Janet rushed to the side and Rylie followed, peering down into the dark and misted water below. The fog was cut by a serpent at the water's edge.
“That's him,” Rylie muttered.
A voice came from the water.
“Janet, truth or dare?”
They shared a look and Janet swallowed. “Dare.”
“I dare you to jump into the water.” Neither she nor Janet could see where Zeph's voice was coming from.
Janet straightened with a grumble, but didn't jump into the water. Instead, she walked to the table and gulped down her entire glass of vodka before setting it down. She leaned over and placed her hands on her thighs. Janet’s chest expanded with encouraging breaths.
“You're not going to do it are you?” Rylie asked, watching her sister. “The water's cold.”
Her sister came back to the railing.
“It won’t be cold with me,” Zeph said somewhere down below. Janet stepped out of her shoes and pulled off her shorts but left her shirt in place. She jumped into the water. Rylie heard a splash and a gurgled scream, followed by curse words and laughter. She couldn't see what was happening; she could only hear.
She looked behind her and caught Netto's gaze, and he moved to stand beside her. Several minutes went past as they waited in silence, both listening to the others below.
Rylie looked over the edge again. “Are we still playing or are you guys going to stay down there forever?”
“Truth or dare, Rylie,” her sister yelled in response.
“Truth.”
“Are you still a virgin?”
Rylie clenched her hands. “Nevermind, I choose dare.”
“I dare you to sit on Netto's lap for the rest of the night.”
She cringed. She looked over the edge of the railing but still couldn’t see either her sister or Zeph.
“Janet, truth or dare?”
“Truth,” her sister yelped and laughed.
“How many sexual partners have you had?”Two can play this game.
“Too few!”
“That's not an answer. How many?”
It was petty, but at the same time, Rylie didn't feel any guilt for asking. It was her sister's idea to play this game after all.
“Fine, I choose dare.”
“I dare you to get out of the water now.” Rylie didn't wait for her sister's response as she walked back toward the table and took another drink. Netto joined her and sat down.
“Is it okay if I sit on your lap?” Rylie smiled and her cheeks warmed. This is what she wanted, after all, and even though it was embarrassing, Janet had given her exactly that. Even though it was forced.
Netto's jaw ticked and his mouth hardened into a stern line.
He’s going to say no.Her heart fluttered with unease and she sucked in a breath of air, holding it in the pit of her stomach, waiting for him to make the next move.
“Yes,” he said slowly. “You can sit.”
