Tickly
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Chapter 1 Part 3
🕑 Added 2025-02-22 15:00:16 +0000 UTC(Lily's POV)
As I settled into the seat, I felt a pair of eyes on me. One of the guys, the one with slightly tousled hair, leaned forward slightly and gave me a curious look.
"Hey, are you here for the experiment too?" he asked casually.
I nodded, forcing a small smile. "Yeah. Just got here."
The other guy, who had a slightly sharper jawline and an easygoing expression, grinned. "Nice, same here. Well, us two, at least." He gestured between himself and his friend. "I’m Ryan, and this is Dave. We go to the same college. And this—" he nodded toward the girl sitting with them, "—is Maya. We just met her."
Maya, the blonde girl in the sheer nylons, smiled warmly at me. "Hey. Looks like we’re all in the same boat."
I let out a soft chuckle. "Yeah, guess so."
Ryan leaned back on the couch, stretching his arms. "So, what made you sign up for this?" He glanced at all of us. "I mean, when I first saw the ad, I thought it was a joke. But then I realized, hey, I could use the money, and it sounded… different."
Dave laughed. "Yeah, Ryan here dragged me into it. He saw the ad first, and when he told me about it, I figured, why not? Could be fun." He shot me a grin. "What about you?"
I hesitated for a second before shrugging. "Pretty much the same reason. I was looking for a job, and nothing else really stood out. And, well… it did say ‘fun and unique.’" I smirked slightly. "We’ll see about that."
Maya chuckled. "I know, right? It’s definitely not the kind of job you brag about to your friends. I didn’t even tell anyone I signed up."
Ryan nodded. "Same here. It’s a little… weird to explain. ‘Hey, I’m getting paid to be tickled’ doesn’t exactly sound normal."
Dave raised a brow. "So, do you guys even know how ticklish you are?"
Maya rolled her eyes playfully. "Oh, I know exactly how ticklish I am. And it’s bad." She pointed at herself dramatically. "I’m probably the most ticklish person here."
Ryan smirked. "Oh yeah? Bold claim."
Maya nodded confidently. "It’s not even a question. My feet are ridiculously ticklish. Like, if someone even lightly brushes them, I lose it. My brothers used to hold me down and tickle me when we were kids, and I never stood a chance."
Dave snorted. "Sounds like you’re doomed already."
I laughed, but inside, I knew I wasn’t much better. "Honestly… I don’t think I’d last long either. I’ve always been really ticklish too, especially my feet."
Ryan raised an eyebrow. "Oh? That’s two foot-ticklish victims already. Guess we know what to watch for."
I felt my face warm a little but laughed it off. "It’s not like I’m planning to lose on purpose."
Dave shrugged. "I mean, I think everyone’s at least a little ticklish. But I’d like to think I have some self-control."
Ryan scoffed. "Yeah, right. Remember that time Jenny poked your ribs at that party? You practically threw your drink."
Dave groaned. "Okay, okay, fair point. Ribs are a weak spot."
Maya grinned. "We’re all doomed."
Just as I was about to respond, the sound of the door opening caught our attention. Another guy stepped in, glancing around before making his way to the receptionist’s desk.
We all exchanged glances. Another participant.
This was getting interesting.
[Writer’s note: From this point forward, the story will be told from multiple character perspectives. Each shift in viewpoint will be clearly indicated to guide the reader. In this case, the story will also be narrated from Maya’s perspective. This allows insight into her thoughts, emotions, and how she perceives the unfolding situation. This approach enriches the storytelling, offering a deeper connection to each character’s experience and reactions.]
(Maya’s POV)
I sat on the couch, my legs crossed, trying not to fidget. The two guys next to me—Ryan and Dave—were chatting easily, throwing in a few nervous jokes about what we had all signed up for. They seemed like they had known each other for a while, and though I had only just met them, they were quick to include me in the conversation. It helped take my mind off things, at least a little.
“So, what made you sign up for this?” Ryan asked, looking at me with curiosity.
I smirked. “Honestly? I saw the ad and thought it was a joke at first. Then I thought… ‘well, why not? The money seemed good.’”
Dave laughed. “Exactly. That was pretty much our reaction too.”
Before I could say anything else, the door opened, and I turned my head toward the reception desk. A girl had just walked in. She looked around briefly before stepping up to check in. She had long, blonde hair—just like me—and an easy kind of confidence in the way she moved—though I could tell she was just as unsure as the rest of us.
After checking in, she turned back, glancing around the waiting area before spotting the empty seat next to me. She made her way over, sitting down as Ryan leaned forward slightly and grinned.
“Hey, are you here for the experiment too?” he asked.
She nodded with a small smile. “Yeah. Just got here.”
Dave leaned back on the couch, still relaxed. “Nice, same here. Well, us two, at least. I’m Dave, and this is Ryan. We go to the same college.” Then he gestured toward me. “And this is Maya. We just met her.”
I gave her a friendly smile. “Hey. Looks like we’re all in this together.”
She chuckled. “Yeah, I guess so.”
Ryan stretched his arms out, making himself comfortable. “So, what made you sign up?”
The girl—Lily—shrugged. “I needed a job, and this one seemed… different.”
I laughed. “That’s an understatement.”
We kept talking, and soon, the conversation shifted to the obvious question: ticklishness.
Ryan raised an eyebrow. “So, do you guys know how ticklish you are?”
I rolled my eyes playfully. “Oh, I know exactly how ticklish I am. And it’s bad.” I pointed to myself dramatically. “I’m probably the most ticklish person here.”
Ryan smirked. “Oh yeah? Bold claim.”
I nodded. “It’s not even close. My feet are ridiculously ticklish. If someone even lightly brushes them, I lose it. My brothers used to hold me down and tickle me all the time when we were kids. It was a nightmare.”
Dave snorted. “Sounds like you’re doomed already.”
Lily laughed. “Honestly… I don’t think I’d last long either. I’ve always been really ticklish too, especially my feet.”
I glanced at Lily, taking in her words. So, she had really ticklish feet too? Interesting. I could tell by the way she said it that she wasn’t exaggerating. There was something about the way her voice had that little nervous edge to it, like she was already imagining the sensation. It made me wonder just how bad it was for her. Would she actually be able to handle this experiment or would she break just as fast as I would? I smirked slightly to myself. This was going to be very, very interesting.
Ryan looked amused. “That’s two foot-ticklish victims already. Guess we know what to watch for.”
Lily smiled but shook her head. “It’s not like I’m planning to lose on purpose.”
Dave shrugged. “I think everyone’s at least a little ticklish. But I’d like to think I have some self-control.”
Ryan scoffed. “Yeah, right. Remember that time Jenny poked your ribs at that party? You practically threw your drink.”
Dave groaned. “Okay, okay, fair point. Ribs are a weak spot.”
I grinned. “We’re all doomed.”
Just as I was about to say more, the sound of the door opening caught my attention. Another guy stepped inside, glancing around before heading to the receptionist’s desk.
We exchanged glances. Another participant.
This was getting even more interesting.
