Page 68 of Head Under Water

His eyes narrow, but he doesn’t answer.

I push further. “You know about the game?”

He takes another step until he’s close enough to touch, still standing to my side. “You’re going to hook up with a stranger.”

“I’ve been hooking up with a stranger all night.”

He glances away. Conflicted. This doesn’t look like pure jealousy anymore. There’s something else lurking behind his eyes. “This is different. It’s anonymous. You’ll have no idea who’s in that room with you. You could…” He hesitates. His voice goes tight. “You could get hurt.”

“I’m guessing you’ve played before.”

He doesn’t answer.

“More than once?”

His expression hardens.

“And look at that, you lived to tell the tale.” I hop down from the table. “I can take care of myself.”

There’s a long pause. He opens his mouth like he’s going to argue, then thinks better of it. His eyes flick over me and land on my wrist. “Nice bracelet.” He steps closer, narrowing the remaining distance until I can feel his breath against my neck.

I turn toward him fully, eyes locked on his. I don’t have to look down to know which one I’m wearing. I’ve hardly taken the diamond bracelet off since Banks gave it to me in the spring.

He traces a finger along the band, lingering a moment too long. A shiver runs through me. I jerk my wrist away.

His jaw tics. He doesn’t touch me again, but he doesn’t move back either.

“I’ll be sure to tell Banks you approve.”

A muscle twitches near his eye. “Banks. You’re still together? Because you don’t look taken tonight.”

“We’re not putting a label on it. Not that it’s your business.”

“A label,” he scoffs. The word is a curse on his lips. “You aren’t produce, Opal.” He stares at me for a long breath. “So that’s why you’re letting this guy touch you like that?” His voice drops lower, eyes focused on my mouth. “When he clearly doesn’t know how to handle you.”

“Do you need something, Will? Because last I checked, this was a party. And you looked plenty occupied. No need to keep an eye on me.”

He traces his tongue across his upper lip, expression heavy with words I don’t get to hear.

“You ready?” Paul’s back. “They’re about to start.” He holds out his hand, and I take it, letting him lead me through the woods. We follow a crowd of people in the direction of the barn, leaving Will behind.

“The game is Strangers in the Dark,” one of the guys waiting up ahead shouts, hands cupped around his mouth.

We come to a stop behind the enclosed barn, gathering in close so we can hear him. “Four people will go in and wait, and four strangers will come and find them. Everyone else stays on this side so no one knows who chooses which room or who joins them. Once you’re in there, you have ten minutes to do whatever you want. Then you’ll hear this horn.” A loud air horn blast wails from his phone.

Hands go up, covering ears.

A few seconds later, he drops his phone to his side and continues with the instructions. “Strangers, when you hear the horn, you’ll come out first. Then, once they’re all back and mixed in with the crowd, I’ll blow the horn again and the originals can come out. And then a new group goes in. The rules are simple. Keep your identities private. It’s the whole point. Scream if you need help. If you’re planning to go for gold, bring a condom and ask for consent. Boundaries matter here, people, so be prepared to have your asses handed to you if you try to cross one without permission.” A few of the guys in the crowd murmur in agreement. He claps his hands together once. “All right, I need four originals.”

It’s basically Seven Minutes in Heaven, but with anonymity.

“I’ll come to the room the furthest to the left,” Paul whispers in my ear, nudging me forward.

It’s an open invitation without pressure. If I want him to find me, I know where to go.

I join two girls and a guy in a small circle near the front of the crowd, and once the guy telling us the rules has counted down from three, we’re set loose to run to the other side of the barn to choose and enter our rooms.

One of the girls reaches the first room on the left before I can get there. I swallow.