Chapter 9: I choose Dare

NOVA'S POV

The giggling from the hallway forces my eyes open. Not that I was fully asleep anyway. I check the time on my phone to a beaming 8am. Why the fuck are they so loud this early? I get off my bed to request some quiet. When i open the door the two girls are by the kitchen counter having breakfast.

"Why the fuck are you guys so loud?" I ask not caring how the tone delivers it. They both look in my direction with Mila quickly covering Sofia's eyes.

"Hey, why do you get to see?" Sofia asks.

"Nova put a fucking a shirt on!" She scolds like I was entirly naked. I feel my upper body realising my need to go back to sleep clouded my memory on sleeping without a shirt on.

"It's nothing both of you don't have,"I say going back to my room to put a shirt on. Did Sofia bit her lip or did i just imagine the action? I come out in a white tshirt paired with my already won, plaid pajama pants.

"I swear you're sent by mother," Sofia hisses and her bestfriend just chuckles.

"I can show them to you when she's not around, Tinkerbell," I tease, only this time she has no response.

Just a huge bite of scrambled eggs filling her mouth. Her hair isn't in a neat bun, just let down into curly form. She should keep it that way, it really brings out her light brown eyes.

"Well better put that on Santa's list because that's never happening on my watch," her bestfriend threatens and I'm starting to like this.

She's so focused on me being bad for Sofia, she can hardly see that it's the other way round. I pour myself a glass of juice from the fridge as Mila walks out to the balcony to answer her ringing phone.

Silence grows between us before her smart watch beeps and she disappears into her room closing the door behind her. She sure does know how to clean a plate. I think to myself putting the dirty plate in the dishwasher.

"Where did sofia go? Did you try to flirt again? She hates how cringe it is,"she points out. So she does talk about me to Mila.

"We don't have any business classes today," I point out because we share classes.

That was the first time I ever saw her bestfriend. In the middle row, in a class she doesn't belong in. Later I'd learn that she sits in, for her bestfriend's classes when Mila can't do it herself. The dedication in typing out notes made her look like she fit in. Like this was her passion, except it wasn't and she's just...attentive.

"I know, but sofia does,"she says like that answered my question. I was asking about her. She and my cousin haven't been hanging out as much. Not that I care, but I'm curious.

"So..."

"I'm going to a tennis game with my parents. Happy? Now fuck off,"

Mila rolls her eyes but she knows I meant no harm.

She grabs her keys along with her bag and phone and bolts out the door.

I think she forgot to carry her bestfriend. My phone rings from my room so I jog over to get it.

"There's a party tonight and you're not saying no to me. It's my birthday,"

"Goodmorning to you too Rafael," I say and he just scoffs.

"I wouldn't miss it,"I say. As long as Sofia is studying from home then she'll be safe without me. I hope in the shower and get ready for the day. I don't have practice so my day might consist of just hanging out with my "clique".

Her door swings open with her in my hoodie and a pair of wide legged blue mom jeans. Her hair is now blow dried and in a clip with some strands falling loose.

"Where do you think you're going in that hoodie?"

"wherever the fuck I want," she retorts with her camera bag in place. She's going to the campus isn't she?

"You can't put that on at school. People will think you're-"

"But I'm not. And I don't have any hoodies that are this baggy," she says with her eyes searching for something in the living room.

"Then I'm coming with you,"

"No the fuck you're not. I don't want to be seen with you,"she says bluntly before storming out of the apartment. What the fuck just happened? Why doesn't she want to be seen with me? I'm a fucking delight! I'm just trying to protect her from the rumors. I notice something sticking out of the couch cushion and I walk over to grab it.

Maybe that's what she was looking for.

I hesitate but open the sketchpad to different sketches of clothe designs.

They look so unique and professional.

Then why does she do film if she clearly has talent for fashion? I'd bet on her being a top designer or owning a fashion brand.

I open the door to her room with her scent hitting my face. It smells just like her. I place it on baby blue, fluffy duvet cover. I walk out of the room feeling like I'm invading.

She only saw my room because i allowed her to.

It should be the same.

I check the to do list on the fridge magnet and it reads what the two were going to do. She's submitting her project today and Mila, the tennis game. There's also a scribbled game night but that wasn't mentioned to me.

Maybe it's their thing.

My phone vibrates with a text from the group with the location of the hangout. A yacht? It has Delia written all over it. I change into a pair of white linen pants paired with a white button down shirt. Under it is a white bikini. I'll hardly swim but you can never be fully prepared. I grab the keys to my car knowing Lake Como might be a half hour ride.

All I can think about on my drive is how she's doing. Are they teasing her about my hoodie? Does she need me? I turn up the volume on the house music letting it distract me. I'm incapable of caring for anyone. It'll only ruin them.

I close in on the location with an excited Rafa running towards me with a champagne bottle in his hand. Isn't it a little early for drinking? Well definitely not for him.

"Well well if it isn't the tamed life of the party,"

"Like anyone could tame me, Riley,"I say letting her plant a soft kiss on my cheek. There's eight of us in the group.

"I didn't think you'd make it, Nova," Delia says once I'm on the boat, taking off her dress revealing her bikini. She does have a necklace for seduction.

But only drunk me gives in easily. She cups my face with the rest of the group watching, before tiptoing to plant a kiss on my cheek but I move my head away.

I've always rejected her, but not firmly.

That would stir up the peace in my life.

She would make sure of it.

"Let's get the party started!!! Her brother shouts with everyone pouring themselves a drink of choice as the yacht is let loose from the docking point. I take a few shots offered to me because what would it cost me? I think a lot less when I party and that has been the whole point.

"Let’s play a game. Truth or dare," Riley suggests with the rest chiming in. Delia's eyes linger on me knowingly and if it wasn't for the alcohol subtly kicking in, I'd say this was an ambush.

The bottle spins a couple of times landing on different people and the dares are everything but non sexual. No wonder there's rumors about me.

The bottle spins again.

This time Delia spins it.

It lands on me. Like she's practiced her spinning for this moment.

"Truth or dare,"

"Truth,"I say with the rest sitting up. I never ask for truth. I never have. She hesitates but takes a breathe in an out.

"Are you fucking the Sofia girl?"

"No," I say simply. That was the truth. Her problem is assuming the worst of something. Can't people just get along with me without sex being on the table?

The bottle spins again, this time it's Riley who does it. She's Delia's best friend after all, but she has boundaries and I respect that.

"Truth or dare, Nova,"

"Dare,"

I say and she looks over to Delia, before she whispers something into her ear.

Fuck.

Alcohol does take away judgement.

"I dare you to fuck the sophomore and then treat her like she was just another one of your flings,"

"That's fucking stupid. She's not even my type,"

"It's just fucking Nova, unless you like her?"

"I don't date," I say gritting my teeth. That doesn't answer the question. I can like someone and still not want to be with them.

"If I don't do the dare?"

"Then you have to quite the basketball team," she says with a huge smirk.

It sounds harmless but these dares are far more than that. If I don't do either then they'll influence the choice. Delia's father funds the basketball team and final season is coming up.

I can't quit.

"You're just a delight aren't you?" I say taking the bottle of champagne from the ice bucket getting up to find the only person I don't have a hate passion for.