Morning arrived with a soft glow, filtering through the curtains as Brianna woke up in the warmth of Claire’s hand. Her first instinct was to stretch, but the moment she felt the gentle pressure of Claire’s fingers around her, reality crashed back in. She was still tiny, and still trapped in this ridiculous situation.

Brianna sighed, trying to wiggle free, but the slight movements only made Claire's hand tighten, pulling her even closer. It felt like she was being held by a living blanket. She was trying to keep her composure, but the helplessness of it all was really getting to her.

Claire’s eyes slowly opened, blinking in the morning light. She stretched lazily and then glanced down at her palm, where Brianna was glaring up at her. A sleepy grin spread across her face. “Morning, Bri,” she said, her voice filled with amusement.

Brianna’s eyes narrowed. “Let me go! You’ve been holding me all night!”

Claire sat up in bed, rubbing her eyes with her free hand. “Hmm,” she mused, completely unbothered by Brianna’s frustration. “You didn’t seem to mind too much last night. I mean, I caught you crawling back into my hand after trying to escape, didn’t I?”

Brianna froze, her face flushing red with embarrassment. “W-Wait... you were awake?!” she stammered, completely mortified. She had thought Claire was sound asleep when she gave up trying to escape and returned to the giant’s embrace. Now, hearing that Claire had been aware of it all sent a wave of humiliation through her.

“Oh yeah,” Claire smirked, clearly enjoying the situation. “I was awake. I figured you’d come back eventually. My hand was just too comfy for you, huh?”

Brianna’s face burned with embarrassment, and she quickly tried to deny everything. “I—I wasn’t coming back to you! I was just trying not to fall off the bed! Stop thinking of weird stuff!”

Claire raised an eyebrow, her grin only growing wider. “Sure, whatever you say,” she said, clearly not believing a word of it.

Brianna scowled, her arms crossing over her chest as she glared up at Claire. “Just put me down already,” she muttered, hating how powerless she felt.

With an amused chuckle, Claire gently set Brianna down on the dresser beside the shoebox bed. “Alright, alright, you grump,” Claire said, still smirking. “But you’ve got to admit, you looked pretty cozy in my hand.”

Brianna didn’t dignify that with a response, instead turning her back to Claire, fuming. The playful attitude was driving her crazy, but there was little she could do at her current size. Claire seemed to be enjoying the situation way too much, and that smug look on her face made it clear she wasn’t going to stop teasing anytime soon.

As Claire moved around the room, getting ready for school, Brianna remained on the dresser, stewing in frustration. She watched as Claire hummed to herself, occasionally glancing over at Brianna as if to remind her of who was in control.

Finally, Claire slung her backpack over her shoulder and glanced down at Brianna. “Well, I can’t take you to school with me,” Claire said, feigning a thoughtful look. “But I also can’t just leave you here.”

Brianna crossed her arms. “You could, you know. Just leave me alone.”

Claire gave her a mischievous smile. “Yeah, but then I’d miss all the fun of seeing what you do while I’m gone.” She then opened a drawer on her nightstand, pulling out a small, clear plastic container. “This will keep you safe and sound while I’m gone.”

Brianna’s eyes widened in horror. “You’ve got to be kidding! I’m not staying in that thing!” she snapped, staring at the container like it was a prison.

Claire laughed softly. “Relax, it’s not forever. It’s just for the day. Look, I even put some water and snacks in there for you,” she said, showing Brianna a bottle cap filled with water and a few crumbs of bread.

Brianna glared, feeling utterly humiliated. “You can’t just shove me in a container like some pet!”

Claire set the container down on the dresser beside Brianna. “Well, it’s either this or you ride around in my pocket all day. Your choice.”

Brianna groaned. As demeaning as it was, the container was the lesser evil compared to being trapped in Claire’s pocket, subjected to her whims all day long. “Fine,” she muttered, clearly defeated.

