Stolen Identity: Mute Heiress

Chapter 493: Round One

Jamal looked at Dawn. “Ready?”

Dawn nodded. “Ready.”

Mari leaned forward excitedly. “Remember, we are playing properly. No cheating.”

Jamal frowned. “Who would cheat?”

Mari pointed at him. “You.”

“I haven’t even done anything.”

“Yet.”

Everyone laughed.

Callan reached for his phone. “I’ll keep the time,” he said after they had dealt the deck.

Emily looked at him. “Sixty seconds?”

“Sixty seconds.”

Mari nodded. “Good. And we’re doing all three rounds.”

Jax looked at her. “Three?”

“Yes. That’s how Monikers works.”

She pointed at the box.

“First round, you can describe the card without saying the name. Second round, you can only use one word. Third round, no talking. You have to act it out.”

Jax nodded slowly. “Hmm. I guess I’ll get a clearer picture while watching them go first.”

Mari smiled. “Good. Because we’re going to win.”

Callan laughed. “We will see.”

Dawn shook her head, smiling. “Can we start now?”

“Please,” Emily agreed.

Callan set the timer.

“Jamal and Dawn first.”

Jamal picked up the deck and shuffled it. “Who gives the clues?”

“I will,” Dawn said as she took the deck from him.

Dawn read the first card, then smiled.

She smiled. “Ready?”

“Go.”

Callan started the timer.

Dawn looked at the card again. “This is something you use when you want to take pictures. It makes a click sound.”

“Camera.”

“Yes. Next.”

She set the card aside and picked up the next card.

“A superhero known for being very strong.”

Jamal frowned. “Superman?”

“No. He’s a Marvel superhero. He looks very huge and green.”

“Hulk?”

“Yes!”

Dawn picked up another. “This is something you do when you are very tired.”

“Sleep.”

“No. That’s how you know you want to sleep. Josh does it a lot.”

“Yawn?”

“Yes!” Dawn said excitedly as she picked the next card.

“Josh’s favourite animal.”

“Monkey.”

“Yes!”

She picked the next card. “This person is famous for singing.”

“Aunt Andy?”

The others laughed.

Dawn shook her head. “He’s late but is still a world music icon.”

“Michael Jackson?”

“Yes!”

Jamal smiled. “Next.”

Dawn looked at the next card.

“This is something you do when you are very excited and in a good mood.”

“Laugh?”

“No. It’s musical.”

“Dance?”

“No! It’s like you’re singing but you’re not.”

“Whistling? Humming?”

“Yes!” Dawn said happily as she set the card aside.

“Something twinkling that lovers gaze at in the sky at night.”

“Stars.”

“Yes! Next.”

“Something people do when they are frustrated or angry.”

“Yell?”

“Yes.”

“Time!” Callan stopped the timer.

Jamal looked at Dawn. “How many?”

“Eight.”

“Yes!” Jamal exclaimed as he gave Dawn a smacking kiss. “I knew we make a good team.”

Mari clapped. “Eight! That’s a good score.”

Jamal leaned back with a smile. “We’re setting the standard.”

“You’re only the first couple,” Callan reminded him.

“Exactly,” Emily said dryly.

Mari pointed at Jax.

“Our turn.”

Jax laughed. “You’re very confident.”

“I have every reason to be.”

She picked up the deck. “Ready?”

Jax nodded.

Mari placed the first card against his forehead.

“Go!”

Mari looked at the card, then she smiled. “This is a place where you go to watch movies.”

“Cinema.”

“Yes.”

“Next.”

“A place where people go to work on their weight and build muscles.”

“Gym?”

“Yes!”

“Next.”

“This person is very famous for playing football. He is considered the football GOAT.”

“Messi?”

Mari rolled her eyes. “No. The real GOAT.”

The others laughed while Jax scowled.

“Messi is the real GOAT,” Jax repeated.

“No. He isn’t,” Mari insisted.

“You can either rephrase your question or skip that card,” Jax suggested.

“Fine. Let’s leave the argument for later. What is the name of Messi’s nemesis?” Mari asked.

“Ronaldo,” Jax said, and Mari blew him a kiss.

“Next. This is the bad habit of hitting the biggest button on your ringing phone in the morning so you can sleep for exactly nine more minutes, even though you know it will make you late for school or work.”

“Snoozing your alarm.”

“Yes!”

“Next. This superhero is known for wearing a black mask.”

“Batman.”

“Yes!”

“Next. This is something you eat when you are hungry….”

Callan stopped the timer before Jax could respond.

“Cal, are you cheating? Jamal and Dawn had more time,” Mari hissed.

“You can see for yourself,” Callan said, turning the screen to her.

She scowled when she saw that the sixty seconds were up.

Jax looked at the pile. “How many?”

“Five,” Mari said.

Jax scowled. “They’re ahead of us.”

Mari pointed at him. “Because you wasted time arguing with me about Messi being the goat when you should have simply said Ronaldo.”

The others laughed.

Jax shook his head. “You could have described Ronaldo in other ways instead of saying he’s the real goat.”

“But he is,” Mari insisted.

Emily laughed. “You both keep your fight for later. Jamal is leading.”

Callan reached for the deck.

“Emily and I are next. Dawn, you can handle the timer.”

Emily sat up. “Let’s do this.”

Callan picked up a card and held it against Emily’s forehead.

“Ready?”

Emily nodded. “Go.”

Callan looked at the card. “She is one of the biggest pop and R&B music superstars in the world. Her fans are called the “BeyHive,” her husband is Jay-Z, and she sings famous songs like “Single Ladies” and “Halo.”

“Beyoncé!”

“Yes.”

“Next.”

“This is the deep, invisible thing that keeps moving forward and can never be stopped. It is measured by clocks and calendars, but it feels like it moves super slow when you are bored and super fast when you are having fun.”

Emily frowned. “Why are ours so complicated?”

“Focus, Em. You are wasting it.”

“Time.”

Callan grinned. “Good!”

“Next.”

“This lady is famous for being a superhero. She’s totally amazing and so is her name.”

“Wonder Woman?”

“Yes!”

“Next.”

“Your body does this when you are cold.”

“Shiver.”

“Yes.”

“Next. This is something you use to talk to someone who is very far away from you.”

“Phone.”

“Yes.”

“Next.”

“This person is a super famous WWE professional wrestler turned Hollywood actor. He always claims to be invisible.”

“Undertaker?”

“No. He wears jeans shorts, says the catchphrase “You can’t see me.””

“John Cena!”

“Yes! Next. You do this when you are in love.”

Emily smiled. “Kiss?”

“No. Something else lovers do a lot. Like what we have been meaning to do but never had the chance to do because of your schedule?”

“Date? Go on a date?”

“Yes!”

“Next?”

“This is something you use to cover yourself when it is raining.”

“Umbrella.”

“Yes.”

“Next.”

“This person is known for being a genius.”

“Einstein?”

“Yes.”

“Time!” Dawn stopped the timer.

Emily looked at him. “How many?”

“Nine.”

Emily jumped up. “Yes!”

Callan laughed. “We’re leading.”

“Only by one,” Jamal retorted.

Mari groaned. “I can’t believe this.”