“True.” She smiles.
I rest my head on Connor’s shoulder, the alcohol loosening my inhibitions that stay locked tight in front of others. He smells so good—his expensive cologne like citrus. “I love fruit,” I whisper to him. I imagine myself placing a kiss on his neck, but moving to do so sounds like so much work.
He stares at me with a growing smile. “I’ll keep that in mind, darling.”
“Never have I ever…been engaged,” Julian says, a cheap shot at Lily and Loren.
Lo glares at him while he pulls off his black long-sleeve shirt, and Lily wiggles off her pajama pants underneath the blanket.
Connor says, “Never have I ever…been cheated on.”
No one moves. And Scott blinks at Connor like he’s the devil incarnate, drama-blocking him.
My boyfriend just smiles. “Perfect.”
Scott prods Ben to say one from the kitchen. With a mouthful of chips, he says, “Never have I ever snorted coke.”
Lily sighs. “I hate this game.” Before she goes for her panties, she touches her hair and smiles, revealing a hidden bobby pin.
Lo strips down to his boxer-briefs, and Lily’s eyes gleam in excitement at seeing himalmostnaked. He shakes his head at her, but he can’t stop smiling.
In a wave, everyone takes shots. Scott, then Julian, then Daisy. And Ryke unclips his watch. Both Connor and I stay seated. I’m not surprised that almost everyone has experimented with drugs, but I’ve never had the urge to try out cocaine. And if someone peer pressured me, I’d sayno, no. No.I really have no problem looking like the stuck-up prude in the room who refuses to blow a line with her friends. Hate me all you want. I’m not the one running around naked with dilated pupils.
Loren frowns at Connor. “You really haven’t snorted coke? Not even once?”
“I have a rule about drugs.”
“And what’s that?”
“Don’t do them.” He grins. “My body is a temple.”
“One that only Rose can enter,” Loren banters.
“I’ll let you in sometime, darling. Don’t worry.”
Loren laughs.
I roll my eyes, but I’m actually smiling at their “bromance” that has been heavily praised on blogs. Peopleonlylike Connor when he’s with Loren. It’s weird. And I really don’t need another reason to be annoyed by Loren Hale, so I’ve let it go. Brushed it off the shoulder. Like dust.
Okay, I think I’m getting drunk.
Lo’s laugh fades quickly, and he stares off in thought. Since the screening party, he does this often. Just ending their quips with a silent, faraway gaze. As though remembering he’s supposed to be in a fight with Connor.
Ten minutes later, I have gained aseriousbuzz and we’ve reached Scott one last time. I verge on my limit, so I’m hoping he’s choosing a girl-friendly response. “Never have I ever…” His gaze pings from each of my sisters to me. “…swallowed a guy’s cum.”
“Fuck you,” Lo says, defending the three of us who Scott has been singling out the whole game.
Daisy’s eyelids droop a little as she reaches for her shot. She knocks over two more.
Ryke leans forward and cleans her mess. “You can skip this one, Dais.”
“She can handle it,” Julian says, grabbing a shot for her. “Here you go, baby.” He passes the glass to her. She downs it (messily) before Ryke can steal it from her hand.
Lily is now naked underneath the blanket, so the game is over.
And I quickly do a shot, the liquor sliding down my throat easily since I’m feeling good. But notbadyet. Anymore and it’d be a different story.
But Daisy has most definitely exceeded her limit. She’s gone, but as Connor and I watch her, she does something really interesting.