Claire smiled, gently picking Brianna up and placing her inside the container. She screwed the lid on loosely, making sure the air holes were big enough for Brianna to breathe easily. “There. See? Not so bad.”

Brianna crossed her arms, glaring up through the clear plastic walls. The bottle cap of water sat to one side, and a small piece of cracker was nearby. As far as makeshift prisons went, it wasn’t the worst, but that didn’t make it any less humiliating.

“Alright,” Claire said, slinging her backpack over her shoulder and heading for the door. “I’ll be back later. Don’t go anywhere,” she added with a teasing wink.

Brianna rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath, “Not like I have a choice.”

As the door clicked shut, Brianna let out a long sigh and leaned back against the plastic wall. She stared up at the ceiling, her mind racing with thoughts of escape, though every plan seemed more impossible than the last.

“I’ll figure this out,” she whispered to herself. “I’m not staying like this forever.”

Brianna lay slumped against the clear plastic wall of the container, her eyes unfocused as the minutes dragged into hours. She had already tried pacing, kicking at the crumbs of food, and even tapping out rhythms on the side of the box. None of it did anything to break the crushing boredom.

She groaned, her frustration bubbling up. “A whole month of this,” she muttered under her breath, the weight of it hitting her again. Thirty days of being shrunken down, at Claire’s mercy. This wasn’t some temporary thing she could just grit her teeth and wait out in a few days. She was going to be this size for an entire month.

The shrinking itself wasn’t new to her—she’d heard of prisoners being miniaturized as punishment before. It was a fairly common way to keep people out of trouble. What was new, though, was being stuck with someone like Claire. The girl seemed way too entertained by having a tiny person to play with, and that made everything worse.

Brianna leaned back against the wall, staring up at the ceiling of the room, feeling more trapped than ever. "How did I end up here?" she asked herself, though she knew the answer all too well. One dumb decision after another. The hoverboard theft was just the latest in a long list of mistakes, but this one had really caught up with her. She hadn’t expected to be stuck like this—shrunken and at the mercy of some overenthusiastic girl.

She sighed, rubbing her temples. “I should be in some boring cell, counting the days until it’s over,” she muttered. At least in a cell, she’d have some privacy, maybe even some quiet. Instead, she was here, forced to endure Claire’s teasing and playful torment for who knows how long each day.

The thought of being treated like a doll for the next month made her stomach churn. Claire was having way too much fun with this, and that smug grin of hers every time she picked Brianna up wasn’t going away anytime soon.

Brianna glanced at the bottle cap filled with water and the few crumbs of bread Claire had left her. It was such a humiliating setup—like something you’d leave out for a hamster. But then again, this whole shrinking punishment was designed to be humiliating. She knew that. It was supposed to make you think twice before causing trouble again. And if there was one thing she hated more than being treated like a criminal, it was being treated like she was helpless.

“Just have to make it through the month,” she reminded herself, though the thought of enduring another twenty-nine days like this made her grit her teeth. Brianna had always prided herself on being tough, but this was testing her limits. 

Her mind kept returning to Claire. Of all people, why did it have to be her? The way she grinned every time she picked Brianna up, the way she teased her relentlessly—it was maddening. If Claire treated this like some sort of game, then Brianna would have to survive being the unwilling player.

She groaned again, flopping down onto her back in the container. She had no choice but to wait for Claire to come back from school, and the waiting was slowly driving her crazy. She stared up at the ceiling, lost in thought. 

How would she even get through this month? A part of her wanted to resist, to push back every time Claire tried to treat her like a toy. But another part of her knew that was pointless. She was too small, too powerless to fight back. For now, at least.

The boredom gnawed at her, and as much as she tried to stay focused, her thoughts kept spiraling into frustration. "If Claire keeps this up for a month, I’m going to lose my mind," she muttered. There was no escaping it. She would have to endure this punishment, this size, and—worst of all—Claire’s constant teasing for the next four weeks. 

