Flawed Creatures

Darkness and Light -15-

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Three people within the basement visibly reacted to the latest truth question. Robyn's hand trembled ever so slightly as nervous eyes shifted between Joanne who sat on her left and Cara who sat on the other side of the circle. Having discovered their affair not too long ago, Kirk nervously gazed toward his lap while twiddling his thumbs. Cara's upper teeth took out their nervousness on her bottom lip as she sent the stairs leading to freedom a longing gaze. The current player on the other hand didn't appear all that fazed. Perhaps the mysterious blue liquid dulled her ability to be nervous, which she should have been.

There were three ways for Joanne to respond to the question. One, she could lie. Two, she could tell the truth or three, instead of saying anything she could remove a piece from her nursing costume. However, by choosing not to answer suspicion would surely rise with her boyfriend wondering why she kept her mouth shut when the answer should have been simple.

Just as Robyn wondered if she could use the diversionary tactic of exclaiming she smelled smoke Joanne opened her mouth. "One of course," she said, not slurring as much as the hostess would have expected considering one of the cups in her possession was empty. Bumping her side against Scott's, Joanne smiled up at him, which he quickly returned.

Robyn, Cara and Kirk may have simultaneously sighed in relief. Robyn was about to remind Joanne that Cara was next when her cousin raised her hand, all five fingers wiggling. A groan held back, Robyn desperately wanted to ignore her, but was aware that the persistent twit wouldn't be ignored.

"What is it, Denise?"

"This is Truth or Dare, right?"

Where in the hell are you going with that? "Uh huh."

"So what happens when you sense a player has been deceptive?"

"In that case we'd set a court date and put that player on trial. If convicted they could face five to ten years behind bars." Although she could feel the nerves threatening to return Robyn attempted to prevent them from showing. Instead of her eyes shifting she rolled them. "Just drink your warm beer and let sleeping dogs lie, Denise."

A pair of heavy, dark brows sailed upward. "Are there dangerous canines that could be awakened?" Engaged in a staring contest with her cousin, Denise was the first to look away, gaze temporarily settling on Scott and Joanne. "Short stuff, I pride myself on being able to read people well and I'm able to read you like a book written for a toddler. You're clearly agitated and it started right before you gave that question to Sex Kitten, which makes me believe you were concerned about how she would answer. You seemed relieved when she said one." She again looked toward the couple, both having adopted slight frowns. "Which has me wondering...is that the truth?"

Robyn pointed toward the flight of stairs while sending Denise a glare. "Get out. Get outta this basement and get outta my house."

"Your house?" She smirked. "You pay the mortgage with your non-existent after school job?" Instead of following instruction Denise leaned against the large television behind her, arms folded upon her chest. "So," she started in a conversational tone, looking at no one in particular, "if one sexual partner is a lie, whom else within this group could Sex Kitten have gotten passionately naked with?

"Miss Stickupherass, I know it isn't you since we just learned you're a virgin. Pam Lite, you just broke up with your boyfriend, right?" Although Regina looked like she debated slapping her, she nodded. "Granted you could have cheated on him, but I don't think it's you." She focused on the clown. "Dolly Parton, if memory serves me correctly you had a new boy crush just about every week. I just don't see you sleeping with another girl. Loafers," a grin slipped onto Denise's lips, "unless you experimented think you'll stay one-hundred percent gay. Mary Juana," the grin widened while Cara looked ready to punch her, "I'll get back to you."