Concertina

"Well Sophie, the game is simple. The object of the game is humiliation. You pick on someone until they crumble. It's the ultimate form of verbal abuse. The last remaining member of the roundtable is the winner. Anyone who leaves the roundtable is automatically disqualified. We play until there's only one member left. You try to get someone to leave by asking a very personal question. The roundtable questions are..

"Insulting," grinned Valerie

"Bitchy," grumbled Michele. She wanted everyone to think that she was above the roundtable. Truth is, she rather enjoyed this game.

"Outlandish," added John. He made sure that his hands weren't touching the piano."

"Do you get it?" asked Concertina. She leaned in and smiled a great big smile. Sophie noticed each of Concertina's teeth. They were big and white and rather pristine.

"Yes," nodded Sophie. She felt excited and she finally felt like she belonged.

"Ready?"

Everyone nodded and then there was silence. Concertina smiled at John and John smiled at Sophie. Val smiled at Michele and Michele tapped her foot against the carpet. Michelle wanted a cigarette in the worst way.

"John, do you think that Concertina is a cunt?"

Val tried to wipe away the grin that was on her face. She saw the horror on Concertina's face and in that instant, she felt guilty. Sophie shook her head and cackled slightly. She wondered how mean this game really got. Concertina stood up and stomped her foot. She pouted and she huffed and then she looked at John. She wondered why her fiancée wasn't defending her. Truth be told, John wasn't in the mood to defend anyone.

"You bitch!" Concertina screamed. She slashed the air with the side of her hand. She sulked and then she sat back down and then she made a yelping sound and then she gave John a soulful look. He shot her a glance. It said, "It's your game, honey."

"I'm part of the game, am I not?"

"Yes!

"Good, then stop whining Concertina."

Michelle beamed. She had finally stood up to Concertina. It was empowering and it was liberating. Val stood up and she pleaded for calm. She wondered if the game was going to end on a premature note.

"Ladies, can we be civil?" Valerie asked.

Just then, Concertina put her two cents in.

"Val, sit down and shut up!"

Valerie gasped. She wondered what the hell Sophie was laughing at. A thought crossed Valerie's mind. Sophie was to chipper. Val had to take her down

"Did you fuck John?" asked Valerie. Her arms were crossed and she had a great big smile on her face. She watched Concertina's face and waited for the hell to break loose. Val had made a mistake. She was in no position to bring up John's infidelity. You see, her and John had had an affair once upon a time. Sophie knew that. Sophie was going to retaliate on Valerie by disclosing the sordid details of Valerie's affair with John. It was only fair.

Sophie tried to think of a decent lie. It was on the tip of her tongue. Problem was, she couldn't get the words past her throat. She looked at Concertina and threw her hands up. She shrugged her shoulders in an apologetic manner. Sophie looked at John and John said "no" with his head.

"Ok, I fucked John."

The room went silent. Concertina shot her fiancée a dirty look and then John put his hands over his eyes. Concertina took a breath. She put her fingers together and looked away.

"Who else has John been fucking?" asked Concertina

Sophie thought about the question and then she looked towards her new chum, Valerie. In Sophie's mind, one good turn deserved another.

"Val slept with John." Sophie looked directly at her so called chum. She smiled when she saw Valerie's lips. They were actually quivering.

"Concertina, I never..." At this point, Val stepped behind Concertina and then she wrapped her hands around Concertina's neck. Concertina felt Valerie's tears on her collarbone. Michele smiled and then she added her thoughts.

"Val, you've been busted. Have some dignity for god sake."

"F-u-c-k Y-o-u! Valerie screamed. She stomped and she huffed and her cheeks turned crimson. Valerie wondered if she was capable of choking Michele to death. The world was better off without Michele. Without an explanation, Valerie grabbed her coat and left.

Michele watched the door. She felt a tingle in her belly when she heard it close.

"And then there were three," laughed Michele. She was enjoying her new role as a "heavy."

"Girls, Girls," whispered John, who was pounding the air with his palms.

"Honey, shut the fuck up!"

He looked at Concertina in utter surprise. She had never spoken to him like that before. The little princess wasn't so civilized afterall. John didn't know hot to respond. He didn't like to disrespected, that much was certain. Then again, Concertina had lit a fuse in him. John loved her strength and her savvy.

"I want you," John said, rather seductively.

Concertina looked at Sophie while she spoke.

"You wanna fuck me in front of your mistress."

"I'm not his mistress," Sophie said.

"Then you're his whore," laughed Michele, who was really getting into the game. Her chances of winning were good. Sophie was about to walk out and Concertina was going upstairs with her fiancée.

John knelt down beside Concertina. He got down on one knee and then he took Concertina's hand.

"I want you," he whispered.

Concertina looked at him and she laughed. She thought that John was being melodramatic. Then again, she liked a good fuck as much as the next person. Concertina stood up and then she took her lovers hand. Together, they ascended the staircase.

"And then there was one." Michele laughed. She took a seat on the couch beside Sophie.

"You win," Sophie said. She had had enough of Concertina's world for one night.

"What are you waiting for? Leave already." Michele grabbed Sophie's coat from the hallway.

"What are you doing?"

"Here's your coat," said Michele, rather coolly. She threw the coat in Sophie's lap and then she walked towards the kitchen.

"I thought you were different," Sophie said. Michelle looked at Sophie and she thought of a naive little child. Obviously, she hadn't been in Concertina's world for very long. Everyone was jaded in Concertina's world.

"Oh, grow up Sophie."

FIN:

Concertina sat on the edge of the bed. She felt self conscious about the fat that was around her stomach. John stood by the door. John looked at Concertina, and Concertina looked at him. He finally took his hands of his pockets.

"What do we do now?" asked John. He put his right heel against the door. Concertina was annoyed by that gesture. She wondered why the paint job on the bedroom door was so important to her.

"What do we do now?" John asked again. He ran his hands through his hair and he took his heel off the door. John loosened his tie just a bit and then he knelt down beside Concertina. He put his head in Concertina's lap and Concertina put her hand on John's cheek. She studied his face and she wondered what was so beautiful about him. His skin was so pale and so ordinary and so coarse. Yes, John was human after all.

"What do we do now?"

"We fuck."