Brianna clenched her fists. "I’ll survive this. I’ve handled worse." But deep down, she knew this wasn’t like any other punishment. Being small, being so utterly at someone else’s mercy, was a whole new level of helplessness she wasn’t prepared for.

And yet, there was nothing she could do except wait.

Hours passed, and Brianna had long since given up trying to entertain herself. The stillness of the room and the complete lack of anything to do was driving her mad. She’d lost track of time entirely, staring up at the ceiling of the container, her thoughts bouncing between frustration and resignation. The worst part was knowing this was only day one of a month-long punishment.

Suddenly, the sound of the front door opening echoed faintly through the room. Brianna’s head snapped up as she heard the familiar sound of Claire’s footsteps approaching. A mix of dread and boredom-fueled relief washed over her. At least something was finally happening.

The door to the room swung open, and Claire stepped in, her face lit up with that same smug grin Brianna had come to hate. She tossed her backpack onto the bed, letting out an exaggerated sigh as she stretched. “Man, what a day,” Claire muttered, glancing over at the container. “Hope you didn’t get too bored in there, Bri.”

Brianna glared up through the clear walls. “Yeah, because being stuck in a plastic box all day is such a thrill,” she replied sarcastically, her voice dripping with annoyance.

Claire chuckled, stepping over to the dresser and peering down at her tiny roommate. “Aw, poor little Brianna. Don’t worry, I’m back now! The fun can begin again.” She gave the container a light tap, making the walls vibrate slightly, as if to remind Brianna just how trapped she was.

Brianna crossed her arms, not bothering to respond. She was too tired of the teasing already, and it was only the first day.

Claire, however, was far from done. “So, how was your day? Enjoy staring at the ceiling? Maybe did a little pacing?” she asked, her voice laced with playful sarcasm.

“Thrilling,” Brianna muttered, refusing to engage any further.

Claire grinned and leaned closer, her eyes gleaming with mischief. “You know, I’ve been thinking about you all day. My feet are killing me from walking around school. You wouldn’t happen to want to… rub them for me, would you?”

Brianna’s face twisted in disgust. “What? No! Are you serious?” she snapped, horrified by the suggestion.

Claire shrugged, her expression still far too amused for Brianna’s liking. “What? I figured it’d be a fair trade. I mean, I did bring you snacks and water this morning. Least you could do is help me out a little.”

Brianna’s jaw dropped, her eyes narrowing. “I’m not your servant, Claire.”

Claire just smirked, taking a seat on the edge of her bed and kicking off her shoes with a dramatic sigh. “Come on, it’s not like you have anything better to do. And my feet are so tired...” she trailed off, wiggling her toes, clearly enjoying every moment of Brianna’s visible discomfort.

Brianna clenched her fists, glaring up at Claire. “I’d rather stay in this stupid box.”

“Suit yourself,” Claire replied, unfazed by Brianna’s defiance. She leaned back, propping her feet up on the bed and stretching with a groan. “You’ll come around eventually. I mean, we’ve got a whole month to spend together.”

Brianna grimaced. “Don’t remind me.”

Claire, still smirking from Brianna’s refusal, rolled her eyes and got comfortable on her bed, pulling her textbooks and notebooks from her backpack. “Alright, fine. Ignore me if you want,” Claire said with a playful grin. “I’ve got homework to do anyway.”

She set the container back on the nightstand beside her bed, and for the first time since she’d returned from school, she seemed to focus on something other than Brianna. The room filled with the sound of Claire flipping pages and scribbling notes as she worked on her assignments. 

Brianna sat inside the container, fuming. She couldn’t believe Claire had the audacity to ask her to rub her feet. The idea of doing anything for Claire made her stomach turn, but the powerlessness of her situation felt even worse. She was stuck here, in this tiny prison, watching the girl who now had complete control over her go about her day as if this were all perfectly normal.

