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Stargazer: Time for another game!

Jeneticist: Sounds fun. Another virtual icebreaker?

Stargazer: I’ll wait until everyone replies before explaining the rules.

Seeker: Here.

SquidHead: Me too.

JazzyPlum: I have rehearsal in forty-five minutes. I only have half an hour.

FarfromHome: I make no promises.

Stargazer: Yay! The group’s all here.

Stargazer: I’m giving you two choices. Don’t say I don’t take your feelings into account. The first option is Finish My Sentence. One person starts and someone else finishes. I’ll assign random numbers to determine the order.

Jeneticist: And the other option?

SquidHead: Better not be Never Have I Ever.

Stargazer: It’s not! Could be worse, though. Confessions is the name of the game, and you share something you’ve never told anyone before. It shouldn’t be anything illegal or that will hurt anyone involved in the game.

Seeker: Do we vote then?

Stargazer: That’s the fair way to do it.

JazzyPlum: What if we tie? There’s an even number of us.

Stargazer: I’m not voting to avoid a tie.

FarfromHome: That is an apt solution. I choose Finish My Sentence.

Jeneticist: Confessions.

SquidHead: Confessions redux!

Seeker: Finish My Sentence.

Stargazer: It’s all down to you, Jaz.

JazzyPlum: I’m going with Confessions. I’m curious what Squiddy will say.

SquidHead: I’ll try to make it juicy. ??

FarfromHome: I would like to go first and get it over with.

Stargazer: Go ahead, fun sponge.

FarfromHome: This group is the closest I have come to friendship. I’m not sure if it counts.

Jeneticist: OMG! Of course it counts. We’re friends, I promise. Feel free to contact me privately if you ever want to talk.

Stargazer: Wow. Much as I expected to be snarky, I agree with Jen.

Seeker: Likewise.

SquidHead: This was a great idea, Star. I already feel closer to you lot.

JazzyPlum: I’m here if you need anything, FFH.

FarfromHome: Why did I agree to play this game?

Jeneticist: I’ll take a turn. When I was in fourth grade, I tried to leave a note on Nolan Kazinski’s desk. He was in the front row. I fumbled it.

Jeneticist: The paper ended up under the teacher’s desk. Mr. Mandell read it and then kindly lectured the class about how it’s normal to get a crush on your teacher, but that sending love letters is a step too far.

Stargazer: Classic! Did anyone ever find out it was you?

Jeneticist: Sadly, yes. Ashley Clemmons saw me and told everyone I wanted to marry Mr. Mandell. They called me Teacher’s Pet until I changed schools in junior high.

SquidHead: Aw, that sucks. Did you ever confess to Nolan?

Jeneticist: That’s a negative. He dated Ashley Clemmons all through high school.

Stargazer: That’s probably why she targeted you. You were coming for her man!

Seeker: I’m sorry that happened.

FarfromHome: Quite a protracted punishment for a small mistake.

Jeneticist: It’s fine. I’m over it. ??

JazzyPlum: I’m up next. I need to head out soon. I’ll read everyone else’s confessions later.

SquidHead: Go for it.

JazzyPlum: I have no family to speak of. I’m grateful to have all of you in my life.

Stargazer: Whoa. Not even distant cousins or whatever?

JazzyPlum: There’s no one.

Jeneticist: You’ve got us!

SquidHead: ??We’re here for you.

FarfromHome: What they said.

Seeker: I haven’t spoken to my family in a long time, so I understand a little. And yes, that’s my confession as well.

JazzyPlum: Sending hugs, Seeker. Maybe you can patch things up eventually. And I’m heading out. Sorry to miss your confessions, Star and Squid.

SquidHead: Later, Jaz. Hmm. I guess I’ll go with the time I tried to rush a fraternity and got rejected. I really wanted to fit in, but they laughed in my face when I showed up and said, “Uh, no, bro. The computer science building is that way.”

Jeneticist: You were too good for them!

SquidHead: Oh, they were put on probation for hazing. And I did make some friends in the computer lab.

Stargazer: You’re better off. Those guys are assholes.

FarfromHome: What made you want to join?

SquidHead: Parties, mainly. And to hang around with cool people.

Seeker: You’ve met us now, haven’t you?

Stargazer: And without binge drinking! So I guess it’s down to me. I failed fifth grade. My parents divorced and I stopped doing my work.

Jeneticist: Did it have a huge impact on you? Being held back, not the divorce.

Stargazer: I was small for my age, and I’d actually started kindergarten when I was four, so after flunking, I was the same age as other kids. It turned out to be a good thing. It made my parents start paying attention to me again too.

Seeker: Thanks for telling us.

FarfromHome: This game wasn’t bad.

SquidHead: Yep, I’m glad we did this. I’m off. Trivia night at Café Cruz!

Jeneticist: Have fun, Squiddy.