It was Zach who asked the question. Everyone else on set paused to hear how this would end. A question like that could only end tense.
"Eugene do you know how much the three of us care about you?"
"...No"
The room was dead silent. Everyone held their breath waiting for John to say that it was a lie, that they hadn't failed him as friends.
"He's telling the truth"
"We gotta be better about that…"
No one knew what to say; it was true they had failed him.
o0o0o0o0o0o
The idea had come during one of their regular planning sessions that they held every week. They were always trying to come up with new ideas to wow their audience. Everything had to be show stopping as they were one of the biggest projects of buzzfeed. The only project to get their own YouTube red series.
Zach was the one to bring up the lie detector test; he was always wanting to do things to better get to know one another. Both Ned and Keith quickly jumped on board the idea thinking about how that was a trendy tag that was sure to get them a good amount of views. Eugene was a little more hesitant.
"Are we sure this is going to bring in views? We're more known for doing challenges of abilities"
"Come on Eugene just because this is something you can't win or be the best at doesn't mean it's not a good idea."
"Yeah I guess you're right, Ned. This could be fun…"
He really didn't want to bring them down but Eugene was finding it harder and harder to do these episodes were he had to face his own insecurities.
In a way Ned was right about this not being a traditional competition that he could win, but these types of activities were actually harder for him. He found himself getting closer and closer to losing with each one they did.
He put a lot of unwarranted pressure on himself. He knew eventually that that was going to come back to bite him, and he had a sneaking suspicion that this was the shoot that just might.
Zach suggested the idea, but he had no idea of the consequences. He really was innocent in his intentions. He wasn't the only one of the three that that had noticed how closed off Eugene still was. Even after years of working together and being friends and there was still a wall there. All three of the guys were concerned for him; Zach just took it upon himself to try to fix him. He was done making a joke of his friends stunted emotions, it's not a joke, he actually cared and Zach knew that Ned and Keith did as well.
o0o0o0o0o0o
The night before the shoot all 4 of the guys began to think of and write down questions to ask each other. There was of course the comical ones, it is their job of course, but they did come up some more personal questions. Not only was this their job but all of them were hoping to come out of this experience closer to one another.
Without even realizing it most of their thoughts and questions were aimed towards the mysterious Eugene.
All were worried about their own insecurities, but none more so than Eugene.
On the morning of the shoot they all arrive in costume and ready. They meet John and prepare for what is to come. Soon enough the set is ready and the polygraph is running. Keith is up first. And so the day begins.
The order goes Keith, Zach, Ned and then finally Eugene.
The rest of the guys have made it through their time on the polygraph. All that's left is Eugene's turn.