She pressed her back against the plastic wall of the container, staring out at Claire, who was hunched over her homework. At least she wasn’t being actively tormented for the moment, but the boredom was still unbearable. Her eyes drifted to the bottle cap of water again, and, reluctantly, she crawled over and took a few sips. The reality of being dependent on Claire for even basic things like food and water gnawed at her pride.

As Claire continued with her homework, Brianna’s thoughts wandered. She knew that resisting Claire outright wasn’t getting her anywhere, but what else could she do? For a split second, she considered trying to reason with her—asking Claire to just leave her alone for the rest of the month. But deep down, Brianna knew that wasn’t going to happen. Claire was having too much fun, and there was no way she’d let Brianna off that easily.

Her eyes darted back to Claire, watching as she absentmindedly chewed on the end of her pen. Occasionally, Claire’s gaze would flicker toward the container, her lips curling into a smirk, before she returned to her work. It was like she couldn’t completely forget about Brianna even when she was trying to focus. After all, having a tiny, shrunken girl trapped in a box next to you wasn’t something easily ignored.

And then, without warning, Claire casually flicked the side of the container, sending a sharp vibration through the plastic that rattled Brianna’s bones.

“Hey!” Brianna yelped, scrambling to keep her balance as the floor of the container jolted beneath her. She glared up at Claire, who barely glanced her way, just smiling a little at her reaction before going back to her homework.

Brianna’s frustration flared. Every time she thought she could maybe get a moment of peace, Claire had to remind her who was in control. That tiny flick had probably felt like nothing to Claire, but for Brianna, it was like being hit by a sudden wave of force. The way Claire kept toying with her, even when she was "busy," was infuriating.

Still, Brianna refused to let her anger show too much. She wouldn’t give Claire the satisfaction of seeing her lose her cool, not again. She just had to get through the rest of the day. 

But as the minutes ticked by, Claire continued to absentmindedly flick the container every now and then. The vibrations, though small to Claire, were enough to knock Brianna off balance each time. 

“Would you quit it?” Brianna finally snapped, her voice sharp with frustration.

Claire glanced at her, not even trying to hide her grin. “What? It’s just a little tap. Don’t be so dramatic, Bri,” she said lightly, her attention already shifting back to her homework. “Besides, you look kind of funny when you stumble like that.”

Brianna ground her teeth, trying to keep herself calm. Arguing wasn’t going to get her anywhere, and Claire knew exactly how to push her buttons. “Focus on your stupid homework and leave me alone,” she muttered under her breath.

Claire, pretending not to hear the muttering, tapped her pen on her notebook and then, as if by instinct, gave the container another flick. Brianna winced, gripping the edge of her plastic prison to keep from falling over.

She could feel her patience thinning. Stuck in this ridiculous situation, with Claire constantly teasing her, it felt like the longest day of her life. 

As the minutes turned into hours, Brianna tried to distract herself by thinking of anything else—what she’d do once this month was over, how she’d never let herself get caught again, how satisfying it would be to see the look on Claire’s face when she finally returned to her normal size.

But all those thoughts felt distant. Right now, the reality was that Claire wasn’t going to stop any time soon, and the more Brianna resisted, the more Claire seemed to enjoy it.

“Just one day down,” Brianna whispered to herself, trying to keep her spirits up. “I can handle this. I have to.”

But with every flick of the container and every smirk from Claire, the thought of handling it felt more and more like a distant hope.

After what felt like an eternity, Claire finally finished her homework. She stretched her arms over her head, letting out a small sigh of relief before turning her full attention to Brianna. Sitting on her bed, Claire leaned forward slightly, propping her chin on her hand as her eyes locked onto the tiny girl in the container.

Brianna, feeling the weight of Claire’s gaze on her, immediately tensed up. She did her best to pretend she hadn’t noticed, staying seated with her back against the plastic wall, staring out at the distant ceiling like Claire wasn’t even there. But it was impossible to ignore the intensity of Claire’s stare, the way her eyes seemed to study every movement Brianna made.

