"Huh? Vincent, are you even listening?" she asked, snapping me out of it.
I scratched the back of my head, feeling like an idiot. "Yeah…yeah, sorry. I'm listening."
She sighed, then leaned in closer. "I'm only telling you this because, for some reason, you're the only person here I feel like I can trust in here."
I nodded,still trying to focus.
"Remember last night—when Piper wouldn't stop crying?" she continued. "She finally opened up to me. Told me some things. Things I couldn't risk saying out loud in the dorm… not with all those cameras watching."
"Oh," I murmured.
Zaara stepped in closer, almost brushing against me. She leaned in and whispered directly into my ear.
And suddenly all I could only think of was her…..the scent of roses in her hair, the warmth of her breath against my skin. My heart rate kicked up, blood rushing a little faster.
I swallowed hard, struggling to keep it together… God, I needed to focus, but she was making it really damn hard. My thoughts were already a mess and she decided to make it worse when she shifted, just slightly between my legs, and that was it. I was definitely starting to lose control.
"Last night," Zaara began quietly, "Piper told me what really made her scream during the playground game."
I leaned in.
"She said that playground… it wasn't just any playground. It was the exact same one where she pushed her twin sister off the Ferris wheel a few years ago. Her sister died, Vincent. Piper went to juvie for it, and the place got shut down after."
I froze. "Wait—what?"
Zaara nodded. "Yeah. That's why she freaked out. The entire setup was built to mess with her. That question during the 'Never Have I Ever' game? It was connected."
I felt a chill. "So… that rusted, broken playground… it was a real place. From her memory?"
Zaara nodded. "Exactly. That rusted, creepy playground was real. And it wasn't for us….it was for her. Piper was the target in both games, not just a random pick."
I felt my stomach drop. "Wait… you think they're going to do the same thing to all of us?"
"They're using our pasts against us, Vincent. They know things. Stuff no one should know. It's like they're inside our heads… or memories. Some kind of twisted tech maybe, I don't know but it's real."
"No wonder…" I muttered, thinking back. "That question they asked me, about my stepmom. It kinda happened. She tried to kiss me once when I was drunk. Ever since, she's kept pushing boundaries."
Zaara looked at me with sympathy and disgust. "That's awful."
I sighed. "If they know things like that… no one's safe."
"Then we need to get out of here. Fast. We need a plan, Vincent. Before it's our turn,before they use our worst memories against us," she whispered.
As Zaara kept whispering, pouring out everything Piper had told her, I suddenly heard something , steady footsteps echoing just beyond the restroom stalls.
Then I saw them. Those same black combat boots. Silent.. The kind worn by the men in black.
My heart dropped.
Shit…
Were they looking for us? Did they know we were hiding here? Did they hear what Zaara just told me?
My thoughts raced. I couldn't take any chances.
Did they know we were here?
Were they listening?
Were they looking for us?
Hush," I whispered, gently placing my finger over Zaara's soft lips.They were literally softer than I imagined. Her eyes widened as she fell silent. "They're here," I whispered.
The footsteps grew closer.
I didn't know what to do, but we couldn't get caught like this….alone, whispering in secret in the restroom.
In a split-second decision, I grabbed her by the waist and pulled her close so close, I could feel her breath on my skin.
Then I kissed her.
Her lips met mine. Extremely soft. Warm. For a moment, I thought she'd shove me away.
But she didn't.
She kissed me back.
It was desperate, like we both knew this was more than just a distraction. Maybe we needed it. Maybe we wanted it. Or maybe we were just trying to survive.
The restroom door creaked open.
And there they were two men in black, standing in the doorway, staring.
But all they saw was a kiss. Just two people tangled in something that looked like lust, not rebellion.
No questions. No warnings.
I pulled back slightly, breathing hard, eyes locked on hers.
We didn't say a word.
One of them grabbed Zaara by the arm, the other another one grabbed me and pulled us out of the restroom
"What the hell—?"
They didn't answer. Just dragged us out into the main room like criminals. The moment we stepped in, the atmosphere shifted. All eyes turned to us. Everyone was already there, standing still, quiet, like statues.
There were six of them now. Fully armed. Posted at every corner of the room, their rifles ready, masks hiding whatever twisted emotions might be on their faces.
We were trapped.
"Contestant 001. Contestant 040," the deep, soulless voice echoed from the speaker. "What were you doing alone in the restroom?"
My pulse spiked. My throat dried up. Zaara's hand was trembling beside mine.
Her lips were quivering, her eyes darting between the men with guns and the others staring at us. She was terrified.
So was I.
Did they know?
Did they hear us?
Did they somehow know we were piecing things together, uncovering their secrets?
"Answer truthfully," the voice growled. "Or face immediate elimination."
Zaara looked like she might faint. Her eyes were wide, her mouth kept trembling.
I didn't think.
I just reacted.
"We were making out," I blurted, loud and clear.
Silence.
The entire room fell into a suffocating hush. No one moved. No one breathed. Even the men with guns seemed to pause.
Everyone was waiting. No reaction. No movement. Just eyes. Watching. Waiting.
Waiting for what would come next.
Waiting to see if we'd just signed our own death sentence.