Why Didn’t You Pick Up the Cards?

The boy organizing the game stood up and began explaining the rules of 'Cut', catching Anna's attention.

"The game is simple," the boy said as he picked up a deck of cards, shuffling them skillfully between his fingers. "The goal is to collect four cards of the same rank. When you have all four, you need to signal your partner, but you can't say it out loud. It has to be something only they would understand."

Anna nodded slowly, absorbing every word while her eyes followed the rapid movements of the cards in the boy's hands.

"If your partner figures out that you've got all four cards," the boy continued, "they have to say 'Cut' before the other team does. If someone on the other team notices and says 'Cut' before your partner, you lose. So, make sure your signal is clear but discreet."

Leo, sitting next to Anna, stood up and positioned himself in front of her, ready to team up.

"So, we'll be six players," the boy said while counting those present. "Three teams of two."

Anna noticed how the others exchanged glances, already calculating their strategies.

"Do you guys have your signal?" the boy asked Leo with a playful grin.

Leo froze, clearly realizing they hadn't agreed on a signal between him and Anna.

He turned to her with a small apologetic smile and said, "I guess we should probably figure that out."

Anna couldn't help but let out a soft laugh.

It was so typical of Leo, always calm and confident, but sometimes a bit careless with small details like that.

"What signal should we use?" she asked, amused by the situation.

Leo rubbed his chin, thinking.

"We could keep it simple," he said. "Maybe I'll touch my ear or run my hand through my hair."

Anna nodded, thinking how natural that gesture seemed for Leo.

"That sounds good. I could do something subtle too, like crossing my arms or blinking a bit faster," she suggested with a slight smile.

"Perfect," Leo confirmed, more relaxed now that they had a plan. The two returned to the table where the other players were already getting organized.

Once everything was ready, the boy running the game dealt the cards to the six players. Anna received hers and held them in front of her, careful not to give anything away, simply studying the cards while the rest were laid out for swapping.

The first round began.

Players started exchanging cards quickly, some more anxious than others. Anna, however, remained calm, watching everyone, analyzing their moves and trying to figure out who was collecting what.

When the center cards ran out and no one took any, the boy in charge dealt again.

During the early rounds, Anna watched as the others traded frantically while she stayed calm, only exchanging cards when necessary.

For her, it was a game of patience.

By the fourth round, the tension was high. One of the teams seemed on the verge of getting all four cards, and just as the opposing team's partner raised their hand to declare victory, Anna firmly said:

"Cut!"

The boy who was about to declare froze, staring at his partner.

Upon seeing the cards, he cursed under his breath. Anna had guessed correctly that they had all four cards, but they had hesitated to call it. The whole team groaned in frustration, while the partner who was about to claim victory stared at Anna in disbelief.

"Seriously? You didn't even know how to play?" one of the boys asked, a mix of astonishment and skepticism in his voice.

Leo chimed in with a small smile, defending his teammate.

"Beginner's luck."

Anna just smiled to herself, letting the others believe whatever they wanted.

She knew it wasn't just luck, but she preferred to keep a low profile.

There were only two teams left. The tension grew as the next round began. The boys, now even more focused, swapped cards rapidly. Anna stuck to the same strategy: watch, trade only when necessary, and stay silent.

One of the players from the opposing team, frustrated by her calm demeanor, shot her an inquisitive look.

"Why aren't you grabbing more cards?" he asked, impatient.

Anna looked up, meeting his gaze directly, and calmly replied:

"Cut."

The boy, who had four cards in his hand, clenched his teeth, clearly upset at not reacting in time.

"Damn it!" he exclaimed, throwing his cards onto the ground. His partner gave him a disapproving look as the two started arguing over who had messed up.

"I told you, you took too long!" one of them complained.

"It's not my fault she wouldn't stop staring at me!" protested the other.

Anna remained silent, watching as the other boys argued over their loss.

It wasn't the first time she'd seen a scene like this; she knew card games could bring out the worst in people when there was something at stake.

Meanwhile, Leo turned to her and quietly asked:

"Why didn't you ever grab the cards?"

Anna looked at him for a moment, considering her response, then smiled with a small but genuine smile.

"I just wanted to have fun," she replied.

Leo watched her for a moment longer, as if trying to read something in her expression.

Finally, he nodded, accepting her answer, and stayed silent, letting the other players finish their argument.