Thirty seconds of tense silence passed, with Brianna trying desperately to maintain her calm. But then, Claire—who was never the most patient person—finally cracked.

“Brianna!” Claire exclaimed, her voice cutting through the quiet. “Why aren’t you talking to me? I mean, come on, you must be bored out of your mind in there!”

Brianna didn’t respond, still doing her best to ignore her captor, but the sudden attention made her pulse quicken. She could feel her face heating up, but she wasn’t about to give Claire the satisfaction of showing it.

Claire narrowed her eyes, clearly getting annoyed by the silent treatment. “Seriously, you’re just going to sit there? In that boring little box? Not even a peep?”

Brianna shifted uncomfortably, but kept her mouth shut. She wasn’t in the mood to play Claire’s game.

Claire’s frustration quickly morphed into a rant. “I don’t get you! It must be so boring in there—just sitting all day, nothing to do, nowhere to go. I was thinking about it while I was at school. I mean, it’d drive me crazy.”

Brianna glared up at her but still didn’t say anything, hoping that Claire would just get tired of this soon. But Claire wasn’t letting up.

“You know, I had this perfect plan,” Claire continued, her voice laced with sarcasm. “I thought, ‘Hey, I’ll leave Brianna alone for a while, give her some space, and by the time I’m done with my homework, she’ll be so worn out from being ignored that she’ll actually *ask* me to do something.’ You know, like, maybe she’d finally offer to rub my feet or something.”

Brianna’s eyes widened, her face twisting in disgust. She opened her mouth to retort but stopped herself, forcing her expression back into a neutral, though visibly annoyed, mask.

Claire wasn’t done, though. “Yeah, I thought you’d come around on your own, like I’d be the gentle, benevolent owner, and you’d just *ask* to do it because you’d be so grateful I wasn’t tormenting you all day. That way I’d look like the nice one, and you’d be the one begging.”

Brianna let out a sharp laugh, unable to hold it in anymore. “That’s your plan? You thought I’d *beg* to rub your feet?”

Claire shrugged, smiling smugly. “It would’ve made me look like the good girl, and you wouldn’t even know it was happening. Genius, right?”

Brianna glared at her, her patience completely worn thin. “In what universe would I ever beg to do that? I’d rather sit in this stupid box for the next twenty-nine days than give you what you want.”

Claire’s grin remained playful as she leaned in a little closer. “Oh, come on, Brianna,” she said, her voice teasing but not malicious. “You’re just too stubborn to admit this could be fun.”

Brianna’s fists clenched, her body stiffening with frustration. “I’m not your plaything, Claire,” she snapped. “You can mess around all you want, but I’m not going to give in just because you think this is fun.”

Claire rolled her eyes, not even slightly deterred by Brianna’s resistance. “I’m not trying to break you or anything, geez,” she said with a light chuckle, leaning back on the bed. “I just thought we could make this whole thing a little less boring. For both of us.”

Brianna crossed her arms, glaring at her captor. “I’m fine with boring.”

Claire pouted dramatically, as if she were genuinely hurt by the response. “Really? I mean, all day in that tiny box, with nothing to do? You’re not even a little bit curious to see what we could do together?” She tilted her head, eyes still fixed on Brianna. “It doesn’t have to be all bad, you know.”

Brianna huffed, trying to maintain her defiance. “I’ll take boredom over being your personal foot servant, thanks.”

Claire tapped her fingers on the side of the container, clearly growing more restless with each passing second. “You know what?” she said suddenly, her impatience bubbling over. Without waiting for a response, she popped the lid off the container and, with a mischievous grin, lowered her hand inside.

Brianna’s eyes widened as Claire’s hand hovered over her for a moment before gently landing on the floor of the container, her fingers curled casually. Before Brianna could protest, Claire set her hand down right next to her, as if she were joining her in the small plastic space.

