3. Two Truths and One Lie

             The awkward silence pervaded the room. While Mal Pandora moved around casually preparing food. Her actions make the situation even more awkward, but her friends are left wondering what's going on.

            “Dig in guys. Please be at home, this is our place.”  Mal sat down and grab a drink.

            Still, no one dared to speak. They want to ask, there’s a lot of questions running in their mind, but no one could utter a word. “I’m happy that you are all here.” Mal broke the awkward silence. This became a signal for Benjamin to speak.

            “Mal..” Benjamin mustered the courage to speak, but he feels like there’s a lump in his throat. He never imagined that this kind of situation will happen. It’s not just him, he knows most of them are surprised by this. The whole situation is unbelievable and confusing, and they want to know what’s happening.

            “What is this?”

Mal smiled after hearing that question, she understands them. Bringing them in this place all of a sudden will spark confusion, and they might think it is not normal for a student like her to own a place like this inside their school.

“I will answer your questions, but before that let’s play a game.”

“Mal Pandora, tell us. What is this place?”

Benjamin ignored what Mal had just said. He wanted the truth. He wants to hear Mal's explanation of where they are right now.

Mal looked at him and smiled. “I’ll answer you I promise that, but before I explain everything, I want to play this game.”

“What game?” Rose asked. Of all people she is well aware that playing a game at this time is inappropriate. She has no idea what's going on in Mal's head, but for her, Mal’s answer is more important, and that game might answer their question.

“It was called, two truths and one lie. It was simple, we just need to tell two truths and one lie about us, and we need to find what is the lie.”

Her friends are at a loss for words. The whole situation is a mess, still all Mal wants to do is to play a game.

“Okay fine, I’ll go first.” Mal speak like its nothing for her.

“First, I got this place as a gift.” Just like Rose thinks, this game is Mal’s way of explaining herself. She is the type of person who loves this kind of fun.

Mal examined their faces. She’s already expecting this, their reaction is just normal, and it doesn’t worry her. She already knows that they might suspect her, and she admit that having this place is strange but this is her first step to take them on her side. There is nothing to worry about, because what more important are the things she’s going to tell.

A small smile formed on Mal’s lips while she was taking a sip on her drink.

“Second, I’m planning to destroy our dear school.”

They all fixed their gazed on Mal, and for that moment they are taken aback on Mal’s words. No one dared to speak, even Rose who seems to understand Mal was surprised on what she just said.

“And lastly, I brought you here because I want you to join me on my plan.”

The house was filled with silence. Mal's words were like bombs dropped in front of them.

            “Oh, I forgot. It supposed to be two truths and one lie but all I said was truth. My bad. Haha” Mal laughed like it was nothing, and that makes the situation worse.

            Benjamin clenched his jaw and looked at her. “Enough with your pranks Mal.”

Rose noticed the change of atmosphere in the room. The air, which had been silent for some time, had become tense. But she can't speak. The words Mal uttered have rendered her speechless. Prank? Maybe it was just a prank. Mal enjoys pulling pranks on them.

 “It’s not a prank, I’m serious.”

The tone of Mal's voice and the expression on her face clearly show that she was telling the truth. In that moment, Rose realized that the idea of everything was just a prank was rather foolish.

“What the hell are you saying Mal?” Benjamin raised his voice. He doesn’t understand what Mal means with that. He has no idea what Mal wants or what she was thinking.

“We can all agree that SSA is a trash, right? In this plan we can destroy that hierarchy.”

“I'm not sure if you're completely insane, Mal. But have you heard what are you saying? Destroy the hierarchy? Do you think you can do it?”

Mal is serious, that was all written on her face. Benjamin knows that, and that thought scares him. Mal's plan terrifies him. He thinks it's insane to believe they can change SSA. They’re just an ordinary student and they can’t do anything.

“I can do it and I need your help.”

“We can trust Mal.” Ron finally speaks. They changed their gaze on him. They almost forgot that he was there, but for him to say that, it means he was part of it.

Mal let out a sigh. This won’t work, she said on her mind. She stood up and looked at them. Bringing them here won’t help, and from the start, she already knows it will be hard to convince them. Even though they are all fit for the plan.

“Let us all forget that this conversation happened.” She caught Rose staring at her, but she eventually avoided Mal’s eyes.

“I’m sorry for all the fuss, I trust you that this conversation will stay here.” Mal said and walk away.

They all have no idea what happened. That surprised even Ron. Mal had given up on them, and that doesn’t look like Mal Pandora at all.

            “I- I should lead you out.” Ron said and looked at them.

No one was speaking, but they all wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. Many things happened inside that place, and it almost feels as if it is suffocating them.

Even after they went out, their mind was still stirred. They didn’t even bother to say goodbye and went on their own direction.

Venice was deafeningly quiet as she walked alongside Rose, who was also quiet. She can't stop thinking about what happened earlier. That girl, Mal Pandora, seems strange. Venice returned her gaze to Rose. She's not sure how she feels about what Mal said.

“Rose.” She called out.

Rose looked at her. “What do you think?”

Venice can’t answer that. She can’t understand why Rose is asking her. Rose is the one who knows Mal well, because she was her friend. She was just an outsider who hangout with Rose’ friends.

Venice looked up to the sky and think of Mal. Mal is friendly, she’s someone who always smile, and she’s also the person who knows how to fight. Venice may not have been in the same class with her, but the time she spent with her made her feel like she was their friend.

“Mal, she looks someone who doesn’t belongs to inferior class.”

Rose laughed because of what Venice said. They think the same. Venice might be the person who is always silent. But she is more observant.

“Mal Pandora is rather strange.” Rose commented.

“Just like you.” Venice added.

Rose looked at her. “You understand me, right?”  Venice nodded.

“Rose, I trust you.” Venice said with her poker face.

Rose laughed and look away. Venice might look like a cold person, but she was warm inside.

“I’d be lying if I say that I don’t want to try it.”

“Then what’s stopping you?”

A small smile formed on her lips and speak again.

“I can’t deny, I’m scared. But what if she’s the one who can help me?”

Venice was looking at her and didn’t speak.

“What if she knows?”

Venice stopped because of what Rose said. That hadn't occurred to her, but if that’s the case then she doesn’t have a choice. In order to protect, she doesn’t have a choice.

Rose noticed Venice that stopped walking, so she looked at her. Venice’ face doesn’t show any emotion that it is hard for her to know what she’s thinking.

“Ven?”

Venice come to her senses and walk towards her. For a moment that thought leaves her no choice. Venice almost thinks that Mal planned this.

Meanwhile Ron returned to Mal’s place. “Mal” He called. He wants to ask her why she did that.

“I thought, you want them.”

Mal looked at him and smiled. “You can’t force someone to do a thing they didn’t want, right?”

            Ron looked at her for a while before he sits on the couch. “This is not like you, Mal.” He commented.

            Mal chuckled. “Really?”

Ron nodded.

He knows Mal, she’s someone who doesn’t give up. But if she let them go, it only means that Mal cared for them.

Mal, on the other hand, simply smiled and pondered the situation. She did, in fact, let them go. She gave them permission to leave her place. However, there's a reason she named this place as Pandora's Box, and in the myth opening the box released a disaster.