Game Start

Fayez stretched out a hand for the rules sheet. Ben started unfolding the board, shuffling the various decks of cards, and test rolling the die. Lenny asked “Drinks?” Everyone gave a quick yes. Lenny grabbed everyone’s favorite drinks from the minifridge behind the counter. Fanta for Fayez, Dr. Pepper for Bug, Baja Blast for Ben, and a Diet Coke for himself.

“It all seems pretty straight forward,” Fayez said quickly browsing over the rulesheet. “On your turn you roll the die, move your piece, draw from the corresponding deck, and follow what is written on the card.”

“That’s it? Are we sure we don’t want to play something else?” Ben asked, raising an eyebrow, “Like what’s even on the cards?” He reached out a hand to draw a card.

Lenny stopped him, “Don’t ruin the mystery. Plus if it winds up being a dud, we can always just pack it up. But I think we should give it a shot, especially if I’m going to try and sell it. Can’t market something I know nothing about.”

Ben rolled his eyes, leaning back in his seat. “Fine,” he took the time to snap a couple photos of his Bulma statue.

“Actually it explicitly states in the rules that no one is allowed to quit the game,” Fayez pointed out, getting a good laugh from everyone around the table.

“What do the pieces look like?” Bug asked.

Lenny rifled through the box, “Huh, this is definitely used. Looks like we have a Monopoly cat, a Trivial Pursuit pie, I’m pretty sure that’s Miss Scarlet, and no way.” Lenny pulled out a Lego minifig of Obi-Wan Kenobi. “This one’s all yours,” he put it in front of Ben.

Ben growled, “No, no, no. I’ll be-“

Bug quickly swiped the cat, “Nya.”

Fayez grabbed Miss Scarlet, and Lenny already had the pie. Lenny danced the small Jedi in front of Ben, taunting him. “I’ll just grab a generic meeple,” Ben said going over to the bin of extra pieces Lenny keeps behind the counter. He threw the minifig back into the box, instead placing a generic green meeple at the start. “Who goes first? Let’s get this over with so we can play a real game.”

Fayez glanced at the rules again. “Um, it says, oh oh my,” Fayez blushed looking around the table.

“What does it say?” Lenny urged.

Fayez gulped, steadied himself in prep of reading what the sheet said. “It says the person who’s most recently had sex goes first.”

Lenny chuckled. Bug pulled their hood up hiding from their friends. Ben sat up straighter, “Maybe this game won’t be awful. So I’ll go first then?”

The others gave him a skeptical look. Lenny spoke up, “I think it’s Fayez. He’s the only one with proof that he’s not a virgin.”

“I’m not a virgin. Carol and I did it at Prom,” Ben said adamantly.

Fayez grabbed the die, “Sure, and we all totally believe you,” he winked at the rest of the group, “But the group agrees I’ll go first.”

“Whatever, fuck you guys,” Ben said, sipping his Baja Blast.

And with that decided, the game started with Fayez’s first roll. A 3, he grabbed the top card off the deck marked with a spiky blob, making him think of an explosion. He read the card, “Truth or Dare?” He looked at the card harder, “I guess truth, I don’t know what I’m supposed to—“ his eyes went wide as the card text changed. “Woah, how did it do that?”

“Do what?” Ben asked.

Fayez flipped the card to show everyone, “The text changed after I said ‘truth.’” He looked at it again, “It now says,” he froze up blushing again. “Which of the other players would you most like to have sex with?”

“This games dirty,” Ben laughed, “So who is the lucky person?”

Fayez opened his mouth to jokingly say Ben, but instead the truth slipped out, “Bug.” They’re the most feminine of the group, they were the obvious answer for a straight man when put up against Ben and Lenny. But Fayez knew it would make Bug uncomfortable for him to admit, which was why he wanted to make a joke.

Bug pulled the strings of their hoodie, hiding in the hood. Meanwhile the butterflies in their stomach fluttered at the thought of them and Fayez together in that way.

“I’m deeply offended,” Ben said, clutching his hand to his chest, “I personally would’ve said Bulma.” Ben gestured towards the nearby statue, making a kissy face at the scantily clad anime woman.

“Your turn Bug,” Lenny said, pushing the die their way.

Bug emerged from their hood, grabbing the die and rolling another 3, landing on the same spot as Fayez. They drew the next card, their voice quiet as they read, “Would you rather—“

Ben cut them off, “Is this game just a bunch of slumber party games? Can we just switch games already?”

Lenny rolled his eyes, “We haven’t even all had a turn yet. Plus we’ve only seen one type of card.”

“Anyway, Bug please continue,” Fayez said.

But Bug’s eyes were wide as they just placed the card on the table, “Maybe Ben’s right.”

They all gave them an odd look, nobody ever liked admitting that Ben was right about anything. Ben snatched up the card, “No, no, you guys wanted to play, so let’s see.” He cleared his throat put on a town crier voice, “Hear ye, hear ye, would you rather never be allowed to cover your midriff, or be more likely to be groped on public transportation? Well, Bug? What’s it going to be?”

“Don’t be an ass,” Fayez said, taking the card from his hand.

Ben leaned back, “They’re the one who picked the game. I’m the one who wanted to quit but no, everyone wants to give it a try. So I don’t see why Bug can’t just answer the question.”

Bug knew the answer. Even hypothetically they didn’t like the idea of showing off their stomach. Plus they’ve never been groped on the bus or subway so even if it was more likely, how likely could it really be? The guys argued while Bug gathered the courage, and only just managing to squeak out, “Grope, I guess.”

Ben laughed, “See not that hard to answer. I guess it’s Lenny’s turn.”

Lenny looked hesitant to continue, worried that Bug might shut down. But they gave him a nod, so he rolled the die. A 4 put him on a treasure chest, he drew a matching card. “Lose 15 pounds.” He looked in the box, “Was there supposed to be money or something?”

Fayez looked at the rules again, “No, nothing about any game money.”

Lenny shrugged his shoulders, “Well if it’s the other pounds, I have plenty to spare,” he gave a laugh smacking his belly. The mood was lifted slightly.

Ben grabbed the die, rolling a 6, putting him in the lead. He fist pumped, and moved his meeple forward to a caution symbol, an exclamation point within a triangle. He drew the card, cleared his throat and read, “Keep your hands where we can see them. No more masturbation.”

Everyone chuckled, “Looks like your plans for tonight are canceled,” Fayez said gesturing at the Bulma statue. Everyone laughed harder.

“Ha, ha very funny,” Ben rolled his eyes. “So are we done with this stupid game?”