Claire gave a playful shrug. “If you’re not going to talk to me, I’ll just have to hang out here,” she said, her face still full of that teasing, light-hearted energy. She leaned in closer, her face looming over the container, watching Brianna’s reaction with keen interest.

Brianna took a step back instinctively, the sudden presence of Claire’s hand making her feel even smaller than before. “What are you doing?” she muttered, trying to keep the edge out of her voice.

Claire smiled innocently, though the mischievous glint in her eyes said otherwise. “What? I figured if you didn’t want to come to me, I’d come to you. Besides,” she added with a grin, “it’s cozier in here, don’t you think?”

Brianna stared at the massive hand beside her, unsure of what to do next. She shot a frustrated glare up at Claire, but the towering girl was clearly enjoying this little game. The tiny space felt even more cramped with Claire’s hand there, and Brianna could feel her pulse quicken as she debated whether to stay put or move away from the invading hand.

Claire tilted her head, clearly enjoying the effect her presence had on Brianna. “You’re awfully quiet down there. It’s just me,” she teased, her fingers wiggling slightly as if to test Brianna’s reaction.

Brianna frowned, trying to stay composed, but the sheer size of Claire’s hand compared to her own small form made her uneasy. “I’m not some pet you can play with,” she finally muttered, crossing her arms defiantly.

“Oh, I know,” Claire said sweetly, her fingers now gently brushing the ground near Brianna’s feet. “But you’re so cute when you’re all flustered like that.” She leaned back slightly, still watching, but her fingers remained nearby, hovering like a playful invitation Brianna wasn’t about to accept.

Brianna huffed, stepping away from the hand, but every movement she made was under Claire’s watchful eye. It was like being under a microscope, and Claire wasn’t about to stop anytime soon.

Without warning, Claire’s fingers darted forward, faster than Brianna could react. Before she knew it, Claire had gently but firmly caught hold of her bare foot between her thumb and forefinger, effortlessly halting her retreat. 

Brianna gasped, instinctively trying to pull away, but Claire’s grip, while not painful, was unyielding. She twisted her body, tugging at her leg, but it was no use. Claire's enormous fingers held her in place as if she were nothing more than a toy.

“Let go!” Brianna snapped, a mix of panic and frustration bubbling up inside her. Her heart raced as she tried to yank her foot free, but Claire’s hold remained gentle yet firm, keeping her trapped.

Claire didn’t say anything at first, just watching Brianna with that same playful smile on her lips. The quiet between them felt heavier now, the silence amplifying the power imbalance in the room. Claire wasn’t just teasing anymore—she was testing Brianna’s boundaries, as if trying to figure out what she could get away with.

“Why so tense?” Claire finally said, her voice soft but still carrying that playful undertone. She casually rolled Brianna’s tiny foot between her fingers, as if probing the texture of her new toy. “I’m not hurting you, am I?”

Brianna’s face flushed with a mix of anger and humiliation. She felt like she was being treated like a doll, something for Claire to casually mess with. But even more infuriating was the fact that she couldn’t stop her. “That’s not the point!” she shouted, trying to wriggle free again. “Let go!”

But Claire didn’t. She just held Brianna’s foot gently between her fingers, her eyes twinkling with amusement as she watched the tiny girl struggle. Brianna’s defiance seemed to only encourage her.

“Why are you so stubborn, Bri?” Claire asked, tilting her head as if genuinely curious. “It’s just a little fun. I’m not trying to hurt you. Although I like how you act so tough all the time.”

Brianna’s frustration boiled over. “I’m not stubborn—I’m just not going to play along with your weird games!” she snapped, her face red with both embarrassment and fury. “I’m not here for your entertainment!”

Claire’s smile softened, though the playful glint in her eyes remained. “I get that you’re mad. But you’re stuck with me for a while, and I figured we could make it a little more… fun. For both of us.” She loosened her grip ever so slightly, but still kept Brianna’s foot between her fingers, just enough to remind her who was in control.

