's the game board." I said squinting at the board.

"Yes, the games with their lights out have been taken, the last one is what we're playing." He continued.

"Why can't everyone play the same game though?" I asked.

"That's because there is a number limit for each game; players will be split into teams and there are prizes for the team that wins. Since it's like a competition, the games can't be played twice." He explained patiently.

"Charades, that's the last game on the board." Rowan sounded behind me.

"Yeah, let's go. I already picked out the team players." The blonde guy voiced giddily.

…………………..

: moments later:

………………….

I'm on the same team as Owen and James "the blonde guy".

Honestly, this might just be the best night of my life.

I can't keep count of how many times I've laughed out so hard today. Although I just met Owen and Rowan today, I wasn't so surprised that they were so funny, but Adrian too??? This is such an eye-opener. Oh, James is a whole mood on his own, I totally want to be friends with him. And Bianca? Apart from a few "not so snarky" remarks she makes each time I or her team loses she doesn't seem all that bad perhaps we'd be good friends if she isn't such a meany to me. Now that I think of it, I didn't know Adrian had dimples. It's kind of adorable….

"Every board game should end in the next ten minutes." The Mc's voice sounded, cutting short my thoughts.

"Since we're still tied and this is the last round, I think we should make this an individual round where just one person from each team acts and guesses respectively. We can play rock_paper_scissors to pick out our partners, those with the same hands on opposite sides get paired and play. What do you think? James suggested and asked.

"Sure." I responded in agreement with everyone.

We played rock paper scissors for a while and what do I know...I got paired with Adrian.

We had thirty seconds to guess what the other team was doing since it was the last round.

"I think that's a kung-fu monkey?" Owen said, trying hard to stifle his laughter.

"Is that your answer?" Rowan asked with a smirk. "You have ten seconds left." He continued.

"Yeah, you're a monkey, no offense bro." He said not holding back his laughter anymore.

"Okay, you got me, you got me." Rowan laughed with him.

"D…did you hear that? He said he is a kung-fu monkeyyy." Owen guffawed holding my hands as a shock absorber???

Owen's laughter was a little too contagious that I and James couldn't hold back any longer too.

"I'm sorry." I wheezed out an apology as I teared up in my laughter.

"Tch, aren't you a little too dramatic?" Bianca quipped, raising a brow at me.

"That's petty Owen." I faked a glare at him and bit my lower lip to reign in my laughter.

"No no, ain't no battle too small to fight." James cracked dramatically and had us in a bout of laughter till he started wheezing.

"Oh my goodness, are you okay?" Bianca asked in urgency, making me look up.

"Yes...... Just a little less laughter, I'm good." James said with a guilty smile after using his inhaler.

"Oh, I'm so so sorry, do you want to take a break? I asked, concerned.

"No, he's fine. We need to finish up the game, maybe if you tone down laughing and triggering him, you can be of help." Bianca said with a smile.

"No, it's fine. I'm totally okay now, in fact, I'll go next." James said.

Sorry bro…

After a while of everyone checking on him, I couldn't help but feel a little bad for James.

I watched as the guys made little jokes and laughed again. The company became lively again like the episode earlier never happened.

James and Bianca had their turn but our team lost this time so it's a tie for now…

"We're counting on you, Raven." Owen tapped me out of my thoughts.

"Okay." I said with a nervous smile.

Of course, I do want to win but I have no idea what he is doing. Is he even doing anything at all? Perhaps he hasn't started. Is this a sort of face-down before the actual game? I don't mind..

"You have 25 seconds left to determine what he is doing Raven." Rowan sounded me out of my thoughts again.

"Wait, he has started?" I blurted out.

Statue? Are you a statue? I asked.

"No," Adrian replied with a pout.

"But you're not doing anything." I mentally sobbed.

"I got it, I got it, a doll ?" I said, my fingers tapping the table in a little frenzied manner.

"What? No, that's not it." He chuckled.

"Hmmm, a good cat?" I asked slowly after a while of searching him for clues.

"5 seconds left," Owen muttered.

"A…….., I'm sorry guys." I said with an apologetic look.

"It's fine, even I can't figure out what he is." Owen said knitting his brows.

"Yeah, what are you?" James chipped in.

"I'm a kid." Adrian chuckled.

"Whattt? How can that be on the list?" I asked, bewildered.

"It is." He said with clear eyes.

"Aren't kids supposed to be troublesome though? You were almost doing nothing." Owen said

glaring at him.

"There is no saving this, she clearly made your team lose, accepting that is much easier than all this, we should get going to drop the scores." Bianca said angrily.

"He wasn't exactly doing anything, how is this totally my fault?" I said, squinting at her.

"Tch, whatever you say." She frowned.

"I was being a good kid, I did sit quietly and answer all your questions." He said helplessly.

"Come on, that's just twisted." Owen muttered exasperatedly with no plans to back down.

"I'm sorry guys, it's my treat the next time we meet." I said, trying to break the tension in the air.

"I'll remember that, infact I look forward to it." James chirped.

"But it's not exactly fair…" Owen muttered sadly.

"Come on Owen, you can take my prize." Rowan offered.

"Yes, I will, you're such a darling and I'm looking forward to your treat." He smiled seamlessly.

"Glad you got it all figured out, can we go now?" Bianca sounded with a smile.

We tacitly agreed and moved towards the board stands.

**********

"Wow, that's one heavy prize bag." I muttered as we sat down.

Yeah, see why I hate to miss board games?" Owen grinned as he shamelessly reached Rowan's prize.

"I'll be right back." Bianca suddenly said.

"I'll be taking this on your behalf." Owen took out a candy pack from Rowan's gift pack and returned it.

"Now I see why you wanted to win so badly." He chuckled.

"Yeah, these are the premium packs that aren't available in our region.

You have no idea how much trouble I went through these past few months just to get two packs from my brother." Owen said miserably.

"Here, I'm looking forward to your treat." Rowan smiled, giving me his contact card and the other pack of candy.

"Me too." James said, giving out his too.

"I didn't bring mine but I'll be sure to join in the fun," Owen said as he unwrapped a candy.

"Oh my goodness, there's a LUSHIN wallet in the pack ?" Rowan exclaimed.

"Really?" I asked in excitement.

"Here, you can have mine." Adrian handed me the candy bag in his gift pack.

"Thank you." I said a little dazed as I took it from him.

"You seem like a huge fan of LUSHIN's products." Rowan quipped.

"I am." I muttered admiring the intricate design on the wallet.

LUSHIN is a fashion empire with its deep roots entrenched in aristocratic tradition.

Every collection from LUSHIN is like a treasure. Now that I think of it, Mum did mention getting an invite to a tour they organized.

I wondered how it's going, I miss her…..