The air feels different now. Maybe it's the late-night energy, or maybe it's the strange shimmer coming from Kaida's phone screen. Summer sits cross-legged on the floor, eyes sparkling.
"We should play it together," she says, almost challenging the rest.
Saphira gives a playful eyebrow raise. "I mean…it's not like we're doing anything else. Except eating all of Lyrelle's popcorn."
Lyrelle hugs a pillow tightly. She wants to act like she doesn't care, but something about this game feels personal. A little too personal. "What if it's some prank app?" she murmurs, trying to sound logical instead of curious.
"Prank apps don't know who you like," Kyra whispers softly.
That sentence hangs in the air for a moment. Kaida studies each girl's face…..Summer already excited, Saphira amused, Kyra nervous, Lyrelle pretending she isn't interested.
Kaida clears her throat. "The message said 'together.' It might not even do anything unless we all agree."
There's a pause. A long one. Then Summer flips her hair dramatically.
"Well duh, then let's agree."
One by one, like some silent pact, the girls nod. Even Lyrelle, who rolls her eyes first, then slowly smiles the tiniest smile as if she's giving in to curiosity she won't admit out loud.
Kaida taps the glowing "Accept" button.
The screen goes completely black. Then one sentence appears….it flashes like a pulse:
"Welcome players. The game begins now."
A soft chilling sound plays from Kaida's phone. None of them pressed anything. None of them know what comes next. But all of them feel something shift, like the night suddenly has secrets too.
Kaida hesitates, looking at the glowing text.
"What…what are we supposed to do now?"
The screen slowly types by itself:
"Truth Round."
Summer's eyes widen. "Okay that's actually creepy...how does it know what we're—"
The text changes again.
"One question each. Answer honestly."
The girls look at each other. Nervous.
Excited.
Scared.
Saphira laughs softly. "This is like those silly truth games we used to play in middle school."
Kaida swallows. "Except… this one is playing with us."
Suddenly, a question pops up….like the app picked someone at random.
"Kyra, who do you have feelings for?"
Kyra freezes instantly.
Her heart jumps.
She glances at Summer, then at Lyrelle, then at the phone.
She forces a tiny smile.
"Um…no one. Nobody."
The room stays silent for two seconds.
Then the lights flicker.
Just once.
But enough for all of them to stare up.
Summer laughs nervously. "Maybe power issue?"
But Kyra feels something colder.
A sudden chill sliding across her shoulder, like icy fingers brushing her skin.
Her voice shakes.
"Did you guys feel that?"
"Feel what?" Saphira says.
Kyra touches her arm…..it's freezing.
Literally cold.
Like she'd been outside in winter.
Kaida notices.
"Kyra…are you okay?"
Before Kyra can answer, her phone lights up in her lap.
She didn't touch it.
A message appears, bright and sharp:
You lied.
Kyra gasps and almost drops the phone.
Saphira stares. "What was that?"
Kyra shakes her head, voice trembling.
"N-nothing. Probably just a glitch."
But the message flashes again, stronger this time….
like the screen is staring at her.
Try again.
And suddenly Kyra knows—
the game isn't joking.