“I had nothing to lose before,” Ollie countered. He was growing impatient and becoming defensive. His smile was withering.Don’t let her get to you, Ollie.
Bria rose to her feet and narrowed her eyes at him. “What do you have to lose now?”
Ollie ran his hand through his hair and grasped the ends. The tension in the room was undeniable. “Everything.”
When Ollie spoke, which was rare amongst others, he had the ability to silence the world around him. Not because he wanted people to listen, but because people wanted to hear. His voice was smooth, his tone deliberate, and each word delicately considered. It was music—no, it was poetry. Yes, each time Ollie opened his mouth, he silenced the world with poetry.
“Fine, then tonight we’re going big. You’re drinking, Ollie,” Bria said, walking over to him with the liquor bottle in hand. “You too, Mia. None of that skipping shit.”
“Bottoms up,” Isaac added amongst Bria’s influence, speaking up for the first time since I’d arrived.
Ollie glanced down at me as I sat pinned against his wall and I raised my shoulders in a half-shrug. We were doomed either way; at least we could end the night making out and blame it on the alcohol like he’d suggested.
The music played in the background, liquor circulated between us and through us, and Jake and I couldn’t restrain our laughter as Alicia awkwardly danced around a drunken Bria.
Bria’s attention rested on Ollie, and from the look in her eyes, and Ollie’s eyes on me, something told me she knew what was going on between Ollie and me. “Who’s up for a game of strip or dare?” she asked with her hands in the air. “I’ll start.”
She shimmied out of her little shorts to reveal a black lace thong underneath. She had no boundaries. None. I had used to be bold, and I supposed a part of me was still daring in a way. I wasn’t exactly sure anymore—stuck between the girl I once was and the girl I hoped to be. A girl who experienced feelings. Real feelings. A girl who cried and showed emotion. A girl who was inspired to love herself because a boy loved her.
“I’m not playing,” Ollie said, and Bria marched over to him and raised him off the mattress by his arm.
“This is our last night, Ollie. You’re playing.” She dragged him across the room and tugged him down beside her on the floor. “Okay, since I stripped first … Ollie, strip or dare?”
Ollie withdrew his shirt and leaned back on his hands. The birds along his ribcage and up his back moved as his muscles flexed. It had been too long since we’d been intimate, and it took all the strength I had not to climb over his lap and have him right then and there. Ollie met my gaze and winked at me from across the circle.“I want you,”I mouthed to him like he’d done to me before. His cheeks flushed, and his smile resurfaced.
“Alicia, strip or dare?” Ollie asked with a lingering smile on his face.
“Dare.”
“Change clothes with Jake.”
Alicia and Jake swapped looks before they scanned each other up and down. Alicia only wore a tank top and little spandex shorts while Jake wore long sleeve flannel pajamas.
They both stood and tipped the mattress into a standing position as they undressed behind it, giggling. When Alicia and Jake stepped out, the rest of us fell into fits of laughter as Jake strutted toward me. My eyes immediately went to the bulge hanging from the tiny shorts. One giant testicle slipped out. My hand flew over my mouth.
Ollie’s mouth shot open as a loud cackle emerged. He slapped his hands together before falling into Isaac’s shoulder when his cackle went silent, and his body shook, fighting the tears. Isaac didn’t know who to laugh at more: Jake or Ollie.
Ollie barely recovered as his eyes glossed over. “I guess the ball’s in your court now, mate,” he said through controlled lips, and then we all lost it.
Isaac fell onto his back, and Ollie brought his hands back over his face as he leaned forward, unable to control his laughter anymore.
Jake looked down and tried to stuff his testicle back into the shorts. “Whatever. Yes, alright? I have a testicular disorder, and you know what else? Bryan fucking loves it.”
His confession only made things unfavorable for him. Ollie crawled on the floor, and the rest of us couldn’t breathe with tears in our eyes.
Within the hour, Ollie refused a few dares by stripping, leaving himself in only his black boxer briefs. Alicia kissed Jake, Bria was still in her crop top and panties, and I was fully clothed with my t-shirt and shorts. I took three shots of liquor and performed my best Bria impersonation. Everyone was drunker than we should have allowed, including me. Perpetual smiles were plastered on everyone’s faces, and the giggles flowed smoothly.
Bria whispered into Isaac’s ear as they peered over at me, and I couldn’t help but feel they were devising a plan.
“Alright, Bria. Strip or dare?” Isaac asked.
“Dare … aproperdare this time,” she said and took a good long swig of the bottle.
“I dare you to touch yourself right here in the middle of the circle …”
My eyes widened, my smile died, and I glanced over at Ollie to see his reaction. Something like this had been bound to happen. It had only been a matter of time.
Ollie lifted off his hands and leaned over. “She’s not fucking doing that, are you mad?” His gaze darted between Isaac, Bria, and me.
