Sincere's Game: Chapter 6

Kaitlyn

This sense of urgency was lost. After this upbringing, the players have now realized that it is not just themselves who are playing against one another, but their families. Every single one of them have just as much of a reason to acquire the scholarship as the other contestant. 

This very dilemma hindered communication amongst one another, and the players no longer see themselves as teammates, but as potential enemies. 

The group, the agreements they've made beforehand, are to waste. No, there are some, who still upheld the agreement, the goal to have every one of them win this game. Nobody wanted to risk anything though, seeing as one mistake could lead to one's downfall. One boy, however, refused.

"Guys." He started off.

"The only way we can all win, is if we work together."

The players, by expectation, never verbally responded to his proposition, but in turn, had their glances at the floors. Yes, some of these players only sought for individual gratification, and not for the empathies of how the other players feel. Sincere was not amongst these players, but Gabriella certainly was.

Amy, with her glasses hiding from the true expression her face displays, she argues, "But how can we determine if people are telling the truth?"

Omar, with his lips shut, pressing against one another as if he's making some sort of linear line across his face, stared at the carpet, like a hopeless bystander.

The group's internal energies sunk, though it rose when Arthur offered this idea. 

"What if we looked inside our backpacks?"

The player's raised their heads and listened.

"If we examine each of our backpacks, belongings you could say, then possibly, we'll find their names hidden somewhere." 

Gabriella insightfully imagines, if they search my backpack, they'll find my diary.

Should I show them my diary? No, I want to win this game, and to win, I can't let them see. But I haven't switched my names with anyone... 

Well, maybe, I can pretend to act like I switched names with someone else. I'm a genius! 

And I'll refuse to have them take a look at what's inside my backpack. Oh yes, that's preferrable.

The boys, Christopher, and Justice sided with Arthur's proposition. They had their eyes on the two other boys. 

"Sounds like a good idea." Omar (#9) complied.

However, one girl, number #2, who was supposedly Kaitlyn, argued, "You guys may not search through my stuff." 

Number #8, Arthur supposedly, had a subtle hint of annoyance.

"This is girl's private property." Kaitlyn (#2) said. "I can't agree to this."

Patricia, number #1, quickly agreed to this. "Yeah, sorry guys."

All the girls in the group, formed a somewhat intuitive understanding. This is private. No one may scuffle through our backpacks.

"Very well." replied Arthur (#8).

The girls' responses fended off Arthur (#8) for one moment, but he barged through.

"Then how about you, just give to us the important items."

Kaitlyn's body shook. She felt a minor annoyance.

"We promise not to look." Arthur (#8), having already thought this through, gave the girls in the group, no choice but to comply whatsoever. Gabriella (#5), on the other hand, admired the handsomeness of Arthur's supposed ideas. She thought: Really nice. He already knew that we were going to say something like that. And he disregarded it.

Gabriella (#5), now having felt that she had no choice, complied. Looks like I'm going to have to not reveal my diary. 

However, Gabriella (#5) has now known something. Wait, but Sincere knows about my diary! Is he going to say that I have a diary to everyone here?! Sh*t! Please Sincere... please don't say anything!

As expected, the girls had no choice but to comply with the group.

Kaitlyn (#2), had no other choice but to agree, but she proposed, "Then how about you guys, go first." She was obviously mentioning the boys of the group.

Arthur looked at the two standing beside him, Christopher and Justice. The two nodded in acceptance. They then looked at the other two boys, Omar, standing, said, "Yeah, that's fine."

They then looked at Sincere (#10), who was still sitting down on the carpet floor. "That's okay." He spoke.

The boys each separated and identified each other's backpacks. Christopher's (#6) was a light, black backpack with athletic purpose. It had an Under Armour Logo attached. Arthur scavenged through his backpack. Omar (#9), at a close distance peered in at what was inside. Though it was too dark for him to examine. Arthur took out a notebook, and closed the backpack shut.

"There was nothing inside besides a laptop, his phone, wallet, and notebook." Arthur revealed.

Next, they looked through an orange pack, that was made for hiking purposes. 

As the boys kept looking and revealing what was inside each other's backpacks. Kaitlyn (#2) backed off her stance for a few minutes and restlessly strangled Patricia's arm. "Come here! Come here!"

Patricia (#1), knowing something is wrong, took her leave as they both stood back from the group's attention. "What's wrong!?" Patricia asked.

"My notebook!"

Patricia (#1), with a look of confusion, passive-aggressively responded, "Yeah, what about it?"

Kaitlyn (#2) took a second before recuperating her thoughts. She cried in whisper, "My NAME is on all of my notebooks!"

"What did you say?" Patricia (#1) cried out in whisper.

"My NAME is written on my notebooks!"

"Is that a bad thing?" 

"Yes! It is horrible!" answered Kaitlyn (#2).

"Why so?"

"They are going to see the name 'Patricia'."

"Yeah, so what?"

"Remember we switched names? I already told everyone that my name is Kaitlyn!"

"WHAATTT!!"

"Yes, Yes I know!"

"What do we do?!"

"I have an idea, don't worry." Kaitlyn (#2) was still in a mild tone, worrying.

"What!" Patricia (#1) doubted her.

"Let's switch notebooks."

"HUH?! Why?!"

"Because if we switch notebooks, the guys will never know that we switched names!"

Both the two looked over at Arthur, "Yeah, nothing in here either." He said from a faint distance.

"Just imagine it like this."

"Remember we switched names?"

"Yeah, you said that already." Patricia (#1) said.

"Okay, after that we have to switch notebooks, because our supposed names now, don't match."

"Oh, I'm getting it now." 

"Now, after we switch notebooks, everything will be fine! No one will notice we switched names!" Kaitlyn (#2) explained.

Arthur and the guys kept looking through each other's belongings. Books, papers, even an extra change of clothes inside Justice's backpack, all other miscellaneous things were found. However, there was nothing that the guys could show. 

"Okay, I'll go with your plan. But are you sure the boys won't look at us?"

"Don't worry, I can handle it."

As the rule's states, you cannot use your phone, laptops, or anything that's associated with technology. Also, you cannot show driver's licenses, college identifications, or anything of the sorts.

The girl's stayed seemingly silent.

"Looks like there was nothing." Arthur said.

"It is time for the girls to show us now."

After a pause of hesitance from the girls, Kaitlyn (#2), or in actuality Patricia, acted in desperation and sheer girliness. "Can you guys at least go to the hallways?! How do we know that you guys won't look!"

Arthur (#8) glanced at the ceiling for a brief moment, then looked down to the supposed Kaitlyn. 

"I guess you are right." 

The boys collectively got up to go to the hallways without saying a word.

That was when Kaitlyn and Patricia looked at each other, knowing exactly what they needed to do.

Hey everyone! Thanks for reading this far! If you can, please post a comment or two sharing your thoughts on the strategies involved. I'm trying to make it easier to understand. Also, this is only just a peak at the whole story. The whole story will be even more mind numbing if u know what i mean.

-Leronira