Brianna stopped struggling for a moment, her breath heavy as she glared up at Claire. “Fun? You think any of this is fun for me?” she spat. “I’m trapped in a box, at your mercy, and you want me to enjoy it?”

Claire’s expression softened slightly, though she didn’t let go just yet. “I’m not trying to make you miserable, Bri. I just thought… maybe we could talk, or do something other than sitting in silence, ignoring each other. You know? Something less... boring.”

Brianna’s anger faltered for a moment as Claire’s words sunk in. She could tell Claire wasn’t trying to be cruel, but that didn’t make the situation any less frustrating. The constant teasing, the power imbalance—it was all too much.

“You want me to talk?” Brianna muttered bitterly. “Fine. How about this: stop treating me like a toy and let me go.”

Claire hesitated, her fingers still holding onto Brianna’s foot, watching her squirm for a few seconds longer. Instead of releasing her, Claire smirked and gently tightened her grip, her playful tone returning. “Alright, Bri, since you're so set on not having fun, how about you come up with something less boring for us to do?”

Brianna gritted her teeth, tugging harder in a futile attempt to free herself, but Claire wasn’t letting go. “I told you, I don’t want to ‘do’ anything with you,” Brianna snapped. “Just leave me alone!”

Claire tilted her head, amused, her fingers still holding Brianna’s foot like a little prize. “You’re always so feisty,” she said with a soft laugh, clearly enjoying Brianna’s stubborn resistance. “It’s kind of cute, you know. But seriously, if you don’t want to play along with my ideas, then come up with something better before I get bored.”

Brianna glared at her, the frustration bubbling up again. “I don’t *want* to do anything, Claire!” she hissed, pulling against Claire’s fingers, but they didn’t budge. “Can you just stop grabbing me for one minute?”

Claire raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. “Why? I think grabbing you makes this a lot more interesting.” She leaned in slightly, watching Brianna’s reaction with that same playful grin. “Besides, you wouldn’t be nearly as much fun if I didn’t keep you on your toes.”

Brianna huffed, her frustration rising as she tried to pull away again. But Claire wasn’t letting go, her grip still gentle but unrelenting. Brianna’s hostility seemed to only amuse her further.

“You keep acting like I’m some sort of villain,” Claire teased, shaking her head with a grin. “But honestly, this is kinda fun and entertaining. So, if you don’t want me grabbing you, then give me something else to do.” She let out a dramatic sigh. “Otherwise, I’ll have to think of my ideas.”

Brianna’s heart pounded in her chest. She knew Claire wasn’t going to stop unless she played along, but her mind raced, trying to think of something—*anything*—to suggest that would keep her from becoming another one of Claire’s games. But nothing came to mind.

“Tick tock,” Claire chimed in, giving Brianna’s foot a light tickle to hurry her along. “Or I’m going to have to decide for both of us.”

Brianna let out a surprised squeal, but she still couldn’t come up with an idea that wouldn’t lead to more humiliation. “Fine! Fine. I… I don’t know, okay? But just—” She tugged against Claire’s grip again, but Claire only looked more entertained.

“See, this is why you’re fun,” Claire said, finally releasing Brianna’s foot but only to let her retreat just a little. “Your whole ‘tough girl’ act is cute, but you’re going to have to try harder than that if you really want me to stop.”

Brianna scrambled back to the far end of the container, glaring at Claire. “You’re impossible, you know that?” she muttered, frustrated but realizing Claire wasn’t going to give her any breaks. She didn’t promise to stop grabbing her, and Brianna knew she never would. Claire enjoyed having control too much.

“And you’re stubborn,” Claire shot back with a grin. “Alright. I’m going to bed soon and you have 60 seconds to come up with an idea. I’m sure you’ll come up with something good.”

As Claire sat back, still watching Brianna closely, the tiny girl realized that Claire wasn’t going to give her rest anytime soon. She wasn’t some malevolent captor, but she wasn’t going to stop having her fun either.